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2009-03-26T15:12:00.000-05:00

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The Ryan Express

2008-06-03T16:01:00.002-05:00

I keep thinking that Jesus is gonna be like Nolan Ryan. Here is what I mean:

I followed Nolan Ryan, my whole life. The first baseball card I owned was a Nolan Ryan card and to this day, I still browse eBay looking for a deal on his rookie card. I knew stats (5,714 strike outs, 7 no-hitters, 12 1-hitters) , I knew dates (May 1, 1991 - 7th no hitter I was there!) I knew his opponents (struck out Rickey Henderson for 5,000 strikeout, Roberto Alomar for 7th no-hitter, and who can forget Robin Ventura). I knew so much about Nolan Ryan's career that I just assumed he knew me! And when I finally met him, in my hyper-nervous state, we shooked hands, looked each other in the eye, exchanged pleasantries, and he didn't recognize me.

That may not sound like such a big deal, but I think there is something about the eyes. Dwight K. Shrute calls the eyes the "groin of the head" but I think there is more to it than even that. I can see it it my son's eyes, when he recognizes me.

I tell my story about meeting Nolan Ryan and the common responses are "I'd love to meet him!", "He was one of my heroes growing up.", "I followed him my whole life." And now I can't help but relate to the misconception of who that rehearsed and fantasized introduction to my childhood hero would go. In my head, it went something like this:
"Hello Mr. Ryan, my name is Matt McBryde and this is my son Mark."
"Hello, Matt. It is nice to finally meet you. I have really enjoyed your support over the years. I thought that was you sitting in the left-field bleachers on my 7th no-hitter. Did I also happen to see you at the game where they retired my jersey? That's funny how you kept a folded up copy of my baseball card in your pocket!"
Needless to say, it didn't got like that. Mr. Ryan was incredibly nice and easy to talk to and was eager to meet us. Which brings me to another question: How do you talk to someone you have followed or cheered for your whole life without sounding like a stalker?! I was knee-deep in that fight...

I can't yet wrap my mind around the notion that Jesus will recognize me.

"Hi, Matt. I have really been looking forward to this! I have really enjoyed your support over the years. I was glad to see you at Fortress and in the Dominican Republic and Honduras, thanks for working with those teens and their parents. Thanks for loving your wife and your son and that's funny how Skeet helps himself to a bone when you aren't looking! I've been waiting my whole life to hang out with you.

Commercials

2008-01-04T16:50:00.001-06:00

Our Lake Cities Attendance Folder commercial! Enjoy!

M@

Imitate

2007-10-13T22:44:00.000-05:00

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Ephesians 5:1-2

I hope that people look at you and they see Jesus. And I hope it makes them smile!

M@

Murcie Me!

2007-09-11T23:48:00.000-05:00

I have it back. My day. My birthday. Today is my day, today is my birthday. Today is the day that people go out of their way to make me feel special by acknowledging my day rather than to lament upon remembering what else happened on 9/11. Do I feel terrible about about what happened 6 years ago today, yes I do. But today, September 11, 2007, is my day. Today is my birthday. And for the first time is 6 years, today was my day.

Today was one of those days that I will never forget. The bar has been raised and may never be surpassed in one area, I will explain shortly. Kyla and I spent a considerable amount of time with a family that we have come to know better at church, and one that we have always wanted to spend time with. I am a bit of a car fan and tonight, Kyla and the Moss family treated me by setting up an opportunity to view and interact with a car collection to rival Jay Leno. Today was one of those landmark days, not only because today I celebrate 27 years of life, but also because today I raised the bar for cars. Billy Moss took me for a ride in his black Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster. The neatest, classiest, fastest, most beautiful and profound cars ever created. Until today, I had always fancied myself a Ferrari guy. Some of my life goals had been to some day own a Corvette and drive a Ferrari!
At first, I thought it was fun to watch people turn their heads to witness every second of the car that I was in. I enjoyed the part of "playing it cool" as we sat at a stop light, knowing that people were making note of their historical viewing. "Dude, I saw a Lamborghini tonight!" Then as a camera flashed and I felt like something of a celebrity, I realized the risk that was being taking by Billy, all to make me feel special on my birthday. I asked him where he liked to take the car and he mentioned that our outing was only the third time he had taken it out since he has owned it! I was immediately humbled and intensely honored.

What a great encouragement to know that people are willing to share with others and to what extent people are capable of going to make someone feel special. I realized this about half way through our tour of North Richland Hills and suddenly I understood the risk he took in taking me out for a "spin". You see, Billy loves cars. He always has and from a little kid, he stocked his walls with hundreds of models cars on display for others to enjoy. But his deeper sense of blessing others out-weighed his love for cars. What I mean is that rather than preserve a work of art - that is the Murcielago - Billy wanted to take a chance to bless me and make my day special. He could just as well leave it in the garage so that he could admire it, or only take it out for himself and his family, but that was not the case tonight. I don't have to tell you that a Lamborghini is expensive, but if the Mona Lisa were lost, we would be more concerned with the loss of art rather than the loss of capital value.

What I mean by all of this is to say that I want you all to take a chance and bless somebody today. It maybe taking a fellow "apprecianado" for an experience in a shared interest, or just simply taking a risk by starting a conversation with a life friend or even a total stranger. Regardless, the risk is worth it. As I mentioned earlier, the bar has been raised and I believe that I will never ride in a car that will surpass my experience in a Lamborghini Murcielago. For the rest of my life, tonight may very well be the greatest car experience I will ever have, but more-so than the car, was that I spent time with 5 very special people that made my birthday very special. I got my birthday back! What if someone said that about an experience they had with you? What if someone said that a conversation they had with you changed the way the viewed life/interacted with others/blessed their marriage/changed their view of Christians and church/even lead them to God? Take a risk, go out and bless somebody. You may never know the impact you have on their life, but God will. And if your heart is right, He will bless it. Just like He blessed mine by allowing me to spend today with my wife and the Moss family. Because today is my day. Today is my birthday. Murcie me that Murcielago was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Much thanks to Kyla and the Moss family. Lots of love, Guitar Hero, Webkinz, Nerf guns and lemonade ice cream cake. Thank you once again.

M@

"Easy Out!"

2007-09-04T16:00:00.000-05:00

I apologize for the lapse in blogging, however I wanted the next one to be sure to brighten your day as it did mine. So I am posting verbatim an article that was sent to me written by Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports. Click here to read the article or just keep on reading.

"On Aug. 31, 1987, Dave Bresnahan was the Michelangelo of potato sculpting. He sacrificed five fine tubers to the spud gods – death via peel – before settling on the correct shape. He drew red lines on the winner to simulate seams, only to see them erased by the potato's weeping. He wielded that peeler like a true artiste.

Because in order to pull off the greatest prank in baseball history, Bresnahan needed to shape a potato like a baseball.

"I went to Williamsport (Pa.) this past weekend to celebrate the anniversary," Bresnahan says today from his Arizona home, 20 years after he ended his career as a catcher for the Double-A Williamsport Bills by feigning to pick off an opponent at third base by chucking a potato into left field, then using the real baseball to tag the runner when he scurried home – a hidden-ball trick to end all hidden-ball tricks.

"They gave away bobbleheads. I'm holding a potato. There's one on eBay right now. A couple sold for over a hundred bucks this week. For kicks and giggles, I looked up what Barry Bonds' was selling for, and I'm crushing him.

"I really don't understand."

There really isn't much to understand. Baseball is a stately game, sometimes too serious for its own good. There are no end-zone dances, no tongue-wagging after dunks, no cha-cha lines following goals. Should Tommy Lasorda falling on his ample keister really constitute the apotheosis of baseball humor?

No, sir. To allow an idea so unique, so brilliant and so hilarious to fade into history's annals, then, would be disrespectful not only to the game but to the man who hatched the plan and executed it to perfection.

The tater plot started in the bullpen, sanctuary for baseball's bored. Relief pitchers pass the time by scoping out women or making up silly games involving sunflower seeds. As the .149-hitting backup, Bresnahan spent plenty of time in the 'pen, and he broached the idea that had cooked in his mind for years. John Stuart Mill would have been proud of the marketplace of ideas that commenced. A roll of tape would be too light, a rosin bag too fluffy.

"And then it came to me: a potato," Bresnahan says. "Mainly because it sounds funny."

Word filtered around the Bills' clubhouse about Bresnahan's plan, and with the team more than 20 games out of first place, it gave players something to anticipate. The schedule gave Bresnahan a perfect chance. He knew he would play at least one game against the Reading Phillies in an Aug. 31 doubleheader, and the Phillie Phanatic was showing up that day too, ensuring a big crowd.

A few games before potato day, Bresnahan caught a game against the Phillies. He tried to pick a runner off third base, the first piece of bait in his elaborate hornswoggle.

"There was a lot of premeditation in this," Bresnahan says. "I'm kind of anal that way. When I plan something out, I want to make sure the details are covered. In order for this to really work, I needed a guy on third with two outs. When I did it, all the guys on the field would hustle back into the dugout. That way if the umpire ruled against us, we'd have to run back out on the field. And then it's more dramatic."

