Let me give you a few thoughts that have been passing through my head of late:

- I'm against "hate crime legislation," if someone commits a crime, it doesn't matter if it's against a man or woman, gay or straight, white or black, etc., justice needs to be done...

- I'm sick of the fact that everywhere I turn around I run into an article about the Dems complaining that the Reps aren't being fair to the poor, Sojourner even going so far to state that "Jesus wouldn't cut aid to poor." Of course, I'm not expert in this area, but for one Jesus wasn't a political figure (with due respect given to the stance taken by J.H. Yoder in "Politics of Jesus" when he argued that Jesus was a political figure in the sense that the established order had to get rid of them as he was a threat to them, what I mean is that he didn't go to Rome or even the Jewish authority and ask them to change the way they governed, he was more concerned with the governance of God in His Kingdom). And second, maybe Jesus wouldn't have cut aid to the poor, but I know what he would have done, he would have told you and me and everyone else to get off our butts and take some ownership in this problem. He would come into my house and say I probably had enough, that maybe I could do without some things. He would say the same to Bono and Jim Wallis, telling them to quit complaining about the government and get out and do some work.

- Another thing that really chapped me was an article I came across this morning about the trade of Carlos Delgado to the NY Mets. Supposedly, Delgado refuses to stand for the playing of "God Bless America," which I'm told is played occassionally at Met games (every 7th inning for the cross-town Yanks). What perturbs me is that whether his problem is that if his problem is with America (vs. God), he's got a lot of nerve. I hate it when people like him have no problem coming over to America and reaping the financial benefits of playing baseball (or whatever else their business is) but cut our country at every opportunity. You can always go back and play for $100 a month.

Well, just this morning I finished up the Sports Guy's "Now I Can Die in Peace." A great read, considering I had read all of the article before, the footnotes made the book, and reliving last year's Red Sox World Series run made it truly worthwhile. Let's just say that as I finished it this morning, it all of the sudden got a little dusty around me. Let me give a few of my favorite soundbites from the reading:

On the Derek Lowe face: "Remember when Troy Aikman would suffer a concussion, and TV cameras would catch him on the sidelines as the Dallas trainers would shove 10 pounds of smelling salts in front of his nose. And Aikman would continue to stare onto the field, undaunted, looking like he just saw Milton Berle naked? That was the Aikman face. Lowe's face freezed like Aikman did, only with considerably more anguish. Imagine someone take a dump and suddenly realizing that there's no toilet paper in the bathroom. Exactly...." (That's why I require a quarter roll minimum before sitting down to do business.)

After discussing the matchups of last season's ALCS vs. the Yanks and noting how announcers just refer to the body part when discussing an injury (Shilling went down with an ankle...): "Big break for the Sox with El Duque's tired arm, the exact same injury that sidelined me when I wsa 14 and we got HBO for the first time." (OUCH!)

I've made my Ben Affleck feelings known here before, but the Sports Guy tops me: "Another silver lining: This A-Rod fiasco made us realize that Ben Affleck needs to be stopped...Since when did Ben Affleck become The Voice of Red Sox Fans? Who nominated him? Would a true Sox fan ever propose to a chick with a big ass from the Bronx? In a million years?"

The following makes me wonder what planet Rueben Patterson is from:
In 2001, Patterson pleaded guilty in the state of Washington to an attempted rape charge for allegedly forcing his children's 24-year-old nanny to perform a sex act. Patterson had to register as a sex offender in Oregon and was suspended for the first five games of the following season by the NBA.

How is this guy allowed to continue?

Talk about the blogger doldrums! I can't believe its been almost two weeks. I've been busy with basketball and family stuff, nothing really to comment oneither. Oh well, in the meantime I've been on a hot streak for movie viewing. I mentioned a few weeks back "Crash" and I followed that up with "The Interpretor," another must-see in my mind. Then just this past week I've watched "Mystic River," an older flick I hadn't seen in a while and a movie I swore I'd never see, "Along Came Polly," but found it very funny and upped Jennifer Aniston to the near top of my "uberbabe list." Of course, in between there I saw one of the worse movies of all time, "The Terminal," I couldn't even finish it, it was so bad!

