Book Review: Preaching the U2 Catalog

In October, some friends of mine purchased a book for me that was released back in 2003. The title of it is Get Up Off Your Knees: Preaching the U2 Catalog. It was edited by Raewynne Whiteley and Beth Maynard. The idea behind the book was to assemble as many sermons that used or were inspired by U2 lyrics as possible.

As with any compilation type book… the book can get a little hit and miss. I think the thing that struck me was how different I approach preaching than many of these authors. I could not, in good conscience, decide to write a sermon around one specific U2 song. However, I would say that about 65% of these sermons were written in that way. It seems like many of these presenters decided to take a song from U2 that they really liked… and write a sermon around it… and maybe throw some scriptures references around it.

I have always been taught to center the message around a biblical text… so it was kind of disturbing to see whole sermons crafted around the words of Bono… rather than the words of God. On top of that, there were about four or five readings that I finished and had to ask: What was that about anyway? Some were very, very bad.

Don’t get me wrong… I really enjoyed the book. But I say all of this so that people understand that it shouldn’t be a book you buy to read in order to get twenty new ready made sermons. (You probably shouldn’t do your sermon writing that way anyway… but I digress.) These sermons would not fly in most Wesleyan pulpits. (I’m fairly ‘liberal’ about the use of culture in sermons, but even I would be uncomfortable preaching or hearing these sermons in any church I was working/attending.) Once I got it in my head that I should not read this book trying to critique other people's sermons, it became much more enjoyable to me. I just started to read to see what other preachers took away from U2 songs. It become much more interesting.

Steve Stockman wrote a sermon called 'Pressing on with U2 and Paul' that was terrific. He took a closer look at the U2 song I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. He mentioned that U2 got criticized by the church for this song. ‘What do you mean? You still haven’t found what you are looking for? Once you’ve found Jesus, that’s all you need.’ Unfortunately, there are knee-jerk Christians out there that are just looking to blast away at pop culture… and so they jump on whatever they can without looking deeper into the song.

The song is referring to heaven… when we will finally be reconciled with Jesus and meet God face to face for the first time. When all the colors will bleed into one: the time when there will be no more sin, racism, and war. Stockman suggested that this song mirrors what Paul wrote in Philippians 3:13-14: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” It certainly doesn’t seem like Paul seems content to remain where he currently is. He knows that there is much more about his spiritual journey that he has yet to experience. Stockman suggests that the song is full of lyrics of yearning and hope… not dissatisfaction with what Christ has to offer.

Another great piece was written by Wade Hodges entitled Grace the Beauty Maker. He used the U2 song Grace to craft his piece, which was a riveting look at the role that grace plays in our relationship with God. He did a great job using references from various movies, interviews, and books to help further explain the beauty of grace. U2’s song is almost a modern day remake of the old hymn Amazing Grace. “Grace, she takes the blame / She covers the shame / removes the stain / it could be her name / grace makes beauty out of ugly things."

All in all… it was a great book that reminded me of why my heart resonated so strongly with U2's music in the first place: Their lyrics are meaningful and authentic. (Yes, even their 90’s stuff… you just have to know what to look for… but that is a blog post for a different day) Their lyrics address important issues about faith, suffering, peace, betrayal, and hope. Their lyrics don’t always give answers… and in fact, usually force the listener to ask even more questions. But there is one thing their lyrics always do: They always make you think.

Overall, I graded this book a seven out of ten… I would have rated it higher, but there were some truly terrible pieces included in the book. I’ll conclude by simply saying this: If you are a U2 fan, you’ll probably like this book. If you are a preacher, this book might be of minor interest to you. If you are a U2 fan AND a preacher… I think you’ll have a fantastic time reading through this book!

Favorite Christmas Traditions:

Here is a top ten list of my favorite Christmas traditions: (In no particular)

•PUTTING THE DECORATIONS UP: Every year, we put the decorations up sometime during Thanksgiving week. The exact date depends on whether we are going anywhere or hosting family. We drag up the tree. Melissa decorates the rest of the house. I am relegated to putting up our Christmas village, which has turned into Emily’s little play village. There is no sense in even trying to ‘hide’ the wires running from house to house with fake cotton snow. Emily turns a peaceful village scene into a full-blown blizzard / war zone. I say war zone because there has been multiple be-headings and dismemberments over this holiday season.
•EATING AT MAGGIANO’S WITH MELISSA’S FAMILY: For the past few years, usually the day after Christmas, Melissa’s parents take the whole family to an upscale family style Italian restaurant called Maggiano’s. We have a great time pigging out on delicious foods… spaghetti with humongous meatballs, Italian chicken entrées, appetizers, and desserts. We get done feeling very full. My brother in law, Kevin, and I would tell you that this place serves up “a spicy meatballe.” (done in our best Italian accent…)
•CHRISTMAS AT GRANDMA & GRANDPA SANDS: I could talk about this one for a long time, but I’ll stick with the basics: Grandma makes the same types of foods every year: Cheesy Potato Soup and Oyster Stew. (Yes, I eat the Oyster stew… and don’t say anything until you’ve tried it… you don’t have to actually eat the Oysters if you don’t want to.) We always have stockings to open up. We always open presents one at a time starting from the youngest to the oldest. We used to meet every Christmas Eve… but this has started to float around to a date either a few days before or after Christmas.
•DRIVING TO CHICAGO ON CHRISTMAS DAY: Every year since we’ve been married, Melissa and I have spent Christmas Eve with my parents and then traveled three hours to Chicago to spend as much of Christmas Day as we can with her parents. I have actually come to really enjoy the drive. It’s not too long, the traffic is non-existent, and it's just a nice ride with the family. We put in Christmas tunes and there is usually a beautiful landscape covered with snow in Northern Illinois.
•CHRISTMAS AT GRANDMA MILLER’S (HARKER): About two days before Christmas, all the relatives on my mom’s side of the family get together to celebrate Christmas. We order Slugger’s and Happy Joe’s pizza… I’m a big fan of both. The cousins play the old Super Nintendo… usually Mario Kart. We do a gift exchange. We take lots of pictures at the end. Some pictures probably don’t turn out exactly the way Grandma intended thanks to some practical jokers. (I won’t name names… but it’s NEVER me.)
•CHRISTMAS AT MELISSA’S PARENTS: We usually arrive a little before noon on Christmas day at Melissa’s parents and typically we start opening presents very soon after we get settled. One thing I have always appreciated is that my father-in-law, Jim, will always start by reading one of the advent passages and praying before the presents are opened. Our attention is always directed back towards Immanuel in the Wright household on Christmas morning.
•CHRISTMAS AT MY PARENT’S: Over the past few years, we have started celebrating Christmas with my parents on Christmas Eve. Usually, we’ll have just come home from Christmas Eve service at Heritage… and we’ll start opening presents with Mom, Dad, and Jeff. We always have a great time with each other… and it has gotten even more fun recently because Emily is so stinkin’ funny. Mom always has her house decorated so great during Christmas… and it’s always a joy to spend part of Christmas break there.
•CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE: For as long as I can remember, I have attended the Christmas Eve service at my home church, Heritage Wesleyan. I usually leave very moved because they do such a good job at bringing the mystery and majesty back into the incarnation. It is always a very beautiful service. It’s really the one time each year that I can reconnect with old friends from Heritage.
•A VISIT TO THE MOVIES: For the past four or five years, my brother-in-law, Kevin, and I will pick one movie that we both really want to see that is opening right around Christmas. We usually go see it a day or two after Christmas. Last year it was Ocean’s 12; The year before that: Return of the King; And the year before that: The Two Towers. This year it was going to be Narnia… but Kevin was forced into seeing it with some friends. So, we’ve changed plans: and we’re going to see another Peter Jackson movie: King Kong.
•NEW YEAR’S EVE AT MY PARENT’S: A tradition that I will not get to participate in this year due to how the holiday falls during the week. I will miss it. We usually get together with family and play cards, games, Nintendo… eat a lot of food… watch some football or basketball… and drink sparkling white grape juice at the crack of midnight to celebrate a new year. Very fun!

What are some of your favorite traditions?

Vertigo In St. Louis

WARNING: THIS ARTICLE IS LONGER THAN MY NORMAL POSTS: JUST SO YOU ARE AWARE OF THE LENGTH BEFORE YOU GET GOING.

I had such a fantastic time at the concert last night. I continue to be blown away by how good of a live band U2 is. They put out great studio songs, but there is something special about the way they come together as a band and perform live… it is hard to explain until you see them live. Their music transcends any genre… it soars through the whole building. Even people that aren’t die hard U2 fans usually walk away impressed after a show.