Earlier that week, Bresnahan called major-league umpire Tim Tschida, a friend of a teammate, and asked how he would rule the potato play. Tschida said he would return the runner to third base, end of story. If it was good enough for Tschida, Bresnahan figured, it worked for him.

In the fifth inning, the time came. Two outs. Runner Rick Lundblade on third. Bresnahan told home-plate umpire Scott Potter the webbing of his glove had broken. Potter allowed him into the dugout, where a glove with the peeled potato waited. Teammates giggled. Bresnahan told them to shut up.

The potato remained in Bresnahan's glove until he called the pitch, an outside slider that had little chance of being put into play. During the windup, Bresnahan transferred the potato to his bare hand.

"It wasn't that bad a throw," Bresnahan says. "It was supposed to be bad. But it was smaller. It was moist. I was nervous. I came up firing. As I threw it, I said, 'Oh, no.' It was headed right toward his helmet. It just missed."

Third baseman Rob Swain, flummoxed by the good throw, tried to sell it by doing his best olé. The potato hit the ground and exploded into three pieces. Lundblade never saw it. He had started running home.

"I tagged him and showed him the ball, then rolled it to the mound and ran toward the dugout," Bresnahan says. "All my teammates buried their faces in their gloves and were laughing. They couldn't move. I told them to get off the field."

Behind the plate, Potter was confused. The third-base umpire ran into the outfield and retrieved the biggest chunk. "It's a (expletive) potato," he yelled to Potter.

"What are you doing?" Potter asked Bresnahan.

"It's just a joke," he replied.

Potter awarded Lundblade home and the scorekeeper charged Bresnahan with an error. Bresnahan wasn't ejected, but Williamsport manager Orlando Gomez yanked him from the game immediately and fined him $50. That night, celebrating over post-game beers, Bresnahan's teammates started a fund to pay the fine.

When Bresnahan showed up at the stadium the following day, Gomez called him in his office. Jeff Scott, farm director of Williamsport's parent team, the Cleveland Indians, was on the phone. Bresnahan knew Scott from their days in the Seattle organization. Scott laughed, told Bresnahan he was an idiot and said he needed to release him.

And thus ended Dave Bresnahan's baseball career. Though he did make one more trip that season to the ballpark. Later that day, Bresnahan returned from the grocery store with huge sacks of potatoes. He placed 50 of them on Gomez's desk.

"I'm always fearful that people think I'm a goofball," Bresnahan says. "I am a prankster. I've got a good sense of humor. But I love baseball.

"I'm a historian. I'm an old-fashioned guy. I've been a season-ticket holder for the Diamondbacks. I coach my kids. Everything I do counters what I'm known for, which is the [darn] potato."

Paul Harvey called because of the [darn] potato. So did Harry Caray and countless other baseball emissaries. Bresnahan remains revered in Japan, where, for the 10-year anniversary of the potato caper, a TV station flew him out. They asked him to wear his Bills uniform – "a 10-pound sausage," he says, "into a five-pound casing" – placed him on a throne and carried him through a smoke machine.

Every day someone reminds Bresnahan of the potato, whether at his job as a project manager for a company refurbishing an old Texas sugar plant or through a letter thanking him for bringing levity to a staid game. The potato itself is the prized possession of the Baseball Reliquary, the museum of oddities that displays it in a jar of denatured alcohol.

In January, Bresnahan spent a week at the Diamondbacks' fantasy camp. His fellow campers weren't interested in the vagaries of minor-league life or what it was like to play for Mike Hargrove in A ball. They wanted to know about the potato.

And when he told them about it, they laughed like [crazy]."

Rain, rain, go away!!

2007-06-19T13:45:00.000-05:00

Monday morning around 1:30am, I am lying on the living room floor with my dog, Skeet, watching a tivo-ed episode of my favorite TV show, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. It has been raining uncharacteristically hard for the last 30 minutes.

About 15 minutes later, there is a lot bang outside and the power goes off. I hear a siren (not police or fire truck) blaring in the background. So, I did what any intelligent human would do in that situation, I put on pants, strapped on my headlamp and my 9mm and went outside to face whatever it was that could cause such a huge explosion.

In the background, I hear the faint scream of the severe weather siren warning us to take shelter immediately.

I also hear the sound of a rushing river. We don't live near any rivers, so I assume that nearby Highway 114 is just unusually busy; at two in the morning.

I look to the west of our house and what I see can only be explained by these pictures.

We are okay, our house didn't take any water damage. We were without power for a whole 12 hours (!) but our outlook has been drastically changed. I have never personally seen anything like what happened in our quiet little town. The Katrina disaster stings a little bit more to me. I found it awfully hard to fall asleep that night.

Here are some pictures of a local baseball field and what we saw when we woke up.

M@

"When's that BABY due? BABY!!!!"

2007-06-05T14:58:00.000-05:00

"I want to talk to you about something."

That was the last thing I heard in my life as I had then known it.
It was the last phrase in my semi-independent life.
Our lives were changed forever as my wife, Kyla concluded the phrase with;

"I want to talk to you about being a daddy."

Kyla and I are having a baby!!

So, as I mentioned in my previous blog, "Memorial Day" this was absolutely a weekend worth remembering. We have known for about a month or so and have not wanted to say anything until we had our first doctor's appointment on Tuesday last week.

It is funny the questions that I get asked.
"Was it planned?"
"Do you want a boy or a girl?"
"How did it happen?"
"How did you react?"

In the moment, I know that people are so excited about the news that they want to share in the moment with us, and we with you!!

But in hindsight, it is just that there are some questions, you shouldn't ask. My mom wrote a list of 10 things not to ask a pregnant lady, two of which are in my list.

Comedian, Brian Regan on his CD LIVE, does an unbelievable routine about what not to say to a pregnant lady, or something you might THINK is pregnant.

The moral of this story is thank you for your prayers, thank you for your excited hugs and congragulatory hand-shakes. We are not out of the woods yet, still have twenty weeks to go. I have already decided that I am going to be the guy that carries around a picture of his baby in his wallet and on his photo-Ipod, even if it does look like a gummy bear.

Here is the answer sheet.

We don't have a preference on whether it is a boy or a girl. Really. We know a lot of adorable girls and really cute boys. Plus, why would someone vocalize that? Even if we did, we wouldn't want to give the impression that we are even the least-bit-slighty-in-any-way disappointed.

We are VERY excited and have been praying for this for a long time!!

The due date is January 2, 2008. We know about the tax write off if it happens earlier and as many times as I have been told that, I still can't come up with a good-witty response. Anybody have any ideas?

Kyla is feeling great and so far has only craved french-fries (Thanks, Sarah Beck!) and tiny servings of chocolate frosting. She brought home a can of chopped green olives....I will not be partaking.

We love you all and thank you for your continued prayers!

M@

Memorial Day Weekend

2007-05-25T10:18:00.000-05:00

Ahhh Memorial Day Weekend, the weekend that celebrates...
the men and women whom have died serving our country,
the end of the school year,
the release of the summer's blockbuster movie,
the three-day weekend with which we can FINALLY hit the lake,
and our wedding anniversary (May 29), this year #3!

This year's Memorial Day will be memorable to me for several reasons.
*One of my good friends, Conrad Prugh is getting married to another one of our friends, Lauren Wasner and have asked me to officiate their wedding on Saturday.
*Stephen Bailey has asked me to lead worship for the entire church on Sunday and I still have/get to teach class that morning.
*My seniors in the youth group are graduating this weekend so let's add six different graduation ceremonies this weekend to the picture (3 on Monday!). Kyla and I went to one last night, 3 hours long...but we love the girls that were graduating.
*Kyla and I are celebrating our 3rd Anniversary on Tuesday.
*Pirates of the Caribbean III is out in theaters.
*We are having dinner with my parents on Sunday before they move to Florida.

I am not writing this to show off my multi-tasking ability. This is more of a post-it to-do list for me to remember what all is going on. Keep me in your prayers this weekend and pray that everything goes well or this Memorial Day weekend will be one worth forgetting about.

M@

Inspiration

2007-04-05T14:54:00.000-05:00

It has been an interesting four months. So interesting in fact, that I haven't blogged about any of it. I mean, don't get me wrong, a lot of good has happened...some not so good... Until Tuesday.

Tuesday, the staff at Lake Cities (Joel, Karen, Stephen and myself) went to visit with Rolando ("Ro") Diaz at his studio at South Side At Lamar here in Dallas. He is a former ACU grad, artist and native Cuban whom escaped during the communist take over in the 60's. He is a trip!
As the staff, with Bible and journal in hand, sat in the seats of his studio, Ro turned on some inspirational classic folk and turned his attention to the blank canvas. In a matter of minutes, he had created two gorgeous paintings. One resembled the face of Christ, the other portrayed a stoic angel.

