This Week's TV Stuff

Eureka
I was so excited for this episode.  Stark returns?  Yes, that is the greatest moment ever.  And then after a few minutes, we realize that Stark is just Carter's hallucination.  It was great while it lasted though.  I really missed Stark's constant jokes about Carter being stupid.

Some other stuff happened as well.  Zoe is dating Zane.  Jo thought she was confronting her hallucination of Zane, but instead it was the real Zane.  Fargo grew a set of balls and stood up to the General.  Oh and whatever the major crisis was solved. 

When will Don bang Faye?

Mad Men
This was an awesome episode.  Don and the team head to the CLEO awards, where Don wins an award for his Glo-Coat commercial.  When they find out that the Life people are stuck in Philadelphia, they decide to start pregaming for the award show.  Naturally, the gang drinks heavily at the ceremony (so does Duck Phillips, who makes a fool of himself).  They get a message that the Life people have shown up and want to do the pitch meeting now.  Don is a little drunk and wants to have the meeting.

At the beginning of the episode, Don and Peggy give Roger's wife's cousin an interview, which is pretty funny.  His portfolio is a joke.  Most of the stuff is other people's work that he admires, and all his ideas revolve around the same idea.  During the Life meeting, drunk Don starts rattling off slogans and steals one of the kid's lame ideas.  Life loves it.  Don later is forced to hire him.  It was great watching Peggy stand up to him.

After the meeting, they go back out and continue drinking.  Don gets blasted.  He strikes out with Faye, takes some other girl home.  Wakes up in bed with some different girl.  He also finds out that it is no longer Saturday, but instead Sunday.  Apparently, after girl one, he went out some more and kept partying.  Who hasn't had a drinking binge like that?

Roger remembers how he met Don Draper.  Apparently, Roger came in to buy Joan a fur coat.  He saw Don's ad on the wall and gave him his card.  Don thought that was a job opportunity.  He came to the office and Roger wanted nothing to do with him.  Don offered to take him out for drinks (Roger scoffs at the idea at drinking at 10 a.m., who is this Roger?).  Roger gets pretty bombed before noon.  The next day Don shows up at the office.  Roger asks why he is back.  Don says that Roger hired him.  Classic Don manipulating his way into a job.

True Blood
I almost wish that Sam could have been out with Don and Roger.  He would have been the angry drunk to complete their group.  Roger was morose, Don was the horndog...Sam could have been the pissed off dude.  It was actually kind of sad the way he treated Tommy and then how Tommy reacted.  The whole apologizing and being upset thing.  Then he breaks into Sam's safe.  Great job Tommy.

Eric offers Sookie to Russell, with the promise of being a daywalker.  I really hope Blade shows up to kick Russell's ass.  Turns out though that Eric has a plan.  They drink Sookie's blood and take a stroll outside.  Eric fails to mention that they needed to drink all of her blood.  They are only immune to the sun for a few minutes.  Eric handcuffs Russell with silver cuffs and plans to die alongside him.  I am guessing that Eric will survive though.  I mean he is probably the most popular character on the show.

And finally Jason was hilarious as usual when being stupid.  "So you are like a werewolf, but a panther?"  Crystal:  "Yes, a werepanther."  Although, his discovery that his rival high school QB is using V was pretty cool.  Interesting idea, since it cannot be tested for, how would something like that change professional sports?  Maybe that is Pujols secret...

My brother pointed out that the weird new waitress was a waitress at Monk's on Seinfeld.  Also, Maryann from last season was one of George's many ex-girlfriends.  Fun facts.

Survivor Philippines Celebrity Showdown (Edition) Pilot Episode Tops Ratings in Greater Manila

In the AGB Nielsen Phililippines TV Ratings Ranking yesterday (August 30, 2010) for the Primetime Shows in Mega Manila, the debut episode of Survivor Philippines Celebrity Showdown (Edition) topped the list with 18.2%.

Here is the complete tally:

1. Survivor Philippines Celebrity Showdown (GMA-7) – 18.2%
2. 24 Oras (GMA-7) – 15.3%
3. Ilumina (GMA-7) – 13.8%
4. Agua Bendita (ABS-CBN) – 13.4%
5. TV Patrol (ABS-CBN) – 13%
6. Noah (ABS-CBN) – 12.8%
7. Magkaribal (ABS-CBN) – 12.2%
8. Endless Love (GMA-7) – 10.8%
9. Kristine (ABS-CBN) – 9.6%
10. Langit Sa Piling Mo (GMA-7) – 8.3%

Source: AGB Nielsen Phils.

Oh Man. . . We're Excited About This! . . . .

One of our goals here at CPYU is to help parents, youth workers, and teachers effectively teach kids how to integrate their faith into all of life. One of the most discouraging marks of churched and professing Christian kids today is that they are living very disjointed lives. While they might be applying their faith effectively and consciously to one or more areas of their lives, they fail to see how their faith should inform other areas of their lives.


Perhaps you've been frustrated by the growing number of kids who never endeavor to think consciously and Christianly about what God and His Word might have to say about the hours and hours of media that they engage with each and every day. Our duty and calling is clear - we must teach kids how to integrate their faith into their media use and choices. To that end, several years ago I wrote a little media evaluation guide that's been taught and used with tens of thousands of kids. It's called, How to Use Your Head to Guard Your Heart: A 3(d) Guide to Making Responsible Media Choices. Kids are using this guide to filter everything they see, hear, and use in their media world.


Now, we're really excited to tell you about another media evaluation tool we've developed in conjunction with Doug Fields and our good friends at Simply Youth Ministry. The folks over at SYM are known for developing cutting edge DVD curriculum for use with kids. I was thrilled when they came to me and asked, "How would you like to do a DVD curriculum with us that youth workers, parents, and teachers can use to help teach kids how to use your 3(d) guide?" Easy answer. . . . "SURE!" So, we put together Download: Teaching Teenagers to Filter Their Media Choices with Walt Mueller, a 3-part video curriculum that you can learn more about here.

