January 31st. Ozzie threw this down… Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. Personal holiness is an effect of redemption, not the cause of it. If we place our faith in human goodness we will go under when testing comes. Oswald Chambers, read more
For those of you who don’t know – CCM stands for Contemporary Christian Music. Which of course proves that we have not yet exhausted all oxymorons in the English language. While I question the need for yet another distinction between secular and sacred (a much longer blog), I do have some suggestions/requests/begs for the CCM read more
These are all strong unis. There really isn’t much of a difference between 2-8. Depending on diet and mood of ranker, they could all switch places. 5. Saints – I love this look. Gold and black. Saints do it best. Spanish cross on hip in gold, black pants for both home and away unis. Solid read more
Okay all you haters. Up to this point, I’ve tolerated your whining. But here is the deal – all of the remaining 12 teams got it going on. You’d be hard pressed to take any of them out and replace them with someone else. Enjoy The Great Looks Division. 9. Packers – The pants and read more
Okay here is the situation. You are in a restaurant and you notice 4 tables away someone who looks incredibly familiar. A couple of minutes later, you recognize the face from a blog that read religiously. To make a smaller world, smaller – the party you are with KNOWS that person. What do you do? read more
First of all – thanks for the nominations. It’s such an honor to be nominated. I’d like to thank the Academy and…oh, where was I? This was the best e-nomination: I would like to nominate Stu’s Rants for Best Blog – Youth Pastor, Best Blog – Humor, and Best Blog – Overall. He is funny, read more
We’ve moved into good uniform territory – barely. These uni’s are a lot like the Very Close Division. They are only a few details away from either rising or falling. Overall, these are the hardest uniforms to rank – the tweeners. 13. Texans – This is an awesome first franchise uni. Love the red look. read more
Quote found on Stumin Discussion Forum: I’m torn. For me, I don’t know if the lite stuff will bear fruit with me or others. And the heavy stuff gets weighty and hard to conjur up. I’m looking for a balance and tring to find the benefit and not the burden. Keep it honest. Here’s what read more
I realize that for many you – the dream ends today. The Cowboys are in the Bad Uni Conference. They should be and I have definitive reasons why. 1. Jerry Jones’ daughter designed their current uniforms. Need I say more? 2. Don’t go mixing blues on the same logo in different places on the uni. read more
Some of you already noticed a couple of comments on yesterday’s blog. Despite my incredible Greek, Hebrew, and Pig Latin skills, I am at a complete loss as to what these mean…please post with your translation. hello even if we do not know ourselves I would want however to speak with you about problems with read more
SWEET REDEMPTION!!! There is a Youth Pastor category!! I’ve got a chance to be nominated because most of us CAN’T READ!!!!! But would nomination compromise my journalistic integrity? (I don’t know if someone who ranks NFL Uniforms can legitimately ask that question.)
Okay – they are giving out Blog Awards for Evangelicals. More on how to make an angel even later, but for now I’m not really sure how to feel about it. When Worship.com came out with the worship awards – I had a definite opinion. “Great! Another event we have to watch Michael W. Smith read more
Met a guy yesterday who is in the middle of trying to figure out if God is calling him to the ministry. Lot’s of questions, right? Should he go to Seminary or not? Look for a church job or “secular” job? (I hate that term – secular.) He is a friendly, nice guy. I liked read more
These uni’s have glimpses of hope but are ultimately overwhelmed by elements of horrific taste. All are in dire need of an update, not necessarily major – but significant. An example is the Dolphins. They have the making of a top 10 uni but they go schizophrenic on their fans – that and they want read more
The only reason these teams aren’t in the bottom of the barrel division is because we didn’t have enough room on the paper. Major issues with these uniforms. It is no coincidence that these teams are either expansion teams or relocated teams. My theory is that relocated teams ought to have brand new logos and read more
For all of my readers out there – both of you – I now will give you the NFL Uniform Ranks. Because this is the boring week between the Conference Championships and the Super Bowl, we need something to keep us focused on the NFL. Before we break out the rankings, a couple of things read more
The Bottom of the Barrel Division. Every team in this division needs a drastic uniform change, immediately. They are all just horrible. 29. Lions – What’s up with the logo? Deadly mistake of face mask color. It should either be helmet color OR a primary color of team. Not a completely different color from the read more
Right now, God is revealing the identity of the church as a cherished bride – the cherished prize of God’s heart. Mike Bickle I don’t know if there are words available to communicate how much I disagree with this statement. How’s that for an opening line? The author is a pastor in Kansas City and read more
Article coming out of Rueters about “Wild at Heart” leading movement to shed “nice guy” Christian image. I don’t know what is more disappointing about the article – that it took them this long to find the story or if the reason it took this long is because most Christian men are still acting like read more
I have found how I am going to waste the rest of my life on the internet. It’s called the Society for Sports Uniform Research. Oh……my……gosh. Do you remember the World Football League in the mid-70s? I do – I lived in Birmingham and went to a couple of their games. All of their helmets read more
(Click above to waste hours ready ESPN’s coverage of playoffs.) Ahhh, conference championships! Have I told you how I feel about them? Below are my prognostications. Cool post for you fantasy football players here. I do think what we have in the Conference Championship games this year are the best defenses and quarterbacks in the read more
Weather is a huge factor which means running game. Atlanta – 3 backs (Duckett, Vick, Dunn) that can go yard on any given play…and at least one of them touches the ball every single offensive play. Defensive Coordinator Nightmare. Eagles played sloppy last week and was gifted the win by the Vikings. Westbrook is good, read more
Weather again huge factor. That puts both teams relying on their running game more than their passing games. Both teams have defenses that will knock your helmet off, slap your face, score on you, then talk about your momma. Quarterbacks: Brady is The Man. Big Ben – lots of mistakes last week. Capable of stepping read more
The entire discussion posts/forums are at the link above – get a cup of coffee, click the link and read away. There were 4 questions thrown out and after weeks of chatter – I guess I ought to answer them… 1. Is playing a game where you kill others a good witness?Questions like it – read more
This was the location of the “roundtable” discussion we had today. The group that showed up were all in various stages of planting a church. The Journey Church in St. Louis sponsored the gathering and they share office and worship space with Hanley Road Church. The building is beautiful – lot’s of character. I imagine read more
This is the interior of Hanley Road Church. What an incredible, intimate sanctuary. Notice the high arched ceiling and the incredible stained glass.