To be honest, I am not the fine-arts type. I enjoy a musical every now and then and music has always held a place in my heart. When the dramatic music echoes through the cemented studio my initial reaction was "Oh great, here we go..." As I am watching this (keep in mind that I can't draw a stick figure to save my life!) I was astonished at how talented he was. Now it all makes sense.

I was reminded of crowd's reaction to the day of Pentecost and I immediately turned in my bible to the book of Acts 2. "So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, 'Whatever could this mean? ' Others mockingly said, 'They are full of new wine.'"

The reason I am reminded of this is because I claim to be a follower of a man whom did remarkable things. When faced with one of those remarkable moments I sat skeptically sat back and prepared for a show.

The other thing that struck me about our experience was how seriously Ro took every impulse to add to the painting. As a non-artistic person, I always wonder how common it is to second-guess an idea. When I deal with this in blogging, there is something that happens and I think, 'I should write about that. Nah, that would be dumb." I wonder how often an artist carries that internal conversation.

I guess the reason I am writing about this is because I want to encourage you to first decided which camp we are in, the one prepared to be astonished, or the one sitting back making faces, cracking jokes and drinking coffee. Not only start your day by challenging God to astonish you, take note of every moment, every impulse, every influence to paint your day.

Man of Steel....Sort of!

2006-12-07T16:43:00.000-06:00

Do you know my face?

Ok, now put glasses on my face.
Recognize me now? Still?

Yes, it is me. The only addition is my new desperate-attempt-to-fit-in glasses.

Needless to say, I am a bit nervous as to how people will receive the new look. So far, the only teasing I have had sent my way was by an elder at our monthly elder-staff meeting.

One of the things I love the most about my dog, Skeet, is the celebration welcoming my return to the house. Watches should be set upon the consistency of his jubilations. It doesn't matter what the weather, whether he has been good or bad, his mood or my mood, whether he needs to use the facilities or already did on the carpet, what I am wearing, he is always excited to see me. So I thought surely there would be a moment of impulsive uncertainty and perhaps thinking "who this strange but exotically attractive man approaching the back door a lot like Matt would right about this time of day?"

Nope, just the joyous howling tail-wagging semi-leaping I expect every time I walk in the door. He knew exactly who I was.

So, why is it that Lois Lane can't recognize Clark Kent as Superman?

I know this is nothing new, but in light of my recent ocular addition and the release of Superman Returns on DVD, I wanted to explore this phenomena.

Spoiler about the movie is following! Proceed accordingly.

1.
A) Lois Lane has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for an article called "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman"
B) Skeet went "potty" outside like a good boy!

2.
A) Lois Lane made a comment to Superman in the movie "I forgot how warm you are." But she forgot the bone structure of his face!?!
B) Skeet has internally logged the long/lat coordinates of every bone hidden in the backyard as well as the three bones Kyla and I don't know about hidden in the house under piles of clothes, between cushions of the couch and tucked neatly away in corners.

3.
A) Lois Lane gave birth to Superman's kid (now 5 as revealed in the end of the movie). Now one must assume that all universal bipods from Krypton and Earth alike require s_ _ in order to repopulate. Enough said.
B) When Skeet was a puppy, I left a shirt in his crate while he slept in order that he would associate my scent with his den. Now, Skeet likes to sleep on the piles of clothes in our room. I don't think a canine sense of smell is required to recognize a loved one's scent. Plus, reentering the Earth's atmosphere at super-sonic speeds probably smells a bit more distinct than Curve for Men.

"So, what now? Way to go Matt. You have just proved the most beat-to-death comic critique in history."

Well, to be honest, this is not about Superman or Lois Lane and I hope you like my glasses and all. I am writing this in hopes of raising awareness for how unfairly Skeet has been treated. He has been snubbed far too long for the long-awaited Pulitzer Prize.

Hasta!

M@

Worst Essay Ever...Enjoy!

2006-10-25T22:35:00.000-05:00

I cannot take credit for this enriching piece of literature.
Nor can I deny the hilarity of it. I have not added a thing to it. As far as I know this is a real essay, though I hope this is a joke; because I would weep for this person and pray that they have no offspring! Enjoy...

Coming in Like El Nino

El Nino is Spanish. It is the Spanish word for child. Like all things Spanish, it is dangerous. It kills people and burns down trees. This child is more than a child. It really isn’t a child at all. It is a storm. A deadly storm that kills people and burns down trees.
Warm water usually builds up around Australia. But not anymore with El Nino. El Nino moves the warm water from Australia to somewhere else, namely other places. Where are these other places? These are places that also have water, but that water is usually not as warm as the warm water El Nino moves to these said other places. These other places are to the east. Of the Water.
In Peru, they have many names for many things. One of the things they have names for is people who go fishing, go fishing to make a living. If we had a word for this kind of people that word would be “fisherman”. But we don’t. In Peru, they have different names for things than we do in America. They call that kind of people “pescadores”. That’s Spanish. That’s what they speak in Peru. When El Nino comes, these “pescadores” can’t catch any fish. El Nino is caused when the Peruvian gods get angry. They have been angry for millions of years and have made El Nino for millions of years. Many many moons ago the Peruvians committed human sacrifices to satiate their gods and end the flood that was El Nino. In today’s modern dog-eat-dog, work-a-day world of scientists, diplomats, McSalad Shakers, and George Bush Jr., we no longer have access to such solutions. We are too proud. We will not commit human sacrifices. We refuse to satiate the Peruvian gods. Thus, they remain angry and keep killing us and burning down our trees with El Nino.
Instead of satiating the gods, many of these “scientists” have tried to control El Nino with “science”. They put up expensive fish-attracting-buoys that run on flashlight batteries. Imagine, fighting the power of the gods with flashlight batteries! Needless to say, this didn’t work and everyone died.
Lightning!!!
What is lightning? Where does it come from? What does it mean? Does it have a meaning? Where does it come from? What is it made of? Is it made of light? Some might say it was made of light. Others contend that lightning is made of fire. People used to think that lightning was made of fire. Fire in the sky. Fire that killed people and knocked down trees. Before Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Franklin was a founding father. He fatherly founded that lightning is made of electricity. Electricity in the sky.
But what of the Greek myths, of the Greek god Zeus and of the popular image of Zeus – a Greek god – throwing down lightning bolts to kill people and knock down trees. Where did he find the time? And what of lightning being made of fire? In this workaday world in the era of the founding father Benjamin Franklin we have no time nor the patience for such concerns. These are for the third world and schizophrenics.
Some people do not understand that lightning is destructive. They ignore the wisdom of their elders and of the founding father Benjamin Franklin. They think lightning is a lie perpetrated by people with a vested interest. At their own peril!!! Lightning kills people and knocks down trees!!! It is a power of destruction exercised by the Greek god Zeus, the mightiest of Greek gods!! But they do it: they ignore such wisdom and taunt the powerful exercise of destruction and they worship their idle gods and stand near trees. At their own peril!!! Lightning has the killing power to kill people and the destructive power to knock down trees! When you stand near trees, they will be knocked down by lighting and you will be killed by lightning! There is no escape. Lightning will knock down the tree and knock down your soul. Trees are tall.
Many things attract lightning. But do the two correlate? A recent study says yes. It says that being tall and attracting lightning do correlate. That means that being tall correlates with being struck by lightning. You die when you are struck by lightning, and your tree is knocked down.
Some people try to measure lightning, they take measurements of it. They use balloons and rockets and their imagination and determination and research money and they put it all in the mixing bowl and they mix in storms – storms and lightning – and so they mix in the lightning and then they get the product if they’re lucky of measurements about lightning from the storm? What kind of measurements? We may never know……

M@

Track Meet

2006-09-01T01:45:00.000-05:00

A lot of people wander what comes with an undergrad degree in Youth Ministry.

I like to think it is the training.

To sit at the feet of people like Robert Oglesby, Randy Harris and David Fraze and just soak up the advise and wisdom of their experience and knowledge. Once you leave the program, you feel prepared to handle nearly anything. Until it happens to you...
One event occured tonight.

I was always prepared to recieve the late-night phone call and once it happened I had no clue what to do. The situation was that a parent had called me and was desperate to find help with a child that had become threatening and even suicidal. He was literally holding the child down while on the phone with me.

I called our Sr. Minister, Joel Quile, who had recieved the call as well. We drove to the house unexpectant at what we would find. I realized in the car that I was not only unprepared for what would happen but realized that I am not qualified for such a situation! "No! Call someone that knows what they are doing!" was a thought that ran through my head on several occasions. After we found out the son had left the house, we tracked him down on foot - that became a foot race - and after finally catching up, we had our intervention; on a track. Literally, on a track that surrounded the football field. Did I mention that jumping fences was involved?
Joel said it best that "there is no script for these things" and now I could not agree more. If there was ever a time that you ask God to "get you out of the way" this was it. God works in mysterious ways...not to mention mysterious places.