As the fall kicks-off and you're looking for something substantial to use as a teaching tool with your kids, please consider using Download. This isn't a once-and-done proposition. Once you've gone through the 3 lessons with your students, spend one meeting or small-group time every month practicing the skills and engaging in real-life Bible study.

Here's a little clip from Download to give you a taste of what's on the DVD:

Fantasy Baseball Week Twenty-One

Woo-hoo!  I beat Offord 7-4!  Unfortunately, my team did not play all that great.  Well the pitching sucked.  I think all of my starters decided to just pretend it was batting practice.  I mean look at these numbers:  8.71, 6.75, 67.50...those are just the starters ERAs.  Well some of them (the first one is Ted Lily, who had two starts and a win).  Fortunately, my hitting came through for once with a nice win.

My two studs were Ryan Braun and Joey Votto.  The nice thing is that everyone else (minus a catcher, yeah I am looking at you Miguel) hit well enough to not sink those two down.

Anyways, this win did not do much for me in the standings.  In fact, this is the last week before the playoffs.  I must win.

The Big Problem With Marriage. . . .

A little over three weeks ago I experienced the marriage of one of my children for the very first time. Josh married Sheila. It's a relationship God cultivated through the gift of weak ankles. Sheila was one of the student athletic trainers working with Josh's college lacrosse team. She taped his ankles every day that year. . . and only Josh will ever know if they needed to be taped every day or not! Perhaps it's no coincidence that Josh severely sprained his ankle playing lacrosse a week before his wedding.

Watching them recite their vows not only reminded me of the very same vows Lisa and I had recited to each other 28 years earlier, but it served as a reminder of how many young couples who stand and recite those vows in today's world will never keep them. I trust that the Lord will sustain and build their young marriage. I hope that as their marriage is built, any false hopes, dreams or ideas they have about love and commitment will be quickly shattered and then replaced with a heavy dose of reality.

It's also no coincidence that my kids - including the newlyweds - have had a front row seat from which to see the power of marital love in action over the course of the last four weeks. My varying degrees of physical helplessness and dependency on others has created a situation where the girl who 28 years ago promised to love me "in sickness and in health" has been doing just that with an eagerness and gusto that has brought me to tears on several occasions. Her commitment is not at all surprising to me.

Sadly, I'm not so sure that kind of marital commitment is on the rise in today's youth culture. Many kids are choosing to not get married. Of course, there are a variety of factors contributing to this growing reality. One of those factors is the lack of any compelling and realistic models of marriage to look up to. After all, if marriage didn't work in my family, why should it work for me?

This cultural trend has been one that's been chipping away at me for quite some time. More than alarming, it's something I know we need to more directly address at CPYU. We need to help parents and youth workers not only see the trend for what it is, but address it in ways that will prepare kids for the realities of marriage so that the tide can be turned and the institution realistically understood and thereby strengthened in our culture.

While I've been laying around, one of the books I've been reading that addresses these issues from a very practical, hopeful, and realistic standpoint is Paul Tripp's What Did You Expect: Redeeming the Realities of Marriage. In his typical fashion, Tripp addresses the culturally-promoted lies we come to believe with the counter of a Biblically-based explanation of the way things really are. Tripp cuts to the chase and warns readers against believing that it's always the other guy who's the issue. Instead, the reality is that the biggest problem in your marriage is well. . . you. He writes, "The big battles you fight in marriage are not the ones you fight with your spouse. No, the big battles are the ones being fought in your heart. All of the horizontal skirmishes between a husband and wife are the result of this deeper battle. Remember, there is still sin remaining in your heart, and the DNA of sin is selfishness." As my pastor once told me, we are deeply depraved people living in a depraved world. Conflict is inevitable. You will live with it until the day that you die. Maybe that's the most important thing a young couple can latch on to before they recite their vows. And maybe if they know that's true, they can take the steps necessary to receive and show God's free gift of grace in ways that make those vows come alive each and every day. . . . as they stay together "until death do us part."

Paul Tripp goes on to challenge readers to make these six mutual commitments in their marriage:

1. We will give ourselves to the regular lifestyle of confession and forgiveness.

2. We will make growth and change our daily agenda.

3. We will work together to build a sturdy bond of trust.

4. We will commit to building a relationship of love.

5. We will deal with our differences with appreciation and grace.

6. We will work to protect our marriage.

I've been married 28 years and I'm learning much from What Did You Expect? I want my kids to learn the lessons in this book. . . which is why they are each going to be given their own copy. If you're a parent or a youth worker, read it for your own edification, then live it in front of and talk about it with your kids. False expectations and ideas are killing marriage. Let's do all we can to breath some redemptive fresh air into an institution that if our culture stays on its current course, is in great jeopardy.

Survivor Philippines Celebrity Showdown (Edition) Pilots Tonight

Survivor Philippines Celebrity Showdown (Edition) airs tonight following 24 Oras on GMA7. The special edition of the show is hosted by Richard Gutierrez and presents the following Filipino Celebrity Castaways:

1. Japanese model Akihiro Sato, “Mr. Nice Guy;”

2. Actor Ahron Villena, “Ang Bolero;”

3. Sexbomb dancer Aira Bermudez, “Dancing Warrior;”

4. Sexy actress and hot mama Aubrey Miles, “Ang Pasimuno;”

5. Parokya ni Edgar bassist Buhawi Meneses, “Tribe Leader;”

6. Track and field champ Elma Muros, “Strong Mama;”

7. Basketball player Ervic Vijandre, “Power Player;”

8. “Born To Be Wild’s” resident vet Doc Ferdz Recio, “The Boss.”

