Buffalo Cheese

Every once in a while I learn something new at work. This week, we had a couple of constituents come to Lansing to explain a project they are working on in our district and to see if the state could provide any incentives. The project is to bring water buffalo to Newaygo County and process the milk from the buffalo into high quality cheeses. Supposedly there is a growing market for this type of product. I had no idea. In fact, I didn't even know you could milk a buffalo until they told me. They tell me this is very common in parts of Europe and Italians don't consider mozzarella cheese real unless it is made from Buffalo milk. I imagine somewhere in Italy some youngster is shocked to learn that milk can also come from cows. How funny, that we only know what we are familiar with.

Buying Votes

I was recently watching Fox News and they were running a story about a ballot proposal in Arizona that would create a voter lottery. The plan would be to enter each person that votes into a drawing to win $1 million from their state lottery. The story claimed that most people interviewed supported the proposal. Of course they do, but I wonder if it will actually pass and if it does pass, what that means for the rest of the country.

While it is a creative idea to get more people to vote and participate in Democracy, I am not sure this is the right approach. I would like more people to vote and am usually shocked and saddened when I speak with friends who are not voters. The problem is that by turning voting into a lottery you could end up getting a lot of uninformed voters to participate which would sway the results away from voters who actually are informed.

There was a recent survey taken that found out more Americans could name the characters from the Simpsons then could list the rights protected under the first amendment. Are these the people we want picking our President? Do we really want to encourage and reward ignorant voters by giving them a chance to win a million dollars? Shouldn't participating in democracy and choosing your own leaders be reward enough? Many people around the world live under the rule of crooks and despots. My guess is they would love to vote for their leaders and they wouldn't need money as an incentive. Just look at the Iraqi voters who risk their lives just to go the polls and vote.

If this proposal does pass, I fear that other states will soon feel the pressure to offer their own incentives and gimmicks to lure voters to the polls. I hope the people from Arizona choose to maintain the integrity of the current system. Turning the election into a get rich quick scheme only serves to cheapen the process.

No More Fast Food

Is it just me or does it feel like time is flying by this year? As I look at the calendar I can hardly believe it's already March and the start of Lent. The past few years I have given up or tried giving up certain things for lent that held a power over me. Last year it was TV and while it was difficult, I appreciated the break and began to use my time more wisely. This year I have decided that I am giving up fast food. I tried this a couple years ago and only lasted a couple weeks but I am feeling up to the task this time.

Giving up fast food should help me in two ways. First of all it should help me lose a little weight. I noticed a few weeks ago that I had put on quite a few pounds and I hope that by cutting down on my late night taco bell runs, I can get into a little bit better shape. Secondly, I am hoping to save some money. I tried keeping track of all the money I spent on food and it was discouraging. So if I can eat at home more often I should see a little extra money in my pocket.

I look forward to the next couple months as I prepare for Easter. When I look back at what God has done for me, giving up fast food is hardly difficult in comparison.

Booker T Washington Quotes

The following are some great quotes from Booker T. Washington

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome."

"Associate yourself with people of good quality, for it is better to be alone than in bad company."

"Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him."

"I let no man drag me down so low as to make me hate him."

"Character, not circumstances, makes the man."

"One man cannot hold another man down in the ditch without remaining down in the ditch with him."

"There are two ways of exerting one's strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up."

"Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work."

"No man, who continues to add something to the material, intellectual and moral well-being of the place in which he lives, is left long without proper reward."

"The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts."

"If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else."

"There is another class of coloured people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs -- partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do do not want to lose their jobs."

"No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem. "

"No greater injury can be done to any youth than to let him feel that because he belongs to this or that race he will be advanced in life regardless of his own merits or efforts."

"Character is Power"

Footnote: These quotes were taking from the following websites: wikipedia.org and about.com

Black History Month

In lieu of Black History month I decided to do some reading on famous black Americans. There are many such leaders to choose from and though I was already familiar with their names I didn't really know a lot of specifics. During my reading I came to really appreciate Booker T Washington.

For those that are unfamiliar with him, he was born the son of a black slave but his father was white. He never knew his father and after the civil war he began studying at a school for teachers. While at that school he made an impression on Samuel Armstrong who was the school's administrator. So lasting an impression that when a group of investors decided to start a school for all blacks in the south, Armstrong recommended Washington to be in charge. The Tuskegee Institute was a big success and helped equip blacks with practical skill sets and prepared them to enter the workforce.

