I wish you were here

"The world is a roller coaster,
And I am not strapped in.
Maybe I should hold with care
but my hands are busy in the air."
-Incubus (Wish You Were Here)

I have heard all too often the analogy of our spiritual life as a Mountain Top, or a Roller Coaster. This is all fine and dandy except there are times when we are not up or down. What happens to us while we are on the journey, what happens when we are on the part of the ride that isn't the most thrilling?

I think it is important that if we are going to expect the highs and the lows of our spiritual lives, that we need to be prepared for the "neithers." What I mean is that sometimes, I feel like I am riding a roller coaster and am on the part where it is not the most thrilling. Perhaps you know what I mean. On the Titan at Six Flags over Texas, the huge drop at the beginning is an obvious thrill. Near the end, there is a cork-screw that brings you to the edge of blacking out. But there is one point that is common on most rides. I like to call this, "the breather." It is where the brakes are put on to keep the cars from going too fast and getting out of control. Sometimes there is a lonely employee person sitting in a small stand for no apparent reason, but the cars are suddenly slowed to a near stop before continuing on. Are you with me now?

I believe I am at one of those points. Ya know, when you kinda put your hands down for a second, stop screaming at the top of your lungs, and just sit there. The coaster cars are moving at just above a crawl, no one is screaming. Don't get me wrong, I waited in line for 2 and-a-half hours to get to this point, so I am obviously glad to be there/here.

I have often thought about those moments. Why do they have to slow it down? This is a thrill ride, and they are putting on the brakes? Why can't we go full throttle the whole time? Now that I am a bit older, I know the difference. I still want to ride the ride, but I now know those moments of braking are for our safety. We slow down so we don't fly off of the track. Maybe that is what I am in danger of.

Maybe I am looking at it all wrong. Instead of being disappointed in the lull of the thrill ride, why don't I use that calm to build up the anticipation of the rest of the ride? Perhaps that is what I need to do. I am not saying that I am near the end/middle/whatever of my time here at Lake Cities. Perhaps, things were going so fast, I was in danger of moving too quick. God has put the breaks on in my life to keep me on the tracks of youth ministry. It is my job to remain anticipated.

Now, about those $6 Cokes...

M@

"Can I park there? I think I'm gonna die!"

Much thanks to Scott Berken.

I got to attend my first regular season NFL game last night!
Not just any other game, but a Monday night game that showcased the Dallas Cowboys against the much-hated Washington Redskins.
Some media personnel have been using the old cliche tying football players with gladiators in the colesium. I my opinion they got it right.
Up until that point, I thought it was cheesy and a fabrication of passion that was only felt by the topless, beer-bellyed fan in minus 15 degrees. Then I realized that was all the media needed.
Walking through the outer section of Texas Stadium, I felt like Maximus walking into the ring. Not because I was passionate, but because everyone else was around me.
You got to hand it to 'em. The Cowboys fans are hard-core.
The metaphor of the players as gladiators is not as accurate as portraying the fans as gladiators. The aggression that was flowing between the maroon and blue jerseys is enough to make FEMA shiver. I mean there were people there that were ready to fight over a mediocre team that overcharged them for tickets and provided a grossly under-achieving stadium!

"REDSKINS SUCK!!! REDSKINS SUCK!!!"

Many have said that football has been the best medicine for the Katrina disaster. It takes people's minds off of the suffering, loss, devistation and death that occured in the Gulf Coast. The Saints are temoporarily "America's Team" and are playing for the hopes of the New Orleans natives. Football has given us a distraction, a temporary glimpse of normality.
The normality is what scares me.
For one second, everybody in Texas Stadium sang the same song (national anthem).
For one minute, everybody cheered for the same colors.

And then we had kickoff. And football brought us back to normality; hating people that cheered for a different franchise.

"Redskins Suck!!! Redskins Suck!!!"
"But they beat us!!!"
"So they are really just slightly above moderate!!!"
"They now have a better record than we do, so that must mean that WE are simply moderate!!!"
"Wow! Pledging allegiance to a sports franchise certainly causes one to really look in the mirror and search for the human being behind the face paint!!!"
"Wait, how much did I pay for this seat??"
"REDSKINS SUCK!!! REDSKINS SUCK!!!"

Redskins - 14

Cowboys -13

Still mad we didn't go for it...
M@

Go my favorite sports team, go!

Keller High School - 42
Denton High School - lower than that.

Man, I have really got to do something about these office hours, they're killing me! Today, I had to "work" until about 10:45 tonite; we went to a high school football game.

My beautiful wife, Kyla, and I went to the Keller High School football game tonite to cheer on one of our favorite people on Earth. One of my girls in the youth group is a member of the Spirit Crew. Not a cheerleader, the Spirit Crew. Basically, they get to dress as silly as possible (as long as it is COVERED in blue and gold), do whatever cheers or dances the Spirit (or marching band) moves them to do, and they still get sideline passes! How cool is that!?!

The hardest we cheered tonite was when she did 35 pushups in the endzone after Keller scored the extra point to take the lead, 35-12. I don't think I could do 35 pushups! When Keller scored the final touchdown after that, I think I saw the trainers run to the Spirit Crew with Gatorade in hand. One of the coaches told them all to take a knee. One of the Spirit Crew members need an IV and was care-flighted to the nearest hospital for overnight observation.