9. “StarStruck” avenger Ian Batherson, “Pilyong Amboy;”

10. Model Jon Hall, “Siga ng Isla;”

11. Actress Karen delos Reyes, “Taray Queen;”

12. Actress Michelle Madrigal, “The Outcast;”

13. Actor and host Mico Aytona, “Bibong Bunso;”

14. Real-life personal assistant Moi Bien, “Yayang Palaban;

15. “Bubble Gang’s” Myka Flores, “Bidang Extra;”

16. “StarStruck” avenger Princess Snell, “Pasaway;”

17. Model/socialite/artist Solenn Heussaff, “Diwata ng Isla;” and

18. Stand-up comedian Pretty Tizsa, “Cheerleader.”

Fall Television Shows

Can you believe that it is time for the TV shows to come back on?  That is actually kind of depressing.  Summer went by way too fast.  I have not done a preview of what I will be watching in awhile (2 years), but it seems like a good idea since so many good shows ended last year.  Okay actually just Lost and 24, but you get the point.

Sons of Anarchy
Oh god yes!  Thank you for coming back.  Do you realize how tough it was waiting for this season?  Granted, I finally watched season one during the summer, and it was absolutely awesome.  Anyways, Jax will have to go after Cameron, who kidnapped his son.  I am sure that Jax and Clay will put aside their issues for the time being (like they did in order to deal with Gemma's rape) and reign fire down upon Ireland.  Good. 

House
Last season ended with House and Cuddy finally hooking up.  How will this change our favorite doctor?  Honestly, it is a good thing that the show is funny because the plot is generally pretty weak.  Anyways, it always makes me laugh, and really, what else is there to watch on a Monday?

Supernatural
Sam and Dean defeated the devil and the rest of the dickbag angels.  Dean survived and decides to settle down with Lisa.  As the show ends we see that Sam has indeed survived and is happy to see Dean moving on.  I am sure they will be reunited somehow and they will go back to killing things.  As I say all the time, hopefully they will head down to Louisiana to take out some vampires, werewolves, werepanthers, fairies, and shifters...

Other Shows I Will Be Watching
The League
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Human Target
V
Destination Truth
Terriers
The Event
Boardwalk Empire
The Walking Dead

You might be asking why I would punish myself by watching V again.  I honestly have no idea why I will watch it.  It might have something to do with the hot girls...and the shitty story.

So, what shows will you be watching? 

Hilarious Video

I know this is old, but it always makes me laugh.  

One Miserable Man. . . .

Over the years I've morphed into what I believe is a more God-honoring way of looking at the world. Many of us in the church have been hammered into believing that living the Christian faith requires a clean and shiny set of rose-colored glasses and an unrealistically positive (if we're honest) outlook on life. Don't think negative thoughts. See the good. Etc. Etc. But I've learned that in order to see and appreciate the beauty of God's goodness and grace, you have to reckon with the truth that surrounds us that is actually quite ugly. If I don't understand sin and depravity in both myself and the world around me, I might be fooled into thinking that I have no need for the Redeemer. In the end, that's dangerous, deadly, and a fast-track to the deceptive pull of idolatry.

So, it's a good thing when God exposes me to the darkness of my nature and the expressions of that sinful nature in my life. It's good when I look around and see pain, suffering, and hopelessness wherever it exists. We need to see the world as it is. Then - and only then - will we learn that we cannot save ourselves.

One side effect of this growing realization is a growing appreciation for the good stories we encounter in the world of books, film and TV. A "good" story doesn't have to be one that ends with the story of the Cross and a call to faith. No, a "good story" can be one that simply tells the truth, even if that truth is incredibly ugly. I believe that God uses those "good stories" that so many Christians might argue are "incomplete" as one small piece in the grand and great story He is working out in our lives and our world.

One of those small pieces that I got back to this week is season 4 of the AMC drama, Mad Men. At times, I've found myself watching this show and feeling like I might be no different than my grandmother who took time out each weekday afternoon to catch up on her "stories" . . . or as they are more widely known, soap operas. But then I quickly snap back into a reality check and realize - as series creator Matthew Weiner has said - that the show's tragic main character, Don Draper, is a man who has everything, yet is a man who has nothing. And that's what I love about Mad Men. All the promises of redemption that come with our North American culture of marketing, materialism, fast-living, and promiscuous behavior end in darkness. Mad Men effectively trumpets that truth. Perhaps the power of watching a fictitious guy like Don Draper unravel before our eyes is that God can use that to keep us from going down that same road in our very real lives. Right now, if I was only allowed to watch, ponder, and discuss one TV show, this would be it.

The Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation present the ugly truth about our condition along with the wonderful and beautiful truth of God's plan and provision for the restoration of shalom in our lives and world. The writer of Ecclesiastes - like Don Draper - reminds us that "everything is meaningless. . . completely meaningless." And, he tells us straightforwardly and simply that his final conclusion is this: "Fear God and obey his commands. For this is everyone's duty."

Girlfriend of the Week

This is a picture of all the hot girls I am seeing at the beach right now!

You may have to open this up and zoom in a good bit to see them...

Go West, Young Man. Again.

Some of you might have noticed that my updates have been somewhat sparse lately, and I will plead your forgiveness by offering a few reasons why. You see, the month of August 2010 has been particularly busy for me, with work, weddings and travel galore. Also, the downtrodden Mets have left me with little to be excited about in sports beyond the start of Southampton's League One season and the run up to the Aussie Rules Football Finals, which Geelong should figure to impact rather heavily.

But y'all cats aren't necessarily interested in all that, though perhaps the coming start of Northwestern's college football season might excite you. Or maybe not. I'm sure my four readers would feign interest while I rambled about the Cats' prospects at a surprise Big Ten title or my Geelong Cats' prospects of a third premiership in four years, but I wouldn't want to make hypocrites out of all of you.