Because of this success, Washington became a leading educator and spokesperson in the black community. He also became a beloved figure among politicians and earned multiple trips to the whitehouse. But this success also earned him criticism among many leaders in the black community who saw Washington as a sell out to the white man. You see instead of sparking political change like they wanted, Washington wanted to create an independent working class of black people. He thought if they could work and support themselves, they wouldn't need the government to support them.

What I find so fascinating is how applicable his life and his worldview are today. One of the reasons he was able to succeed in life was because an older man believed in him and gave him an opportunity to make his life better. With the growing number of black children being born into homes without a father, today's black youth are dying for such men to invest their lives. This illustration also shows me that even though Samuel Armstrong is footnote in the history books, he still made a significant difference. Sometimes it is not what we do with our own lives but what we do to help others that makes the most lasting impressions.

The other major thing I learned was that the criticisms of Washington go to the heart of the current political debate today. Should blacks put their efforts into gaining power in government or should they focus on improving the black economy? Now I realize that many people will say we need to do both, but one of these visions will certainly take precedent. Sadly, today's black leadership still prefers government as the solution to their problems. And worse, they still prefer attacking any black leader that doesn't espouse the party line. Clarence Thomas and other conservative black leaders face the same kind of derision that Washington faced.

One final thing that intrigues me is that Washington did not teach the classical liberal arts to his students but instead focused on trade skills. He took some criticism for this as well from his fellow black leaders. In Michigan, we are currently debating what skills should be needed to graduate high school and there is a growing divide between college prep courses and career and technical courses. Maybe Washington's success will shed some light on this debate so we can determine what's best to prepare all kids for their careers.

I am glad that we have February set aside to study black history. There is a lot to learn and apply to our current day. I have certainly gained a lot of respect for and knowledge from Booker T. Washington.

Proud to be American?

The Olympics have been a complete bust for America this year. I really don't care that we haven't won the most medals but what I do care about is how selfish and annoying our top athletes have been. Has there ever been a worse winner than that Shani Davis? Doesn't he realize that he could have been a marketing star for being the first black athlete to win a gold medal in the winter olympics? Instead he is a jerk in the interview after he wins the gold and before that he held out of the team competition which potentially cost the US a medal. Thankfully, because nobody cares about speedskating we can all forget about him at least until NBC reminds us of him again four years from now.

Then there is Lyndsey Jacobellis who was going to win the gold in snowboarding but decided to show off and ended up falling and only taking the silver. That event signifies the mentality of today's athlete perfectly. All flash and no substance. The worst part of her stupid stunt was that I was starting to enjoy the snowboard racing but she ruined it.

There is also Bode Miller who I thought was a good skier but apparently he sucks because he hasn't won a thing this year. I guess he should try skiing sober in the next olympics. Before the games started I had hoped to cheer against him everytime he raced but he lost so often that I stopped caring.

Finally, there is Mike Modano from that successful 1-4-1 hockey team. First he complained that he had to book his own flights and hotel rooms. Yeah, I can see how difficult that could be and how that might impact your performance. Then he calls out his coach for calling a timeout in the final game and says that he thought the team played pretty well. Apparently, they didn't play not well enough to win and this with a roster of professional NHL players. No wonder nobody watches the NHL. Then to top it all off he decides to skip the final team meeting and fly home. Good riddance.

Whatever happened to American heroes in the olympics? If this crop of losers is the best we have to offer, I am not proud to be American.

Is Bush Stupid?

Let me preface by saying that I really like President Bush. I voted for him twice and respect him for being a man of principle even when a majority of people disagree with him. Unfortunately, this one of the times which I agree with the majority who have concerns over the recent transaction to turn operation of several of our ports over to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Last week, under a secret agreement with the administration, the company called Dubai Ports World purchased the rights to operate the ports in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia for $6.8 billion. Previously, the ports were run by the London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. which is a publicly traded company. Dubai Ports is solely controlled by the UAE government. Thus, this transaction essentially turns over control of our major ports along the east coast to an Arab country.

The Department of Homeland Security has made repeated statements in the past on the need to improve security among our ports. So why are we simply handing the keys to one our most vulnerable access points to a potential enemy? There are stories coming out daily regarding the UAE's ties to terrorism including Osama Bin Laden. Now I have no idea how serious these accusations are but it doesn't take much of a leap to assume that they could be true. Arab countries have a long history of at least giving aid and comfort to terrorist regimes if not outright supporting them.