This was my first Vertigo tour show, but my second time to see them live. I was surprised by a number of things. When I walked in and saw their stage set up, I kind of wondered where all their lighting was going to come from. I was incredibly impressed with the light and video show that they put on. Most of the lights and screens are hidden from plain view. For instance, as you can see from my pictures below… they had lights along the floor of all the staging. During Vertigo, they had those lights moving all over the place… I guess they were trying to make those of us in the nose bleeds experience a bout of vertigo. It was neat.

They also had these big strands of light bulbs float down… and each bulb flashed a light and when you put all the bulbs together… the formed video pictures. Bono would even walk through these video bulbs like they were a bead-strand doorway. Very cool stuff.

Speaking of Bono, I do not think there is a better front man in the business. Bono’s voice was strong… even with them being pretty far into their tour. He was playful with the crowd at times… He was dramatic at times… He was passionate at times… He was an activist at times.

As far as his politics are concerned, I can agree with his ‘end’… but I don’t always agree with his ‘means to an end’. Maybe I’ll blog about that sometime. Even though he was very much against war… he was still respectful about American soldiers and even sang snippets of ‘Johnny Comes Marching Home Again’… and eventually sang something along the lines of ‘hope they come back safe…’ or something like that. He did it in a much more moving way than I’m explaining it.

He was very interactive with the crowd. He brought a little boy up during ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ to help him shout ‘No more’… he sat the kid down on one video prompter and Bono sat down on the other like they were just hanging out. The crowd got a kick out of it. Later, during Stuck In a Moment, a high school or college student was asked to come on stage and play piano with them. At one point, both Bono and The Edge were standing next to this kid while he played… how awesome would that be? Of course, towards the end, Bono brought up a young girl to dance with him during ‘With Or Without You.’

His passion just bleeds out of him. He had everyone in the stadium, even the ones way up in the nosebleed seats, eating out of the palm of his hand. He is so willing to invest bunches of energy in his performance and dramatics that even the people furthest away want to invest back into him. In fact, during the song Miss Sarajevo, there is a part on the song that is usually sung by one of the top opera singers… and I wondered if they would overdub the voice in… and when I realized that Bono was going to try and sing it… I was kind of worried that the crowd wouldn’t ‘buy it.’ As he powerfully hit the few final high notes… the whole crowd just roared with him as he sang. I really think the crowd bought into that moment because Bono had been investing in them all night long.

They played ‘Gloria’ last night, a song off of their second album, which came out in 1981. The guitar riff on that song sounds like it could have been written yesterday. I’ve always said that pretty much anything off of Joshua Tree could still be played today and it wouldn’t sound like most anything else that came out of the 80’s. Their musicianship last night was spot on. The Edge tried a few new leads on guitar… Larry and Adam aren’t flashy on their instruments… but they are rock solid and hold everything else together. Their music is timeless.

Here were my top three songs from last night: 1) Where the Streets Have No Name… amazing. No better concert moment anywhere, in my mind, than when the lights blaze across the whole stadium during one of the vocal bridges of that song.

2) Until the End of the World… a very close second. This is my favorite live U2 song as a whole. The lighting and musicianship are just outstanding. The Edge and Bono, who, during the last climatic moments of the song, started on opposite ends of the ellipse and eventually starting chasing each other around it… I think Bono got around that thing twice. It looked like a big game of Duck, Duck, Goose… but what was amazing is that the The Edge continued to play a complicated riff… all the while running as fast as he could away from Bono, who was obviously much faster without the guitar holding him back. Very cool.

3) Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own: Very moving song about Bono’s dad. Bono tells a story about his dad, takes off his sunglasses and invites the crowd in to be a part of this painful moment in his life. Bono ends the song by singing snippets of opera in honor of his dad… who loved opera. It was just a moving moment of the concert… not one that you would expect from one of the biggest bands in the world.

The guy who went with me (Melissa got sick at the last minute and couldn’t go, unfortunately) made a great observation: At most rock concerts, the attitude coming from the stage is: All of YOU are lucky to be here seeing US play. Over and over again last night, the attitude that poured off the stage: WE are so lucky to have all of YOU here to hear our music.

All of these guys are pushing fifty… but you wouldn’t know it seeing them in concert. They all still move around the stage like they are still in their twenties. They still seem so passionate about what they do. You could take away the lights and smoke, the amps and the staging... and it wouldn’t matter… because when everything was said and done… the concert boiled down to four guys who got together in a room because they just love creating and playing music together. There just happened to be about 20,000 people listening in. I’m really glad I was one of them…

Where the Streets Have No Name

Pictures from U2 Show

Hey everybody...

Just wanted to share a few pictures of the U2 show that I was able to see last night. I'll post a lengthier review later today and include my two best pictures from the show. (During 'Where the Streets Have No Name' when the whole place is light up) But for now... enjoy these pics. It was an amazing show!

New Busch Stadium Not Worth It?

At the risk of pushing the panic button too soon, I’d like to express my extreme disappointment with the St. Louis Cardinals ownership this winter. Knowing that General Manager Walt Jocketty is not done working and signing… I write this article tentatively, knowing that many, many things could still happen before the Redbirds report to Florida next February for Spring Training.

Those of us here in St. Louis, over the past month, have watched as the old Busch stadium has been torn down (arch by arch) in favor of a brand spankin’ new stadium right next door. This stadium looks like it will be beautiful… perfect view of the arch… even the nosebleed seats appear to be right over the field… state of the art everything… luxury boxes galore.

Speaking of luxury boxes… we’ve been told by ownership that these luxury boxes and other facets of the new stadium will bring in much more money than the old Busch ever could. They told us fans that a new ballpark was needed in order to bring in more revenue... in order to increase payroll... in order to put a better product on the field... in order to win championships. The average fan, including me, assumed that payroll would be significantly higher this year over last year. To the tune of eight to ten million dollars.

How wrong we were. Ownership announced its intention to keep payroll at the same level as last year: $92 Million. Now, that is the sixth highest payroll in the majors, so I shouldn’t be complaining too much… but when the ownership bulldozes a plan through to build a new stadium in order to significantly raise payroll… and then decides NOT to significantly raise payroll… it makes the average fan scratch their head. Because most people around here really liked old Busch stadium… and never really understood why it needed to be replaced… other than the ‘increased revenue’ story we continually got from the ownership.

So here’s the new story we are getting from ownership: “The city, county, and state didn’t help fund this stadium as much as we thought they would… so about 77% of the funding is coming straight from our pockets. We have to pay our players and employees… AND we have a mortgage payment now.”

Wouldn’t it be safe to say, then, that if the Cards had stayed in old Busch stadium, they would actually be able to increase payroll more this year then what it currently is? I mean, without a mortgage payment sucking millions from ownership… isn’t it feasible to assume that they could bump payroll up, even just a few million more, if they had stayed in old Busch Stadium? And you can’t tell me that they didn’t know this BEFORE they started construction on the new stadium. In my opinion, once they realized that they were going to be saddled with a bunch of debt… they should have held off on the new stadium until they got better funding or chucked the whole idea out the door.

So we are left with having ten of our players on last year's team becoming free agents this winter and not signing even one of them back. NOT EVEN ONE. That means TEN of our roster of TWENTY-FIVE players will be leaving. More than a third. I don’t think that’s great for chemistry. The Cards will miss two or three of these players… mostly because there are not any great free agents remaining that are considerably better. (Nor are there any that the organization is willing to pay anyway!) So, we are letting guys go in order to save money… but not replacing them with any legitimate major league level starting ballplayers.

Do I think the Cards can still win their division with the current team? Yes. The Cubs have gotten better, but they are only as good as the health of their pitching… and the Cubs pretty much can count on Prior and Wood going down for any length of time each year… Zambrano will soon join them because Baker runs him out for 130 to 140 pitches each game. Derrick Lee had his career year last year, Juan Pierre has speed and nothing else, Aramis is on the DL for at least a fourth of the year every year. They are still looking for outfielders. (I hear Sammy Sosa is available…) The Astros cut Roger Clemens loose. They still have a pretty good staff… but they will still have trouble scoring runs… I don’t think they are better than us over 162 games. The Brewers will be better than people think. Reds and Pirates are rebuilding… Reds have no pitching, Pirates have very little hitting. I think we still can win our division.

Do I think the Cards can win the World Series with the current team? Probably not. But I think if we had been willing to commit a couple million dollars more per year and made two or three significant signings… and a trade or two… we could be in a great position to win it all this year. Unfortunately… those couple of million dollars more per year are paying off the new stadium that was supposed to bring in a couple of million dollars more per year. Which leaves me, an average fan, scratching his head and trying not to panic…

P.S. Approximately 70 days till Spring Training starts…

God with Us

In my mind, one of the most amazing things about the incarnation is that God allowed Himself to be born into human flesh… and as an infant! (Not that there was any other way… but think about it… Almighty God as a baby?)