In any event, I will come clean and tell you all why this month has been so busy, and essentially, I will revolve it around my zany trip to San Diego to see the annual Comic-Con, and a trip I made two weeks ago to see my friends Dave and Caitlin tie the knot in Portland, Oregon. This would be the same Dave with whom I saw that magic moment for Ken Griffey Jr. last June. In between all of those events I've been juggling a typical work schedule, the precipitous downfall of my Mets, the impending start of the season for my Giants, the fact that Ilya Kovalchuk somehow still isn't under a contract that passes muster and my brother's impending nuptials this Sunday.

See how I slipped that in there? Eh? Eh?

That, my friends, is what we call burying the lead. Burying it after the jump is equally as bad, but you've got to entice the reader to keep on reading no?

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Elliott, Emmy-winning comedy writer, terrible movie enthusiast and newly minted comic book author, is getting hitched to his fiancee Danielle this Sunday in Sonoma, California, which means, I have to book it to the airport tomorrow morning for a flight to San Francisco that will mark my third trip across the country in five weeks.

Yep. That's right. The third time in five weeks.

Fortunately, this is no longer the era of covered wagons like you see to the left here, so my accommodations -- the newfangled "airplane" -- will get me to San Francisco in at least half the time.

Now, surely none of you really care all that much about my travel plans to my brother's wedding, beyond offerings of congratulations and curiosity over just how big a disaster my best man speech is going to be, but here's why it matters for this space. There will be baseball. West Coast Baseball. The Mets would not exist were it not for the California-bound relocation of the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers half a century ago, and because the actual Mets are, well, terrible right now, I will instead scope out the forbears of my favorite team who are much better than terrible and actually even in contention for what they call "a playoff berth".

We Mets fans may be unfamiliar with that concept these days, but I assure all of you, it actually exists.

And so, because I will be on the left coast, my sister, I, and a few assorted others will be attending this Monday's Giants-Rockies game at AT&T Park, and while this will not be a new experience for me -- I've been there twice -- it just may be my favorite. Two days later, if we can wake ourselves early enough to make the drive from San Luis Obispo, we will be in Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles to, at long last, knock the second oldest park in the National League off of my list. I'm awfully excited about the prospect.

Oh yeah. And my brother's getting married. That's pretty exciting, too. One of my best friends in college, Luisa Badaracco of my venture to Fenway and TD Garden fame, was at her sister's wedding three years ago when Clay Buchholz threw a no-hitter in his second career start for her Boston Red Sox. Will history repeat itself for my brother Sunday as the historically pitching-rich Mets finally get their first no-no? Well, the odds are a little slim, though this isn't the most unlikely thing I've banked on -- in High School I once told a teacher I'd have to miss a club meeting because I had Mets tickets and I liked their chances for a Perfect Game against the hapless Orioles. The Mets probable starter is R.A. Dickey, who already has a one-hitter under his belt in a surprising knuckleballing season that has him stunningly in the top ten of the NL's ERA chase. His foe -- the equally as hapless Houston Astros in the pitcher's haven of Citi Field.

The stars are aligned. You can pretty much take it to the bank.

On one last note, it was revealed this week whom the Mets will be visiting in 2011 for interleague play, which is always of great interest to me as I look to strike down stadiums on my quest. Despite much hub-bub that the Amazins would be visiting Minnesota's new Target Field, they will in fact be visiting Rangers Ballpark at Arlington and Comerica Park in Detroit. While I have already been to Comerica Park, the Texas Rangers are new on the list. Who's up for a road trip?

And that's all the news that's fit to print and a whole lot more that isn't in these parts. California beckons tomorrow, again, and the Kalan family will be changed forever. If I can keep my eyes open after crisscrossing the U.S. one last time this month, I'll be sure to tell you all about it next week.

fire, fire everywhere

Also, in recent and important news... Jared called me again today. His crew was getting ready to leave the Oak Flat fire and heading toward Mt. Hood where they have been reassigned. This fire is called (to the best of our knowledge) the View Lake (or Lake View, according to Jared but the website I found called it the other) fire. The only information I've found on it is here. This fire is smaller and mostly contained but with so many other crews dispatched elsewhere, ASP has been called in to fill the gaps. To his knowledge, this should only add a few more days to this "deployment".

Continued prayers are always appreciated!


***UPDATE*** View Lake Complex

eat pray love

In some ways, I find myself beginning to think of Elizabeth Gilbert as my guru. I'm reading her book Eat Pray Love right now and finding, beyond all the suppositions that it's some silly, "chick-lit" sort of book, that she has stumbled into some very real human truths, on both broad and specific levels. And through it all, her humour about the many ways to tackle life keep me smiling, laughing, crying and understanding that we are, in fact, all divinely and serenely connected through three of the most natural and basic things we can do as human beings: eat. pray. love.

100 miles. . . 100 miles. . .

Somewhere along the way I forget that today was to be the day. I realized it about mid-morning when I checked the date. Today was going to be the day for me to tackle my 100 mile bike ride along the Jersey Shore coastline to raise the additional $10,000 we need at CPYU to pay for our server and laptop upgrade. Ironically, it was during my 54 mile 54th birthday bike ride (part of my training to build up for today's ride) back on July 30 that my biking - at least for the remainder of this year - came to an end.

Even though my ability to complete the 100 mile fundraising ride (I had been hoping for 200 people to donate $50 each, or 50 cents a mile) came to a quick end, there have been some people who still want to see the ride happen, and they have expressed a willingness to ride in my place. Among them, a college friend wants to take a 300 mile plus ride from Pittsburgh to DC and raise money for us. A couple of CPYU friends in the midwest have offered to ride the century in their community. And now, the healthy members of the CPYU staff are offering to complete a team ride that would total 100 miles.

To this point, I've been so overwhelmed by time devoted to healing and recovery that I've had little time to focus on a response to these generous offers. But looking at the calendar this morning has renewed my desire to see the hundred miles logged even if it's in a variety of places, by a variety of people, and in a variety of ways. . . without me having to climb back on the bike.