When Congress found out about this deal, many politicians from both sides of the aisle became alarmed. But what was Bush's response? Instead of determining that he made a mistake and backing away from the agreement, he has dug in and decided to hold his ground. He has even gone on the attack against those who oppose the deal as being anti-Arab. Well yes Mr. President I am anti-Arab in the sense that I don't trust Arab countries with our national security and I have a difficult time understanding why you would trust them. What has the UAE done in the past to earn our trust?

And while this is a policy error, it is an even larger public relations and political debacle. Bush's one strong point is protecting our homeland from terrorism. People might not like him personally or agree with his domestic agenda but they do trust him when it comes to the war on terror. Now all of the sudden that trust has been shattered by a deal that doesn't appear to benefit anyone other the UAE. Bush gets nothing out of this deal accept ceding the high ground on security issues to people like Hilary Clinton. This is exactly the opportunity she needed to flank Bush from the right and finally make herself look like a moderate.

I hope that Bush's ego or at least his advisors finally come to their senses and see this as the losing proposition that it truly is. It took several weeks for him to abandon Harriet Miers but eventually he saw the writing on the wall and we ended up with a very good judge in Alito. Maybe he can salvage this situation as well but by the looks of it, Bush is looking to fight a battle he cannot and should not win.

The book on dating

I have often thought of publishing a book on dating. Using examples from my own dating experiences it would be a mix of genres including biography, comedy, philosophy and horror. But before I start writing,I need a title. The following is a list of potential titles for my book.

1. And you thought your lovelife was bad?

2. All theory, no practice

3. The good, the bad and the ugly

4. A series of unfortunate events

5. I love you Jeff, But..........

6. I'm just not that into you

7. Cobb's Law. How everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.

8. Dating debacles, disasters and other boondoggles.

9. I'm not gay; I am just bad with women

10. What was I thinking?

11. Dating kissed me goodbye

12. Much ado about nothing

13. Celibacy; the gift that keeps on giving and giving and giving

14. You've got no mail

15. So why aren't you married yet? And other annoying comments made by married people

The Olympics

With apologies to my friend Todd who participated in the Olympics, I have come to the conclusion that I don't enjoy watching the games anymore. Some people are already buzzing about how cool it will be to wacth the winter games this year but I just don't get it. It seems to me that if you enjoy professional or major college sports that the olympics pale in comparison.

First of all I hate the TV coverage of the games. It's ludicrous that into today's 24 year global market that they show the games edited and tape delayed. Nothing ruins a sporting event more than chopping it up over several nights or showing it hours after most people have read about the winner on the Internet. I also detest the awful human interest stories. I really don't care if a the swedish skier grew up in poverty and had to ski up hill both ways to school. So what? Save the lame stories for the lifetime network.

The second problem with the olympics is that they are only every four years and feature sports that are not exactly mainstream. How many other times during the year do we watch skiing or curling. Even there marque sport of Ice Hockey is only the 4th or 5th most popular sport in America. It is hard to become passionate followers of these sports because we only see them every fours years or so. I couldn't tell you a single person on the bobsled team or a single speed skater. Why then should I turn on my TV and root for them? What made the Steelers victory so special last week were the previous 30 years of following that team. I have been through the ups and downs and identify with them. I cannot say the same thing about the olympics.

Finally, since the end of the cold war there is no enemy to cheer against. Beating China doesn't necessarily inspire the same hostility as beating the Russians once did. In fact, this year the only person I am rooting against is Bode Miller because he is such a pompass donkey. It's just not quite the same as when I was growing up. I remember beating the russians in hockey in 1980. Those were good times, but until Al Queda suits up a team we will not have an enemy worth rooting against.

Why the left pisses me off

The other day President Bush attended the funeral of Correta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King. During the funeral instead of honoring her, the Bush haters could not resist the opportunity to take cheap political shots at Bush on such topics as wiretapping, weapons of mass destruction and hurricane Katrina. It's amazing how strong their hatred is that they choose to make such untimely and inappropriate remarks. Why can't they simply praise a woman for her work in civil rights without making a political statement. Funerals are not the time or the place for such extreme partisan rhetoric. And if they wanted to talk about civil rights why not mention that Bush has appointed more blacks to high level roles in his administration than any previous president including Clinton and Carter.

