Wii-nious

Okay, lets face it. Wii just rocks. I never got into gaming when I was younger because I preferred to play basketball, hang out at a friends house, go out to eat...I love to eat, and just other stuff. Besides, any friend I had that was into gaming did nothing else except spend countless hours in front of the tube playing Madden, some war game, etc. Then comes the Wii. Let's make a video game that first incorporates activity, then make games that every member of the family can enjoy. AWESOME! So then comes GH. Rocks! literally. We just bought our 3rd version (World Tour) and now we can be the Partridge Family:) We play it all together. Add Wii Fit. Whoever came up with this is brilliant. It forces you to do the exercises correctly. Makes you hold your center of balance, shift your weight for proper mechanics, and not only do you get a decent workout, but it's fun. Oh yeah, it also tracks your progress. Amazing. Tony Horton, Tony Little, BowFlex, forget it...Go Wii!

Thank God it's CHRISTmas.

It's Christmas Day. This may be the single most best day of every year. Not because I'm off of work. Not because I get a bunch of presents. But really, because we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Could you imagine what life was like in BC. Everyday was lived without gospel. Isn't it great to know that Jesus Christ was born to a virgin on our planet and walked the globe for 30+years so that he could die and we could live forever. How awesome is that. You bet I love Christmas. Thanks God!

Hank, it's my family tradition.

Traditions. It is defined as a long established way of thinking or acting. And as the holiday season approaches, many of us begin to practice our long standing traditions. We have many in our household. The day after thanksgiving is intended for Rox's early morning shopping trip, then all the decorations (inside and out) come out of the attic and go up in their designated places. We will watch 3 movies over the next couple of weeks together as a family; they are A Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, and Elf. We will build gingerbread houses together and proudly display them on the bar. We will go through our toys and clothes that we don't use anymore, we will donate them to Goodwill. But of all of our holiday traditions, the one that means the most to me is that we go to church on Christmas Eve. Our entire extended family meets at Crosspoint 7 Lakes and celebrates the real reason for the season. It's the story of the coming of Christ that we do all of this stuff anyway. Without the birth, we wouldn't have had the death on the cross that washes away our sins. So, what are your traditions? If you don't have a place to worship on Christmas Eve, please join my family and me. Start a new one.

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. Luke 2:13-14.

November Madness

You may not catch "Bracketology" on every sports web site or tv station, or hear chants of "FINAL FOUR!, FINAL FOUR!" But with so much untapped potential, it is almost as exciting. Yesterday was the official start of the college basketball season. My alma mater, The University of Houston, took on Georgia Southern in the first game of the 2009 college season in The Coaches vs. Cancer tournament . The second game of the day featured my coaching idol (Coach K), as he led his Duke Blue Devils against Presbyterian. My two favorite basketball teams to start the season. Man I was stoked. Unfortunately, my Cougars suffered a 2 point defeat, but the #8 Blue Devils romped Presbyterian 80-49. As if any of this matters anyway. It's all about March. What does a tournament game in November mean? They didn't even televise these games. Wow, what a difference 5 months will make. Anyway, basketball season has arrived. Where does your team stand? Check out the poll.

November - Thankful Month

Today is the 5th day of November. Pastor Bill sent a congregational message out about things, big or small, that he was thankful for. He has challenged us to do the same thing.

I am thankful for our LORD and Savior and that our sins are forgiven.
I am thankful for a beautiful wife who puts up with me and my daily "blunders"
I am thankful for two wonderful boys that constantly amaze me with the good and the bad things they come up with.
I am thankful for the neighbors and friends that lend an ear, offer help, drink a beer.
I am thankful for beer...gosh it tastes good.
I am thankful for basketball. The season is right around the corner and man I am excited.
I am thankful for a country that allows us to choose our leaders. My choice doesn't always win, but sometimes it does. All in all, I know that God will control my life, and he has a reason for putting in place the people that run our country.
I am thankful for children that I teach and coach. Some frustrate me, some make me smile, but most importantly they all make me grow as a person.
I am thankful for "The Office", "Big Bang Theory", and "Old Christine". Sometimes we just need to laugh.
I am thankful for Hometeam, SLT,Elders, and Crosspoint. It is through encounters with these people that I grow spiritually daily.
I am thankful for Dan, Bill, Matt and Karl. Each one of you is an inspiration to me in one or more ways.
I am thankful for a nice home, on a nice street, in a nice neighborhood.
I am thankful for my parents. Their love and guidance, though not always noted, had alot to do with who I am today. Thanks Mom and Dad!
I am most thankful for the fact that I have been blessed with all of this stuff. That blessing comes from God.

As we approach the 27th, think of the things that you too are thankful for. Bill, thanks for the spark.

Day of the "sexy" dead?

Halloween. It apparently started as a Celtic Festival centered around the harvest, and something to do with scaring away spirits...thus the scary costumes. Interesting. But are there limits?


Well, yesterday, Rox and I went to look for Halloween costumes at a local Halloween shop that opens its doors the first week of October and becomes a vacant eyesore for the 11 months following. (A former Eckerd Drugs) Now, let me preface this by saying I am an open minded person. However, there is a distinct difference to being open minded, and leaving no reason to be open minded.

If I had entered this store as a single man, I probably would not have noticed much outside of the male costume section of this store. But, I am married and a father, and was with my wife and children looking for costumes, I had no choice but to venture into other sections. What I found was appalling.

Lets start with the children's costumes. Movies such as Scream, Halloween, Friday the 13th and Nightmare obviously lend themselves to the marketing of costumes. But, if you must be 17 years old to legally view these movies, then how is it that we allow 12-16 year olds the choice of using one of these costumes for Halloween. That's right, Freddy, Jason and Michael Myers costumes were available for "Teens" and in teen sizes. In all fairness, they also offered Star Wars, Batman and Police Officer costumes. But really, isn't it bad enough that our kids get exposed to cartoon network, why horror films at such a young age? I can see the leftists saying "It should be up to the parent." The problem is, that we do leave it up to the parent, and obviously there is a market for this, so parents are letting these costumes be bought. When I was a young teen still dressing up for Halloween, I was a football player one year, and the scariest I got was when I dressed up as "Teen wolf."

But that is the least of it. I saw a father, allowing his teen daughter to try on a "sexy" beer maid costume. You could see the discomfort in his face as she tried it on in the dressing room, but that didn't stop him from giving her "her way." He went ahead and purchased it. But did she really have a choice. As Rox and I searched for her costume, we found that she really didn't. Of all the costumes that were available for adults, 2, that's right: two, were conservative enough in coverage and friendly factor that my own wife would have felt comfortable adorning. However, there were over 50 costumes which were prefixed with the word "sexy". Sexy witch, sexy nurse, sexy Dorothy, sexy french maid, sexy beer maid, did I mention Dorthy? But low and behold, not a single wholesome Dorothy was available. Is Judy Garland rolling over in her grave...probably not, but you get the point. I'm not the only one who feels this way. Check this article.

What is our country coming too? I know this holiday is secular in nature, and pagan in its roots, but would the Celtic harvesters even appreciate where this holiday has gone in this country. It was supposed to be a festival which tried to head off evil spirits for the sake of the harvest. Now it has become about how much leg and bust you can show without getting arrested. When I have grandchildren, will their choice of costume be Stripper Dorothy or Porno Cop? Stop the madness.