Reading between the lines

I was reading a freinds blog and I decided to see what other blogs were out there. This is not the first time I have done this, but it is interesting how many people blog. Along with this concept, there are many different cultures, languages, and people groups that are represented in these blogs. There are also many different reasons for blogs, such as to keep everyone updated on the family, support groups, fan clubs, for devotional use, and special interest. With an aray of blogs, there are going to be an aray of thoughts, feelings, and positions. Some ideas are preaching to the choir, some are worthy to be pondered thought through, and others are trash. My question is what are we reading and what are we being influenced by. In other words, are we taking everything hook, line and sinker. Or are we processing through it to find the good stuff, and disregard what is pure rubbish. I ask this question, because so much of what we read and listen to has an affect on us, and alot of the time we do not realize this affect till there has been some significant change. Now not all change is bad, but if we are not careful, we could be heading down the wrong road. The only way we can interpret correctly, is if we are reading through a Biblical world view and asking God to illuminate what is true and to show where there are things that should be challenged and disregarded.

obedience

Through out the Old Testament there is the idea the sacrificial system was a part of the worship along with the idea of bringing one into a right relationship with God. One of the things that I realized with the sacrificial system, along with Christ sacrifice is that there is an act of obedience that needs to come along with it. It is not true worship unless there is obedience that follows the sacrifice and worship. Obedience is what makes the sacrifice and worship complete. Christ sacrifice is complete in the sense that it has the power to forgive sins and bring us back into a right relationship with God. It also is the only thing that can bring us into a right relationship with God, but there is an additional element. Through Christ death and ressurection, He has put the ball back into our court. What are we going to do with the sacrifice of God's only Son. There are only two options that I know of, one is to accept Christ gift to us and act accordingly, or there is the other side of the coin and reject Christ sacrifice. Through this acceptance of the gift, there needs to be a continous response. I think that the acceptance of the gift is a one time thing, but ones response to it is a daily thing, and often a moment by moment thing. Obedience is a sign of trust and of a healthy relationship. It is putting ones trust or faith into God's grace and law. It is the giving over of ones life over to the grace of God. A part of being obedient is the idea of being a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. The idea of Old Testament sacrifice of bringing back into right relationship with Godis done away with the ultimate sacrifice in Christ, but there is something more. This greater concept is that our sacrifice is so that we can have the freedom in Christ and we can have that image restored in us. Obedience and sacrifice is being at the cross and renewing our image and heart so that they can be a part of are actions. It is a choice that we move closer to the cross so that we may be changed. Our obedience is a response to God's grace, and not so we can earn God's grace.

Brett Favre

As I was reading about Favre retiring, I was thinking to myself that he should be making the decision about comming back sometime in May like he has in the last few years. Even though I am not a Packer fan, I can still respect Brett. He has been the symbol of Green Bay and the state of Wisconsin for the last 17 years. If he were to run for state govenor, he would probably win. The reason why I can respect Favre is not the three straight MVP's, a Super Bowl ring, many of the major passing records, consecutive games started by a quarterback, or any of his other accomplishements. The reason I can respect Favre is that he was the gun slinger at the OK Corral. His playing style was fun to watch. He did wild and crazy things to win games and also lose games for the Packers. One of my favorite Monday Night football games was the Packers and the Raiders and Favre through for roughly four touchdowns in the first half after the death of his father in law. Another cool remberance was when Tampa Bay was in the same division as Green Bay, the rivalry between Favre and Warren Sapp was always interesting to watch. When Favre went into rehab for addiction to pain killers, he admitted to it and dealt with it. With being a Vikings fan, it was always fun watching him come to the Metrodome. I hope Favre enjoys retirment playing golf

Valentines Day

Valentines Day is one of the most loved or hated holidays on the American calendar next to holloween and all it depends on whether you are single or not. Different people go about it different ways. Some of the ways are being all romantic with and for their significant others, forgetting it till the last minute and rushing to by some sort of flowers and candy (which I saw alot of at Wal Mart last night :)), go into hibernation because of hatred towards the holiday, or be more excited that today is the first day of spring training for baseball (go Twins). So the real question is why does Halmark make most of their profit on a holiday that was named after a dead church saint? The obvious answer I think is because we live in a greedy, capitalistic society who do not know how to show love and support to not only our significant others, but other special people in our lives the other 364 days a year.