But since they brought these issues up, I feel compelled to respond to their attacks. First of all, they try to make the moral comparison between Kennedy spying on Martin Luther King and Bush listening in on terrorist conversations. These are two distinct incidents with one being indefensible and the other completely defensible. The democrats spied on King and his wife because they feared his power in domestic politics and wanted to gather information to discredit him. That is not something the federal government should be doing and they deserve to be shamed for that black mark in our history. But that was not done by the Bush administration but by the Kennedys. Where is the hatred for Kennedy?

Bush on the other hand has authorized listening to phone conservations between Americans and known terrorists groups. According to the left you would think that he is authorizing listening to yours and mine conversations but that is not the case unless you are talking to terrorists. I know I am not and have nothing to hide so why the fuss? What's really happening here is that when we capture terrorists we often find cell phones and phone numbers. The CIA wiretaps these numbers to track and spy on terrorists but they have to do it quickly before of news leaks on CNN about the capture. At that point, the enemy will dump their cell phones and the information becomes useless. Sometimes, this can happen in the span of a couple hours and that is why the Bush administration does not want to wait and get court ordered approval.

What confounds me is why so many people are so upset by this practice. Our government has a duty to protect us from foreign enemies and that is precisely what they are doing. Shouldn't the democrats reserve their moral outrage for things that are truly frightening like say Iran getting nuclear weapons or Muslims rioting in the streets over cartoons. Now those are things Americans should be passionately opposing. But instead all left seems to care about is hating George Bush.

The second issue brought up at the funeral was the lack of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. This issue is about to take a turn in the President's direction. I have been a firm believer that these weapons did exist in Iraq before the war and I am amazed that we have not yet found them. I realize that only Bush and I share this same conviction but I just heard on the radio that tapes of Saddam Hussein speaking about his weapons are about to be released to the public. Apparently these tapes were discovered in one of Hussein's palaces but they were not listened to originally. On the tapes, he supposedly discusses his weapons of mass destruction program and how to hide them from inspectors. Currently, the tapes are being reviewed by the Congressional intelligence committee. Then on February 17 they are going to be released to the public at an intelligence summit in Washington DC to be verified by third parties for their authenticity.

While these tapes don't necessarily tell us where the weapons are currently, they certainly lend merit to the idea that they existed at one time. What will be interesting is whether this information will make its way to the mainstream media or whether they will bury it because it doesn't fit their agenda of Bush Lied-People Died. When the news of these tapes do break, remember you read about it here first.

Finally, one short comment on Katrina. The democrats want to make a racial issue out of this which I find morally repugnant. Not only do I detest using other people's suffering to score political points, but they are just plain wrong on the facts. Now I can't speak to New Orleans but I can speak to my own experience in Mississippi. And from what I saw the Hurricane attacked all races of people indiscriminately. Katrina didn't care if her victims were white or black and neither did the response and rescue teams. I noticed in the area where I volunteered that a majority of the victims were white. I am sure in other areas that were hit by the storm that a majority of people were black. So what? They were all victims of the same storm. I wish the politicians would move on from arguing over whose fault the storm was and what color the vitcims were and start working on rebuilding the neighborhoods that were affected.

Love Monkey

I have discovered my new favorite TV show. It's called Love Monkey and stars Tom Cavanaugh who used to star as Ed. I watched it last night and what I like about it is how they make the single life look so appealing. Most of the main characters are hip, single and in their 30's living in NY. They all have cool professional jobs. Despite their careers the four main guys in the show still find time to hang out and play basketball. How cool is that? That is the life I like to portray as a young hip single person myself.

The main character is interesteing because although he is successful and confident he still seems like one of the guys. He has a relationship with two women on the show and both are captivating. One woman he works with and is attracted to but he is still awkward around her. Who can't relate to that? The other is his gal pal who is dating some other guy. I find myself relating to that situation more and more.

Overall it's a good show with good music and a compelling vision of what it should be like as a single person.

The persecuted church

Sunday morning my pastor preached from the book of 1 Peter. It was a good sermon about having hope and peace during times of persecution. The Christians of that day were being persecuted by the Roman empire and many lost their lives. This got me to thinking whether or not we face persecution in America. I know many people today who do think Christians in America today face persecution but frankly I just don't see it that way.