I heard today that China holds $711 billion US dollars, making them the second largest holder of our currency. Something inside of me tells me that's not a good thing.

This past weekend I was watching some NFL game, I can't remember which one, when all of the sudden they went down to the field and here was Tony Siragusa interviewing former President Jimmy Carter. Has there ever been an odder pair?

Finally, I have been in a major funk of late, spiritually, personally, professionally, etc. I feel the nudging of the Spirit that it may be time for changes in certain areas, but I don't want to jump to any conclusions. I think part of it is the wear and tear of the coaching season, all four months of it, six days a week, at least three hours per day. I'm just not into it emotionally, and it affects other areas of my life. I told Lisa, at least I couldn't be happier with her and the kids, that gives me an escape. I'm sure I'll get out of it, it just sucks being in it.

Don't police have anything better to do in CA? No one drives in these lanes anyway!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9923640/

I ran across the following quote in Thomas Kelly's book, it reminded me of two young people I know, quite an encouragement:

"George Fox as a youth was religious enough to meet all earthly standards and was even proposed as a student for the ministry. But the insatiable God-hunger in him drove him from such mediocrity into a passionate quest for the real whole-wheat Bread of Life. Sensible relatives told him to settle down and get married. Thinking him crazy, they took him to a doctor to have his blood let-the equivalent of being taken to a psychiatrist in these days, as are modern conscientious objectors to war in Belgium and France. Parents, if some of your children are seized with this imperative God-hunger, don't tell them to snap out of it and get a job, but carry them patiently in your love, or at least keep hands off and let the holy work of God proceed in their souls. Young people, you who have in you the stirrings of perfection, the sweet, sweet rapture of God Himself within you, be faithful to Him until the last lingering bit of self is surrendered and you are wholly God-possessed."

Two bits of info from the sports world:

TNT announced late last night that to build team unity and bridge the gap between the two men, Kevin Garnett invited teammate Wally Scerbiak to his private box at the US Open Tennis tournament this past summer. I don't know what's funnier, picturing Garnett at a tennis tournament or Scerbiak in the box with Garnett's posse. Remember, Garnett is the guy who bought a Hummer for each member of his posse after signing his big contract years ago. When they go out, they all drive separately, each their own Hummer.

Second, word is Tom Brady will appear on 60 Minutes tomorrow night and explain that all the fame, money, and three Super Bowl rings have not brought him the peace one would think. He says:

“Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there is something greater out there for me?” he asks Kroft. “A lot of people would say, ‘This is what it is. I reached my goal, my dream …’ Me, I think, 'God, it’s got to be more than this.' I mean, this isn’t … what it’s all cracked up to be."

Tom is finding out what we all find out, that we are created for relationship with God and nothing that the world gives us can replace that fellowship with Him. I'm just glad Tom is so honest and I feel he is on the right path in his life.

The following quote appeared in Thomas Kelly's "A Testament of Devotion," I ran across it last night:

Within the wider Fellowship emerges the special circle of a few on whom, for each of us, a particular emphasis of nearness has fallen... From each individual the bonds of special fellowship radiate near and far. The total effect, in a living Church, would be a significant intersection of these bonds to form a supporting, carrying network of a love for the whole of mankind.

What I get out of this is a further explanation of how the local church body needs to work. Through the gathering in the Spirit, relationships are formed, whether we call them small groups, cell groups, or just plain friendships, they are there. The key, as I hear from Kelly, is to take these groups (for lack of a better term) and integrate them throughout the fellowship. Not in any organized, programmatic way, but just seeking to build them up in community. For instance, what we are seeking to begin at our church is to just ask people to share their gifts. If people like to sing unto the Lord, and there is a group of people who like to play and lead this type of music, contact them, get together, and make it happen. Maybe there is a group of people feeding the hungry, and another group has a heart for that, get together and make it happen. For me, I lead the groups to Kenya, so anyone who wants to go will see me and we'll do it. There is one man who runs an organic farm, and others who like organic food, let's get them together. It's been called a Christian Co-op, where people share their gifts with the body. I think it'll take some time to get going, but I like the vision of it. This is what I see of what Kelly writes in his last sentence, "The total effect...would be a significant intersection of these bonds to form a supporting, carrying network of a love for all mankind."