Earlier while I was in mid-stride on the phone with Joel in mid-stride, he told me to ask the father (whom I was with) if he had a weapon. I felt odd asking a man well qualified (trust me) if he had a weapon, then I hear Joel laughing through the phone and clarifying that he wanted me to ask the father if the son had a weapon. I felt silly, then scared to think if I had to encounter that kind of scenario. Then as Joel hung up, he said something to the effect of "just in case you have to tackle him." "WHAT!?!?!"

Joel, dude, I have never been more proud of the way you handled that situation.

I ask that you send a prayer up for healing for this family. Just say a quick prayer that God will fill the house will love, healing, trust, wisdom and discernment. He will know who you are talking about even if you don't.

You may never be qualified (by your standards) for the moment or the path in which God calls you to lead. The important thing is that you answer the call (again, literally for me tonight) and "get out of the way" to let God work.

It was a relay race to be sure. We each had a different role in the situation tonight. In the book of Hebrews it says, "Let us run with persevierance the race marked out for us." Ironic we had a track meet tonight. I didn't even have a chance to stretch...I think I pulled a hamstring!

M@

Books to Movies

2006-05-15T21:20:00.000-05:00

In honor of this week's highly anticipated release of "The Da Vinci Code", I have decided to dedicate this blog to books that have made the transition to movies.
Hear me out! I know about the failures of Stephen King's "It", Michael Chricton's "Congo", "Gigli" and other's like it.
I have come to a realization that I am going to write a book about. Scratch that, make a movie about.

Recently I asked Kyla a question:
"Honey, if you asked me to take out the trash, but when you walked into the living room you saw me reading a book, how mad would you be?"
"No very mad."
"What if it was the same situation and when you walked into the room I was watching a movie, how mad would you be?"
"I would be pretty frustrated."

AAHHHAAAAA!!!

Is there anything less productive than reading a book??
NO!
Video games may have crossed your mind, as the thought crossed mine. As Ken Griffey Jr. once mentioned, video games encourage hand-eye coordination. He would play video games all the time and last time I checked, he was something of a pretty good baseball player.

And here is my point.

Now I know what you are thinking,
"Matt, reading a book is more academic..."
"... it encourages you to use your imagination..."
"... they don't require you to watch a movie in upper level academic classes..."

Well they should!

1. Movies are more productive.
Have you ever folded clothes while reading a book?
If so, you are a better person than I am!

2. Movies encourage social interaction.
I've never had a date to a book, maybe you have.
How often have you heard "Dumb and Dumber" quoted over the last year?
Same question for "Of Mice and Men."

3. Movies are more effecient.
Ever dedicated a week to watch a movie?
Even "The Lord of the Rings" was considered too long. It was only 3 hours!
I've never read a book in three hours. (magazines don't count)

4. Movies are more friendly on the pocket book.
A new hard back copy of your favorite book will roughly run you $25.00.
For the same price, you can buy two tickets and that huge tub of popcorn you have always dreamed of.

If you notice the little bio next to my picture at the top right of this page, you will notice that I listed enjoying a good book before a good movie. I would in no way consider myself a book worm, but I am getting the bug.

We celebrate directors Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings, King Kong), Ron Howard (Apollo 13, Cinderella Man, The DaVinci Code), M. Night Shyamalan (The 6th Sense, Signs, Unbreakable, Lady in the Water) and they are all still very much alive.

More often than not we celebrate authors post-mortem. I am glad to see that Dan Brown, Stephen King, Dean Koontz and other of my favorite authors are getting credit while they can enjoy it.

Enjoy "The DaVinci Code". Both of them.

M@

"Get some leaves!!"

2006-04-11T20:39:00.000-05:00

Gosh where did the month go? I don't remember writing April days in single digits, now we are almost half-way to May!?
Not much is new here, I saw a really bad wreck on the way here. Saw it, shoot, I had front row seats to it. It took some Matrix driving to avoid being in it. An SUV over-corrected while changing lanes, cut across three lanes of traffic on 114 in Southlake, nearly clobbered me, slammed into the divider and rolled 3 times(?). I couldn't really tell cause so much dirt was kicked up, I couldn't see the vehicle.
Pretty scary stuff, I was the one who called 911. That is scary to, has anyone ever had to do that?

"911 Emergency."
"Yeah, I need to report a wreck. This SUV rolled on 114 heading North. Someone is probably hurt. The sun was in my eyes, so I couldn't really see exactly what happened. I was lucky not to be in it myself! I didn't have any hands on the wheel cause I stopped by Bueno to get one of those 'Big Ole Burritos' and..."
"I'm sorry sir, did you say you didn't have any hands on the wheel cause you were eating?"
"Well, I was using my knees, but that was only because one hand was holding the burrito while the other was changing DVDs in my laptop to watch another movie. Oh yeah, I was also dialing my wife on the cell phone."
"Sir, is everyone okay?"
"Well, I was until I spilled my big soft-drink all over my legs. That and the Rangers are 2 - 6 right now. Did you see the game last night? I mean you would think they could get some pitching...."
"Sir, what city are you in?"
"I haven't told you? Southlake."
"Ok, I think we can handle it from here." (a.k.a. you are a moron)

If there weren't any kids crying and a mother cussing out whoever cut her off, I would have asked the 911 Dispatcher to "get some leaves!" but I just wasn't feeling it.
Be safe on the road. And make sure you tell the 911 operator which city you are in if you have to make an emergency call.

Love ya'll
M@

Cinderella

2006-03-29T00:55:00.000-06:00

George Mason is in the Final Four of this year's NCAA Tournament.
Who is George Mason?
"I don't know!"

George Mason is a mid-major conference school that was lucky to receive an at-large invitation to this year's March Madness NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
George Mason Univerisy is considered to be this year's "Cinderella story" and with just cause.

For those that do not understand the Cinderella concept, basically this is the story of a nobody that becomes a somebody out-of nowhere and lives a fairy tale life.

Happy ever after...
The End

But wait! There's more. If you remember the story, you know that Cinderella was always doing the dirty work, the chores, being bossed around, a nobody. She receives a little help and becomes a princess, spends the evening at the celebrity ball, and then flees in a hurry - because of what? - because she is running out of time. She inevitably returns to rags, her chariot regresses to a pumpkin and the horses go back to Seigfried and Roy.

Being called a Cinderella means you only have a moment to shine before the unavoidable collapse. Before the return to normality, the loss of the spotlight. Like Agent Smith whispering into Neo's ear that this is unavoidable, inevitable, etc.

So, I wouldn't want to be called a Cinderella story. The positive connotation has no weight for me. I would rather be called a....Daniel-son! The new kid nobody knows, you get into some fights, you win some you lose some, you eventually get the car the dead-leg the coveted trophy the girl and the best part(!).... a sequel! Yes, you come back for more.

On a personal note, Pat Morita (a.k.a. Mr. Miagi) died in November, now everybody "Wax on! Wax off!" in a moment of reflection.

M@

Laugh Reflex

2006-03-17T00:32:00.000-06:00

I really thought that I would one day out-grow this.
This is one of those things I just expected to stop doing.
Kinda like biting your nails, staying up late or drinking chocolate milk.
Some people have a gag-reflex. Nope, mine is laughing.
I have an instant laugh-reflex.
And it was made apparent the past week on our youth group ski trip.

I don't know when I would have officially considered myself to be an adult. Maybe it would be when my first reaction is not laughter when I see a teenager flying down a mountain at Mach 2 and meeting the 4 foot snow bank head on. Or perhaps setting up one of the sweetest unsuspecting girls in the youth group to be scared by the boy hiding in the back of the Uhaul trailer while she is loading her luggage at 4am.

We drove for 16 hours on Wednesday. At several times, I was the only one awake in the 15 passenger van. My only company was the music of the David Crowder* Band (though not shabby company) and my memories of hysterical moments like the ones I have already mentioned. I found those (and many more like them) to be so funny that I would be unable to surpress my smile and occasionally a giggle would escape.

I can't tell you how many times I have been hiding in the closet of an unsuspecting sibling or roomate, ready to do my civic duty and scare the living fire out of them for no apparent reason, when just the simple anticipation of what may transpire forces a smile on my face. A giggle would escape, my cover blown.

Why is it that when I see some of my favorite teenagers wipe out on a ski slope, my initial reaction is to laugh? I thought ministers were above this! Does this make me a bad youth minister? Of course I care about the well being of my kids, but I gotta tell you that watching a senior in high school take a face plant in 3 feet of snow only to lay there completely buried will keep you young!

I guess I become an adult when I run to my fallen kid with a cell phone ready to call 911 rather than a video camera flashing "REC".

I won't miss biting my nails... I may miss staying up late (it is around 1am as we speak) and will definately miss chocolate milk.

But I hope I never out-grow laughter.

Besides, I caught it all on camera!

M@

"Yeah, we're in the Rockies!"

