Kingdom Seeker

Not much

I don't really have much to blog today, but I feel the urge to do so.  I guess that I'm addicted to blogging for sure.  Well, here's how my day went. As usual, I started my day off at Starbux for my daily reading.  I'm tellin' ya, I really feel in the dumps spiritually if I neglect this time more than a day or two.  I never read like I have the past year and a half.  Since January of  2005, I've read 10 books.  The most life changing book so far has been "The Divine Conspiracy" by Dallas Willard.  It's not an easy read since he is a Philosophy professor at USC, but it has totally altered my view of spirituality, the Kingdom, discipleship forever!
Anyway, enough book talk.  Of course, I went to the office and worked the better part of the day on Sunday's service.  Found some cool videos for the holiday.  Later went to Subway for lunch with Gage.  Our new lunchtime tradition is playing rummy.  He won on the last hand.  I blame my wife for getting me hooked on this game.  After the work day, met Tina for dinner at our Wednesday night place called Barry's Pub.  I beat both her and Gage in cards.  Quite soundly if I do say so myself.
I came back to the church bldg for band rehearsal, stayed around and talked to friends, and that's pretty much it. 
Wow!  Pretty boring day, but hey, it's mine.
later

Medicine

I've been asking God to help me deal with some things the past few days.  I asked him to change my attitude.  I was hoping it would be one of those moments when you roll out of bed and your hair falls in place and you just bypass the mirror for the perfect beginning to a stressfree day!  No. Instead, God pulled me aside today and poured some nasty medicine into a spoon and proceeded to put it in my mouth.  Then he looked at me a little closer, and just poured the whole bottle down my throat.   
It tasted awful, however it could have been worse.  It came totally by surprise, and that's where God can be pretty merciful.  If you don't see the medicine coming and you take it real fast, it actually doesn't take long for it to start working.  If I had known the medicine was coming, I would have built up a mountain of resistance. I probably would have thrown it to the ground. I would have devised ways not to take the medicine. I would have tried to figure out how to make someone else take it. 
But alas, I look up and GULP there it is, in all it's bitter glory.  Yeah, it managed to skip across every taste bud on the way down, and there was that familiar aftertaste that no amount of water could cleanse. 
Hours later, the medicine has fully kicked in, and the ailment has vanished, although I probably will experience the sickness again.  I expect, however, that my immune system has been strengthened, and I will do my best to avoid activities that might expose me to this virus called pride.  The medicine?  It's been around for centuries.  No prescription necessary, just good old fashioned humility.

Embarrassed Mavs Fan

I'm embarrassed to be a Mavs fan today.  Not because our team gave up 3 losses in a row to the Heat.  Not because we look poised to throw away a golden opportunity to win a championship, which took 26 years to obtain and who knows about the next time. 
I'm ashamed to call myself a fan of the Dallas Mavericks today because the face of the franchise (unfortunately) hasn't learned to lose with dignity, and doesn't show an ounce of humility in winning. 
After his tirade of "F" bombs last night, for me it became of a final straw of disappointment.  This isn't the first time we've seen this spoiled billionaire throw a tantrem.  After so many years of complaining about the officials, the NBA, and opposing coaches and players, he finally outdid himself last night. 
He showed once and for all his true character.  He confirmed what kind of person this guy really is.
Isn't it bad enough to lose in heartbreaking fashion when it looked like we we're going to sweep the series?  I would hope Mark Cuban's childish behavior makes us all feel a little humiliated.  By the way, how long do you think we'll keep a class act like Avery with an owner like Cuban? 
How much you want to bet Avery's as upset at the owner's response last night as he is about the game's outcome?

being God

Well, just had a miserable day of being God today.  I tried my best to control my past, present, and future to no avail.  I struggled to figure out what people are thinking, what they'll do, and whether or not it involves me. If it does involve me, I sure tried to determine my reaction.  Now how on earth does someone go about planning their own reaction?  Me thinks that's not reaction, but overreaction. 
As I get ready to put these thoughts to bed, I'm already wondering who gets to be God tomorrow?  I hope it's not me, I'm worn out.