At my last church in Kalamazoo, every year in December they assembled a huge ‘living Christmas Tree’ and every year they would put on a big Christmas cantata. During my last year there, they tried re-creating the manger scene. They got a Mary, Joseph, and they got the youngest infant in the church to play the part of Jesus. I think this infant was about six weeks old at the time… and the danger you always run into when you use a live infant to play Jesus is that this young person could get hungry or have a wet diaper… or could just make a lot of noise in general.

And as luck would have it, this infant got hungry right in the middle of a very quiet and somber song. This particular baby didn’t hold back either. She wailed to the whole congregation that she was hungry! The choir director was visibly embarrassed… the choir looked at each other and just smiled in an embarrassed way… thinking ‘Uh, this wasn’t the way it was supposed to be.’

I remember very clearly this particular moment. It was one of those moments when God reaches down and opens your eyes to something about His character and it changes the way you identify with Him. I was sitting at the very back of the sanctuary watching the performance… and as this little one started to cry… I began to realize the extent of the sacrifice Jesus made in becoming a human. I don’t know too many infants who come out of the womb using nouns and verbs and putting together complete sentences. The only way a new-born knows how to communicate is by crying. They cry when they are hungry, they cry when they need to be changed, they cry if they are tired, they cry if they are hurt, they cry if they are scared, they cry for no apparent reason, newborns cry and sometimes they cry very loudly.

I think it is safe to assume that the only way Jesus could communicate to his parents during this particular season of his life was by crying… and it’s safe to assume that the only way he was going to get fed and get taken care of was by depending on a mommy and a daddy. Try and wrap your mind around this one: Almighty God, who created all the languages… who could’ve communicated in a thousand different ways (from audibly speaking to burning a bush without actually burning a bush)… Almighty God, as an infant… could only take a deep breath and wail at the top of his little lungs to get the attention of his parents. Almighty God… who never had a beginning, who is all powerful, all knowing, present everywhere at once… Almighty God, put himself in a position where he had to rely on an earthly mother and father for food and provision and protection.

As everybody looked around in embarrassment at the crying infant in the sanctuary that morning… I couldn’t help but sit there marvel at the sacrifice Jesus made to become one of us… and that was just the first night of his life.

Jesus came to the earth so that He could relate to our struggles… to our heartaches… to our joys… to our sorrows… to our victories… to our fears… and yes, even to our temptations.

I love what the author of Hebrews writes: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.” (Hebrews 4:14-15)

I don’t know who wrote the next passage but I love it because it perfectly explains how beautiful and mysterious it is that God became man:

“He was the God-man. Not God indwelling a man. Of such there have been many. Not a man deified. Of such there have been none save in the myths of pagan systems of thought; but God and man, combining in one personality the two natures, a perpetual enigma and mystery, baffling the possibility of explanation.”

I’m not sure if any of you remember the 1996 pop song sung by Joan Osborne called “If God was one of us.” The lyrics asked ‘What if God was one of us… just a slob like one of us… just a stranger trying to make His way home.” Many people found the lyrics to be offensive… you can’t sing things like that about God. I found them to be sad, because I want to tell the writer of those lyrics that God already became one of us… and it’s through that man, it’s through Jesus that we can find hope and peace and freedom and salvation.

I am so thankful for the Christmas season, but I am most thankful for what it represents: The birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. The coming of Immanuel… literally, God with us.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

And still more pictures...

Emily wearing Melissa's clothes again...



She's got spunk...



Me and my little girl...

Birthday Gifts...

***The following post is an adaptation of a sermon that I am preparing to deliver this next Sunday morning at St. Peters Wesleyan.***

When I was a kid… I loved it whenever it was time to celebrate my birthday. I was a lucky kid… both sides of my family lived with ten minutes of my house and every birthday my mom would organize a party that included the invitation of all of my grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and anybody else that was somehow even remotely related to me.

These birthday parties included cakes… usually decorated by my mom. I remember one year she baked an R2-D2 cake. It was the most beautiful cake I have ever seen. Don’t tell Melissa, but this R2-D2 cake even rivaled our wedding cake. It was truly a masterpiece.

Of course birthdays include gifts… and some of my family members were very creative and very generous in their gift-giving: My grandma Sands would always give me as many presents as how many years old I was. So it was probably a bummer when I was one or two… but when I got up to nine and ten… it was jackpot time. If I was turning nine, she’d bring me nine packages to open.

What I didn’t realize at the time was that she probably spent the same amount of money on me each year… she would splurge on one or two presents and then bargain shop for her filler presents… you know trinkets, used underwear, yo-yos, whatever she needed to fill the quota that year.

My great-grandma Ramsey would kind of do that same sort of thing… except with money. When I turned five, she gave me five one dollar bills. I think there was one year when she miscounted and gave me one dollar less. In my rudeness, I let her know that she had shorted me one whole dollar, and I think I might’ve embarrassed my parents.

My grandma Miller would give me a card every year with a crisp $50.00 bill in it. It was guaranteed income every year. My favorite past-time as a kid was the Nintendo… so that $50.00 guaranteed that I could buy a new game every August right when school started.

I tell you all this to remind you of how birthdays usually work in America. Someone gets a year older… and we usually give gifts to celebrate another year. Typically, the birthday boy or girl gets all the presents (or at least the majority of them, right?)

But here’s my question for you this morning: What happened to Christmas? Not that I’m complaining or anything… but here we are celebrating the birthday of God Himself and we’ve decided to give a bunch of gifts to each other. Why is it that during Christmas that we usually get so much, and God usually gets so little? I suppose we could blame it on a number of things: Selfishness, busyness, being more concerned with the ‘how and when’ of Christmas, rather than the ‘Why.’

How can we begin to approach Christmas for what it really is? A Birthday: and not just any old birthday either. It’s the birthday of Immanuel: The God who came near; It’s the birthday of the Good Shepherd, who laid down his life for His sheep. It’s the birthday of our Savior… of Jesus.

If we are to treat Christmas as a birthday… our first question should not be: So what gifts do I need to buy this year for my family? It is a legitimate concern, but it should not be our first concern. Our main focus should not be on creating our own wish lists for the holiday season: (I am an expert at THAT one!) If we really believe this to be Christ’s birthday… our first question should be: What gift or gifts can I extend to Jesus? What gift or gifts can YOU extend to Jesus? What are the things that we can do or say that will bring Him joy and honor?

I know that this can be tricky. After-all, God is God. The earth is His. His owns the cattle on a thousand hills. What do you get for someone who has everything?

One of the things that I love about Wesleyan/Arminian theology is the thought that God allows us to choose Him. God does not force Himself on us… He graciously allows us to choose to love Him. He knows that forced love is not love at all… forced love is robotic and inspired by fear. It’s only when someone is given a choice to love that love is genuine.

God has ownership of many, many things… but He might not have ownership of You. Or He might only have partial ownership of You. Maybe the greatest gift that you can give Him is the gift of YOU. Your heart, your actions, your attitudes, your mind, your motives, your body, ALL of you. Sounds weird, huh? If you are anything like me, then you might be saying: Why in the world would HE want ME as a gift? I’m not worth anything. My answer to you: I have no idea why God wants us… but He does. If you doubt that, go read the three parables about lost things in Luke 15 or go further ahead in that same gospel to chapters 22 and 23 to see the amazing price that Jesus paid to restore God’s relationship to a fallen humanity. You are priceless in His eyes.

As we approach Christmas this year, consider giving God a gift that would bring Him great joy… your surrender to Him and to His will...

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Romans 12:1)

Things I'm Thankful For...

• For kisses on the cheek from Emily when I didn’t ask for them
• For the gift of salvation
• For football season… which tides me over until baseball season
• For the God-given and God-sanctioned sport of baseball
• For the God-favored baseball organization: The St. Louis Cardinals
• For my beautiful and supportive wife, Melissa
• For turkey sandwiches on Thanksgiving evening made from leftovers
• For the times that Emily asks me to play with Star Wars toys with her
• For the growing child within Melissa’s belly that is currently .67 of a centimeter long
• For my 1980’s Nintendo Entertainment System and the first Zelda game
• For God calling me into ministry
• For a loving and supportive family
• For snickers candy bars
• For my early 1990’s Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Final Fantasy 3
• For the Godly heritage that my parents passed down to me
• For Stove Top stuffing
• For ebay
• For the privilege of being called a child of God
• For the times I can do minor yard work with Emily’s help
• For health
• For Disney World
• For free, on-line fantasy sports
• For the times when Melissa and I settle in to watch a movie
• For my late 1990’s Nintendo 64 and Mario Tennis
• For Olive Garden and Texas Roadhouse
• For the church of Jesus Christ
• For music and specifically, U2’s music
• For my laptop computer and wireless internet
• For the cross and the empty tomb
• For the rare fiction novel that cannot be put down
• For Notre Dame football
• For the times when Emily sings ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’
• For the Warcraft PC games
• For McDonald’s eggnog shakes
• For Empire Strikes Back and the other five Star Wars movies
• For God’s Word
• For tennis and the ability to play
• For my education
• For the gift of laughter
• For scented candles (like pumpkin spice and cinnamon)
• For hot showers in the morning
• For the gift of life, both now and in eternity

Her favorite animal...

