Trick, or Treat? Can I have a ride?

Mondays are my day off.
Mondays are the days that I will not set the alarm for, I will debate the necesity of a shower, perhaps screen my calls.
This Monday, I decided it was a good opportunity to go see a movie. With it being Halloween, I decided that a scary movie was the most appropriate. Kyla doesn't like them, so I would have to tackle this one solo.
I have never been to a movie by myself.
I am afraid of the inevitable look of acceptance from the likely single and lonely employee working the box office.
"One for [movie] at two o'clock, please."
-I got the look!-
"No, really it's okay. I'm married.
I am not really that pathetic.
My wife is...well....at.....work.
Ok, I am pathetic, just not in that way!"
I walked into the lonely theater ready to enjoy my afternoon matinee to realize that there were several other people in the theater. I had forgotten that the Grapevine ISD celebrated All Hallows Eve by allowing their students the day off to reflect. Great, now they think/know I am pathetic.
No matter, I am here for the picture show.
91 minutes later, I left the theater slightly unnerved by the scary movie, but was immediately more unnerved when I realized I had forgotten where I was parked. I don't ever do that. I can hop on a plane and leave town for 5 days and return to the spot where I parked my car. Sometimes, I can even do that after church! (Joel, I am kidding, you know I love you!)
I have never been to a movie by myself before.
I don't recommend it.
Why, do you ask?
Listen well, and take heed to this...
Someone might STEAL YOUR CAR!
You read me right, steal your car!
I circled the smaller-than-average-theater-parking-lot for about half an hour before I talked to Kyla. I was more shocked by the fact that I couldn't remember where I parked rather than entertain the notion that my car was stolen. But it was. I saw the stain where I had poured out a warm Coke two hours earlier.
I hate that they took the truck. I guess I deserved it for breaking into my own car (see blog "A Day in the Life Of) The truck was in awesome shape. Kyla's father, Dwight, had taken immaculate condition of it before we got it. Just to clue you in, it is a 97 model with 62k miles on it. Like I said, awesome shape. And we JUST put a full tank of gas in it!! Officer Abbott asked me the worth of the truck and gave me a look of stupidity when I answered "$19,000." But it was, to Kyla and me, it was.
But by now, it is probably in the great chop shop in the sky.
To those of you that I have promised to help move, I apologize. It kills me to think that I may not be able to help, just kills me! How excited I was to be of assistance in your moving process! I apologize with all of my heart.
All of it.

Waldrons, Millers, and Quiles, thank you.
M@

Passing of an icon.

On a more serious note, Rosa Parks recently passed on.
You may remember Rosa Parks as the woman that many will argue sparked the Civil Rights Movement. Her refusal to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Alabama to a white man, resurrected an entire culture and era out of fear and into action.

In my favorite class that I ever took in my prolific college career, I learned a lot about the life of Rosa Parks; her pastor Martin Luther King Jr.; and his attorney, Fred Gray.
In his book, Bus Ride to Justice, Gray outlines his battles with racism, moral issues, spirituality and hatred.
Fred Gray is a fellow member of the Church of Christ.

I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend the course.

Much thanks to Wes Crawford for teaching me Religion in Amercian Civil Rights.
Much thanks to MLK Jr. for teaching us a non-violent reaction in the literal face of blind hatred.
Much thanks to Fred Gray for teaching me to remain commited, in his battle to "destroying everything that was segregated."
Much thanks to Rosa Parks for teaching us to stand up for ...errrrr... sit down for what we believe in.

M@

Pass Right

Okay...That's it.
I have got to write about this whole Notre Dame thing.
There is just too much morality going on here with the whole Charlie Weis thing.
I can't help but talk about it. Can't help but think, and reflect upon it.
I have talked it to death in the youth room. This story has been studied, twisted, turned squeezed, every ounce of discussion drained from the story, every possible devotional scenario sucked from this story.
What story might you ask? What has McBryde up at night?
"Pass Right".
For a more detailed explanation, check out this site:
http://newsinfo.nd.edu/content.cfm?topicid=13703

What I love, is that for once, the right thing made the news. The right thing was cooler than the next dance in the endzone. What I love, is that Coach Weis kept his word. Not only did he decide to keep his word, against all logical reasoning in the mad world of footballology. But he had "no choice." I wonder if there was any debate. Not internally within Weis, but among the coaching staff. I have heard the story from Coach and Mother. I would like to hear it from Assistant Coach, or Offensive Coordinator. I wonder if there was any second-guessing Coach's long-made commitment. Perhaps, as I have now become convinced, those that work/know Weis best, knew they "had no choice." My guess is, when the ball was downed on their own 1 yard line, everyone began searching for the pass right tabs in their playbooks.
Brady Quinn knew of Coach's plan, asked him once if they were still committed.
Weis said yes, Quinn believed.
He bought into it.
Made it happen.
Play resulted in a first down. (Much thanks to a knifty move by the TE to hurdle a defender.)

Against everything the scenario posed, not only did Weis remain true, but he was able to lead others as well. As a result of his example, I - and I assume many others - have been affected by this tale of morality. I wish we lived in a society that did not react in shock and amazement to simply keeping your word. I wish we lived in a society that a story like this does not receive air time, because there are so many like it.