So. . . here's the deal: in the coming days we're going to develop a plan. I'm not sure what it's going to look like but we'll need a couple of things. 1) We'll need people anywhere and everywhere who believe in the CPYU mission to ride and raise money. We'll set aside a day or a period of days within which you can ride. We'll give you the info you need to recruit sponsors for our cause, and we'll tell you how they can support you in your quest to help us through their tax-deductible gifts. 2)We're going to need an army of people to step up and help us make this a success. In other words, we'll need people who can't ride to make a donation on behalf of those who do. Again, keep your ears and eyes open as we'll be getting the info out through all our channels in the coming days.

In the meantime, you can still make a donation towards our server by clicking here. Remember, every little bit helps us to stay connected with you and the thousands upon thousands of people worldwide who depend on CPYU's information, analysis, ministry, and resources.

Finally, an update on my progress. Let me begin by saying "thanks" for all the prayers on my behalf. They are sustaining us. I'm still having pain, but it's bearable. I'm walking more in the neighborhood. My follow-up appointment on Monday was a good one. My ability to breath is still hampered a bit by the pain from all the rib fractures, but it's slowly improving. Physical therapy should be starting soon and I hope to aggressively attack my left shoulder so that I can regain strength, full range of movement, and use of my arm. I'm feeling more and more comfortable in my bones as they heal. I experienced a small disappointment this morning when the trauma doctor informed us that I won't be able to fly until February 20. While that will certainly hamper my schedule, trains and cars will come into play for some of my travels,and Lisa and I will be able to enjoy doing some driving together. Most of all, I am greatly blessed to be a man who has been adopted by a loving Father who is using this to His glory while teaching me far too many things to recount here, and far more than I'm even aware of. I'm not sure how to describe it, but God is leading me by the hand into some amazing places that I never imagined or knew even existed. It's been a joy to share this journey with Lisa (a person who eagerly embodies the marriage vows we made over 28 years ago),and I hope to be able to share more of it with others as I process everything that's happening.

This morning, I was comforted by these words from Psalm 84: "What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs." Those aren't just words anymore.

True Blood Fans

Hahahahaha, this cracked me up.

Never Stop Praying. . . .

"When is it going to end?" I asked Lisa that question last night as we went through the routine of getting me hunkered down for the night in the hospital bed that now sits in my family room. I know the answer to the question. God will bring it all to an end as he brings his purposes to pass. . . some day. Still, I asked out of the frustration of another day of being exposed to the suffering, hurt, and heartache that exists in our world.

One of the blessings of my own personal condition right now is that God is doing something in my life. Part of that something is a new exposure to the world of pain, hurt, and suffering that's always been there. . . but that my own creature-comforts and self-absorption with the everyday affairs of my life have kept me from seeing and understanding. I can't, however, say that I'm liking this. Even my simple trip to the hospital for my first post-trauma follow-up appointment yesterday left me shaking my head. The waiting room was filled with folks who were going to heal from breaks and tears like my own. It was also populated by folks who have very clearly been ravaged by disease. . . some of them hanging on by what appeared to be a thread. There was our quick conversation with a couple who like us, was trying to find their way through the maze of hallways to a particular suite. In the short few moments we talked I learned that the man had just spent 6 weeks in the hospital and that he was one day away from having his lung removed. Then, late last night we learned of a difficult diagnosis that has left some friends asking questions and wondering about the future. Tomorrow, a 60-year-old fellow church member who loved Jesus and loved kids will be buried after a lengthy and difficult battle with ovarian cancer. I've been burdened for another friend who is struggling with some family breakdown and is wondering what in the world happened. The list goes on and on.

What am I to do with all of this? The reality is that beyond supportive involvement, there is little or nothing I can do that will bring any lasting change with the exception of prayer. In his first letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul gave them this simple instruction: "Never stop praying" (5:17). I've known this my whole life. I'm not sure I've ever understood it as deeply as I do now. And so when I woke up at 1:30am, I knew it was time for me to pray for these and others who have exhausted their own strength and resources to the point where they can only rely on the Lord. . . which right where he wants us.

After falling back asleep and waking up again this morning, I knew I had to give thanks for those who have been praying for me. To be honest, even I'm surprised at how much I've healed in three short weeks. Sure, there's lots of healing left to be done, but I got to thinking about how meaningful it is that people are praying for me.

While still laying in bed, I grabbed my blackberry and scrolled through the emails the messages that came through the night. As it's happened almost every night for the last 50, I had a message saying that Alisa Parrett had posted an update on Gary's condition to their Caring Bridge site. Today, Alisa shared these words regarding her Dad's day yesterday at the rehab hospital: My mother met with my dad's new doctor today--he had actually been instrumental in working out my dad's transfer from Korea, but this was the first time any of us had met him. My mom was so blessed by meeting him--we pray blessings upon him and upon the rest of the hospital staff. The doctor spoke to my mom today about the power of prayer. He said that in a field as unpredictable and unknown as brain injury, patients who have large bases of prayer support always seem to recover better than expected. We know that my dad has a large prayer base, and we are so grateful for that! God answers prayers.

I selfishly covet your prayers. I want to get better. But don't forget that there's a host of people right under your nose who need your prayers much, much more than I do.

How Are My Baseball Predictions Going?

Without getting into my division predictions, I want to share my thoughts on the different award contenders.  I will try not to use many statistics since I know that freaks some people out...

Let us look at the American League first.
MVP
I believe it comes down to these guys:  Josh Hamilton, Robinson Cano, Miguel Cabrera, and Evan Longoria.  As most of you know I picked Longoria in the preseason, so I am still pulling for him.  I know most people would say Hamilton, but I would have to give it to Cano.  He is giving you similar production, but from the second-base position.

Cy Young
I picked Felix Hernandez and I honestly think he could end up winning, oh wait, he has a 9-10 record.  That does not help his cause, even though he is still one of the best pitchers in the AL.  The contenders:  Clay Buckholz, David Price, Cliff Lee, and CC Sabathia.  Lee has the unfortunate record as well, but he has been the best pitcher this season in the AL.  Sabathia will probably win because he might end up with 20 wins, but if the Rays win the division, I could see David Price getting the award.