Just wanted to share a quick picture of Emily from Halloween weekend. We went to 'Boo at the Zoo' here at the St. Louis Zoo. We had a lot of fun and Emily tried to climb the fence to go play with the Elephants.

Marveling at Jesus

I absolutely marvel at Jesus’ ability to make the right decisions in the worst circumstances. The more I read the gospels, the more amazed I get.

I’ve recently been thinking about one of my weaknesses; or more specifically, my ability to get short with people and sometimes get downright mean. No, it doesn’t happen all that often. It usually only happens when I’m annoyed, tired, hurting, confused, or whatever. Sometimes, when an apology is needed… I blame it on all on those conditions. ‘I’m really sorry for snapping at you, my head is just really hurting right now… I don’t feel like myself.’

But then I read about Jesus, and I see that he went through the exact type of circumstances that I go through… and he ALWAYS made the right decision. Which tells me that I can no longer use excuses like: I’m tired, or in pain, or anything else that I tend to use to make me feel better for acting like a jerk. For instance:

I really get annoyed when someone tells me how to do my job. Jesus had people telling Him how to do His job throughout His whole ministry. Even all of His disciples would have preferred that He would be a political leader that would save the Jews from Rome’s authority. But, Jesus never let that get in the way of loving His disciples.

Recently, one of my teeth has been bothering me. I’m going to get a root canal soon. The pain starts in my mouth and shoots up the right side of my head. I get really crabby until I can get some meds in me. Jesus had been beaten about as severely as a man can be beaten without dying… He had nails stuck in his hands and feet… He was wearing a crown of thorns… yet He still displayed a forgiving, gracious, and loving spirit while on the cross.

When I am at my most productive in the office, I absolutely hate distractions. Come to think of it… even when I am not productive, I hate distractions. It puts me in a bad mood. Jesus almost seemed to thrive on distractions… there are several good reasons for that which I’ll explore in another post, but the point here is this: He didn’t allow distractions to ruin His day, or cause Him to be any less generous with people… He did not allow distractions to annoy Him to the point of saying mean things or being impatient to the people around Him.

I really have a hard time loving people that have an opinion of me that they are willing to share with everybody but me. In fact, there have been people in the past that I have just avoided talking to altogether because of this type of thing. My excuse: ‘I just don’t have time for people who act this way.’ Jesus rebuked these types of people, but He still loved them… He still tried to teach them… He still dealt with them… He didn’t avoid them. So much for my trying to justify avoiding people like this…

In the very honest moments of my life, there are times when I don’t even want to treat people like Jesus did. I mean, it seems like He gave people too much credit. His way is harder. You have to deal with difficult people if you follow His method. You can't just avoid people that tork you off. Hardest of all... you are expected to love those people that tork you off. My way is so much easier...

And then I remember that the heart of God beats for people. His heart is broken for those who are broken. He is desperately searching for those who are lost. He IS LOVE. Not to be confused with ‘God is lovING.’ That doesn’t cut it. God IS THE definition of love. His very essence is love. It’s not just something He does, or shows… Love is what He IS.

With that in mind… it’s time for me to be a better steward of the relationships that He has put in my life. It’s time for me to put aside the excuses that make me feel better about my rotten attitude towards people. It’s time to put aside my comfort level and start seeking to build people up, regardless of how I feel about them or how they’ve treated me. It’s time for me to start modeling His love...

Good news!

Well, the big news for our family: MELISSA IS PREGNANT! (Check out Emily's T-Shirt!) This pregnancy is considered a higher risk pregnancy because of Melissa’s blood clotting disorder… so if you could keep her and baby in your prayers. It looks like she will be due sometime in early to mid July. (C-Section) The doctors will be keeping a close eye on Melissa and we even have our first ultrasound scheduled for sometime around Thanksgiving. (The date has changed, so I can’t remember it exactly…)

We are very excited about this. It is quite a relief to Melissa. Throughout this whole process… she has had to inject herself in the stomach, twice a day, with Hepburn. (Since April or May) Finally, there is an end in sight to all this shot-taking. Emily is not quite sure what to think of everything yet. I’m sure she’ll warm up to the idea (I mean... come on... she’ll get to mother a little sibling… and boss her/him around)… but I’m not sure she wants to give up her exclusive parental attention rights. We’ll see…

Melissa will probably try to take as much maternity leave as she can early next school year. I would like to somehow be in solid position financially… good enough to allow her to stay home for the whole first school year… but we are still working some of that out. Melissa enjoys working at DuBray and if she has to work… that is where she would like to stay… but I would love have her stay home with the baby for as long as possible.

Anyway... just wanted to share!

Wish I Could Do It All Over Again

I told Melissa that I was writing a post for the blog about how I wish I could go back and do college all over again… she said: ‘Why… so that you could go back and trade me in for someone else?’ She was kidding, but I am not kidding when I say that I wouldn’t trade her for anyone. She’s the best. So I should specify:

I wish I could do the academic portion of college all over again. I had a couple of things going against me the first time around. For one, I finished high school with a 2.0 grade point average. I didn’t finish low because I was stupid… I finished low because I just didn’t care. There were no classes that motivated me… there were no classes that captivated me. But, I didn’t really understand that at the time. I never really have considered myself as brilliant… still don’t for the most part… but when I first went to college… I had serious doubts about whether I belonged there at all when it came to academics.

That really affected the way I went about learning. Instead of really trying to understand issues… I really just sought to take good notes, learn dates and facts for tests… and I never really got involved in discussions. Another thing that I never truly utilized until my senior year was my professors. I was never proactive in asking for help… or getting clarification on issues… I never really asked any professors to do lunch until my senior year. I wish I would have put myself in a position to pick their brains more.

Recently, I have realized that I have a deep love (and thirst) for theology. I think it started back in 2002 or so when I took my first graduate level theology course on the Trinity. I soaked up that class. I learned so much. My view of God was clarified. I loved the class discussions and debate. It was awesome.

In many ways, it was the first legitimate theology class that I have taken. I had three theology classes in college: Theology 1, Theology 2, and Theology of Holiness. Theology 1 was taught by a teacher that I really respected, but he was getting older (I think it was his last year to teach) and had recently suffered a stroke... so he had trouble formulating into words some of the deeper truths… I didn’t take much away from that class.

Theology 2 and Theology of Holiness was taught by a guy that probably had no business teaching any college level classes in the first place. He didn’t really teach us theology so much as he preached to us. Sometimes preaching is good in the classroom… but not in this case. I remember one time… class started and he called on several students to ‘teach’ the lesson out of the notebook that we were working through. These students had no warning, no time to prepare, and quite frankly… weren’t being paid to teach theology… our professor was. Needless to say, I learned very little…

One of my favorite teachers in college was Dr. Bud Bence. I had him for several classes… but the two that resonated with me the most: Church History 1 and 2. That was where I learned most of my understanding of different theological issues. Which was unfortunate… because Dr. Bence also needed to teach us about Church History. (another topic that I love) He was cramming so much information into each class... it was great, but I always wondered how different it would have been for me to have taken my theology courses with Dr. Bence.

Anyway… all this resulted into two disappointing things. One, I entered ministry with a very limited understanding of theology. Two, I entered ministry not knowing that I had a mind and spirit that absolutely craves learning about theology. Now that I know, I wish I could go back and do it all again (with different professors, of course.)

I check several blogs that just delight me, but also make me jealous. I long to be in that intensive classroom learning atmosphere and just soak up as much as I can… but I also know that I can’t afford it, I don’t want to leave where I am, and I don’t want to leave my family for a week at a time to do it anymore.

However, since I can’t get to the classroom right now… I’ve decided to bring the classroom to me. I have decided to write a Sunday School curriculum covering some the introductory ideas of theology. I don’t know how long it will take and I don’t know how well received the class will be… but at very least, through my writing, I will be forced to research and probe. And I think that will be a blast…

Pumpkin Patch

A couple of weeks ago, we took Emily to a pumpkin patch. We had a lot of fun. I thought I'd share some of our pictures...