Most of what drives the debate on this issue is the political and cultural war that is being waged against Christianity. I agree that the secular left is trying to purge anything Christian from the public culture. I know lots of Christians who get so upset about these cultural issues but don't have the same zeal for Christ in their personal lives. They would rather complain about the lack of prayers in the public schools than pray every morning themselves. And while cultural and political issues are important I don't know if they are tantamount to persecution. These trials certainly don't rise to the level that our fellow Christians experienced throughout history or in even in other parts of the world today. I recently read an article that more Christians were martyred for their faith last century than in all the other centuries combined. That's a pretty staggering statistic but almost all of the killings were in foreign countries. In fact, I cannot think of one documented incident in which a person in America has either been killed, beaten or threatened because of their faith in Jesus.

What we consider persecution( no school prayer, banning the display of the 10 commandments, calling Christmas vacation Holiday vacation instead) doesn't really seem to measure what is happening in other parts of the world. Comparatively, we have it pretty easy here and I wonder what impact the lack of persecution has had on the American church.

There is an historical argument that supposes persecution is good for the Christian faith because it weeds out those who are not sincere and because it shows just how committed true Christians are to the cause of Christ. Tertullian, an early church father once said the blood of martyrs is the seed of the church. Historically, when the church has been persecuted, they have seen it's numbers and it's spiritual fervor increase. Conversely when the church was in power and not being persecuted, the church has experienced corruption and complacency.

What's interesting is that while the church's influence in the west is fading, the church appears to be flourishing across the globe especially in Asia, Africa and south America. Whether this growth is tied to persecution or not I don't know but I do think there is some merit to that theory. On the flip side could the reason the church is struggling in America be because we have become too lukewarm and comfortable? Has the church become so inoffensive that we don't merit a passionate attack from our critics? Maybe if we are not facing trials we are not living out our faith as strongly as we should? Can the church truly live at peace with those who do not share our beliefs?

For the record I am not advocating seeking out persecution or martyrdom. But I do wonder if the church wouldn't be stronger in the face of more adversity. I welcome feedback on this important issue.

Where were Bradshaw and Montana?

Before last night's game they introduced the previous superbowl MVP's. It was a cool ceremony especially when Franco Harris whipped out his terrible towel and waived it for the crowd. But two MVP's were markedly absent. The first was Terry Bradshaw. I know that he has had a rift with the Steelers in the past but he still should have been there. He stated he wanted to spend the game with his family. If that's true I guess I can respect that but I bet if Fox was showing was the game he would have been there. However, worse than Bradshaw's excuse is Montana deciding to skip the event because the NFL wouldn't pay him $100,000 appearance fee. What a jerk. The NFL enabled him to earn millions of dollars and he can't give one evening back to the game. How selfish can one person be? No wonder I always rooted against the 49ers back then.

One last note on someone else who missed the game last night. Seattle's coach Mike Holmgren's wife and daughter were in Africa on some type of relief mission. Despite not checking the calendar ahead of time to prevent the scheduling conflict, they had a real reason to miss the superbowl.

Oh what a night

Wow. So this is what it feels like to win the big one. After two decades of waiting it is sweet to enjoy the Steelers victory. It is also cool to send the Bus out on a high note. He is a class act and we are going to miss him next year.

As for the game itself, it basically came down to who made the big plays and the Steelers were able to capitalize when they had to. I have already heard from one Seahawk fan that they got robbed by the refs but the refs didn't miss two field goals, throw an interception in the red zone, mismanage the clock at the end of both halfs, give up a 75 yard TD, and didn't give up a third and 28 to set up the first TD. Yes the pass interferrence in the end zone was a bad call but that isn't what won or lost the game. And while Ben played his worst game in months he did make some big plays with his legs and showed pocket presence. Despite the bad numbers he still became the youngest QB to win the superbowl and that's pretty impressive. Oh and how good is Hines Ward? To think he held out in training camp but all's well that ends well.

The only bad part about tonight is that the season is over. There is no more football until August and that seems like a long time away. The memories of tonights championship will have to endure until next fall.

