There's No Crying in Baseball

OK... so we gave it our best shot. I am happy to report that I didn't cry last night... I simply turned the TV off and went to bed. I was not happy, but I was so tired from being up so late on Tuesday night (basefall fatigue had really set in) that I drifted off to slumber land in no time. In fact, I was falling asleep during the game... maybe that is why they lost.

I recognize that these guys are professionals and that the White Sox just out-played the Astros... but seriously, what is up with making us keep the roof open? That completely compromises the homefield advantage. But at the end of the day, the Sox had the bats and we just didn't. We could get them on base without a whole lot of trouble... we just couldn't bring them home to save our lives (or to save a World Series that Houston has waited forever for).

I now have three times in which I can sing the words "It's the most wonderful time of the year."

1. The Christmas Season - pretty much have to sing it then since it is a Christmas song... and Christmas does celebrate a pretty important even in history (but this is not meant to be a serious post... so I will leave it at that).
2. The Month of March - the NCAA tournament is definitely the best sporting event in a given year. It beats out all others because I can get into it no matter who is playing. It is all about the underdog sticking it to the powerhouse teams.
3. The Month of October - In the future, I don't know if I will be as excited about the MLB play-offs if the 'Stros are not playing; but I have certainly enjoyed it this year. I am sure that ever year has its own special drama... so we'll see what happens next year.

And yes, I do realize that all three times of the year can't really be the most wonderful... but work with me on it, OK....

Emotional Involvement

So I have always been pretty aloof when it comes to getting emotionally involved with others. I am an emotional person, to be sure. But I try to guard myself from letting other people/things get to me emotionally. I always expect the worst case scenario so as to always be pleasantly surprised when the outcome is favorable. So some may say I am a pessimist (or call me Debbie Downer), which is fair to a degree.

But recently, I have let myself get emotionally invoved. I have opened the flood gates and given my heart away. I have fought it for a few years... as there has always been something in the way to keep me from truly letting that wall down.

But recently, I have decided to throw caution to the wind.

I am speaking - of course - of the Houston Astros. They have won more than the NLCS... they have won over another fan. Now many will say that I am merely a fair weather fan who is hopping on a bandwagon. To a degree, that may be true. I had written the Killer Bee's off in June of this year, but was still hopeful for next year. I have only been into the 'Stros for about 6 years... and this year I have decided they are worth the effort. So time will tell if my heart stays with them..

So to all the lifers out there who have been in a love affair with the Astros for years... I congratulate you in this season of joy as well.

Will the Astros win it all? Who can tell for sure this side of October 30. But one thing is for sure... they will give it their best shot, and I will probably cry if they don't. But such is the price you pay for getting emotionally involved with another.

Captivating and Pure

I have been reading a book entitled "God Wrote a Book" by James MacDonald. The book is essentially a defense of the Bible as God's inspired Word to mankind. One of the points made in one of the chapters is that Scripture is captivating... that it stirs the soul like no other piece of literature. When I read that, I paused and asked myself if I really believed that statement. I mean there are many people who read/hear Scripture but are not moved by it like they are moved by some songs... or some other written words. But then my thought changed as I considered how millions of lives have been transformed by the Word of God... because of His Spirit guiding the reading of It and so on. So I agreed that it was captivating... but it had been a while since I was personally captivated by Scripture, so I was still "unsure." (I read this chapter a couple weeks ago)

Last night, a friend of mine was telling me about his experience at another church here in Houston - Grace Presbyterian. He attends the evening service at HFBC, so he decided to take the opportunity to visit another church on Sunday morning; and that is where he found himself. He said that as they were administering the Lord's Supper, they had someone reading Scripture verses one after the other. No commentary... just Scripture. He said that is was a very worshipful experience as he considered the beauty of (as he put it) the "pure Word of God read aloud."

Then this morning, I read 2 Timothy. There were a number of things in the book that popped out to me, but one thing in particular stayed with me long after my eyes passed over the words:

"Remember Jesus Christ..." - 2 Tm 2:8a

Now the verse goes on to say more (hence the reference being 2:8a). But those three words were absolutely Captivating and Pure.