This is clearly not a fabricated stop for the Weis campaign tour aboard the Notre Dame Express. I believe that through and through. I also believe that Weis had no choice. I believe he is a man of conviction, a man I would play for, a man I would fight for, a man I would follow. I believe that leading a group to uphold that level of integrity, like Weis leads the Irish, is an inevitable, unavoidable step towards the throne of God.

This is quite possibly, my favorite sports story - ever.
I will not cheer against Weis - ever.
Let it be known, that I hereby announce my endorsement for Notre Dame Head Football Coach Charlie Weis, for President of the United States!

"Right-Pro-ThirtyFive-Dive Bootleg. On Two, On Two!"
What does that mean?
"Pass Right."

M@

I'm Batman!

What I am reading:
The Wastelands - The Dark Tower Book 3
- Stephen King
What I am currently listening to:
Nickleback - All The Right Reasons

So I have not yet admitted that I have a problem.
I won't admit it because I DON'T have a problem!
I can quit whenever I want! You're the one with the problem!!....
Ok well, I do have a problem.
I am addicted to DVDs.
I am addicted to buying them on the day they are released.
I have been known to conveniently be at Wal-Mart around midnight to be the first to grab a DVD.
Not just any DVD, however. I am not the type that is headfirst into the $2.99 bin looking for an old kung-fu, or western choice cut.
I just bought Batman Begins.
I have had people tell me that I look like Batman. I quickly check to make sure that I am not wearing my black tights in public (again) and think that either people think I should be wearing a mask, or I look like Christian Bale, the most recent applicant for Bruce Wayne. That's not so bad.
I want to be Batman for Halloween. Kyla won't let me buy the $1k official costume on eBay, even though I am SURE it would be a great ministry tool...somehow...maybe...
I have alway been partial to Superman, however. I can't claim Batman, that goes to my old roomie, Elijah Godfrey.
Elijah played QB for the Dumas Demons varsity squad. Legend has it that after taking a punishing blind-side blow, Godfrey awoke in a bit of a startled daze.
"Do you know where you are?!" - trainer
"On the ground." - Elijah
"How many fingers am I holding up?" - trainer
"Well, if you are like the rest of us, five, but I can't see all of 'em."
"Who are you?"
"I'm Batman."
Knowing Elijah and his witty sense of humor, this could have been a joke. But seeing Elijah in the early morning daze that I can imagine one would also suffer from a hit like that, I could see how the story could be true.
So Elijah is Batman. I will be Superman. Plus, he can fly! And if all that I have to do to conceal my identity to the world is put on a suit and glasses, I'm down. (Does anyone else think that is weird? Must not say much for Lois Lane...)

So here is the part of the show that requires audience participation...I've always wanted to say that!
Reply as a comment. This will be a fun activity. (Brian Regan fans may now begin laughing)

If you could be a superhero, who would you be and why?
-Must be already created, no making up your own...that one can be later!

This is just a fun way to see what kind of crowd gathers to read a youth ministers blog!

Love ya'll
M@

A Day In The Life Of... (Episode I)

I had an interesting day.
A day of...unexpectancies.
You know, one of those days that just make you think...
"Man, I wish I would have paid more attention to (fill in the blank)."
One of those days that even if you had paid attention to (fill in the blank), it would not have mattered.
One of those days that even a college degree could not prepare one for...
On Thursday (Oct. 6) I took some of my kids geocaching (pronounced "geo-cashing"). www.geocaching.com
This is a neat and FREE outdoor activity. All you need is internet access and a handheld GPS unit. One of my kids got his braces off that day and I remember how cool/special that day was for me. So, I thought we would make a day of it.
Geocaching is a scavernger/treasure hunt, you would be surprised at how many caches there are around you! Anyway, we were running around a neighborhood looking for our geocache and I got a sinking feeling. The one where you realize your stomach feels as empty as the pocket in which you routinely place your keys. The final two doors of the Xterra shut and I already know where my keys are. Yep, you guessed it...not in my pocket. It was one of those Jedi moments when you can feel that something is wrong. Like Yoda, I grimaced for no apparent reason yet at the sick feeling in my stomach, the one that told me the car was locked. I asked one of the more worthless questions ever for that situation..."Hey, did ya'll lock the car?" Yeah, like it matters now.
I began the time honored, yet ridiculous tradition of circling the car, checking every handle. As if for some magical reason, the auto locks may have happened to miss a door - ANY DOOR! - just this once. And just in case, I circled the car another dozen times or so.
My kids had found the geocache (which was cleverly hidden in a bird feeder). We signed the log book and then I let them in on the bad news. The problem was, I was supposed to meet my knew braceless buddy, Alex, but we obviously had no mode of transportation. Luckily, I had not abandoned my phone, it was still in the usual pocket. I called to tell Alex where we were, but I didn't know where we were. We had been winding our way through an unfamiliar neighborhood. Eventually they found us, and we all had a crash course in Grand Theft Auto and Breaking and Entering. Of all the messages, convictions...GTA and B&E were not one of the things I wanted to impress upon the youth. Nevertheless, it happened. No, seriously it did! Look! I HAVE PICTURES!!

No, it's cool! We eventually got in. And the moonroof can be fixed...

To be continued...

Please don't break into my car...

M@