2006-03-08T15:30:00.000-06:00

Being a youth minister has several "perks". One of which is being able to plan a ski trip for my youth group. This event has weighed heavily on my mind for the last two months or so and with it many other memories of ski trips long past have surfaced. Some good memories of wrestling with my best friends in our hotel room, or watching death-defying aerial acrobatics by our unsuspecting peers and fellow youth memebers as they hit the bump we didn't see either...
The time I almost died, probably stands out more than any others. I mean, why wouldn't it?

March 2002, Salida, CO. Monarch.

The trip had been going really well. It was the last run of the final day of our trip. For those of you that have the priviledge of knowing Houston Heflin and his wife Karen, you know that they are amazing people. What you may not know is they are amazing skiers as well! Karen beat me down a blue run - did I mention she was 3 months pregnant? Houston was limited to 180 degree helicopter tricks. The 360 was banished so he wouldn't risk getting hurt with a baby on the way.

The three of us (plus another adult sponsor) decided it was our obligation to take one more ride to the top and make sure there was no one else left on the mountain from our group! It was the responsible thing to do.

The four of us are on a lift discussing how glad we were that no one was seriously hurt. We had a great time, the weather was good, the snow was white. As we reached the chair-lift dismounting area, I realized there were four of us on the lift and it could get a bit sticky. As the our skis touched down, I was briefly cut off by another adult, so I waited for a chance to clear. As I delayed for a second or two, I timed my exit from the lift just a few seconds before it took the violent U-turn to head back down the mountain.

As I hopped off, I realized that something was keeping me from moving forward. Something felt like it was holding me back, as if the chair was holding me back. I realized in a moment of shear terror (not to mention embarrasement) that the backpack I wear when I ski was unbuckled and hooked onto the back of the chair. Walking in skis is very deficult, running while looking over your should is nearly impossible. I stepped on one of my own ski and accidentally popped it off. Now I am stuck to a chair lift by a backpack strap with one ski and one ski-boot trying to keep my balance.

Keep in mind, there is often times a little shack at the top of the mountain with a few windows facing the dismounting area. There is usually some poor fool in there with one purpose in life. His calling is to push a red button (I am assuming it is red, I mean every read button I know of is red, Easy buttons, missle launch buttons, fire alarms...) to stop the lift when some idiot gets tripped up and falls off of a lift. I don't know where he was, but he's dead now. (kidding)

Now I have tripped over myself, lost my balance (still connected to the chair lift) being dragged face first as the chair makes that violent U-turn to head back down the mountain. This is one of those lifts that is right over one of those death runs. You know which one I am talking about, where you ride the lift to watch people fall off of the rocks. I couldn't ski this to save my life. The way I am being dragged it looks like that might have to happen. I thought I would be dragged all the way down the mountain, suspended some 50 feet over a run that was out of my league; if I survive the fall! Bottom line if my backpack breaks, I am screwed.

Right before the lift leaves ground level to head down the mountain, Lloyd Christmas decides to push the button. The lift stops and I am know literally dangling with my skis 3 feet off of the ground. My arms are still in the shoulder straps, the waist belt still unbuckled and still connected to the back of the chair lift. Lloyd comes running out of his hidey-hole. Houston and Karen have been watching all of this happen and as the lift stops, Houston has time to unclip his boots from his skis and run in his ski-boots (no easy task) and reaches me before Lloyd. Houston grabs the back of my jacket, unhooks the strap from the chair, and pulls me back to the ground level. My feet are touching, I am finally okay. Lloyd races over and offers me a pair of extra gloves, the turns to his buddy in the shack and screams "Get Some LEAVES!". Then he asks me the dumbest question ever. "What happened?!" 15 responses ran through my mind. None of them sounded remotely like a parable Jesus would tell.

"Are you okay?" - I wanted to laugh.
"Man, you are one lucky [something]." - I wanted to cry.
"Dude, I'm sorry about that!" - I wanted to knock him out.
"Is there anything else I can do?" - huh?
"No, you've been enough help already. Thank you." Sorry, it's all I could muster. I'm a minister, not a saint!

I like to think the sounds from those on the lift behind me, were chears of celebration and appreciation for surving such a devistating event. Now, I think they sounded like laughs. Karen had gathered up my skis and ski poles. How do you respond to something like that? I couldn't do anything but gather up the gear, strap them on and say "Ok, let's go see if anybody got hurt."
Karen, ran over to me, her eyes filled with tears (either from crying or laughing, I couldn't tell) hugged me and said "I am so glad you are alive!"

Wow, I could have died. By dinner time that night, the story had gotten around. I overheard two of the 7th graders exagerating the story to a degree that I was holding onto the lift with one hand and the other hand had caught my bible that had fallen out of the torn backpack. Someone mentioned something about fighting off a bear. I set the record straight and told the story how it had happened. Then I received my applause I felt I was being cheated on earlier in the day.

So, we are getting ready to go on another trip. I hope we have a good time. I hope we are safe. Keep us in your prayers and check back next week to find out how the trip went. Same Matt time, same Matt channel.

M@

"That Guy"

2006-02-24T10:51:00.000-06:00

It has been a while since I have published and I realize that.
Actually, this week has been a week or realizations; a week of reflections and reconnections.
This has been a week of ACU Lectureships.
For those that do not know, Abilene Christian Univeristy (ACU) holds an annual gathering on campus called Lectureships. Professors give students the day off from school and give lectures on topics ranging from "A History of the Restoration Movement" to "If Jesus Were Alive Today, He Would Have a Blog!".
I have been excited about returning to ACU, were I earned most of my degree. I packed my laptop, grabbed my nice looking clothes, even took a shower and set off to spend the day on campus as an ex-student, for the first time.
It was an incredible day of socializing, catching up on old friends, making new relationships, and reflecting on how ACU benefited my life.
As I sat in the long hallway of the beautiful bible building, I noticed that I did not recognize any, or very few of the students! Then it hit me.... I had become... "That Guy."
You know who I am talking about....that guy!

"Who is that guy?"
"That guy looks familiar."
"Didn't that guy use to go here?"
"I wonder what that guy is up to."
"What is that guy still doing here?"
"That guy can't get out of Abilene!"
"It's so sad that that guy comes back for Lectureship..."

Yeah, I'm that guy.....

But it is cool because, that guy, doesn't have to take a test!
That guy doesn't have to read any books or take any notes!
That guy can come and go to whatever he wants to!
That guy has a job!

Ha!

That guy needs a hug...

M@

"He missed it..."

2006-01-15T23:01:00.000-06:00

For those of us fellow "bloggers", sometimes we just get in to mood to write. I find that I sit in front of a blank monitor with a blank thought, yet I type anyway.
Somtimes there is a moment that as soon as it happens, I can't wait to formulate my thoughts in the form of a blog. Being in ministry and an avid sports fan, these "blogging moments" happen fairly often. One happened today...

I am a pretty emotional guy. I am not in the class of former Kansas City head coach Dick Vermeil, I have mastered the "throat cry"; you know, when you feel it right at the top of your neck but keep it from reaching your eyes.

The thing that broke my heart was watching the replay of the final play of today's AFC playoff game.
The Colts hosted the Steelers in a thriller that came down to a 46 yard field goal to tie the game with 17 seconds left in the game. Mike Vanderjaqt, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, missed it wide right. The game was close and I was disappointed the Colts lost. The player's response to the missed field goal received more air-time than the actual missed kick. Steelers head coach, Bill Cowher and RB Jerome Bettis are both shown exclaiming "He missed it!" Normally I love these reactions...

Then we see the Colts sideline. A team that was "destined" to win the Super Bowl, much like the Boston Red Sox were "destined" to win the World Series two years ago.
Quarterback - and my favorite tv commercial star - Peyton Manning simply replied "He missed it." with a smile seemed more appropriate for a guy who just found out his girlfriend was cheating on him.

Next is the gut-wrenching replay of Tony Dungy, the Colts head coach. Dungy lost his oldest son in an apparent suicide last month. Dungy's response to the missed field goal is what I have to battle watching. My heart hurts for Dungy, I know there is more to this man than football. As I am typing this, Sportscenter is playing in the background and I see for the fourth time, the replay of his response. I am reminded of the weight of disappointment in his eyes. Not just the loss of the game, but the loss of his son as well. Some small part of me thought that a Super Bowl victory would ease the pain of a parent sufferning the death of a child. I hurt that Dungy will not even have that...

In our youth group, I am trying to communicate the importance of the moment when your true character shines. It may be at the lunch table when a crude joke is told, or at a friend's house when alcohol is offered or an inappropriate movie is suggested. That moment for the Colts was caught on camera. No explicitives were said by Manning or by Dungy in their moment. Dungy is a Christian. In a press game conference he even said "I felt the Lord's hand on this team..." in reference to all that has happened involving this team over the last year. Vanderjaqt - the kicker that missed the field goal - took off his helmet, yelled something I cannot repeat, and threw his helmet which in turn drew a penalty flag.

I am inspired by the class and character of Manning and Dungy. I am convicted to write a letter to both of them and tell them how moved I was. When faced with the most disappointing moment of possibly their careers, they somehow managed a force smile and simply said "He missed it."