Lessons Learned from Rita

This one will not be nearly as theological or spiritual as my post about Katrina... but I figured I would post a few thoughts on this most recent hurricane that has affected our area.

1. Never Evacuate To The North East In A Hurricane

• I think most people realize this... and I even realized it in theory. But I still sought refuge in Alexandria, LA during this storm. The good news was the my evacuation time out of Houston was normal... the bad news was that the roads between Alexandria and Houston were ravaged by Rita (thus making my return trip much longer as I had to avoid all the road closures)

2. As Much As We Plan... Stuff Still Happens

• As people evacuated, the turmoil created on the highways was astounding to me. The good news was that people were kept out of "harm's way," but the bad news was that many people experienced frustration beyond anything they had experienced to that point. Just further proof that man's plans are foolishness. And all that we do is still subject to God's ultimate plan.

3. Texas Is A Better State Than Louisiana

• As much as it pains me to say it... the proof is right there for all to see. Texas was ready... Louisiana wasn't. Granted, Katrina gave the nation a view into how important it is to be prepared for the worst case scenario. But I think Texas would have been as efficient as it was this past weekend even if Katrina hadn't happened. This is my favorite quote thus far: "My biggest mistake was not recognizing by Saturday that Louisiana was dysfunctional." - FEMA Director Michael Brown Again, I hate to say it... but he is right. However, I still think Texans are arrogant. But arrogance isn't always a bad thing, I guess... :-)

A.D.D.

Yep... Attention Deficit Disorder. I am convinced that I have it... and that it has only recently set in. Here are a couple examples of why I think I have been stricken with this "condition."

This morning, I was getting ready in the bathroom. By "getting ready," I am referring to shaving, brushing my teeth, and adjusting the appearance of my hair so as not to get fired when I arrive at work (aka - using "product"). The A.D.D. part came in while shaving. I lathered up my face with the shaving cream (I use the gel, actually... something I learned from my dad). Anyway, I was standing there with my face all lathered up... and I grabbed my toothbrush and started running it under the hot water. Now the obvious issue here is not the first thing that occured to me... instead, the first thing that occured to me was that I was about to use hot water to brush my teeth, and that struck me as odd because who does that? I had completely forgotten about shaving my face. I am laughing even as I type this... so anyway, I realized my error, put the toothbrush back in the holder, grabbed my razor, and finished my morning routine.

Another example involves printing at work. I print to two different printers depending on the application I am using. Many times, I will print something... and then instinctively know that I have to "go to the printer" to get it. But on the way to the printer... I forget which printer I am going to. Now the two printers are on opposite sides of the building (I can explain why I use two printers another time). There have been many instances where I get to printer A only to find that there are no print jobs with my name on them. Then I remember that I printed to printer B.

So there you have it... I am officially A.D.D. (self-diagnosed, of course). It is a wonder how I get though posting an entire blog that is still understandable.

Lessons Learned from Katrina

First off, let me apologize to anyone who may have been checking this blog looking for updates over the past few weeks. I have been slacking in my blog duties... and as punishment, I think those of you who read this should take it upon yourselves to send me on a trip to a secluded island (with white beaches and crystal blue water) so I can think about what I have done. So you just let me know when that "punishment" will need to take place.

So any good blogger can't let something as catastrophic as Hurricane Katrina occur and not mention it, right? So I have decided to immortalize a few of the lessons I learned from last week. (these are not necessarily in the order that I learned them or was reminded of them... just of the top of my head as I type).

1. Man's depravity always finds a way to shine

• Please understand that my heart broke for the people who were stranded in the Superdome, but the reactions of so many people (both those stranded and those watching them remain stranded) broke my heart as well. Shootings, rapes, looting... all of this shows that at our core, we are all evil. Yes, I said we not they. We all have the capacity to respond in similar ways... and I was reminded of my own sinfulness as I watched the news last week.

2. In times of trouble, people help (as the Lord directs)

• The reports of shelters being overwhelmed with volunteers and donations is amazing to me. I am not all that shocked, but it still is amazing to me that so many people want to help. And I will say this as well... even those who are not born again believers are willing to help - a LOT. Now because of how I view God's sovereignty, I trust that any good that is done in this world is done by His prompting (even if the person doing the good is unaware of it). So this really just highlights the Lord's love for this race of humans He created... He loves us and works ALL things together for the good of those who love Him.