Lambert’s Cafe is the home of the throwed rolls. By far one of the most fun and interesting places I’ve ever eaten at. I had the fried pork chop, green beans, roll (thrown to me), black-eye peas, and sweet tea. Then I flogged myself for being such a glutton. This is the one in Sikeston, read more
My travelling buddy – Rowland Smith. He’s the worship pastor at our church. He’s playing on the children’s toys at Lamberts.
Comment on site…(Click above link to read original post.) I know I knew this once, (or at least had a conclusion that sufficed my small mind), but what is the balance between forgive and forget…Maybe the better question for me is…I can forgive an action, but how do you forgive a character flaw? How can read more
My good friend Jennie! She is a “former student” of mine. I hate that phrase but you know what I mean. We ate at Blueberry Hill and guess who was playing tonight? Chuck Berry. That’s right – that Chuck Berry and he looks great with his newly outfitted wheelchair. We ate, Rowland tried to get read more
Why? Plus, he doesn’t even look manly enough. They should’ve outfitted him with a whip or push button sayings like – “You brood of vipers, you whitewashed tombs!”
In University City, Missouri – outskirts of St. Louis. Follow the progression of pictures below. What a crazy ministry opportunity.
City Hall of University City. Scientology is to the left. Synagogue is directly across the street. I’m taking the picture from in front of the Church of Christ building.
And here is the Jewish Synagogue. The Church of Christ is to the right, City Hall is directly across the street.
This is the Church of Christ that is now offices for a magazine company. You can see the name of the church still stained on the top of the building.
On one street corner in U-City just on the outskirts of St. Louis there is a Church of Scientology, A Jewish synagogue, a former Church of Christ now used as a business office, City Hall, and a Methodist Church one block over. This is the Church of Scientology.
Rowland and I were driving around St. Louis and he says – “hey, we might want to look for a hotel tonight.” No prob. Call the wife, get her on hotwire.com and in 30 minutes we have a hotel with free high speed internet, two blocks away from where our meeting is tomorrow, 5 minutes read more
Seen on Stumin.net discussion forums… I’ve been noticing over the past few months that when I read my Bible in an attitude of trying to get somthing out of it; it doesn’t go very well. When I try to go into with the attitude of just wanting to spend time with God, and HIm wanting read more
I’m in a coffee shop writing and planning and watching/reading the Condoleeza Rice Hearings for her appointment of Secretary of State. I’m impressed with her. I think she might be the most intelligent person in the room right now. Exhibit A: EVERY Senator starts their questions and statements the same way. “Dr. Rice your personal read more
WARNING – Dont’ click here if you don’t want to know what happens with Mace Windu in Episode 3.
Well, he’s dead and it just doesn’t matter. Elvis’ song “One Night” is the UK’s 1000th number 1 hit.
We are tracking on the spiritual discipline of prayer this week. In Closet Time this morning I tripped over Matthew 6.14-15. GE’s paraphrase – The Father will forgive you just as you forgive others. Does this bother anybody else? Does this mean that when I don’t forgive, God doesn’t hear my prayers? Does he really read more
Some observations/hunches after a weekend of some incredible football games. 1. I hope Tony Dungy wins a Super Bowl soon. If there is a classier guy in football, I don’t know who it is. 2. The Patriots are going to get a chance to defend their title. Their defense – even with the injuries – read more
We are journeying through the spiritual disciplines, trying to figure out how Christ is formed in us. Tonight at 5.36, we looked at prayer. (MP3 file coming on Monday.) I put a 9 by 12 foot canvas in the middle of the room with a bunch of sharpies. We walked through the Lord’s Prayer highlighting read more
Ahhhh! I love NFL! It’s a spiritual thing. Okay, it isn’t but I still love it. Today’s games – Pitt @ the New York J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets. i love Herm Edwards. I love Curtis Martin. I like Chad Pennington. I can’t stand New York teams. I think Parcells ruined me forever on the Jets. read more
After dismantling the Broncs, I have to pick them. However, key matchup is Manning vs. Belichick. Variable weather. I think Colts are too hot.