She picked this pumpkin all by herself and was very proud of herself!


She loved the pony ride...


We couldn't resist...

The Apostle Paul's Optimism

My small group is studying the book of Philippians. It is one of the most optimistic books of the Bible… and it has been such a joy to look at. I really respect the apostle Paul. I want to develop the same type of attitude about difficult circumstances as he did. It would make life so much more joy-filled.

I mean, seriously… how do you go about persecuting a guy like Paul?

• You could throw him into prison and he’d just say: “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.”
• You could torture him and he’d just say: “…if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
• You could threaten to starve him, take his money away, strip him of all his has and he’d just say: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
• You could take the final step and tell Paul that you’re going to kill him and he’d just say: “to die is gain… I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far…”

There is really no way to discourage Paul. I really want that type of optimistic, faith-filled attitude. Think about it… it makes sense. Let’s say God was to pull a ‘Job’ on us and take everything we have away from us: Family, Health, Wealth, Possessions, Fame, Power… everything. We can have assurance that there is one thing that God will never pull away from us: The gift of grace. The gift of His Son. The gift of eternal life.

And so if God were to remove all those things from our lives… we would still have the greatest gift ever extended. We would still have hope. We could still have joy. In fact, we would have the one gift that is worth thanking God for through all eternity.

The secret of being content? Keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus. Remembering what He did for you. Clinging to the cross. Looking through the entryway of a tomb and seeing no dead body. Keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus.

It reminds me of highway driving. I was taught to always keep my eyes on the horizon in order to stay in the middle of the road. Whenever my eyes wandered to the right or left or even got caught up looking right in front of the car… I would start to drift. I think life is like that… it is so easy to allow small things to get us discouraged. If only we would keep our eyes locked on the one person that matters… we would continue to be joy-filled… we would continue to live lives of hope and peace… we would continue to serve despite the circumstances… we would continue to live as though each new day is a gift.

I want to live like that: Hopefully optimistic… Joyfully confident… Faithfully loving…

“…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances…” (Philippians 4:11)

What you get when...

...you mix a three year old, stamp pads, and no supervision. Whoops.

Seasons

I am a Midwest boy. I always will be. I never want to leave. God may call me away to a warmer climate… but, I’ll be honest… I wouldn’t be happy about it. When I retire, I'd like to retire somewhere in the midwest. I have grown up with four distinct seasons each year and love each of them for different reasons. My favorite month of the year: October.

There is no better month than October, in my mind, because of the colors of the trees and the temperature. It’s kind of a tradition of mine, during my day off, to open all the windows in my house and just breathe in the cooler air and take in the beauty of the season. I know that not everybody gets into the yellows, oranges, and reds of autumn… but I absolutely marvel at it. In fact, I’ve lived here in St. Peters long enough to know where the most stunning trees are in my neighborhood. I specifically drive by these trees to just look at them.

There is one tree in particular that is half bright red and half bright orange right now. When the sun hits this tree just right, it looks like the tree is on fire. To this sentimental, Midwestern boy… the view is breath-taking.

I also love the decorations… in October we see pumpkins, cobwebs, ghosts, monsters, strobe lights, graveyards, etc. Halloween has never bothered me as a Christian. For me, it’s a chance to live through my daughter’s imagination. To remember what it was like to put on a Darth Vader costume and go door to door begging for candy. To recall the horror of walking through a chainsaw and coffin infested haunted house. To revisit all the ghost stories and tales that were passed down to me. This Saturday, we are hoping to take Emily to a pumpkin patch… where we will pick out her first pumpkin and later that evening… we will attempt to carve it.

My second favorite month of the year: December. I love Christmas time. I love getting out the tree with Melissa and Emily and decking out our house for Christmas. I love the music. I love the anticipation of spending time with family, which is hugely important to both Melissa and I. (Since I only get two Sundays off a year… and Melissa works a normal work week, we can’t just take off to visit family any old time… but we usually always take a week off around Christmas time.) I love it when the weather patterns work out so that we actually have a ‘White Christmas.’ Christmas lights just look so much cooler when their colors can gleam off the snow at night.

I love the first snowfall. I love how it sticks to the trees. I love how it crunches under my feet. I love how it packs together for my first snowball victim (usually Melissa). I love how the city just lights up more because the snow reflects the light into an orange kind of glow.

I am thankful for the seasons. There is always something to look forward to. Around August, I start getting tired of the heat… and I look forward to fall (and football). Around November, I start getting excited for the holidays. Around February, I start getting tired of the cold and start looking forward to the warmth of spring and the start of baseball. By April, I am ready for summer to kick in full force… and knowing that my wife gets to be at home and that I get to spend more time with her and Emily. I love the seasons… and the joys and emotions that each one brings to my life.

I’d write more… but there are a few trees I’d like to go look at…

WOW

"Play nine and see what happens." -Tony LaRussa

Major League Baseball

Ok, since baseball is winding down... I figure that it's time for me to share a few things that bother me about the current state of Major League Baseball.

1. The All Star Game

This is ridiculous... that the commissioner of baseball would allow an EXHIBITION game to possibly decide the fate of teams that have fought all year to make it to the World Series. Why don't we just say that which ever league wins the most inter-league spring training games gets home field advantage? Or better yet… why don’t we base it on something even more ridiculous… If the NFC wins the superbowl in the NFL… then the National League gets home field advantage in the World Series… and same thing with the AFC and the American League.

Think about this… most teams that make the World Series only have up to five or six players that are actually on the All-Star Team. And most players on the All Star Team only play for three or four innings. That means that, at most, only 20% of the players of any World Series team had even the slightest bit to do with whether they got home field advantage or not and most of those players only played a third of the exhibition game. What a stupid rule.

This may be going out on a limb… but it seems that the best way to award home field advantage is to give it to the team that had the best regular season record in either league. Just my opinion.

2. The Wild Card

Mind you, the wild card makes the game more interesting for a greater number of fan bases for a longer time during the season. It’s exciting to be in a race for the last playoff spot even if you have long since lost the opportunity to represent your division as the champions.

And this is exactly why I hate the wild card. Last year, the Cardinals had to play the Astros for the opportunity to play in the World Series. They almost lost. If they would have lost… the Astros would have been the National League Champions without even being the Central Division champions. Worse yet. The Cardinals eventually lost to the Boston Red Sox… the American League wild card. So the Boston Red Sox were named the American League champions and Major League Baseball Champions… but they could not call themselves the American League Eastern Division Champions. I think it is a shame that we allow these losers into the playoffs. If you can’t win your own division, you have no right to play for the world series championship.

3. Minute Maid Ballpark

At the risk of offending some really good friends of mine who live close to Houston, work for Minute Maid, and have starting liking the Astros… let me start by saying this: I have a lot of respect for the Houston Astros. I like the way they play ball. Biggio and Bagwell are legends… not just for being good, but for being good on the same team for years and years. So this post is not a rant against the team. It’s a rant against the retarded stadium.

First of all… I’m sure it’s a beautiful park. It looks like it would be a fun atmosphere to be a fan in. But the field configurations are incredibly dumb. It’s like the architect sat down one day after getting blasted and stoned all at the same time and decided to design the playing field.

What is with the stupid hill in center field? No other ballpark has a hill in center field… and for good reason. Baseball was meant to be played on a level playing field. Not only does it take away from the game, but I believe it to be very dangerous. Centerfielders can get hurt.

What is with the stupid pole sticking out right in the middle of the stupid hill in center field? So lets say that somebody hits a shot to dead center field and the centerfielder runs back to get it… he gets to the warning track… running at full speed and stumbles on the incline of the stupid hill… he falls forward and smacks his head against the stupid pole sticking out in centerfield and cracks his head open. Mark my words, if the Houston Astros don’t change this field configuration… a serious injury will happen in centerfield someday… and I just hope that it happens to one of their players… and not a visiting team.



The field configurations are terrible as well. 315 down the left field line? That short porch is the reason why the Astros even won yesterday. Berkman hit a line drive homerun that barely cleared the wall. In any other stadium… it would have been a double or an out. Not a grand slam homerun. Center field is 430 something feet. That is one of the long centerfields I’ve ever seen. The dimensions are so dumb.

Want to know the biggest reason why I wanted to play the Braves rather than the Astros? (Other than the fact that the Braves actually won their division) No, it’s not the Astros pitching that I’m scared of… it’s their terrible ballpark where inferior teams can dink their way to wins out of nowhere. Thankfully, the Cards have several lefties that can ‘dink’ the ball over the wall in left field as well.