3. The Freedom we have in Christ

• This is more of an analogy that came to mind this morning. As I started thinking about my own sinfulness, the Lord reminded me that I have liberty to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions (sin). That made me think of the thousands of people who were stranded at the Superdome. They were not able to get to safety. They could still physically move... but the obstacles were just too great for them. They could not overcome the barriers that had been placed between them and the rest of the country. In the same way, we cannot overcome our sin on our own. We need the Lord to be gracious and rescue us from our sin. And when He does, we are free to stay away from it. Just like the evacuees are free to stay away from the toxic wasteland that New Orleans currently is. But just like many of the evacuees... we want to go back, don't we? But why? Why would we want to go back to something that only brought misery and pain? We are free in Christ to stay on the "High Ground" that He has brought us to. It is for freedom that He set us free... what a beautiful truth.

So those are the highlights... I hope they encourage some of you. I could probably write more, but my lunch hour is fading fast.

Moral, Immoral, Amoral

Is there such a thing as an "amoral" decision? Some friends and I were discussing this issue yesterday in light of the passage of Scripture that tells us unless something is done in fath, it does not please God (and therefore is sin). So the question then becomes this... when I decided to don the pink shirt I am wearing, I didn't do it "in faith"... so does that mean that wearing this shirt is a sin?

So I am curious to hear from those of you reading... what makes a decision "amoral"?

God's Word... and Paul's words

I just finished reading 1 Corinthians... and a few thoughts occured to me.

First... Paul has to be one of the coolest dudes ever. Most of the letter is written to set the church in Corinth straight on some issues, so there is some strong language. But through it all, what do you see? You see Paul's love for God... and his love for the people in Corinth. He is frustrated with them, but not to the point of writing them off. Rather, he takes great pains to instruct them in the way they should be living.

Second... (and I have Matt Chandler to thank for this thought) The problems being discussed in 1 Corinthians probably came about because the Church grew so fast. When you see 3,000 added to your number in one day, discipleship of those people is a pretty difficult thing to accomplish. So it seems to me that much of what Paul is clearing up for the Corinthians are things that just had not yet occured to them... or said another way, they were ignorant of the truth. But Paul tells them at the outset that they are "sanctified in Christ Jesus" which affirms that they have been bought by His blood and He will teach them by His Spirit.

Third... The words contained in this book (and all of Paul's letters) are inspired by God. I do not doubt that or discredit that. But they are Paul's words (guided by that inspiration) to the people he loves. His pastoral nature comes through so clearly in this letter... it is touching, actually. I guess the point of this third thought is that this letter is actually a letter from one man to a church. He wrote this to them specifically;and yet because it is God breathed, it applies to us as well. I think sometimes we think that these letters were written by Paul with the intent that Christians everywhere would read them. But that is not true. He wrote this letter for a purpose... and it was God's intention that they be preserved for our edification. I may not be making sense... so I will stop there.

Bottom line... dig into the Word of God. Dig in deep because it is a beautiful piece of literature... and one that I can't imagine my life without.

Jerry, this is George... I got nothin' to say

So the title of this post pretty much says it all... I am dry. I guess after knocking on death's door and then being caught in the women's bathroom, a person's "life excitement level" can only go downhill.

The title of this post is from Seinfeld (that is probably one of the more obvious things ever to be said on this blog). It is one of those lines that is applicable and useful in many situations. If you have not guessed, I am a movie/TV quote fiend. Specifically, I can usually bring just about anything back to an episode of Seinfeld. Well, anything that has very little substance to it. Deep things never happened on Seinfeld. They never took themselves too seriously - which is why it is my favorite sit-com. Friends, while entertaining, had moments of sappy love story drama. Seinfeld, on the other hand, even made fun of Schlindler's List (in a tactful and humorous way).

So for all the Seinfeld fans... share your favorite quotes.