I don’t like Moss or much about the Vikings. BUT the Eagles are NOT the same team with out Owens. I’ll be rooting for the Eagles, but I think the Vikings will win.
My good friend Justin is over here right now. We are about to protect the universe from the invasion of the Covenant. You can thank us later.
They’re sitting at number 2, with a tough Illinois team at 1. I think this year’s tournament is going to be the best one ever. Click on the link above to look at the top 10 teams. Is there really a significant drop off? I think the SEC will have a couple of more teams read more
If you are a Halo fan, you must click here to read. I am still laughing. If you are not a Halo fan, that means you are probably a girl/wife/widow of Halo. Send your significant other to read it! Back to The Halo Rants.
Do you blog? Do you post in the discussion forum? I want to challenge youth workers with this because I think it is a “force multiplier” when it comes to discipling students. Ever have a student in your group that doesn’t say two words all night long, hard to talk to, you struggle to even read more
Major League Baseball came out with their new drug testing standards today. What a joke. Is there a professional sport in a more precarious public relations position other than baseball? (Hockey? NHL has been on strike? You’re kidding, right?) Here are the changes – first offense – 10 games as opposes to treatment. One year read more
Cooper had his first experience with a bully. Went to the nurse, cried in front of his classmates, scraped up his knees and hands. Seems that Bully threw a ball and tripped Cooper up. Cooper’s friends tried to stick up for him I think but they mainly just got him to the nurse. Growing up read more
Okay – back to the blog! I am amped about tonight – 5.36…except it isn’t at 5.36 and it isn’t on Saturday Night. But it is still going to be awesome. And I am pumped about where we are going with 5.36 this semester. The biggest question we (coaches) have been hammered with over the read more
Today was the first day in a long time that I missed Kansas. I missed the cold mornings and frost on the trees. I miss Arizin’s Coffee Shop, Joyce was wonderful. I miss laying on the floor at the Goff’s in front of the fire. I miss our hardwood floors in our home. I miss read more
We’ve got a couple of bikes in the garage for Coop and Cammy. They have training wheels on them. The hill we live on – not real conducive for learning how to ride a bike. Unless you are training for the X-games. Or the luge. So, me being the terrible dad that I am, Cooper read more
Talked to a kid yesterday who got hurt in a game. I asked him how he was and his response was “I’m well enough to play Halo!” His mom was sitting in the seat next to him and he was/is in the middle of a week long grounding from Halo. I think if Cooper did read more
It’s easy to point out the problems and the pitfalls with Christians engaging their context/culture. It’s much harder to lifewalk with others through it. What are your ideas as to the solution? I would argue that to abstain from TV/X Box/Movies in and of itself is more dangerous to the soul as watching them.I wrote read more
Ashlee Simpson at halftime of the Orange Bowl – exhibit A in why my faith in the general public is improving. They BOOED HER OFF THE FIELD!! She was terrible. She can’t sing, she can’t dance, she can’t write, she can’t complete an intelligent sentence, and she can’t lip sync. Then her dad talks about read more
I’m just going to tell some of you now – this blog is probably going to torque someone and that isn’t my intention at all. I do however have some opinions and questions about people who use the rating system as THE litmus test of what makes a game acceptable and/or unacceptable. Exhibit A: The read more
I title it part one because I am figuring there is going to be a sequel. (And it won’t be as good as the original but it will be a cash cow…but I digress.) With all the healthy questions flying around – like should Christians play M rated video games – I figured it’s time read more
The Arkansas Pansies finished second place in TABC Fantasy Football League!! Do you know how friggin’ incredible this is! Started the season 0-4. Was 1-5 at the bottom of the league. Went into the last weekend of the season sitting at 4th place. I was one upset away from running away with the title. Ended read more
What a week…haven’t posted in a couple of days. A couple of major (probably mid-major) decisions for me this week. 1. 5.36. We are going to keep them on Saturday nights at 5.36, at least this semester. The worship service has been great overall. We’ve had a couple of hiccups and technical issues – but read more
Reality comes crashing in for me this week. The BREAK IS OVER!!! I talk ENCOUNTER Sunday night – which should be cool. Then I preach next week, 2 5.36′s the week after that. It’s starting back up. But that is okay. We will drive hard until end of April/May. God’s in the middle of doing read more
Minnesota 20Alabama 16 Gosh, freakin’ idiots. Also watched Napoleon Dynamite. You have to be in a mood to see it…I laughed pretty hard at some of it. If you take movies real seriously, avoid it. But I laughed pretty hard in it. My full review will come later…(Reviewing rule – should always try to see read more
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