ROY
I picked Austin Jackson and he could win it.  Although, I just realized that Neftali Feliz qualifies as a rookie.  He could end up with 40 saves, on a division winner.  Yeah, he will most likely win the award.  He has been fantastic this year.  Jackson started the year playing ridiculous.  He then slumped for awhile and has now started coming back around.

And now on to the National League.
MVP
I think this comes down to Joey Votto and Albert Pujols.  They are battling not just for one statistic as the overall leader, but instead they are having a race for the Triple Crown.  It is such an impressive thing. 

Cy Young
There are some good pitchers in the NL.  I would say the debate will come down to Roy Halladay (my pick), Adam Wainwright, Tim Hudson, and Ubaldo Jimenez.  If you give the award out at the All-Star break, Jimenez would probably have been handed the trophy.  I still think Halladay is the best pitcher in the NL, but if Wainwright or Jimenez hit 20 wins, they might be seen as more deserving. 

ROY
My pick of Alcides Escobar kind of sucks.  At least I took Jason Heyward as my secondary pick.  I think many people would have given him the award at the beginning of the year, but now I think you have to look elsewhere.  Personally, I feel that Buster Posey is the best of the bunch (or maybe Starlin Castro, who I feel started out so slow, but I realize now is hitting over .300).  However, I could see Jaime Garcia winning the award.  I do not know how I feel about that though.

Fantasy Baseball Week Twenty

You know you are having a bad season when you go 10-1-1 and that does not bump you up the standings at all.  I am still in sixth place, but at least now I am closer to passing Gideon.  The rough thing is having to root for Ryan/Offord in order for me to have a better week.

You know it is a good week when Jason Heyward can go 4/4 with 2 home runs and you have him on the bench.  Austin Jackson also came back to life this week, six runs, .387 average, .406 OBP.  And he hit a home run, which is rare for him.

The only negative spot came from my pitching not getting wins.  I only picked up two, which they came from the guys who pitched twice.  Oddly enough though, they both pitched great, but only picked up one win each.  I am going to have to give up on Edinson Volquez though, he had a terrible this week and then yesterday he got destroyed.  So it is time to cut him lose.

This week I take on Offord.  I need Ryan and Pat to destroy their opponents (Happy Valley Swagger and Gideon respectively), so good luck to those guys as well.

kamdyn michael!

I just had to post these pictures of Jared's nephew...

This Week's Shitty Television Women Saga

 Mad Men
 This was an excellent episode.  Before I get into the title of this post, let me talk about the other stuff in the episode.  There is nothing better than seeing Don Draper at work.  At first I was worried that Don was going to be in trouble with this new guy, but then he comes up with this brilliant plan to destroy him.  It was so impressive.  Another great thing was watching Roger go at it with Pete.  Roger was full of great lines.

That now brings us to Betty Draper.  Or as I like to call her:  World's Worst Mother.  First, Sally cuts off her hair, which Betty smacks her for.  Then, Sally starts playing with herself, which Betty thinks she is abnormal.  She wants to send her daughter to a psychiatrist (actually Henry does, since Betty does not think for herself), and she calls Don to inform him.  She sounds like such a nutcase. 

I also love how the doctor realized that Betty is crazy.  She suggests that Betty see her on occasion, in order to go over Sally's progress.  Betty is more childish than Sally.  I love how she thinks all of Sally's behavior can be attributed to Don's sex life.

True Blood
Am I the only one who wants Tara to die already?  Just get over all this crap already.  Remember how she was funny in the first episodes where she would get angry about any kind of racial remarks?   Well she does the same thing about vampires.

She is just so boring.  Her story sucks.  The way she gets all upset and talks fast like a spaz, ugh.  And now Jason has told her the truth about Eggs.  Hopefully Russell will fly in and pull her head off.  That is all I ever hope for.

We found out that Crystal is a werepanther.  I am confused, why was Calvin so anti-shifter?  I thought werewolves and werecats were just shifters who can only shift into that one animal.  Or did I imagine that from one of the seasons?  I guess I imagined that...

 Oh and we finally found out what Sookie is:  a fairy.  Big freakin' deal.  I pretty much said that last week (or did you people not get my reference?  Probably not).

oh, great telephone

Jared called!!!


Last night as I was doing a little writing my phone rang and my heart about leapt out of my chest. I hadn't heard from him since he left so to hear his voice on the other end of the phone just about took my breath away (a little dramatic, I know, but can you blame me?).


His crew had just come down off the mountain where they have been actively fighting the fire to take a quick day's rest before starting out again tonight (Saturday night) on the 12 hour night shift. The only "injuries" they have suffered are the wickedness of poison oak. He said he didn't have it nearly as bad as some of the other guys though so that's good.


Still no word on when he'll be coming home. He said it could be two weeks, it could be tomorrow. I told him that it better not be tomorrow because he hasn't been out there nearly long enough and that he needed to make this first fire epic. 


Exhausted as he may be, he sounded wonderful. The first day, he said, kicked his butt. A real wake up call. Day two, a lot better and the third day (yesterday) was the best yet. He called again today just to expand on the work they've been doing while the crew was doing a quick turn though Wal-Mart so some of the guys could get a few little necessities. 


The conclucion for the day? The Oak Flat fire is at 2,950 acres and 40% contained! Jared's still out there though so please keep sending those prayers and hopeful thoughts out into the universe! And he wanted me to send along his love and gratitude to all of us here!

Heartbreak, Hope, And Places We Ignore. . . .