And God Created Them... Male and Female He Created Them

Last night, I went to see Jack Johnson in concert (and yes, some of the songs did sound different from the others). Anyway, I had been drinking a lot of water throughout the day, and it was time to let nature take take its course... so I mosey over to the restroom.

(Now, if you have ever been in the Verizon Wireless Theater, this may make sense... otherwise, it will not make sense at all.)

I saw the Men's Room sign, and an opening to the bathroom. So I walked right on in. As I walked in, I did notice that certain fixtures that are typical in a Men's Restroom were not in view. I thought this odd... but decided not to question it. I entered a stall and went about my business.

The next thing I notice is a high-pitched voice... a group of them, actually. They were entering the very bathroom I was in. I thought to myself, "they must be drunk." Well... turns out, they were not drunk (and neither was I, for the record).

The young ladies began to laugh at the situation as I asked them (from inside the stall - with the door opened) "Am in the women's bathroom?" The affirmed my suspicion... and I laughed at the whole deal. They told me to at least shut the door if I was going to use the girl's bathroom. I walked out and apologized to one of the girls - who simply could not believe what had just happened.

Later, I thought about how great a story it would be if I had asked her for her number... and we actually dated. But alas... I was not drunk, so this did not happen.

Oh... and to fill you all in, the Men's Room sign was directly over the entrance to the Women's Room... but the actual Men's Room was around the corner. The Women's Room sign was there as well... but it was lower and not as well lit. Throughout the night, others almost made my same mistake.

Near Death... It Wasn't So Bad

This is a quick "lunch-time" post... not enough time to actually develop a story or anything, but I almost died this past weekend (or as Dave Bray tells it, I attempted to kill him and Adam O'Kelley).

Possibly to the chagrin of some and the joy of others... God chose to allow me a few more days on this earth. Honestly, by the laws of physics... I should either be dead or seriously injured. God was certainly guiding my Saturn along Loop 610 Friday night as I had a 18o degree spin out that almost cast us into the barrier on the side of the road (going around 70 mph). But as you can tell (because I am actually typing this post), all is well...

Oh... and Dave, Adam, and I agree that in retrospect, the experience was actually pretty fun. I would do it again, but that whole "don't put the Lord your God to the test" thing keeps getting me...

I Like Funny Words... That's What I Like

The title of this post is actually a quote from an SNL skit where Will Farrell is portraying the lead singer of the B-52's. He is explaining how he comes up with the titles of songs like "Rock Lobster." It is one of Farrell's best skits on SNL... and I highly recommend checking it out if you get the chance. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find it anywhere on the internet... but it exists.

Funny words... I think we all have words or sayings that we use with our friends that only we think are funny. For example... today at work, our Admin brought in some snacks for us to graze on during the day. One of the items in the trough is a bowl of pistachio nuts. When I saw them, I instantly called them "pi-stanky-toes." The people around me were slightly taken aback by this rather uncouth name I had just given to the food they were about to eat.

Well... the term "pi-stanky-toes" was coined by my college roommate and I... and it will forever be what I call pistachio nuts (at least in my head... I think I will refrain from blurting it out in public from now on). Unfortunately, no one but my old roommate will really appreciate the humor in it. But it did get a few laughs today... so I got that goin' for me... which is nice.

So for those of you reading... share your "funny words" with the rest of us.

Don't Call it a Comeback

No... seriously, don't call it a comeback. I really didn't go anywhere, and this post will likely not change lives. However, at the request of many (a surprising number, actually), I have decided to break my unofficial blog sabbatical. I am still not certain that I have too much to say that will be of much interest; but as the title of the blog says, take it "for what it's worth."

So I spent this past weekend in "baby mode." I went to visit my family in Louisiana... and my brother and sister-in-law have a four month old baby named Landon. While visiting them, I noticed some things... and God used them to remind me of some important lessons and truths of the Christian life.

Landon is completely helpless. He can't really stand up yet (though he tries when you help him), he can't feed himself, he can't talk, he can't do a whole lot but sit there and just be the cutest baby in the world (at least that is how we all see him).

