For all those people that think Obama winning the Presidency is a historic moment…move over. The Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl. Now that’s amazing!

I jest of course. Tomorrow may be the biggest TV watching day ever with Obama being sworn in. I read last night that this will be the most expensive inauguration ever (something like $150 million for this one compared with $40 million for Bush’s last go-round) because of the increased security. It is a historic day in our country and while I don’t have much invested in it (I’m a white guy who voted for McCain) I am somewhat fascinated by it simply for the fact that it tells a lot about a country that will elect someone with little experience and a minority to the most powerful office in the country, if not the world. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t say that as a negative but as a sign of how people are looking for hope, a hope for something better than what they have known or experienced. I don’t think Obama is the best person for the job but I do believe he brought a message of hope, of something different and better and people buy into hope – they want to have hope and need something or someone to invest that hope in.

I see it as a double-edged sword because it all depends on where we look for hope and what we look at for hope. I am developing some ideas in my head about where Christianity in America is headed and it is a mixed bag. I am envisioning some scary ideas but also some real hope. I don’t know if I’m right or wrong and won’t know until years pass but I do know this; if people are looking for hope from Barack Obama, maybe, just maybe they will also look to Jesus for hope when they figure out there is more to hope for, more than what man can provide.

This is my hope, that mankind (or “people”) will eventually grow to seek hope in the everlasting instead of the world.

Michael Young finally agreed to move to 3rd base to make way for the arrival of Elvis (Andrus). He’s asked for a trade and even in agreeing, is still grousing saying he might as well be moving to left field.

I really appreciated one writer’s comment. He said “ask Young if he would prefer the Rangers void his contract and allow him to seek his best deal.” Of course he wouldn’t because it’s not likely he will get that kind of money anywhere else.

Young has been exalted as a team player for agreeing to move from 2nd base to shortstop because the team needed it. Now that he is being asked again, it seems the team concept isn’t quite as important. I wonder if that’s because his first move was to the premier position in the infield and this move isn’t.

I can appreciate all the obstacles. Learning to play a new infield position is just that…learning. What Young has worked to perfect over 5 years now has to start all over. The bonus, at least in the eyes of the Rangers, is that it gives the Rangers a little better shot at getting to the World Series. Maybe they will get the idea that good pitching helps ALOT but in the meantime, this is the next step. Are they right? Who knows but I do know what they’ve been doing hasn’t worked so trying something new isn’t the end of the world. Oh…and the fact the Rangers pay him millions of dollars a year to play seems like it would give them some input on where people can best help the team.

Anyway, it has happened and now we can say “Elvis is in the building!”

That’s my Friday ranting. On a different note, DirecTV now has the MLB Network and I’m really liking it. How did people survive without ESPN and the MLB Network? Wow.

Have a great weekend and remember that God loves you wherever and in whatever condition you are in.

It’s really cold in Decatur, Texas today. It’s in the 20’s and the wind makes it feel a lot colder.

GMA had a brief clip of guys ice fishing. That’s a crazy sport.

Today’s Bible verse (January 15) on my blog Bible verse thingy is so true.

I was having a conversation the other day about people displaced from the hurricanes along the Gulf Coast region and some of the things they did. I heard one story about a grocery store having to close down because so many of the refugees (I’m not sure of what the right word should be) were trying to steal groceries from them. One of the people I was talking with had a list of suggestions on how to punish them. Another one suggested what they would do differently if they were in that position and it was at that point that I started wondering what I was thinking. Just a few years ago, I would have agreed with some punishment and had a lot of ideas about what was wrong with them but yesterday all I could think is “we don’t have the slightest idea what is going on with those people and why they are doing what they are doing.” Those of us talking grew up in nice homes and live in them today. Most of us had both parents at home with stable jobs and went to church fairly regulary at the least. All of us have pretty stable jobs now, nice homes and all the trappings. Our kids don’t really suffer for much and we sit in million dollar church buildings wondering what is going on in the world.

Do I understand why the guy who has been living on welfare for 15 years is in the grocery store stealing? No and I certainly don’t understand his life. Sure, it’s easy to project my thought process on him when I’ve grown up surrounded by people who cared about me. I wonder if he did? Do I understand the 17 year old mother of two who is stealing food for her and her kids? No and I certainly don’t understand her life. I was married and “mature” when my kids were born and I still can’t figure out what I’m doing. It’s easy to project my thought process on her when my kids have grown up surrounded by an extended family who loves them and cares about them and a church family they see every week.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying someone should get away with stealing but where was I before they got to that position in their life? Where were the people who cared about preventing it as much as punishing it?