I hope you will hold me to my conviction of writing the letter. The next time you see me, ask me about it. Also, ask me about my new Colts hat, which I will purchase tomorrow and wear with honor for the remainder of this season and wear with pride for next season.

M@

"Have a little BLOG with Jesus..."

2006-01-09T16:25:00.000-06:00

Alright.

Here is the game. Carolyn McBryde (my mom!) has come to the realization that blogging is our way of communicating and allowing others to walk along side us.
So, the challenge is, in the title of lyric of a song - or commonly used phrase - you must insert the word "blog" for "talk", "write", "walk" or any others you can think of. Hymnals receive extra credit!

Here are some examples:

"Let's give 'em something to blog about." - Bonnie Rait
"Have a little blog with Jesus."
"Don't be bloggin' bout friends when they're not around." - Acapella
Submitted by Carolyn McBryde

"I once was blogged in sin, but Jesus took me in."
Submitted by Matt Foster

"He blogs with me and He blogs with me and he tells me I am his own."
Submitted by M@

"Can you chew gum and blog at the same time?"
Submitted by Kyla McBryde

Submit your favorites as comments.
Winners receive an all expenses paid round trip for 2 to Quebec!
Or a book...

Wedding Crashers

2006-01-05T02:00:00.000-06:00

What is it about weddings?
Is it the distractions of the flower girl that is bored with life as she is told to sit still for an eternity, yet decides it is in her best interest to run amuk?
Perhaps it is the distant possibilty of watching one of the groomsman break the "don't lock your knees" rule and loose all grips on conscienousness?
Part of my deep, sick sense of humor wants to know if the groomsman are going to pull a prank during the ceremony at the climactic line "Do you have the rings?".
What crass graffiti did they write on the vehicle that the bride and groom will drive away in to begin their lives together?
"Ball and chain!"
"Dome on the rainbow!"
"Honk if you're horny!"
Sometimes I feel like we go to watch a train wreck. Not in the sense that the union will be a rocky relationship and destined to fail, but the wedding ceremony itself?
We went to a wedding of some very dear friends of ours over the weekend, the flower girl was relatively well behaved, especially after the tranquilizer shot. No pranks were pulled, the reception was nice.
The "getaway car" for the bride and groom pulled around to the front as they were ready to leave. I was glad/disappointed to see it was tastefully decorated.
As the bride (still in her dress) and the groom (still in his tuxedo) walked through the shower of rose pedals, he lead her to the passenger door that happened to still be locked. They asked the driver to unlock the door. As he exited the vehicle, he pushed the button and left the car. They tried the handle again only to find it was still locked...
The driver shut the door...locked.
There was this awesome moment that everyone realized that the locked button was accidentally pushed. The keys still in the ignition.
[Insert train wreck here]
The bride and groom began their lives together standing next to a car with the keys locked inside. Luckily, they are awesome people that love a great story. A few of us amateurs ran for a coat-hanger to get the car unlocked.
"Oh, I got this. I saw it in a movie once..."
And there we stood.
Finally, after we proved we couldn't break into an IHOP, my wife had the great idea to let them take our car and we would meet up with them and swap cars later.
So they drove off in our vehicle (kinda wierd) and when we did finally get the keys out, Kyla and I drove off in the "Just Married" car (very wierd); streamers, shaving cream and all.
We caught up with them about 20 miles down the road and swapped cars.

So I now remember why we go to weddings...
They're cheaper than a movie and there's free food!

M@

James Dungy found dead.

2005-12-23T01:24:00.000-06:00

Like many NFL fans, I was very saddened to hear about the death of James Dungy. James was the 18 year-old son of Tony Dungy, head coach of the Indy Colts.

Tony is one of the true good-guys of the NFL. I have heard many of the stories about head coaches' daily habits of three-hours of sleep, all day at the office and long road trips away from home.

I think the only time I have seen family members of the coaches, is the trendy crowd shot of the wife and children in the stands, perhaps the owner's box. This time, it was on SportsCenter.
Tony Dungy is known for asking other head coaches around the league about their families before they get to the small talk about the teams. Dungy puts his family first. This time, his family was first; on SportsCenter. But for all the wrong and saddening reasons...

Take a moment and lift up a prayer to the Dungy family.
Take another moment and lift up a prayer for your family.

The Colts are going to Seattle to play the Seahawks this Sunday
...but who cares?

M@

'Tis the Season to be Sorry

2005-12-20T10:27:00.000-06:00

Ahhh I love the holidays.

The mall madness, the schedule-juggling...the offending.
I think the only PC should be a computer. Politically Correct is a sorry phrase made up by a sorry person for a sorry reason. First of all it is an oxymoron; I've never known a correct political anything! So far, our political correctness has changed mascots, taken God out of our pledge and Christ out of Christmas. Last time I checked, we still had a high unemployment rate, crime rate is up, Meth is running wild, and don't get me started on the Cowboys...
This is kinda like the senator that decided to take up the cause of Terrell Owens. Of all the things to be concerned about, he decides to spend his time on something EVERYBODY wishes would just go away and NOBODY cares about!
This is what really jerks my chain. Not because I have the deep loyalty to Christmas, but because of the situation.
Follow me on this...

1.) Non-Christians (PC"ians"), want to take the word "Christmas" out of the the western hemisphere because it is Christianity forcing their beliefs on those that don't wish to hear them. Instead of "Merry Christmas" which has been around as long as Earth, it is supposed to become "Happy Holidays." What if someone doesn't want to have a happy holiday season?!?! Wouldn't that be forcing your wishes on someone as well?? This way of thinking is flawed...

2.) Christians have been against the whole Christmas season because many feel it has become a commercialized industry that has nothing to do with Christ anymore. Hence the cheesy "Reason for the Season" lights and letterheads. I know Christian families that don't even celebrate Christmas. I don't care either way, I tend to lean towards tradition - I mean come on, I am Church of Christ...

So the industry wants to get rid of Christmas because it is religious, and the religious want to get rid of Christmas because of the industry. This sounds like one of those parent/teen relationships I have the pleasure of dealing with.
"I just don't understand why they [fill in the blank]!" - Parent
"They just don't understand [fill in the blank]!" - Teen
Part of me wants to just grab them by the collar, shake them around a bit and say...
"Sit down and quit talking!
This is not a big problem in the long run!
Quit being stupid!"

I think I've got it all figured out...
Sources tell me that Christmas is run by the Mob...

M@

Cluth Performances

2005-12-13T17:43:00.000-06:00

This is a weekend that is marked down on most calendars of the DFW Metro"ian" sports fan.

Sunday - Kansas City Chiefs vs. Dallas Cowboys
Monday - Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks

I was most fortunate to be able to attend both games, and had great seats. Both games came down to the final play, each game had a different result.

Sunday, one of my best friends from ACU, Dustin, invited me to the vital "must win" game against the tough Chiefs. Little did I know we had killer seats!

30 yard line - 17 rows behind Chiefs' bench!

Cowboys scored with 22 seconds left in the season on a play-fake from Bledsoe to Campbell. It was an awesome play because it was on the opposite side of the field, and there was no doubt he scored the touchdown. Sometimes, it is hard to tell if the touchdown is scored. He was wide open. The game came down to a Chief drive of 60 yards in 20 seconds. 65,000 people crossed themselves and prayed to Parcells. Tynes set up to attempt a 41 yard field goal to send the game into overtime...

He missed it wide right...

On the other hand, I was able to attend the Mavericks game the following night against the Lakers. Again, I had amazing company; my beautiful wife, Kyla and our friends Jeremy and Sara Beck! For those that are fellow Kobe-haters, Kobe Bryant is worth the price of admission. I still can't stand the guy, but after he hit a turn-around 3-pointer from the 4th row, I and 20,000 other fans could only gasp. The thing of it, is that Kobe pulls that stuff out all the time. Hitting jump shots that look like miracles when they hit the bottom of the net. I actually defended Bryant.

"That guy is the luckiest man alive!"

"After seeing it in person," I replied, "how many lucky shots does it take to think he may actually be that good!?"

I immediately dry-heaved and took a shower!

Oh, did I mention the reverse-layup that was an aweful lot like Dr. J?

It is funny to me how one was able to produce when the game was on the line, and how the other wasn't.

Cowboys 31 - Chiefs 28

Lakers 109 - Mavericks 106

Bledsoe for President!

Snow Day!

2005-12-08T00:51:00.000-06:00

Due to bad weather, neither Kyla nor I have to go into work tomorrow. We even cancelled church! Guess it was too cold for Jesus...

Here is my favorite memory of a snow day.