I don't really remember many of the lessons that my youth minister taught me. I do remember going to the movies, a Cowboys preseason game and his attendance at several games/band concerts (God bless you, my child...).

I wonder what the Apostles remembered....

M@

Refuge Update #1

I would like to take some time away from my ramblings to update the reader...whomever you are...about God's work at the Lake Cities Church of Christ.

I guess this could be the Christmas letter you never get until Forth of July...
"Julie is excited about her senior year...Brian went on his first date...our dog is still chewing on things..."
You know the type.

Well, in response to a conviction among a bunch of jr. high and high school kids, we held a bake sale that raised some $200 dollars for the hurricane evacuees that have been attending our church. This may or may not be impressive, but the kids planned/ran it all, you would have been proud no matter who you are!

We are developing an "unofficial" leadership team among the youth group. Some are in charge of a youth directory we are doing, one or two have offered to help redo the pictures in the youth room, and one has even discussed the desire to teach class! God is amazing!

Be in prayer for the future of our church...the youth. The youth is the future of everything, no need to state the obvious, but I think we forget that too often. God is present in the lives of the youth at Lake Cities, I pray that that overflows to the peers of "my kids" in the youth group!

God is good.
M@

"Cat...K-A-T, I'm outta here...Ha! I know there's 2 T's!"

"Real sports for real sports fans! ESPN!"
Can anybody tell me why, there is Competitive Eating on ESPN?

Anybody?

I changed the channel after I dry-heaved watching Kobiashi stick a hotdog bun in water then cram the soggy mess down his throat! So I went to the bullpen, I turned to ESPN2...

SPELLING BEE!?!
- On a more personal note, look up comedian Brian Regan for his material over spelling bees. His CD is called Brian Regan Live!, I highly recommend it!

I don't understand why the self-proclaimed "World Wide Leader in Sports" would take the time to show competitive eating or a spelling bee on ESPN. If I have cable or satellite (either of which I will need in order to watch ESPN in the first place) I bet I could find a spelling bee on PBS and a eating contest on...oh, I dunno...say...The Food Network???

I am not a betting man, but I would go "all in" that there is a rugby game going on somewhere, possibly a lacrosse game ( I know I am a little biased)...no wait...I got it!!!

TEACH US ALL CRICKET!!!

None of us know what is going on! That would be great! That is what I want...I would rather sit on my couch watching Lee Corso or Bill Walton teach me cricket, than kneeling in front of our porcelain friend after watching a 300lb. man slurping dozens of raw oysters.

Take the time to introduce the real sports fan to a real sport. And "NO!" I wish they wouldn't show poker on ESPN. Heck, give that to MTV, I am sure they could use the credibility, plus they are probably still looking for an excuse to NOT show music videos.

I am my own SportsCenter.
"Deh-neh-neehhh...Deh-neh-neehhh!"

M@

"It's fun to fly!"

Cubs - 5
Cards - 2

Well, we lost. But I still had a great time. Much thanks to the Henderson family for the great hospitality and for the transportation. I still got to do a lot of really neat things, see the Arch (right, much bigger than I anticipated). We also got to ride in Huey (Vietnam helicopter) at the St. Louis Air Show. Lots of cool things from the Labor Day weekend.


Here is a picture of Old and New Busch Stadium from the Gateway Arch. Busch Stadium is where the St. Louis Cardinals play. You can see that they are building the new stadium right on top of the old one. Should be a neat place to go to a ball game!

Me enjoying a White Castle burger (so overrated!) in my Cardinal Red after the game.

I had a great time in St. Louis. There is nothing like being at a baseball game with 47,000+ on a Tuesday night. The crowd erupted for every base hit like the Ranger's fans do for a grandslam. I was meant to be a Cardinals fan...

"Where was you at?"

It is no secret that the devastation from hurricane Katrina is on everybody's mind.

I find that I cannot escape the clutch of Katrina, even on ESPN. Maybe we are supposed to see these images, the video footage. Everytime I see/hear it, I feel a conviction within me to react. I feel that Christ would have not been able to eat, sleep, or simply be without hurting so deeply for those that are suffering.

I recently challenged my youth group at Lake Cities to take action. The Holy Spirit was evidently present in our youth room as we had a brainstorming session about what could/should be done. You would have been amazed...

I was on fire, ready to help, ready to sacrifice... and then I went home.

As I sat at home, the weight of what we had discussed in class hit me. I felt I was challenged by the exact same questions that I asked of my youth group.
"What can I do?"
"Can I make a difference?"
"Does anybody really care?"

Maybe we are not supposed to "escape" Katrina. This is not some commercial calling for the aid of a third world country. A commercial that is over if I just change the channel...

I heard Deion Sanders issue a challenge to all professional athletes to donate $1,000 each to the relief effort.

Here is my challenge:

Continue to watch the footage on CNN. Don't change the channel. Burn these images into your eyes, hears, mind, heart and soul. Let them simmer there until you have no choice but to react. React when you feel that conviction. When we begin to challenge that conviction, we begin to challenge the calling of Christ. Find a way to make a constant reminder that there is help that can be done.

"For I was hungry and you feed me. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. I was naked and you clothed me."
"Truly, I say to you. In as much as you have done for the least of these, you have done it to me." - Matthew 25: 35-36, 40

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction...

Don't change that dial...

M@