I didn't think I'd be returning to the hospital so soon. After several bouts of shortness of breath earlier this week, we decided it best to contact the trauma team at Hershey Med Center late Wednesday afternoon to let them know what was going on. We followed their instructions and went to the ER, which resulted in a two-night stay, some concerned moments, and what to this point is the successful completion of a procedure Friday morning to removed fluid from my chest cavity. It seems that the accumulation of this kind of fluid is fairly common in trauma cases involving the ribs and lungs. The fluid was putting pressure on my lungs and making it difficult for me to breath. I was able to return home last night and had a good night of rest.

These days have been filled with what seems like a never-ending cascade of eye-opening experiences and lessons from the Lord. And it always seems that just when I start to focus on MY issues and injuries, God expands my vision to the massive amount of pain, hurt, and suffering that surrounds us in every direction, but which we so rarely see by choice or circumstance. I'm having it easy. Those of you who have spent any time at all in a hospital know exactly what I'm talking about. Your blinders get ripped off your face and you are forced to reckon with the presence of great pain and suffering that exists in the world.

For example, I spent most of my day on Thursday playing the waiting game. I knew that some type of procedure needed to be performed to remove the fluid from my chest. Enough of the options had been presented to leave me with the knowledge that none of them would be pleasant. So, my mind went to work pondering the unknown. It became a battle to lay it all at the foot of the Lord and to trust the Great Physician. And just as I was focusing on myself, my temporary stay in a two-bed holding room became an opportunity to gain some much-needed perspective. At some later point I might be more comfortable sharing the entire story of what happened. The short story is that I had a roommate come in who was being readmitted due to some complications from a previous surgery. In a brief conversation with he and his wife, Lisa and I learned that they were Christians and that their son was involved in youth ministry. Then, in a matter of a few gut-wrenching moments heard through a thin curtain, their physician loudly and directly informed them that some serious cancer had been found in his body. As quickly as the physician arrived, he was gone. Lisa, Bethany, and I sat in stunned silence on our side of the curtain as the couple quietly, intimately, and emotionally processed the news and then prayed together. While I felt like our presence was such an insensitive invasion of their privacy in this life-changing moment, I know that it was in God's plans for us to be there. The three of us were moved. . . and the emotions continued with the arrival of their pastor as we listened to him sensitively minister to this couple. Then, we listened as the man poured out his heart to the Lord in prayer at the invitation of the Pastor. I can only hope that I would exhibit such deep faith and maturity in a moment like that. I'm sure that sometime soon I will feel the freedom to share more of what the Lord was doing in that moment.

I was happy to return home last night. . . very happy. I returned home with a body that was feeling better, and a God-placed burden that I hope and pray will never disappear. As someone involved in youth ministry, the burden might best be expressed with a question: "What are we doing to expose our kids to the reality of pain and suffering in the world, and what are we doing to equip them to minister to the suffering and point them to the hope of the resurrection for those who are in Christ?" Our tendency to avoid pain and seek pleasure leads us to avoid those who are in pain. I'm not sure exactly where this is all heading for me, but I know the curtain has been pulled back for me over the course of the last three weeks, and I'm seeing and experiencing things that I never before knew.

One last thing. . . I want to publicly say "thanks" to my wife, family, and friends for all their care and concern for me. I am a blessed man.

symmetry & sorrow

If anyone is interested, I started a little "photo blog" of sorts. 


Also, this is a song I think everyone in the world should listen to. Really pay attention to the lyrics, especially the second verse. It's the perfect mix of poetry and gospel. 

Girlfriend of the Week

As you know, my future wife's movie opens today (Piranha 3D), and I figured since I have let her be the GOTW before, today I would use one of her co-stars:  Kelly Brook.  I do not need to say anything else do I?

"you say that's exactly how this grace thing works"

To wrap up the last 48 hours of so I need only use one word:


FINALLY


Monday night, after over a week of bed-rest, Jared's sister Andrea went into the hospital to have her baby. Early Tuesday morning they induced labor and then finally today she gave birth to a healthy baby boy (8 lbs. 3 oz, 20 1/2 inches long)! 

This is the picture that Sue (Jared's mom) sent me a little while ago. Andrea hasn't decided on a name just yet, she's waiting to see which of the ones she's been thinking about fit him best.

***UPDATE: Andrea decided on Kamdyn Michael!***

Meanwhile, at around 9 o'clock Tuesday morning, Jared's phone rang-- it was ASP Fire calling him. They finally got dispatched and he sped off to Albany, the home base of the company. He called me around 7pm last night to let me know they had arrived safely to their camp near Grants Pass, OR where the the Oak Flat fire is burning. 

As of about 20 minutes ago it was at 1,250 acres with 1,050 firefighters currently working to contain it. If you want to track the fire, this link has updates pretty regularly (it's the one Jared checks).

Timing is everything. This fire season has gotten off to a VERY late start and Jared was about to jump out of his skin waiting for the ball to get rolling. If anything has ever tested his faith, I think this was it. But being the man he is, he held strong, though he had just decided he was going to start looking into other options in case the season didn't pan out, and God came through on this one. As He always does. Though we both already knew it, this proved once again that God has a plan.

Now my faith is being tested. Because now Jared is out there battling a wild fire and there is nothing in this world I can do except pray that he comes home safe. I don't think there has ever been a time in my life where I have truly had no other option than to give it entirely up to God. Usually there is some element that I can change, something I can do to make a difference in a situation. But now, there is nothing. I have no power over Mother Nature and those flames. All I can do now is trust Jared and trust God.

And keep sending love out into the universe. And hope it gets all the way to Grants Pass. 

Crystal Meth and Football

Crystal Meth
When you picture a meth dealer, what do you see in your mind?  I see these kind of people:

T.C. from the Preacher comics.  Fish rape is always funny.

Calvin Norris from True Blood

But does anyone ever picture this?  A figure skating champion?  Seriously, does she look like the type of person that is running a meth lab?  Trying to destroy people's lives?  Not to me.  Sadly though, Nicole Bobek was arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. 