Well… that’s a start to several things that annoy me in Major League Baseball. Sorry, no serious post this week. Just wanted to get my opinion out there about a few things that have been bothering me.

NLDS Game Two

I was one of the lucky ones who scored Cardinals playoff tickets. So my brother, his friend Andy, my mom and dad, and Melissa and I all went to the game this afternoon. I just wanted to share a few pictures with you.



This is a picture of the new ballpark that they are building. Cardinal brass says that the stadium will be ready for opening day 2006. Yes, that is next April. Looks like it will be a beautiful ball park.



Out with the old (right hand side), and in with the new (left hand side). Dad wanted me to get a combo shot of both the old and new stadiums in the same picture.



First pitch: Mark Mulder delivers a strike to Eric Young.



An exciting moment in the game when Albert Pujols came up with the based loaded. He would eventually walk in a run. Notice all the fans standing... the energy was incredible!



A neat picture of the backdrop of the arch at Busch stadium.

We had a great time. We were in the very top row... but we overlooked the infield, as you can tell from the pictures... we could see everything just fine. The day ended well with the Cards winning 6-2 and taking a 2-0 strangle hold in the series.

When Your Best Isn't Good Enough

It seems like there have been specific times in my life where the 'blinders' are removed from my eyes and I am made aware that I need to do better in a certain area of life... or a certain aspect of ministry. I am thankful for these times... but they can be very painful as well.

In fact, I think the MOST painful types of these situations come when I find out that I am falling short in an area of life, relationship, or ministry that I have given my very best to. Those times when I know that I have poured energy, thoughts, resources, and the whole of my giftedness into an area at home or work... and yet I find that it still isn't good enough.

I've heard people say that God works in our lives in spite of us. I've even heard it said that even when you are at 50% or 25% physically, emotionally or spiritually... God can work through you. This is good news for a preacher who has had to mow the church lawn, do a funeral, be at the hospital for a day, and check on a parishioner's dog all in the same week. Because, come Sunday, he might not be as prepared as he would like to be when he cracks open the Word of God and begins to preach. God can and will speak through that pastor... even if he's not at his best.

But what about those times when you feel good physically... when you are in a good place emotionally and spiritually... and when you invest the whole of yourself to a project or ministry... but it's not enough? How about when you choose to do everything that you have learned is right to do... but you fall short of your goal or someone tells you that it needs to be better next time? It can be frustrating and disheartening.

I'm still learning how to deal with the disappointment. I'm still learning how to 'get over myself' in these situations. I'm still learning how to rely on God's strength. I'm still trying to figure out the proper definitions of success and failure. I'm still learning... I'm still growing... I'm still being molded. But it's still painful.

I guess I am clinging to a powerful truth that Paul wrote about in his second letter to the Corinthians: "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

I was recently watching a Cardinals baseball game on T.V. They were talking about how sinkerball pitchers have more success when they are a little tired. When a guy who throws 90% sinkers comes in feeling really good... he has a tendency to overthrow the ball. A sinker that is overthrown does not sink. It stays up. Most pitches that were intended to be 'down' but stay 'up' in the major leagues get absolutely hammered. When a sinkerballer is a little tired... he won't overthrow the ball and the downward movement will be there. So instead of relying on sheer strength... the pitcher is really relying on movement and location.

I know all illustrations break down. But maybe that's how I ought to live. Maybe this 'being at my best' stuff is overrated. Maybe when I'm at my best I tend to overthrow. Maybe I rely on my own strength too much. Is it possible that God actuallys prefers it when we are empty and weak so that he can fill us up with his power and use us to do great things through His strength?

Maybe situations like these are designed to teach me that my best will never be good enough...and that, thankfully, it doesn't have to be.

Blogger's Block

During the past three weeks, it has been difficult to find the time to sit down and write a decent post. I can mostly blame my continual computer problems. My laptop starting breaking down in mid-August and we decided about two weeks ago to buy a new laptop. Our second in about a year. So, I have transferred files from one computer to another twice in the last month. It has been frustrating.

In the past two weeks, it seems like everytime I sit down to try and write... I can't really think of anything to write about. Then, those rare times that I think of something to write about... I'm not anywhere near a computer... or I'm not in a position to write.

I'm thinking that I'll get a legitimate post on here over the weekend... I've got a few ideas and I will have the time tomorrow night to finally sit down and write. Check back soon!

Here is a quick picture of Emily... who is getting proficient at getting on the internet and playing games on PBSKIDS.COM

Growing Up With A Legend...

I think it was the 1990 U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows, New York. I was about 12 or 13 years old. I had watched tennis on T.V. before, but I had never understood it or even cared to understand it. I was a baseball kid through and through... so the desire was never there for any other sport.

But I remember this particular day well. I was at my Grandma Miller's house when she lived out beyond Milan. I was sitting downstairs flipping through channels when, upon my screen, flashed the green U.S. Open tennis court... and playing on this tennis court was the only reason why I ever cared to pick up a tennis racquet: Andre Agassi.

He was playing and beating Boris Becker in the semi-finals. Agassi was probably 19 or 20 at the time. He had long, wild hair and had on flashy Nike clothes and 'Agassi' Nike Air shoes. His game was as flashy as his wardrobe: he hit the ball HARD. Really hard. He went for winners alot... most of the time, he got them. I loved the way he controlled the groundstoke game... he didn't have a huge serve, he never really went to the net, he wasn't even all that fast at the time... he just hit the ball hard: He used a two-handed backhand and absolutely crushed the ball. He forehand was even bigger. Maybe even more flashy than his game was his personality. Hollywood type material. As a 13 year old fat nerd watching this 19 year old cool guy play tennis... he was everything I wanted to be.



As I said before, I immediately wanted to play tennis. I remember my first opponent was my Grandpa Sands. He had a couple of old racquets that we used... and I remember we would go to a park near his house to play. Just like my hero, Agassi, I started using a two-handed backhand stroke. I tried to serve just like Agassi... I even bought his shoes... which killed my parents because, at the time, buying a pair of tennis shoes for over $100.00 bucks just wasn't the first thing they wanted to do. My first racquet was bought by my Grandma and Grandpa Sands... a pink racquet that I loved and was embarrassed of all at the same time...

Eventually, I started playing other people... mostly from church. There was a guy named Lyle Sears... who took me under his wing and gave me a few lessons. He helped me with footwork, he helped me understand side spin on a serve, he helped me understand nice low slice shots as a defensive shot. He greatly influenced the way I continued to play the game.

I sort of got off-track... this post is really supposed to be about Agassi. I remember watching him win his first grandslam at Wimbledon. It was during the late morning service at Heritage. I skipped out on the service and went up to one of the balcony classrooms that picked up local channels and I watched him win right during church. He started bawling right on the court. I was cheering so hard for him. He had finally won that elusive first grand slam title.

This might sound weird: but Agassi and I kind of 'grew up' together. I loved him as a teenager because he was a cool guy. He was a rebel. He was unlike any tennis player to ever play the game. I loved him in college because he went through a really tough spell when he dropped to 141 in the world... and battled all the way back to the number one spot. He showed tenacity, character, and kind of 'matured' during that time: something that I finally did in my college years. I love him now, as a 28 year old with a family... because despite the fact that he's a very 'old' (in tennis years) 35, he still works hard, he still loves the game, he draws motivation from his wife and kids, he still desires to win, and he can still run the 20 somethings around the court so much... they might as well be running a marathon rather than playing tennis. Every stage of life that I went through... he became exactly the type of tennis player and athlete that I wanted to root for. I don't know if that will make much sense to most of you. But it has been significant for me.



There has never been (and there probably never will be) another tennis player that I actually root hard for. Watching one of his matches is as emotionally draining to me as watching a Cardinal baseball game or a Notre Dame football game. I get nervous for him. I cheer and clap for him. When he wins the big break points, I love it and am willing to cheer out loud for him. When he loses, I feel it emotionally.

Last Sunday, I watched him play his stinkin' heart out, only to lose to arguably the best tennis player the world has ever seen, Roger Federer. Agassi was up a break in the third set and could have pulled ahead of Federer two sets to one. Federer picked up his game in a huge way... Agassi just sort of faded away. As I watched the awards ceremony, I had a really hard time watching him accept the second place award. It was like one of my good friends had just lost. I was really sad for him.