When I was a junior at ACU, I lived in a house called "The Melting Pot". The name still survives today without any of my roomates even in Abilene. We had a day of days, a snow day. I was already on campus for a test, when I heard everything else was cancelled for the rest of the day.
So I did what any other young aspiring student at a private university did; I stole a tray from the cafeteria, ducked out the back and ran like a girl. We invited around 15 people to come over and hang out which ended up being around 30 when the day was over.
This was sometime in January, and we had in our possession a coffin that was used as a prop for a haunted house. We decided the best thing to do, obviously, was take one of the lids off(the big one that covers from the shoulders and down) layer up, and tie the coffin to the back of my roommate's, Dustin, 4x4 suburban. We found a football helmet, my lacrosse helmet, and a baseball helmet, I mean we're not stupid! Dustin put the truck and gear and we were off. All you could see was a red suburban, pulling an old yellow coffin, and three heads bouncing around like bobble-head bobsledders.
We actually saw a woman, whom once she saw the coffin, make her child come inside and leave the snowman he had been working on!

College, the best six years of my life...

M@

Gone in 35....days.

2005-12-05T11:50:00.000-06:00

Kyla and I have an announcement to make.
We have a new member to the family.
No, we didn't get another dog.
Well, it is not a NEW member, just one returning home.
His name is Antonio.

No thanks to our insurance representative, I hopped on a plane and headed to San Antonio to pick up our once stolen vehicle. I called our insurance guy around 3 on Friday afternoon to setup a plane reservation and found that he had taken an early weekend. He didn't leave his cell number, so I can't call him when he is away from the office; which is good because I would hate to inconvenience him with all of this!
This is a story of Jerry Seinfeld, I'm telling your right now. My first mistake was booking a flight that left shortly after church. And when church went a little long, I was already pushing it. Next time, remind me to not put God on a stopwatch. If people started accepting Christ and putting him on in baptism, I would have missed my flight, and we can't have that! We ran home to change clothes, grab my iPod for the LONG drive home, iPod charger and tape-adapter, GPS, and my book.
(T-minus 15 minutes to liftoff.)
Buying a one way ticket, when you are 25 years-old, will get you a special mark on the bottom of your boarding pass. This is bad. When I walked through the ninth metal-detector, the renta-cop asked me to move into a seperate line and await further assitance.
(T-minus 10 minutes to liftoff.)
They then moved me into a line that was covered in a plastic tarp and roped off with red-tape. I looked around to find a clock (my watch was in the little bowl for wedding rings, brass knuckles, etc.) and through all of the plastic, red flashing lights and useless white smoke, I could see several astronaughts moving the body of E.T.
(T-minus 5 minutes to liftoff.)
A very nice man came to interogate me. After the initial introductions had been made, he began to describe (in detail, God bless him) how they were going to search my bags, why they were doing so, and how global warming is affecting the population of the white rhino in Africa.
(5)
After several minutes of speculation, I convinced the older woman that what she was holding in her hand was actually called an "cell phone", not a detonation device.
(4)
"Thank you for your patience, Mr. McBryde. You are free to go."
"You owe me dinner!"
(3)
The man at the exit of the security area looks like he would rather be watching reruns of Charles In Charge, than manning the last lookout for terrorists.
"Where are you headed?"
"San Antonio."
"When does your plane leave?"
"NOW!"
"You had better hurry."
"You know what, you are probably right. I hadn't thought about it."
(2)
Finally made to it the gate just as they were closing the doors. Any longer and I would have pulled a Lloyd Christmas.
(1)
Found a seat on a row all to myself! Openned up my bag to grab my book and my .... DOH! .... my iPod was still in the car with Kyla! NNNNOOOOO!!!!!
Liftoff!
Needless to say the truck is in great shape. There is a small hole under the passenger door handle (see Exhibit B),
but the interior is cleaner than I left it. The thieves left a mix CD that was so scratched my CD player rejected it. There was also a Janis Joplin cassette tape in the tape deck. I was assured by the mechanic that there was nothing of his in the truck, which was odd when I found a receipt with some guy's name on it in the glove box. The receipt was from another shop in Dallas. The vehicle description matches my truck .... no way.... there is just no way .... this is too good .... did the guy that just stole my truck, leave his name on a receipt, in my truck!? Later in the drive, I was looking in my overhead cubby hole and found a pack of Big-Red bubble gum. The package has been openned and two sticks are missing. I don't like Big-Red, actually, I can't stand it. But I set aside my own personal preferences and I stole a stick of gum from the guy that stole my truck. The cinnamon flavor pales in comparison to the sweet taste of vengance! Apparently Big-Red has street credit!

M@

Writer's Block

2005-11-27T23:43:00.000-06:00

I would like to apologize for the lack of updating on the blog.
I miss it!
I had a bit of ... writer's block.
It takes a bit of time to type with a splint on a finger.
I decided to take some time off.
So, I thought during the lull that some inspirational and witty thoughts would develope.
Nope.
Nothing.
I went to go see the new Harry Potter - Goblet of Fire movie.
I enjoyed it! I am not a die-hard Harry Potter fan. I haven't even seen the third movie! (anyone have a dvd I can borrow!)
It is interesting to me, the initial resistance to the Potter fad. The use of wizardry and witchcraft in the series brought about a lot of concern. I can't say that I disagree. I was intitially skeptical.
However, after seeing several of the movies, and becomming slightly interested in the story, I have learned a few things about the series and the controversy that surrounds Harry Potter.
I can agree that promoting any kind of witchcraft and black-magic to a younger audience is dangerous. I have not found that to be the case with Harry Potter. There is a definate boundary between good and evil, right and wrong, hero and villian.
The story is set in a fantasy realm where magic (like the Force) surrounds, and affects everything.
The problem I have, is that many make a premature judgement. I am not one to look down on over-caution, but if one is going to make a decision, it is best to do one's homework.
For example, Potter uses magic, Batman uses fear and manipulation (not to mention cool cars and nifty gadgets!). If I were a parent, I would think the more dangerous - not to mention more realistic - threat to my child is the obvious theme of fear and using this to manipulate and overtake an enemy.
I own three of the Batman movies in my DVD collection. I am currently watching the Potter series. No, I don't believe myself to be a hypocrit, just simply doing my homework.

Michael Keaton was the best Bruce Wayne/Batman.

M@

What am I thankful for...

2005-11-15T17:32:00.000-06:00

We have had a great time in the youth group.
This past Sunday we studied "Gratitude and Grace". I am aware that each one of these could easily provide a month's worth of curriculum, but youth tend to get bored.
I asked several questions to the youth group:
"What is the coolest gift you ever received?"
"Have you ever realized how good something was once it was taken from you?"
"What are you grateful for?"
I mentioned how I was grateful for carpet upon my return from a mission trip to Honduras in the summer of 1998.
Now I am grateful for my ring finger on my right hand. No, I didn't lose it; I broke it.
This has been an interesting month.
A guy hit a line shot to the outfield, I was sure it would fall.
It kept screaming towards me in the air, I realized I had a shot to make a play and catch it. I reverted back to fundamentals using two hands to catch the ball. By the time I was in the path of the ball, I realized the ball wasn't spinning, giving it a knuckling effect. I made the catch but misjudged the ball, and the ball smashed into my throwing hand then into my glove.
So, I am thankful for my ring finger of my right hand. It has already taken my an hour to type this out, and my video game career is put on hold.

At least until Tuesday...
M@

Am I lazy or what?

2005-11-10T11:50:00.000-06:00

I love Wednesday nights.
There is a time in my life where I wouldn't have made such a comment.
Even when I was working for other churches, I would sometimes dread Wednesdays.
I haven't taught Wednesday night class in about 2 months. My philosphy of ministry has been to eventually work myself out of a job. I want to build a ministry that survives with or without me. I feel like we are doing that at Lake Cities.
The youth ministry has been blessed by classes led by the youth. We have studied the Gift of God (Zeke Morgan), Stress (Alex Wasner), How We Look to God (Abbie Waldron and Karin Wasner), The Cross (Zack Morgan); we have been blessed by a worship service from Chris Black and Laura Quile.
To see the heart that my kids have for Christ is so refreshing. If you feel like you have lost the face of Christ, I recommend that you sneak into a youth service - with permission - and listen to what is on the hearts of our youth. Watch them as they share what God has done in their life. See them relay their faith even as they struggle with speaking infront of their peers.
I don't like, however, that it is November and the high was 88!
I long for those cold and rainy days where I can dress in sweats and curl up at home with my wife and watch a movie, or Sporstcenter (when she falls asleep!).
I didn't like the weather until we were outside the church building, throwing the football around for an hour after class. A cold and rainy day would have prevented us from enjoying time outside, laughing when someone dropped a pass or putting ice down the back of someone's shirt. I was sad to see my kids leave.
I love Wednesdays.
I sat on the hill behind our basketball goal and watched our kids laughing, throwing ice cubes and footballs, chasing each other...
I just sat there, enjoying it.
All of it.
Am I lazy or what?
M@

I once was lost, but now I'm found!