Now... here is the lesson (and I am sure most of you see where this is going). We are the exact same way with our Heavenly Father (well, without the part about being the cutest baby in the world). We are helpless when it comes to so many aspects of life. And like Landon, we try... oh how we try to be better or to do more for God. But also just like Landon, we can't do any of that unless our Father in Heaven helps us. He lifts us up by our arms and lets us get our feet on the ground. He is still holding us up, but He is letting us exercise our spritual legs. He starts the whole thing... because without His help, we just sit there (some looking cuter than others).

But one way that we differ from Landon is that, in some respects, we try too much... when Landon needs food, he doesn't try to find his way to his mother by pushing himself out of the bed and rolling into Brad and Renee's room. No... he simply cries (loudly, I might add). And Brad and Renee' aren't shocked by his cries... they know it has been three hours since he last ate, so they go and tend to his needs. It is such the same way with our Heavenly Father. He knows our needs... and when He doesn't meet them right away, it isn't because He forgot.

But the best lesson from all of this is that I saw and experienced the fact that Brad, Renee', my parents, my grandmother, and I (all of whom are flawed by the fall of man) want to give the best to Landon. And when I was playing with him and trying to get him to pick up a toy... I didn't get annoyed when he couldn't do it. In fact, I clapped when he finally did do it (even though he still needed a little help). Jesus said that if we who are sinful humans would not give our sons a stone when he asked for bread... how much more will God give what is best to His children. This is a basic truth of faith, but one that is so much richer when you see it first hand.

Sorry this wasn't a comical post... I hope it was encouraging though. I will try to be funny tomorrow. ;-)

Slap Happy

I had breakfast with a friend of mine this morning... and he made a comment that was most definitely blog worthy. He said that he wished that everyone had a slap quota... basically this slap quota would allow you to slap anyone you wish without fear of retribution. Now the question is how often does this ration of slaps get replenished. I say daily. So each day, we should all be allowed to slap one person for whatever reason we choose. Some examples include the following:

• People who stand in the express check-out lane with more than the alloted number of items
• People who say things that are so ridiculous that they don't warrant being corrected... they just need to be slapped
• People who use air quotes incorrectly
• People who ask you questions they have no business asking

Now I am sure you are all thinking this would be a bad idea because everyone would be slapping each other... but I think if we punished the above mentioned behaviors with a firm hand to the cheek, many of them would cease to exist.

So I am interested to hear what some of you would consider "slap worthy" behavior.

Google - Man's New Best Friend

I am currently involved in a study of the book of Romans with two other guys. We each have been charged with the duty of finding a commentary to read through as we study Romans in order to give us some guidance. I am a little bit behind because I have missed two of the three weeks of the study... but that is not the point of this post.

I feel rushed to get a commentary so that I can participate in the study... so I went to Border's bookstore to find one. That was my first mistake. I went to the Bible section of the store and I saw a nice collection of commentaries by William Barclay. I know I have heard his name used before... but I can't remember where. I think it was used in a good way... and that scares me (as you will soon understand why).

So I purchase the commentary relying strictly on the fact that I have heard him quoted... it is expositional in nature... and he is Scottish (OK, that was not really part of the criteria... but Dovie is probably reading this).

I decided to research the guy by way of a Google search, and I found out some very interesting bits of information:

• Barclay does not believe in the literal virgin birth of Jesus

• Barclay does not believe that anyone will go to hell (he believes in Unversalism which says that everyone will be gathered up to heaven).

• Barclay does not believe in the substitutionary atonement of Chris on the cross. (this is at least consistent with his Universalist beliefs, but wrong nonetheless)

So the point of this post is to simply say something that everyone else in the world may know (but I had to learn the hard way)... research authors before you buy their books. I was a little sick to my stomach when I realized that I had just bought a commentary written by someone who does not affirm some of the basic Truths of the Christian faith.

Back to the grind

So I have been back from Guatemala for a few days, and I am already settling back into my "daily grind" routine. In addition to the joys of seeing what God is doing in another culture, a large part of the blessing of last week was being able to take a break from the normal life that I am so accustomed to. Of course, that normal life consists of many things that I would have a difficult time giving up (clean water to drink, food that I know is safe to eat, air condition). But there are aspects of the normal life that I don't like - and it is those things that prompted this email.