Several times over the past week, I have wondered why it is that watching a guy lose in tennis could almost bring me to tears. Maybe it's because this great 35 year old legend battled and scratched his way through the two week U.S. Open draw with a firm resolve that he would not give up even if he was a set or two down... or even if he was losing to a kid that was hitting the manure of the ball. (James Blake in the Quarterfinals) Maybe it's because I saw in this year's U.S. Open that his game is as 'big' as it has always been... that he's quicker, a better server, and a better volleyer now then he ever was before he was 30. Maybe it's because I value the way he plays the game... from the baseline with incredibly clean shot making from both wings. Maybe it's because he was part of the greatest generation of American male tennis players: Sampras, Chang, Courier, Wheaton, Martin... and against anyone's prediction, he outlasted them all. Maybe it's because I like the way he gives credit to the game of tennis and to the fans. Maybe it's because I respect him as a human being... who loves his wife and kids and who gives generously to charities. Maybe it's because I watched this guy grow up in the midst of growing up myself... from a cool punk, to deadbeat, to number one in the world, to deadbeat again, to number one in the world again, to a re-dedicated, over 30, 'steady Eddie' who is always ready to play. Maybe it's because Andre Agassi was the reason why I ever picked up a tennis racquet in the first place.

Regardless of why I admire him and root for him so much... I do know one thing: When Andre Agassi retires, watching professional tennis will never be the same for me again. Period. I know something else: I will never stop playing the game because I have grown to love it. I have grown to love it because one fateful day in 1990, Andre Agassi gave me a reason to actually try it...

Here's hoping that this great athelete is still playing in the pro circuit for many years to come...

Annoying People In Heaven?

Shortly after I began full time ministry in Kalamazoo, I found out a harsh truth: Not everybody would like me. I found out another harsh truth soon after: Not everyone would have a good reason for not liking me. Ouch. Double ouch.

I grew up in a very positive home… and I attended a very positive church. My dad served as the Vice-chairman of the Local Board of Administration for years… as well as the Lay Leader. I’m sure that he shielded me from the negative politics that sometimes happen in a church. My parents always modeled to me what I thought all parishioners were like: Very loyal and very concerned about their pastor. I don’t ever remember either of my parents saying a negative thing about Pastor John while I lived under their roof.

So, you can imagine how naïve I was going in to my first ministry position. And you can imagine how hurt I was when I found out that someone was upset at me, or annoyed at me, or questioning a decision I made with everyone else EXCEPT me! Ouch. Double ouch.

Now, I should probably say this right here and now: About 98% of the people at Kalamazoo were exactly like my parents: They loved their pastors. They lavished encouragement and gifts upon their pastors. They respected their pastors. They took care of their pastors. My opening thoughts are not meant to be a condemnation of KWC… because I loved every minute of the four years I was there. This is meant to illustrate the ‘culture shock’ I encountered once I actually became a pastor and realized that there were a few people that just didn’t like me… and how frustrating it was for me to look back to the things I had said or done in their presence to cause such animosity… and not see anything that should cause this much tension.

Then I moved to St. Peters. I confess that I have not encountered so much personal animosity here. I think part of the reason is that I didn’t follow anyone into the same position… the last full time person here at SPWC was a youth pastor. They hired me for an entirely different role. (And, in practice, I am actually fulfilling an entirely different set of responsibilities than which they hired me for!) Even though I have not experienced quite the same sensations here… I have had to deal with the same types of issues.

In the six short years that I have been involved with ministry, I have encountered several ‘controversial’ issues that I never would have guessed to be ‘controversial’ before I became a pastor. These include worship styles, song selection, Christmas hymn selection, instrument selection, worship band scheduling, movement on stage during pastoral prayer, Bible translations, church bus issues, building maintenance, parsonage maintenance, church lawn maintenance, carpet coloring, etc, etc, etc.

The list could carry on for awhile… these are just a few examples of pettiness found in churches. There are days when it gets so bad, I just want to throw up my hands and explore other options of employment. I get angry. I get self-righteous. I get indignant. I start thinking crazy things like: If heaven is going to be a perfect place… then surely some of these people won’t be there, right? I ask God and anybody else who listens: Will there be annoying people in heaven?

Then I remember some of the petty things that I argue over… situations come to my mind of when I’ve gotten defensive over something silly… God gently reminds me of some of the things that I constantly get mad about… and He firmly answers my question: If there won’t be any annoying people in heaven… then you won’t be there either. Ouch. Double Ouch.

I am thankful that I serve a patient God. I am thankful that I have been redeemed by a God that loves me, regardless of what I look like… of who I might annoy… of how I act when I’m mad… of what I’ve done in the past. I’m thankful that He is willing to forgive me in my ‘not so proud’ moments when I get mad at people for being mad at the same petty things that I sometimes get mad at. I am thankful that He offers me the strength to be a loving and compassionate pastor to people who might be hard for me to love… because I could never love them on my own strength. I am glad to know that heaven will be crammed full of annoying people who have been forgiven, redeemed, and purified by the grace and blood of Jesus Christ…


“For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.” (I Corinthians 15:9-10)

A good Utility Player...

I was recently thinking about my gift package and I came to a realization about myself:

I am very much like a good utility player in baseball: A good utility player can play several positions, and can hit a little; BUT he doesn’t hit well enough and he doesn’t play any one position well enough to get hired as a starter. Here’s what I mean concerning my own gift package:

Gift: I can sing and I love to lead worship: Problem: I would never get hired as a full-time Worship Arts Pastor because I can’t read music, I don’t play an instrument, I can’t really help musicians get better at playing their instruments, and I couldn’t put together big musical productions that are so popular in the church.

Gift: I am approachable. Most people sense that I am trustworthy and sensitive: Problem: I am not a people magnet. It takes all the courage I can muster to meet new people on my own. I am better at developing close long term relationships with people… but that takes time. I am recharged by spending time alone or with immediate family… I am drained around mostly anyone else.

Gift: I’ve noticed that I can relate to most kids and I’m authentic enough that most teenagers feel comfortable around me. Problem: I have a really hard time teaching kids and teenagers. I don’t know why. In Kalamazoo, I could hang out with the students for hours… but as soon as it was time to start teaching… I froze up. I felt like I came off dry and stiff and irrelevant. Weird, huh? It gets weirder, though.

Gift: I’ve been told that I am a decent preacher. Problem: I’ve found that I am only effective when preaching to adults. I’ve also found that older adults love my preaching (unless they are just being nice); but I have a harder time connecting my preaching to the younger crowd. However, when I am just hanging out… it’s easier for me to build relationships with the younger crowd than it is for me to build relationships with the older crowd.

Gift: I had success recently as a Sunday School teacher. I have found that I enjoy researching topics and putting together lessons that help people better understand a difficult topic. Problem: The only type of teacher I’ll ever be is a Sunday School teacher. I’ve thought about how much I would enjoy being a college teacher… ministry classes… bible classes… that sort of thing: but that means I would need to probably finish getting a graduate degree and a doctorate. This might change, but I am not interested in that pursuing ANY degree of ANY kind at this stage of my life, for a host of reasons…

Gift: I’ve been told that I am a good writer. Problem: The only writings of mine that will ever get published are my self-published blog posts: Mostly because I struggle with Attention Deficit Disorder when it comes to writing. I can’t even fathom writing a book of even 150 pages on one particular topic. I have a hard enough time writing about one particular thing for just ONE page on Microsoft Word. I also struggle with academic writing… mostly because I am made to feel that I need to include big, intellectual words. I have an ok vocabulary… but I when I write, I want it to be simple and understandable. One other problem… I am not an original thinker. I like reading what other people think and then deciding if I agree with them or not. I am decent, however, at breaking down complex thoughts into smaller more easily digested pieces.

Gift: I am organized and get detail work done well. Problem: I love detail work… but it can get boring in a hurry if that is all I am doing. I would never want a job where all I am doing is administrative work. (I like how my job is set up now… I do a lot of administrative stuff… but it’s mixed in with hanging out with kids on Wednesday… mixed in with teaching adults on Sunday… mixed in with about four or five other ministries…)

I’ve decided that I do a variety of things decently…. but I don’t do any of those things like an All-Star. In other-words: In Cardinal lingo… I’m like a John Mabry… I hit decent and play a variety of positions well… but I’m not an Albert Pujols at any one thing.

I was reading a book about a year ago called ‘Good to Great.’ Without giving a full book review, there was a concept in there called the ‘Hedgehog Principle.’ Basically, the author asked businesses and leaders to identify the one thing that they could do as good as anybody else… and then be willing to pour money, resources, time, and talent into that one thing. He nick-named that ‘one thing’ as a hedgehog. (Book explains it better)

Maybe my personal hedgehog is versatility. I can be an asset to a church or organization because I can do a variety of things in a variety of different ways. I guess I’ve just been thinking lately about how curious I am about how God plans on using me in the future. There are a few people that insist I will be a lead pastor someday. Maybe. (In the next month I will be posting an article about why I don’t want to be a lead pastor… it might give you a clue as to how I feel about the whole issue.)