2005-11-07T20:30:00.000-06:00

I received a call today.
They found my truck.
It has been a week almost to the hour that my truck was stolen. I had several people tell me that if we find it at all we will be fortunate. Luckily it is still in one piece, but I have to go and get it. The problem is, is that I might have to take a few days off of work to go and get it.
Where is it that it would take more than a day to go get it?
San Antonio.
My truck turned up in San Antonio.
Sounds like a country song huh? Stephen Bailey and I already have the rights for the idea and are in the developmental stages of the song. Look for the album to hit store shelves next fall.
Ironically, I have received the same reaction to finding it, that I did when it was stolen!
Comments like...
"You're kidding."
"Are you serious?"
I feel like I am as shocked it was recovered as I was when it was stolen! Maybe that has to do with the fact that Kevin Wasner sent me an email describing a television program sponsored by an insurance company featuring car thieves. In the program, these "professionals" stripped a car down in 8mins and 43secs. From off the lot, into every available part that could be sold or taken off of the vehicle.
Kyla and I had broken up with the truck. We had buried it. And now, it is like Tom Hanks returning from his island, dead but now alive. Yet we are reserved. This is the first time anyone has driven the truck outside of Kyla's family and mine, since it left the lot. We don't know where it has been, how it was driven what might be hidden inside.
What a great analogy for the concept of redemption!
There is a devo in here somewhere...

Oh, Dodge you left me alone.
Were on your way to San Anton'.
Now there's no gas left in your tank.
Whoever took you, I hope they don't stank.

If you bought this truck, and paid with cash.
I hope you didn't hide coke in my dash.
Arrests were made, you won't be missed.
If you sold my iPod, I'm gon' be ....uh..... mad.

M@

Trick, or Treat? Can I have a ride?

2005-10-31T22:34:00.000-06:00

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.

2005-10-25T23:00:00.000-05:00

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

2005-10-25T21:53:00.000-05:00

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!

2005-10-20T02:09:00.000-05:00

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)

2005-10-09T14:41:00.000-05:00

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...

I wish you were here

2005-09-28T11:39:00.000-05:00

"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...

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

2005-09-20T10:34:00.000-05:00

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!

2005-09-16T00:57:00.000-05:00

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

2005-09-13T02:17:00.000-05:00

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!"

2005-09-13T01:01:00.000-05:00

"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!"

2005-09-08T10:32:00.000-05:00

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?"

2005-09-03T00:55:00.000-05:00

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@

Bowling for Staff

2005-08-30T13:43:00.000-05:00

The Lake Cities Church of Christ had a staff meeting today...
I know what you ministers and elders out there are thinking...
... you poor soul.
Quite the opposite. Today, our meeting was held off of 114 and 121 near DFW Airport.
Main Event.
Yes, that's right, we went bowling.

In the short few months that I have been on staff as a youth minister, I have looked back to reference my academic learning from ACU and LCU. I always wonder about if this is how things are supposed to be, ya know all of the case studies we did. I know that I am still in a bit of the "honeymoon" phase of my ministry, but I would have thought by now, I would have had a battle with an elder, mediated with a parent, and already begun to dread our staff meetings. Instead, we had burgers and pizza, prayed for our food and for me to pick up my spare, right there at the bowling alley. We had a time of fellowship and hanging out as a staff away from the building. What a blessing this has become!! How great it is to build friendships with those whom you will be doing battle with! Here are some of the highlights from our time together:

Stephen Bailey (Associate Minister): 155 final score (Game 1)
Joel Quile (Senior Minister): 25.29 mph (current land-speed record)
Karen Black (Administrator): found a job for her son
Matt McBryde (Youth Minister): n/a
In Him,
M@

"Is that a fly on my nose? Is that a comet!?!"

2005-08-25T13:31:00.000-05:00

High Definition - the name of my addiction.

If you have not had the opportunity to watch a baseball or football game in HD signal, I highly recommend it! For the true sports fan, there is nothing like it! Finally I feel that the best seat I can have to a ball game, is at my house. Everytime I watch an event in HD, I am blown away by it. I find that sometimes, I will swap between ESPN and ESPNHD channels to compare the two. The clarity of HD brings another element altogether to watching sports, I can see the blades of grass, the spin on the baseball, we can tell if the receiver really got both feet in bounds or not. There is something about watching HD that makes it feel like you are there, makes it more real...
Maybe it is because now I can tell that the ESPN anchors on Sportscenter are wearing makeup. They look more human now, their tiny beads of sweat give them away. The clarity adds a view point that I have never seen before, and though I am watching only a ballgame, it is different this time. All because of my clarity.
I think that might be why I have found myself envying the life stories of believers that came from a troubled time to find God, and now are on fire for Him. I believe these people have been introduced to God in "high-definition." For too long, many of them were receiving a weak signal, and when they finally tuned in to God, that got Him in HD. I believe that is why I feel sorry for my kids. Not just my kids in the youth group, but to the kids that my wife, Kyla, and I have not had yet. Someday, Lord willing, I will sit around with my son and watch a Cowboy game in High-Def, but it will just be TV to my boy. Like I have with my faith, he will have grown up with HD. He will not know about the "dark ages", the time before HD, much like I do not know what my life is like without God. The game will look the same as all the others, the clarity the same; this is the way it has always been. He will not know the greatness of HD because he cannot compare it to the normal signal.
I pray that this does not fall on our kids. I pray that as parents, ministers, elders, siblings, friends, whatever; that we create a high-definition ministry for our youth. I want kids to see God in high-definition! I want kids to be awed and amazed everytime they see The Father, everytime they read the Bible or see a life changed by their actions to share their faith.
I am very grateful that my parents brought me up in the church. I do not want to discredit the faith of those that have always gone to church, vs those that have not. There is however, much to be learned from both ends of the spectrum.
In Him and in HD,
M@

"Something changed!"

2005-08-19T00:48:00.000-05:00

I missed the DFW metroplex.
I grew up in Allen, went to school at Abilene Christian, then Lubbock Christian, and returned to the metroplex.
I'm tired of the DFW metroplex.
Suddenly, I am not content with my great camera phone, I want one with PDA capability. The intriguing invitation to join a country club at the pastoral monthly rate is awfully appealing to me. It's not safe to drive a motorcycle here, so I will just get a convertible. Nose-bleed at Ranger's games were exciting for about an inning. Yet I had missed baseball, living in Abilene and Lubbock. I mean real baseball. The pros.
Now I am back and am not content with the Texas Rangers. Sure they are cruising downhill at speeds that Picabo Street would envy, but have I lost my passion for baseball?!?
No way. I have loved the sport too long to let it all go on a talented team suffering a lacking front office. So here I am again, looking for something better. The St. Louis Cardinals just happen to be my second-favorite team, and oddly-enough, they are in first place.
Steroids has done nothing to hurt how I feel about baseball. I hold true that steroids can't give anybody a swing as pretty as Griffey Jr.'s or a change-up like Santana. Talent will shine through, always.
Except here in Texas.
I am still looking for something better. I can guarantee you I would not be looking for PDAs, country clubs or convertibles in Lubbock, but this is DFW.
I wonder how I would look in "Cardinal Red"... (we'll find out Sept. 6!)
M@

Starting to feel my age...

2005-08-18T11:21:00.000-05:00

Well, I guess this is it. I am about to turn 25 and after I had to ice my shoulder after a church-league softball game, I realized something...
I am officially starting to feel my age.
I have decided that "feeling my age" is not about the creaks and aches of my knees or shoulder, but about the epiphany I received just the other day. I am not "cool". I mean some kids might think that I am cool on a level of tolerance and might even associate with me socially, but as far as evaluating my social relevance, I have officially fallen out of the picture. I am no longer in the starting lineup, nor am I even on the Major League roster. Socially, I have been cast down into the Minors. Some high power social manager somewhere wants to respect my time spent in the "Big Show" by not shunning me fully from the organization, but allowing me to chase a pipe-dream of someday making it back to the "Show"; making it back to the Majors.
I guess what is the most important thing about this whole revelation, is that I am not so concerned with getting back to the social pipeline, but my transition came SO FAST! I feel like Bret Boone crying over the podium after being cut from his team, not seeing it coming. I guess I have always felt that this day was coming, and I knew I couldn't pull off Hollister clothes and I sure as all-get-out don't own a pink polo-shirt.
Speaking of polo-shirts, the other day I had an internal debate about whether or not I should go play video games on my day off, or perhaps play golf. This conflict hit me like Taco Bell burrito... I can't believe I am considering this! When did I trade my Nike hightops for some FootJoy golf shoes?! How long have I been an adult?! BLLAAACCCCHHH!!!
Have I really come to that moment? Have I crossed the barrier and not even known it? I thought I would feel a lot like Chuck Yeager, the first man to break the sound barrier. When his Bell X-1 hit Mach 1, a loud resounding BOOM! blitzed through the plane that must have scared the cockpit out of him. He must have known he passed through. He knew before he looked at his in-flight instruments, he knew before he returned to base. "Oh, wow. I guess we did do it, huh. Imagine that, we broke the sound barrier up there." I don't see it. But then again, I am not the best at seeing these things...
M@