I have not had a chance to adequately summarize the trip yet... and I am sensing that there is more that God will teach me from the week spent in Guatemala, but I have not taken the time to seek Him in that area (another part of the normal life that I am not in favor of... being busy all the time).

I will say this... Guatemala is a very neat country. We didn't get to experience all of the culture in the one week that we were there... but I experienced enough to make me want to go back.

Toddatello?

It just occurred to me that some people reading this may wonder how I got the name Toddatello.

Well... it all began a couple months ago. My singles group from church had its annual retreat. The entertainment portion of the weekend was "A Night at the Oscars". I was asked to emcee the event along with my pseudo wife - Beth Richards.

Beth wanted to take on the identity of Melissa Rivers (complete with staged cell phone calls from her loving mother). Since there is not an obvious male counterpart to Melissa, my friend Catha suggested that I be Toddatello Versace. Beth then added that I was the lost cousin from Louisiana... the one who has no fashion sense.

So that is how the name was born... and since I started this blog soon after that, it was fresh on my mind when I had to come up with a name for my blog. I am sure I will grow to regret this momentary lapse of good sense... but it is fun for the time being.

Let Guatemala be glad... at least in part

One of my favorite books is one entitled Let the Nations be Glad by John Piper. The book is all about the supremacy of Christ in missions. In it, Piper unpacks the reason for missions... which essentially is this: "Missions exists because worship doesn't." That is part of the first sentence the book. Anyway, to further elaborate on that short scentence... the Church is involved in missions because there are still many people groups (nations) that do not yet know Christ as they should. The purpose of missions is two fold: 1. it fosters worship for the almighty God 2. it spreads joy to all peoples by fostering worhip of the almighty God. Piper makes the point that these peoples will not truly be glad (ie. experience true joy) apart from authentic worship of the Triune God - Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

So having said that... I will be heading off (along with about 44 other brothers and sisters in the Lord) to Guatemala to share the truth of our great God and His redemptive work that was accomplished by His Son Jesus Christ with the express purpose of seeing and knowing that more Guatemalans will be worshiping Him in spirit and truth.

Many of you reading this are either going on this trip with me (which makes this post somewhat useless to you), and others of you reading this are already aware of this trip because you attend the same church as I do. But for those of you who were not aware or the trip... if the Lord leads you to pray for us, we would greatly appreciate it. Let the Nations be Glad has an entire chapter on how prayer is the fuel for missions... it is the way that God has ordained that His whole Body be involved in the spreading of His truth to the nations. Those of us going will certainly be praying... but we cherish and need the prayers of others to support us during this next week. So as He leades, please intercede for us.

Seminary Education

So I was reading in the book of Acts today, and I came to this verses:

"Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus." - Acts 4:13

Now this follows two important events. First, Peter had just healed a man who was lame from birth. (Acts 3:6) Second, Peter had just finished speaking about how this healing had been done in the name of Jesus Christ... and how His name is the only name under heaven whereby men must be saved. (Acts 4:8-12)

So the point of this post is to pose this question... how much does a seminary education detract from or add to a person's validity as a pastor, missionary, etc.?

Peter and John were known to be uneducated men. And because of there lack of formal education, the words they spoke were viewed as being a result of them "having been with Jesus". So at what point does a seminary graduate move from being a person who walks with Jesus to being a person who has been formally educated? I am not sure.

Quick note for those who may be reading this and do not know me... I am not advocating that seminary is useless. I am simply asking the question of how much does formal education veil the Spirit's work in the lives of His people who serve as pastors, missionaries, etc.?

Japanese Brain Teaser

This is difficult but fun... it took me about 45 minutes to figure it out.

The object is to get the whole group across the river while following the following rules:

1. Only the Father, the Mother and the Policeman know how to operate the raft.
2. Only 2 persons on the raft at a time.
3. The father can not stay with any of the daughters without their mother's presence.
4. The mother can not stay with any of the sons without their father's presence.
5. The thief can not stay with any family member if the Policeman is not there.

Cut and paste the following link into your browser and click on the blue dot to start.

http://freeweb.siol.net/danej/riverIQGame.swf