Derby Day
As I sit next to my girlfriend,as she eats breakfast, on this lovely
Saturday morning I began to think about some of my more favorite days in the sports world. I turn on fox soccer channel to start my morning off right with a little English Premier League soccer. Which for most of you would be like getting your teeth pulled out. Obscure sports days are a lot of fun I think. Now you could focus on the big game seven between the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls or the NHL playoffs today but most of all I'm excited about the Kentucky Derby.
The Derby is the like the Indianapolis 500 for most people; it's the only day where people actually care about the sport. Now you can try to tell me that you care about Horse Racing but lets be honest you and I both really don't care.
Occasionally you get the good story like Big Brown last year that keeps your interest but that fades away quickly to. But what is great about today is the feel that it gives off. You know that relaxed excitement to watch 20, 19 today, horse run around a track for two to three minutes and hear those famous words "And down the stretch they come." It's an exciting day! You have till six o'clock before the race starts so you can get all the work done, grab a nice late lunch, and after you can watch everything else on TV.
I do know a small group of people who hate today. All be it a little circumstantial but they really don't like today. The NHL. NBC said this week that they will switch over to the Derby coverage no matter what's going on in the game with the
Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals. This is the dream series for the NHL and now they are promised to get bumped by their only major non-cable network if the game goes to long. You have to be pissed if your the NHL but that's what makes this day so great. It's like the 500 everyone stops to watch this sport for the one day it's big. For the small horse racing group of fans out there this is your super bowl so enjoy it. Drink your mint
julep and let your wife wear her big crazy hat and enjoy what could be the greatest horse race you will see all year.
Cheers!
1 Quater
The big topic today on Mike and Mike and other sports talk shows was the
"hard foul" by
Rajon Rondo in last nights overtime win over the Bulls. The key play happened in the last 5 seconds of the game. Now last night Dwight Howard
plainly threw an elbow at the end of the play in the first quarter. Now there are two differences in these play; one drew blood and the other one didn't. As well as, the time in which they took place.
The fact that Rondo drew blood on a clear smack to the face and the refs did not even look to see what happened but just to check the time is outrageous. Just because it happened in the last 5 seconds of the game should not ever make a difference. I know you want the players to decided the game, but could you imagine if that was Lebron and not Brad Miller going to the hole. The uproar that would have entailed in the sports world, but not today. I'm not saying that Rondo should be suspended like Howard was but at least they called a tech. on Howard as soon as it happened and let the league decide what the major discipline should have been. But what happened today to Rondo nothing. Really...nothing. He hit a guy in the face, cutting him and nothing happens. How does that make sense? Maybe I am overreacting to the play but from my view the referees missed this.
The second issues is the timing. Should games be called differently the later the game goes? I hope you say no. But if you say yes I have to say your wrong. As a fan if my team was coming back I would like to see the game called down the middle. If my team was winning I would hope that the game would be called the same. As I think we all would agree on we do not want the refs. deciding everything, but you can't change the way a game is called no matter what sport you are calling. Strike zone, fouls, or penalties need to have the same standards all game. What does it say about the integrity of the game if a ref. can call something in the first quarter, but yet calls or doesn't call the opposite at the end? It brings a dark spot on the game and fans cannot trust how things are going to happen at the end of a contest.
Am I overreacting to a small event or is this really an issue? Can you trust referees to call a contest fairly ever? Did the refs make the right call in both situations. To all of these I say No, what about you?
Labels: basketball, refs, sports
What Do You Think
This morning I was asked what I thought about Brian Mclaren, and it reminded me of a Larry King Live show where he had the most influential envangelicals. It's featuring TD Jakes, The Lehays, Franklin Graham, and Brian Mclaren. I'm just going to post a link to the transcipt but read it and let me know what you think...
Where Have You Been All My Life
So I'm pretty sure no one even looks to see if I have a new blog up anymore seeing how I haven't blogged in a good year. But I finally have some time to sit down and reflect on the last few months of my life.
It's been a bit of a whirlwind since June. The Crux, the church i'm currently serving at, has had some major changes. It's kind of funny but in the last two years of my life I've been hired, fired, and now fill in as a bandaid guy for churches. It's been so tough but at the same time i've never been at such peace with my life in ministry.
In August Melissa and I broke up and if you have facebook i'm sure you knew that but wow that was tough. A two year long relationship ended and i was crushed and yet at the same time inspired. To behonest most of it was my fault by not giving her the time and energy she deserved. So began a month long process of changing myself and the way that I fight for her. A month later after spending endless hours in prayer for my life and her life we got back together. Since that time we have been able to grow in ways we never knew we could and for those of you who know me well we are even talking marriage. Scary but really cool.
I miss you friends and i miss the time we have to talk so if your free call and lets connect...I love you guys and pray for all of you and your ministries!
Proud to be called your friend!
Advent Conspiracy Pt. 2
Here are the different causes we are giving to as part of Advent Conspiracy.
(See Blog Below)
Tier 1 - $1-$100,000
Education and Spiritual Care for INDY
Indianapolis Christian School
Indianapolis Christian School is indy’s “best-kept secret”. Betty Speight and her team of teachers and administrators have been changing lives in the urban center of Indianapolis for 34 years. 60 percent of the students enrolled at ICS are below the poverty line. ICS helps students receive an education and opens doors for further educational and vocational pursuits. In 2007 ICS had a 100 percent graduation rate to higher learning institutions.
Triple Seven Movement
Triple Seven is committed to planting communities of faith around the US, beginning in 2008. The vision is to begin communities in urban centers devoted to re-establish the church as the epicenter of art in culture while responding to the specific needs of the marginalized in each city. All donations from Advent Conspiracy will go to funding a new community in downtown Indianapolis beginning in February 2008 in cooperation with the Crux church in Fishers.