I don’t have the answers, I’m just wrestling out loud with the questions in my head. I do know that evil exists in our world, that Satan is alive and battling each one of us every day for our hearts and minds and some people are going to give in to Satan but there’s some out there that will give in to God if they just see Him. And how will they see Him if I’m His servant who isn’t serving those who are looking?

It’s Monday and I have nothing today. Hopefully DirecTV is going to show up today and get my satellite working again. There have been positive points to not having TV reception but I do miss ESPN and CNN on getting weather on the news. Otherwise, it hasn’t affected my life all that much.

We had a church basketball game yesterday and another one tonight. I’m not sure I’m capable of playing 2 days in a row. Someone from the other team ran into going for a ball yesterday and I hit the floor. They must make the floors harder these days because it hurt more than it used to.

There’s not much going on in Decatur at 5:55 in the morning.

The New York Football Giants (that’s what they say in NYC) lost to the Eagles. Super Bowl one year, not so great the next. And I thought Donovan McNabb was supposed to be washed up.

I got up with my daughter early this morning and spent the time waiting on her in prayer. It’s something I wish I would do everyday but the discipline isn’t there yet. Anyway, it’s always good to see prayers answered and I did over the last few days. It’s great because it encourages me to keep praying even when I’m not seeing answers to some prayers. I am so thankful God has given us the ability to pray directly to Him. The Lord is soooooo good.

I was up extra early today so my thoughts are a mish-mash of mush.

Do you ever go a few days without TV? I typically don’t but it has been semi-forced on me because of an equipment malfunction. I’ve read more and wonder if I should have the problem fixed.

I’m reading the Josh Hamilton book and it’s amazing to hear what he went through and see where he is. I have to agree with his assessment that God had a plan for Josh because it just doesn’t seem humanly possible for him to have accomplished what he has after his level of drug use. He and his wife have incredibly powerful stories about God working in their lives. The book is called Beyond Belief.

I used a bit of the book in my lesson last night. Do you remember the story of Ezekiel 37? It’s a powerful reminder of what our God can do. He can rebuild anything…anything. Regardless of the condition we are in, He can put us back together in the image He designed us for if we will let Him…if we will open ourselves to that relationship with Him.

Josh Hamilton has an Ezekiel 37 story. Other people I know and many I don’t have an Ezekiel 37 story too. God is powerful and I just have to be open to let Him work in me.

I didn’t cover the Longhorns come-from-behind victory very well yesterday but it was a great game. A bad night for DirecTV to quit working in part of the house so I had to keep myself from yelling at the TV. When OSU scored late in the game, I thought “it’s over” and almost went to bed but then thought I might as well see the end…and what an ending it was.

I know Texas was supposed to run away from them but I think one of the problems with bowl games is having a team like Texas that was so close to playing in a national championship game come in to play the #10 team. Not the #4 team but #10. What’s the motivation? Pride? Give me a break. These kids played with pride all year and because of the ridiculous system used for college football playing a lesser team just isn’t all that exciting. On top of that, take nothing away from Ohio State. They are a good team and had the opportunity to knock of a potential title-contender and the #2 vote getter for the Heisman (another mistake if you ask me).

Until there is a playoff the system will remain highly flawed. No doubt Zero U and Florida should have the opportunity to play for the trophy but they should go through an elimination system with several other schools.
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OK, my other thoughts for the day were going on and on so I’m going to give up because you probably don’t want to read that much today. So, here’s a shorter thought that is on my mind today – prayer.

I love being able to go to God with what is on my heart. I’m able to speak directly to God and let it out – whatever “it” is. I’m praying for missionaries who have made a profound impact on my understanding of what it means to serve God. I’m praying for friends I love who are hurting. I’m praying for people I dearly love who need physical healing. I’m praying that God will continue to work on me, to break me and build me back into what He wants me to be. I’m praying for many other things and the fact that THE LORD hears me is awesome. The One who created all listens to me. Words fail me.

I got an email yesterday that showed earth compared with other planets and stars and other galaxies with the idea of how insignificant earth is compared with all God created yet He knows the hair on our heads. I just can’t comprehend it but I believe it. I hope you will too.

It was cold in Decatur, Texas yesterday. My truck still has ice melting off of it this morning so it’s slowly warming up.

How about the Longhorns? Can they redo the Heisman award? They should.

Go Gators!