So who is this St Valentine person. According to Google, he was a priest who served in third century Rome. I know I am going to do church history a grave injustice, for not doing proper research, but according to Google, there are several ways that St Valentine was killed. One is that Emperor Claudius II thought that single men fought better than men that were married and with children. St Valentine objected and performed weddings in secret in opposition to the emperor, and when the emperor found out, had St Valentine killed. The other theory is that he was killed for helping Christians escape prisions because they were tourtered and killed and during this time he found a love interest in the jailers daughter and he sent her a letter where he signed it "your valentine." So the question is, what is the point.

My point is that I am not goig to go on a rampage that God should be your Valentine (but is a good rampage if done right), but how does one respond to Valentines day. One could be mean and hateful all day and even dress in black. The other side of the spectrum, is that one goes all out for their valentine and goes over board. Both sides have issues that need to be dealt with. One side is left burnt out and bitter, because they can not celebrate what the rest of the world is celebrating in. The other issue is the idea that why do we put so much stock into one day without backing it up the rest of the year. If we do not back it up the ret of the year, the holiday becomes pointless.
Another perspective (which I held for today) that it is just another day and I didn't think it was to special. I got more excited over the start of baseball and doing homework than cupids arrows. One really random note, I have played Cupid before and I think I have pictures if any one wants to see them. So what is the answer. Valentines is not the end all be all for holidays. Personally I think this should be the holiday we should reflect and be thankful for all of our special relationships, whether they are significant others or family and friends that God has blessed us with. This should only be done in conjuction if it is done periodically throughout the rest of the year

Change of Scenery

One of the big sports news in the last week besides the Super Bowl is the trade of Shaq from Miami to Phoenix and one of the important question is that, was the trade worth it? It depends on your point of view. From Miami's point of view, it was a wonderful thing. Lets face it, Miami is in a rebuilding phase (nine wins to date). Miami has a roster filled with one stud (D-Wade) a former all star that has endured alot on and off the court and should retire (Alonzo) and the rest is nothing is worth writting home about. Miami's average right now is 26 and with the trading of Shaq (twenty milion per year through 2010), it frees up a ton of cap room so they draft a stud, and be a major player in the free market for the next couple of years in the stakes for Ben Gordon and some guy by the name of Kobe Bryant.

Shawn Marion is on the right side of thiry and has alot more athletic ability, healthier, and can log in more minutes per game. There are two small down sides to Shawn Marion, he is paid 16.4 mil this year and 17.1 mil next year and he can also opt out of his contract after this year. The other small down fall is that Marion does 17 points and 10 reounds a game, which seems a little low for his pay scale, but this is also comming from a team where he needed to share the ball with Nash and Staudimire. What the Heat could do is either resign Marion or do a sign and deal, or let him go after this year or next year and have a whole lot of money for the free agent market

I think the Suns can use Shaq in the talented Western Conference, but was still a stupid trade. Over the last four years the Suns have been one of the best teams in basketball averageing 58 wins a year running the fun and gun system. The number of wins ranks them right at the top of the other three major temas of the last four years (San Antonio, Dallas and Detroit) who have won an average of 57 to 60 games. This gives you a great chance at the division crown and one of the top two seeds in your conference. This system is great and exciting, but it has not gotten them to the promise land of the NBA Finals, and admittedly that is the goal of every NBA team. There are several other factors that I think forced the Suns to trade for Shaq:

1. The Lakers: the Lakers are playing quite well this year, and majority of that is because of Kobe. They are one of the favorites to represent the Western in the NBA Finals. They also made their roster alot better by trading a mediocore Kwame Brown (who gets paid 9 million a year and not worth half of it) for a much better player in Pau Gasol (13 million a year, but worth most of it if anyone is worth 13 million to play a boys game), so they got better for a playoff push to the Finals. I think that they are banking that Kobe and Shaq will renew their supposed hatred and that will motivate Shaq to propell the Suns to the Finals. Also, Kobe gets a good side kick who is worthy of being a side kick. Where would Batman be without Robin?

2. Some guy by the name of Tim Duncan. I would consider him one of the the best centers of our generation even though he is listed as a foward. Duncan has a very quiet personality, but it fits the blue collar philosophy of the Spurs where they bring their lunch pails and hard hats to work and they get dirty and the job done without any flash. Ever since Duncan has been in the league, he only has been known in the media for two things besides his playing ability. The first one is in reference to the NBA dress code and making one comment of "it sucks" and laughing while sitting on the bench and getting tossed from the game. Here is the scary factor, out of the last nine NBA champions, eight of them have gone to either a Saq powered Lakers/Heat or Duncan powered Spurs. What I get from this is that if one wants to win a title, they need a quality center to be the giant in the middle for a defensive presence, in which the Suns for the fun and gun system is known for.