Tier 2 -$100,001 - $200,000
Homeless and HungryOutreach Indianapolis
Outreach, Inc. is a Christian ministry in Indianapolis reaching out to homeless and at-risk young adults with the compassion of Jesus Christ. Outreach provides street outreach, a youth center, holistic social services, emergency/referral services and case management; all operated in an environment of God's love. We are dedicated to introducing the youth to a relationship with Jesus Christ and helping them to mature in that relationship. Outreach comes along side the church in helping it understand and fulfill the “Great Commission” on a local level by training, equipping and supporting the body of Christ and community to minister to this population, empowering the youth to exit the street life.
Gleaners Food BankRight here in Central Indiana, 205,330 Hoosiers need food assistance on a weekly basis. Nearly half are seniors and children — that's over 78,831 Hoosier kids who may not develop properly for lack of nutritious food. Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Inc., a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit, was founded in a 3-1/2 car garage in 1980 by a group of people concerned about the growing problem of hunger in Indianapolis. Early in 1981, Gleaners received a grant from the Lilly Endowment to network with Indiana communities that wanted to develop food banks. Today, nine food banks operate to provide food to charities that feed the hungry. As Gleaners enters its 27th year, the food bank has distributed more than 195 million pounds of food and critical grocery products to charities that serve the people in need of emergency food assistance.
Tier 3 -$200,001 - $300,000
CLEAN WATER
FERMI ProjectEvery 15 seconds a child dies due to unclean water.
Clean water for the world is a foundational element of Advent Conspiracy.It is the responsibility of those who have been given much to help those in need.
Rwanda Clean Water is a collaborative project that envisions people of Rwanda no longer suffering from the illness, death and disease that comes from unclean water.100%
All donations that are given to Rwanda Clean Water are given to the people of Rwanda. No overhead is taken from the money raised. All overhead costs on this project are underwritten by a donor that has chosen to remain anonymous.HYGENIE TRAINING
Every location that is chosen for Rwanda Clean Water has a training process with the leaders in the community on personal hygiene and waterborne illnesses.HEALTHCARE
Clean water is known to cut illnesses in developing countries by more than half.SUSTAINABILITY
Instead of just giving a one time handout, clean water solutions are being created that will give lasting clean water to communities.
Each well built by the Fermi project will serve 750 about half of whom will die without clean water solutions.
Tier 4 -$300,001 - $400,000
GLOBAL JUSTICE and AIDS RELIEFInternational Justice MissionIJM exists to protect people from violent forms of injustice by securing rescue and restoration for victims and accountability for perpetrators, ensuring that public justice systems work for the poor. Advent Conspiracy will be supporting IJM specifically in their endeavor to eradicate sex trafficking across the globe.
IJM has a 4 fold strategy to elimiate social injustice including sex slavery and trafficking
Victim Relief - Relieve the victim of the abuse currently being committed.Perpetrator Accountability - Bring accountability and just consequences under the law to the specific perpetrator(s) of abuse.Structural Prevention - Prevent the abuse from being committed against others who are also at risk by strengthening community factors that are likely to deter potential oppressors, reduce the vulnerability of at-risk populations and empower local authorities to stop such abuses.Victim Aftercare - Provide access to services to help victims transition to their new lives and to encourage long-term success.
“This government stands with you and our country stands with you... we abhor the practice of sex slavery and will do all we can to help you.” –George W. Bush, President of the United States of America
World VisionWorldVision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.
World Vision is one of the best-managed humanitarian organizations in the world. 87 percent of all income that came in this last year went directly to relief. Advent Conspiracy will be donating specifically to the hope children of world vision. For every $400 dollars we raise, world vision will be able to supply the needed food and medicines for children directly effected and many times orphaned due to the HIV / AIDS epidemic in many countries in Africa for an entire year. When we reach this tier of giving, people participating in Advent Conspiracy will receive profiles of the children we are helping.
Adavent Conspiracy
What would happen if a community decided to give Christmas back to Jesus rather than spend it on themselves. Our church is going to find out. We are joining a movement called advant conspiracy. We are challenging our church for 200 people to give $200, then we are challenging them to recruite 10 people to the cause. which if that happens would bring in $400,00 dollars. What would happen to it. Read this
Advent Conspiracy IndyHere are some of our thoughts about what we are thinking about and what this could do:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdQ8Ao2K9o0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2igsRT-krU4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGN_6o48HQEWe are joining Imago Dei (Donald Millers church) and many other church in
Advent Conspiracy.
Please pray and see what you can do to give Christmas back to Jesus, and if you haven't thought of something please join us in this. You can give online and we have a great vision for this. Lets see what we can do to change the world!!!
Spend Less, Give More, Love All
My Porn Sunday
This past sunday we took part in a national even called Porn Sunday. This event was to raise awareness about the destruction porn has on people's lives. It was an tough topic to address but at the same time something that needed to happen. A
local news channel came and checked us out. Just incase you're wondering I was the elephant. Seriously though there were some good points raised. We weren't there to judge but to encourage people to seek help from their addiction to porn. Daron preached about freedom from the bondage of porn and shared different ways to find accountability.
XXXChurch.com covenant eyesThe most valuable thing that happened this sunday was that it created discussion. For me I was able to share with my girlfriend and with a really close friend of mine how I have found freedom in Christ. The bible calls us to confess with each other and pray with each other and when this happens we find freedom. Where do you need freedom from bondage in your life...confess and find accountability, and may God show you the freedom he desires for your life!