LUCKY 13!!!

Create your own video at One True Media

Summer's Here

Today was Gage's 13th birthday party.  What a day to get wet.  Brad does his best Louganis impression here.

FINAL-ly

I remember that first year (1980).  The Mavs won their very first game against the Spurs, then continued on to win only 14 more the rest of that season.  I remember Tina winning tickets on the radio to game 6 of the Western Conference finals against the Magic-Kareem led LA Lakers.  The Mavs won that day only to suffer disappointment in game 7 as Mark Aguirre came up with a thumb injury.  I witnessed a promising title contender with the talented Roy Tarpley disintegrate like the cocaine powder under his nose.  I watched as the "model" franchise of the time turned into one of the worst pro sports franchises in the 90's.  As a fan during those years we were teased by annual lottery visits and disappointed just as fast by the likes of Randy White (not the HOF football player), Doug Smith, etc.  We were really teased by the trio of Mashburn, Jackson, and Kidd a.k.a. the "3 J's".  Again, we were let down as the trio self destructed along with the organization. 
Then, came Don and Donnie Nelson, and more importantly Mark Cuban.  The Nelson's brought in Dirk and Nash to the snickers of the league.  Then they discovered Josh Howard.  Don Nelson did a great job of turning this team in to a 50 win perennial playoff team, but we fell a little short.  Then came the hires of all hires, The Little General!  Avery Johnson swaggered in to the organization thanks to some incredible foresight by Nellie, and took the team over the hump by emphasizing defense and mental toughness!  Throw in an MVP worthy season by Dirk and you have it, "DALLAS MAVERICKS, 2005-06 WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS!   Ohhhh, how sweeeeet!!!!

Wonderdog!

Well, our home improvements are done including our replaced fence and patio covering.  Our dog Dillon is especially happy about this because he no longer has to be chained in the back yard. 
It's been fun watching him run all over the yard, up and down the fence line, sniffing, hunting, barking.  He is a dog full of wonder as he is experiencing a freedom that he has been without for several months.  As I observe him in his newfound playground, it seems as if he is experiencing the outdoors for the first time.  He truly is a wonderdog who has reclaimed his space.
His experience reminds me of times that I have been filled with wonder for God's creation, His lavish provision, and His unconditional love and acceptance.  Unfortunately for me, I have failed to experience this much of my life because I was chained up in God's backyard.  The difference is, I was the one who put the collar around my neck and fastened it to the chain.
I've come to realize, though not overnight, that "wonder" is very important to God.  It's the primary reason for sabbath.  We might assume that sabbath is exclusive to "not working", but I believe that it is especially a time for us to "take in" God's "labor fruits", and mostly to remove the distractions, of which there are many and not limited to our jobs.  I can imagine after a week of animal naming, planting,and cultivating, that Adam and Eve enjoyed their sabbath along with God.  They took the time to take in the beauty and wonder of His creation and of course God himself. 
So what are those distractions that keep us from enjoying God?  Of course, our jobs can be a primary obstacle, but what about our personal distractions?  I know I feel a sort of insanity as thousands of things race through my mind throughout the day, things I need to do short term and long term, worries about the future, preoccupation with how others are observing their "sabbath", and the list seemingly goes on. 
Don't just think by taking a day off from work, or not mowing your yard on Sunday qualifies as sabbath observance.  Also, let's not limit sabbath to a single day.  While a day devoted to sabbath is preferred, maybe it's time we take "mini-sabbaths" more frequently.  Just to get alone in silence and solitude (that means we need to shut up too), and give God the chance to speak to us without chasing every little idea and thought much the way Dillon chases every little moving creature in the backyard.  By doing so, we remove the self-imposed chains that we previously thought served us well, and take a Dillon-prance into a wonder-filled and adventurous world that has always been there.  You might say, in our own backyard!