It is good to see that kids who are yanked out of school in order to fulfill a dream of figure skating, could fall down a dark path.  She grew up without friends and then went a bit broke, so she decided to turn to dealing meth as a way to support herself.  Great call. 

Penn State Quarterback Issue
Apparently the QB situation at PSU is not the greatest.  From what I am hearing (mainly from radio shows and the local papers), neither Kevin Newsome or Matt McGloin look all that spectacular.

Fortunately, the one who has looked good so far is true freshman Robert Bolden.  He is big, strong, and quite mobile.  According to BleacherReport, he would probably be the most appropriate to take over the HD Spread Offense.

The Nittany Lions are not going undefeated this year, heck they could possibly lose as many as five games this year (which would really suck).  Why not start Bolden?  Give him the shot.  Look at what other freshman QBs have done.  Yes, he will have his moments of failure, but those moments will be better than moments of failure during huge games in the future.  That is what always seems to happen with PSU, the quarterback gets little chances and then is thrown into a situation they are not ready for...

Christ
"Live a life worth imitating by imitating Christ."
That is the newest sign the crazy church has up on the way to work.  It made me laugh for a solid five minutes because all I could picture was a bunch of 30-somethings being nailed to a cross.  Yeah, that would be a life worth imitating.

Always look on the bright side of life...

Or even better, maybe I will start going around to funerals and try to raise the dead guy.  When the mourning ask what the hell I am doing, I will just blame Christ.  "Hey man, he could raise the dead, right?  I am just imitating my hero JC."

Never mind, the Lutheran's already beat me to it.

The Shot Heard Round The World

As a 16-year-old nerd in high school I once took a trek to the NAQT National Quiz Bowl Championships with my high school team. We were pretty good that year, winning the first of two state championships and every regional tournament we participated in with the exception of one in Princeton, which we lost to the eventual National Champions by half the value of one question.

I bring this up because the NAQT National Quiz Bowl Championships in 2002 were in Rosemont, Illinois, a town right outside of Chicago that has little import beyond its proximity to O'Hare Airport, and while my biggest memory from that was probably a Yankees-White Sox game at new Comiskey during which one of my clueless teammates continually clamored for Jason Giambi to "hit the moneyshot", it was almost decidedly more impactful on me because while waiting in O'Hare for my flight home, I purchased a book called "The Giants Win the Pennant! The Giants Win the Pennant!" -- a personalized retelling of the the famous 1951 National League Pennant Race as told by Bobby Thomson, the man who brought the thrilling chase to an end with his momentous home run off Ralph Branca.

That I own this book was the first thing that came to mind yesterday afternoon when I heard that Bobby Thomson had passed away at the age of 86. As I always say when someone passes away at that age, it's hard to be too upset when a man or woman dies in their mid-80s. After all, they had a pretty good run, they beat the odds, and in the case of Thomson, they experienced what must be one of the most incredible moments anyone can, a walk-off home run in the postseason to win a pennant and devastate your historic rival after closing an almost absurd 13 1/2-game gap in the standings from the summer. Thomson's life was a different breed than the rest of us, not just because he was a good baseball player, but because he created the signature moment for an entire sport in what was a solid but otherwise unremarkable career.

Bobby Thomson's pennant-clincher is almost undoubtedly the most famous home run of all-time, perhaps even the most famous moment in all of American sports.



Anyone who grows up a baseball fan in this country knows about the Shot Heard 'Round the World by the time they're 10 years old, regardless of when they were born. It is a seminal moment that rises above all others in the American pantheon, to the point that even someone who was born 34 years after the event occurred could be excited to receive a baseball signed by Thomson and Branca -- as I was. Interestingly, Branca and Thomson became good friends over the rest of their lives, almost by necessity as they would be forever linked by the event. Branca was among the first to express their condolences on Thomson's passing.

What makes this so wild to me is not that I was any sort of Giants fan. Not the baseball team anyway. I never rooted for them, I never saw them in the Polo Grounds and I never saw Thomson play -- though apparently both sides of my family rooted for the Giants before they headed west and a picture of my father in a Giants baseball uniform as a toddler is said to exist. But I know the sport, and I've done my reading on its history. Sports are full of strange wonderful moments like this and their is a peculiar type of void left when the player is gone. In a sense you feel like the game you loved lost something, but you're not exactly sure of how to handle it. After all, it's not like a player you have an emotional connection to because of your youth passed away -- say, Mike Piazza for instance -- or one of the truly all-time greats has met their end -- Ken Griffey Jr. for example. It's an entirely different sort of situation. In many senses we aren't so much mourning a man but a moment -- in this case, possibly the greatest moment the game has seen.

The game and time itself may not be erased from our collective memories until Branca or the rest of the men on the field that day have all passed on, but looking back on it now, there is little doubt that the game feels like it lost something. It was inevitable, sure, but that doesn't make it feel any less sad in an undefinable way that Thomson, the man who helped turn baseball into myth is no longer among us.

Perhaps I feel more connected to it because I read his book, which takes into account not just the race and the game, but Thomson's career after the fact as well. Interestingly, the most prescient thing I remember from reading it, which I did some months after purchasing it in the summer of 2002, is not the race itself, which saw the Giants make among the most remarkable of comebacks, but that much of the book talks about Thomson traveling with his wife, and the difficulties of finding a job with a new team in the later stages of his career. In short, what you find is that Thomson wasn't a mythic legend who was born to mash. He was just a regular guy, with regular problems and hopes. Over the course of his career he was more middling than he was Mantle. But he had that one moment. He was an average, normal person, who managed to accomplish something great when the spotlight was thrust upon him. He's a tale showing that average men can achieve greatness if provided the opportunity. And knowing that one has the ability to do great things regardless of not being the best there is, is, in some ways, entirely what baseball, and life, are all about.

Bobby Thomson gave us that message when he clocked Branca's pitch into the left field stands. Hopefully, that message won't die with him.