Sunday I mentioned that In Christ Alone has quickly become one of my favorite songs. I think Amazing Grace will always be my all-time favorite but it’s a battle. Both songs have incredible messages that have begun to touch my heart in new and deeper ways and both express something that I am only now beginning to really understand…how deep God’s love for me goes. I think I have said this before but I have long had a intellectual relationship with God – I understood and acknowledged who He is – but I had resisted a true heart relationship with Him because I still had the desire to solve my problems, to find my way, to take on the mantle of doing the right thing. I am learning that those are all ideas satan wanted me to have so I resisted the incredible mercy and grace God wants to pour out to me. I didn’t have bad intentions when trying to solve my problems and, at times, even thought it was what God wanted from me. I took the approach that He was there but He would want me to be out front doing what I thought He wanted me to do – which led me to making decisions that were often not helping and too decisions that were wrong because satan kept popping up even though I didn’t understand it at the time.

I have heard people talk about listening for God and didn’t get it but I have begun to. I have waited and truly believe I have heard Him. It may be a feeling, it may be a door that opens that is too obvious to pass up, it may be an incredible feeling of peace that comes over me and, quite frankly, is unexplainable but very, very real.

I do know this today better than ever – in Christ alone, my hope if found. My hope to overcome the obstacles of evil today and tomorrow, but even more, my hope for eternity comes from Christ alone. I don’t expect or need the promise of a happier today or tomorrow, only a day that draws me closer to my Savior. He came for me, He died for me, He rose again for me. In Christ alone, my hope is found.

I’ve got to get used to writing 2009 now. It always takes me a few weeks to do it without any mistakes.

I’m always amazed by those people that go jump/dive in a lake while it is freezing and ice is all around them. I don’t get it but it makes good video watching some of them get out.

I got to watch some of my favorite holiday basketball tournament earlier this week. It’s amazing how fast the game is. Maybe it was that way when I was playing high school ball but it just seems like everyone is so much quicker. There are more and more 6’8″ and taller kids every year. Two guys at 6’10” topped the charts this year.

I gave up making resolutions a few years ago but some things that I have been doing are things I hope to keep getting better at. The top two are: (drum roll here — ha ha) 2. keep exercising and 1. keep growing closer to God through good and bad. Fortunately, neither of these are something I’m starting from scratch and both are important to my health albeit in different ways. I want to have a better life while I’m on earth but my greatest focus needs to be preparing for the best life after this earth.

Happy New Year!

It’s hard to believe 2008 is just hours away from being gone and 2009 is closing in on me. Time continues to fly and I can do nothing to slow it down. Wow. So many things have happened during 2008 that have shaped me and formed me and pulled me closer to God. I am thankful for all the good and all the bad that have drawn me closer to my Lord. I feel like events in my life this past year have opened my eyes to God in ways I never imagined or understood and for that, I praise Him.

I hope anyone reading this will have a great 2009 and that the new year will bring you closer to God too. My wishes for peace, prosperity and all good things are directed completely towards relationships with God because that is where we will find true peace, true prosperity, true love, true healing.
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I celebrated the start of my 44th year last night with my family by eating at Joe T. Garcia’s (my fave) and a night at Bass Hall. It was a good night to be with the people I love sharing good food and a fun time.
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My blog is digressing but I’m just hearing that Mike Shanahan was fired by the Denver Broncos. Let me get this straight, Wade Phillips who hasn’t done much gets to keep his job and Shanahan who won Super Bowls loses his. What a topsy-turvy job market.
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My last blogged words of this year…

May you find all you need in our Creator and Savior’s love in 2009 and forevermore.

Have you seen the billboard ads for IAMSECOND.COM? I was attracted to it because Josh Hamilton is advertised so I went to check it out. It’s a site that wants to get the message across that God must be first in all that we do, in who we are. I listened to stories from Hamilton, from Brian “Head” Welch and a few others and it’s powerful to hear people talk about their journey from the edge of hell back to God.

It got me to thinking about the emphasis our society puts on self-esteem. Self-esteem puts a focus right where it advertises, on self, and I think that causes a problem for a lot of people. As a parent, my greatest fear of failure is not leading my children to understand that God must be first, that He made them perfectly in His image and that no matter what happens in life, they will always be loved unconditionally by their Creator.

Of course, the key is that they have to accept that. I have known God loves me all my life but haven’t really understood it or accepted it. I have been worried about how I was perceived by others and that worry affected how I felt about myself-not putting God first. Thankfully, I have come to that place where I have begun to grasp God’s love for me, His unconditional, constant love and in that, I am more and more focused on what He is seeing in me, not what others see.

As I begin another year of life, I am more thankful than ever for God’s love for me. I am thankful He made me the way He wanted me, that He is always the same, always waiting for me, arms open. No matter how others see me, no matter my blunders and failings, no matter what I want to think of myself, there is One who will always lift me up and as long as my focus is on Him first, I know I will have little trouble worrying what others think because my Creator also gave me the Savior.