Anyway… don’t know why I shared all this. I guess it’s more of a personal reflection post… and maybe not worth posting on here… who knows?

Go Cardinals!

Last Saturday, we took Emily to her first ballgame since she was about four months old. It was a hot day... but she really seemed to enjoy herself. We had spectacular seats too.

This picture was taken during the 7th inning stretch... and both of us are singing 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame.' It was pretty fun!

Those stinkin' Democrats...

Another way that I've changed as a christian... Political ideology:

I grew up thinking that all Christians ought to be Republicans. I also grew up thinking that all Democrats were going to hell. Some of the hottest places in hell, in fact. Somehow, somewhere along the way… I associated political ideology with spiritual truth… as if they went hand in hand. God would certainly bless those people who believed that tax cuts were good… and He would curse those who believed that raising taxes is the answer.

I think it was sometime between the 2000 and 2004 elections that my attitude and mind-set began to change. Mind you, I am still a Republican. Conservative politics resonate with my personal sense of logic. I agree with Republican ideology much more than I do with Democratic ideology...

I think the change in my mind can be best encapsulated by telling a story from this past election. I remember walking into the church kitchen to grab myself ten or so doughnuts for breakfast on a Sunday morning between services. Unfortunately, I walked right into a conversation that caused me to stop and think. One guy said to the other guy: ‘I don’t think you can be a Christian and NOT be a Republican.’

Wow. Now that is a bold statement. So, I wanted to ask him, are you saying that God is more concerned with a person’s political ideology in one particular nation during one particular season in history than whether that same person has been washed in the blood of Jesus?

During election season, I saw countless pamphlets that asked the question: Who would Jesus have voted for? Well, he was a Jew in an Israel that was ruled by the Romans… I don’t think he was particularly interested in voting back then. Besides which, he rarely talked about Rome or politics… as recorded in the gospels, which I assume contained the most vital teachings of Jesus. I just don’t get the sense that the most important thing on God’s mind is who wins the American election every four years. I’m not trying to offend anyone. I do think God cares about the state of our country… but from everything that I’ve read, I sense that God is more concerned about the state of individual’s souls. It seems like He looks to His church to create change in culture… and NOT by protesting and holding up signs that say: God hates fags or displaying large pictures of aborted babies... Just my humble opinion.

I think it was my lead pastor, Steve Colaw, who said something that I find to be so true (and kind of funny): If you have to be a Republican to be a Christian… then even Jesus wasn’t a Christian. Same thing goes for the early church and the disciples.

Recently, though... I've noticed that it's a fad for the more 'intelligent' or 'enlightened' Christians to point out to us Republican Christians that we've been deceived by the Republican party and that we should jump ship as fast as we can. I've recently been made to feel that I might somehow be less of an intelligent Christian because I vote Republican most of the time. The madness never ends.

This is another area in which I have changed. Though I will probably vote Republican for the rest of my life… I will never assume that people who call themselves Democrats and Christians at the same time somehow love God less than I do. I will also never assume that God can’t use them to redeem culture or make a difference for His kingdom. I don’t agree with the Democrats much… but if I can find a few that agree with me about Jesus Christ being the Lord and Savior… and that Jesus alone is the answer to redeeming a fallen culture... that’s all I would need. I’ll let God sort out the rest…

More Summer Pictures

Here is one of Melissa and I on the beach in San Diego...



Emily is having fun at a SeaWorld play area...


Uncle Jeff buried Emily in the sand...


Emily likes dressing up in her little fairy costume... notice what's on the front of her shirt... yep, folks, that there is a Cardinals shirt.


Emily on (what seemed like) the only ride she really liked at Disneyland...

Why I Write...

I was just thinking recently about this whole blogging phenomenon… and about how much I have enjoyed doing it. I have really eaten it up. I have been writing on this blog for about ten months now. My goal when I started was to produce one new post a week. Since beginning last October, I think I’ve only missed three weeks. Two weeks ago, I actually posted twice, believe it or not. This week might be the same… we’ll see.

You know what’s been neat? Since I’ve been taking the time to consistently write… I find that I become more aware of the things I would like to write about. I’m not sure if this will make sense to you or not, but, I am more ‘aware’ of what’s happening around me in the hopes that I can learn and write about it… I don’t remember being this way before. This is probably how most Lead Pastors are when they have to come up with one or two sermons each week… their senses are more conditioned to take details in… just in case they can use a life situation as an illustration.

I haven’t been in that kind of a position before. In Kalamazoo, I was able to preach about once a month or so. Here in St. Peters, it is much less than that. (we don’t have a Sunday evening service) Since last September, I have only preached once at this church… and only three times total, so I haven’t needed to have a ‘writers’ mindset. Keeping up with this blog helps me to have that mindset… which I appreciate.

I was talking to my friend, Krista Bruder, on AIM two weeks ago. She asked a really good question about whether or not I get sermon ideas from blogging. I had to respond to her that I didn’t get many chances to preach, so no… I haven’t been able to pull things from these writings to put into my sermons yet. (Though, that is an excellent idea for the future… possibly… there are a few stories that I’ve recalled from the past that I could insert as illustrations.)

Krista’s question got me wondering about something else: Why do I write? And how do I choose what I write? I think the best answer is this: I write about things that ‘move me’ emotionally… and challenge me intellectually. I like to write about things that bring me great joy: God, my family, my profession, my passions, my memories…etc. I actually like to write about things that make me angry… it just so happens to be therapeutic for me. I’ve got a whopper of an idea for a future post that I think I will entitle: Will There Be Annoying People in Heaven? Don’t worry, it won’t be near as bad as it sounds. I like to write about things I’m scared of… don’t know why, I guess I find it helpful for some reason. I like to write about experiences that were meaningful to me: Just recently, I was able to be a part of a 50th wedding anniversary where the couple renewed their vows… I want to write about how I felt during the ceremony… how challenged and encouraged I was to see an example of how God intended marriage to work. I like to write about things that make me think… books, sermons, ideas, politics, other blogs, etc. I like to write about things that make me laugh. I like to write about things that force me to look at the world differently… and yes, I like to write about Star Wars, U2, Nintendo, and the Cardinals. I do sincerely apologize for that… I know my wife calls me a big nerd anytime I choose to dive into one of those topics. Especially Star Wars.

I’ve noticed that every blog I’ve visited offers something different: Some bloggers choose to write about theological and intellectual truths. Some bloggers choose to write about personal thoughts… almost like a public diary. Some bloggers choose to write about their travels and experiences. I absolutely love the variety found there…

But I’ve often wondered, while writing in my own blog… is this what actually goes in a blog? For instance… one week I might be talking about my experience as a pastor… one week I might be talking about my experience as a father… one week I might be talking about my experiences as a Star Wars fan. I’ve wondered if it’s good blogging etiquette to have one general theme in each blog… or if it’s ok to do what I do: Kind of a shotgun blog… you’ll never know where the next post is going…

I guess I’ve decided that I don’t really care about etiquette. (Hey, I really don’t care much for etiquette anywhere else… why should I worry much about it on my own blog?) I’ve decided that I’ll write about the things that matter to me. I’m not a one dimensional person… I wear plenty of different labels and hats… and I can learn and grow in each area of life. So I shouldn’t be embarrassed to write about theology and my family in the same blog… right? I shouldn’t be reluctant to write about my fears, joys, and yes even my torked off moments… right? I shouldn’t be ashamed to write about my experiences as a Star Wars fan in my blog… well… er… hmmm… maybe I SHOULD be ashamed of that one…

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

I just wanted to share a few pictures with you from last Thursday night.

My dad and I went to a Cards game together. I arranged to get some very good seats (2nd row from the field, one section to the left of the visitor's dugout... almost looking right at third base.

Anyway... I decided to not be completely honest with dad about the location of the seats. I told him we were up in the upper deck... noisebleeds. I kept the tickets hidden from him until we got through the gate... then I turned, handed him the tickets, and told him to navigate us to our seats.

He looked at the tickets briefly, put them in his chest pocket, and told me that he needed to go to the bathroom first. Hehe. We took about three steps, then dad stopped in his tracks... reached into his chest pocket... took out one of the tickets with a weird look on his face and scanned down the ticket until his eyes confirmed to his mind what he thought he saw the first time he looked at the tickets: The seats were much, much closer than I had let on. MUCH closer. Haha. He said later that he had never been that close to the field before.

I think he was very happy with the surprise. Cards lost... but I don't think it mattered to Dad. He seemed to really enjoy the game. We had foul balls flying all around us. Jose Oquendo actually waved to some people in our section... it was wild. Anyway... both these pics are from our seats... just to give you an idea of how close we were!