3. Change of scenery/Bill Walton. All of us have needed a change of scenery, because from time we need to be refreshed and to have a new mission, energy and a new outlook on life. That is what Phoenix is hoping that this what will happen with Shaq, but where does Bill Walton come in. Back in the 85-86 season Walton was traded from the Clippers (they were in San Diego at the time) to Boston. Walton was a great player, but on his decline and prevailing health issues. Walton only averged just under eight points a game that season, but, some feel that he helped pushed the Celtics over the top in which they lost only three games that year in the playoffs.

Why I think it is a bad trade for Phoenix:

1. Shaq is old (36) and who spends more time in the training room than on the court playing. Even when he does play, what are the expecations going to be. I think that I am more moble right now than he is, and the Suns have to switch their offense from a fun and gun to either a modified run and gun or a half court offense. His points, minutes and games played in have declined over the last several years. I know Phoenix has other quality offensive players, but when someone makes twenty million a year through 2010, I expect them to be the man.

2. I know the Suns window is closing for reaching the Finals, so theyare making that push now, but are they morgaging the whole farm for one player that might not get you what you want. I kow salaries are going up and one needs to be paid what they are worth, but does the prospect of one NBA Title equal five or ten years of being mediocore orbad? I just hope that the Suns are not putting all of their eggs in one basket.

3. Back to Shaqs sallary. Twenty million a year till 2010 is a chunck of change, and considering some of the other guys on the roster who make a pretty penny, I think that the Suns could of found someone alot younger, who is alot more servicable for a longer period of time for a whole lot cheaper.

4. What about the team Chemistry. Team chemistry is what some people call the "x" factor. It pushes one team over the edge to greatness and it prevent other teams from greatness. It is something that one does not want to be tinkered or messed with, especially in the middle of the season. There are some teams with great team chemistry and it shows and others with bad team chemistry and it shows (the New York Knicks). If one is going to make that trade especially during the middle of the season, it better be worth it. Some trades have made a team (04 Pistions Rasheed) and others have broke teams(any team who have traded or aquired Sprewell). Shaq says he is going to be a great team mate, but what is said and what goes on in the locker room are two different things and from this stand point I don't think it is a bad thing, but it might not be the greatest. I think Shaq can make a positive difference, but with the Western Conference being the best conference and injuries can come at any time, anything is possible.

question to ponder

As I thought today as I deal with some of my personal struggles to be more God like, I came across a question that I do not have an answer for right now. For the different things that I struggle with, when a time comes and there is a decision that needs to be made to either continue to struggle with the issue or move on from it, I thought about asking the question of "what eternal does doing this event have." One of the conclusions that I have come to is the idea that we are all spiritual beings that are enjoying a physical experience. It is remembering that there is an eternity that we are accountable for, so the question is that, what I am doing today, how does that going to affect me/othes eternally. I do not think that all situations are going to apply to this, but I think most of them do and it could be a reminder how we do live in a community and that we are held accountable for our actions

willing to grow?

I was in Bible Study and we just began a study on the spiritual disciplines. We studied the aspect of fasting. Through this study there is something that really hit me, which is the idea with the spiritual disciplines, there is an anticipation for something. Through such disciplines as fasting, we are going and meeting God so that we can be made into His image. Through these anticipations, we can anticipate such things as commune with God, forgiveness, prayer/intercession for others.

The connection that I came up with is during my devotional time tonight is I was reading in Luke 6 about the good and bad fruit, and how a good tree can not produce bad fruit or a bad tree produce good fruit. The connection to the spiritual disciplines is that I grew up on the farm. From time to time each hay field needs to be plowed up so fresh air, rain and fertilizer can be appllied to the soil so it can be fuitful for the farmer. If the farmer does not do this, the hay field does not produce as much as it should even maybe even become barren. It is not a bad field just not up to its potental. I feel that this is the same way with our Christian life and the spiritual disciplines. Without the tilling of our spiritual lives, we can become rather barren and do not produce as much as we should. The only way to promote true growth is through being broken