Oh for all you people who watched the game for the commercials here is a link to watch them again. Personally, I thought the secret fridge was the best one.
http://sports.aol.com/nfl/superbowlads

Nervous Energy

Two and a half hours til kick off and I am stir crazy. I even finished cleaning my bathroom hoping that would kill some of the down time because I don't know what else to do with myself. I have been watching NFL films of the previous Superbowls with the Steelers. I still remember Superbowl 13 and 14 but the memories are pretty vague as I was only 6 but I remember I couldn't fall asleep after the game when they beat the Rams. My Mom let me stay up until the 11 news to see the highlights. (This was pre ESPN) What's funny is that my Mom is not a big sports fan mostly in retaliation to my stepdad's obsession with the subject. But she is a Pittsburgh girl and those roots run deep and she's been rooting for the Steelers this year. Tonight I am going to their house to watch the game with the rest of my family and small group of friends. I hope I can relax and enjoy both the game and the company but most likely I will be a nervous wreck pacing, yelling, sighing and tossing my terrible towel at the TV. And that will be before the game even starts. Okay, I gotta go. I don't want to miss the snacks before the game. My final prediction is Steelers 38 Seahawks 24.

First Friday

Today I went to my first mass in a long time. My buddy Tom from work invited me and I decided it might be fun. I have been learning a lot about catholicism and wanted to experience a service firsthand. It was a little intimidating not knowing all the prayers and songs by memory but I still enjoyed it. It's a lot of rituals and tradition but those things are good if those practicing understand the meaning behind the practices.

Today they celebrated St. Blaise who was a bishop around 300 AD. He was healer of animals and healed a child. He later died a martyr. It was also first friday which is a tradition in the catholic church of taking mass the first friday of every month in remembrence of Christ's death on Good Friday. This is not a tradition we have in the protestant church but I think it's good to remember what Christ did for us once a month. I also like the idea of having mass at noon so you can go on your lunch break.

One thing I like most about being protestant, is the freedom to experience other styles of worship. God is so much larger than any particular brand or denomination of Christianity and each one plays a role in presenting the true picture of his fullness. Who knows, maybe I will go to mass on First Friday from now on.

Still in shock

It's hard to believe that the Steelers have actually made it to the Superbowl. I imagine it will all sink in over the next two weeks of pregame hyperbole. The last time they were in the Superbowl I was still in college and the last time they won the superbowl ESPN wasn't even on the air . What makes this appearance so sweet is the tough journey they took to get here. They had to beat the top 3 seeds on the road and are only the second team in history to do so. The aggregate record of their opponents is also the strongest of any previous superbowl team.

One thing that I have found fascinating is all the phone calls I've received congratulation me on the Steelers. I love that fans are so interconnected with their teams that we get congratulated simply for watching and rooting for our team. I think my friends are excited for me because they understand the difficulty of sticking with a team through the down times and they want to help me celebrate the good times. And for Steelers fans there have seen a lot of recent disappointments but that only makes this year a little sweeter.

Now to the game itself. There were two key plays to the game. The first was Champ Bailey's missed interception in the quarter. When Ben threw the pass I thought for sure it was intercepted and would be TD for Denver. Thankfully Bailey over pursued the play and we got the first down and were able to get an early lead. The second big play was the interception by Jake Plummer. I have no idea what he was thinking but to give us the ball back with under two minutes was a gift. After we scored to go up 24-3 the game was over.

I have no feel for the Superbowl yet. The Steelers are the favorite but I think that has to do more with the number of fans they have than anything else. When was the last time the #1 seed for a conference was the underdog against the #6 from the other conference. My guess is that every person who roots for the Steelers is laying 50 bucks on them and that is driving the line out of whack. I am going to wait until next week to make my prediction. This week I am going to spend my energy looking for tickets to the game.

One last thing on Pittsburgh sports. Mario Lemieux retired again today and I am sad to see him go but it is definitely time. He was one of the best to ever play the game but he should have never come out of retirement. The only reason he did so was because he was owner and he needed to generate ticket sales. My favorite memories will still be from the 91 stanley cup run. In his prime he was the best goal scorer I've ever seen. Hopefully, Crosby will reach half of Mario's achievements. Good Bye Mario and thank you for saving hockey in Pittsburgh.

The Pleasure Principle

My book club recently completed reading a book by CS Lewis called the Weight of Glory. It is a collection of lectures he gave during World War II and I found the book to be very compelling.

There was one sermon in particular that renewed my way of thinking in respect to my relationship with God. The book lays out the case that man was created to experience and seek pleasure. Pleasure is a good thing that should be embraced, but unfortunately the world and our sinful nature have co-opted this desire and made pleasure seeking a guilty word. Today we seek pleasure from money, sex, power, fame but none of these pursuits give us any lasting relief in our journey toward pleasure. They only bring guilt and disillusion. But the very fact that we strive for something called pleasure gives credence to the fact that it must exist. And if we are created to pursue this desire, there must be a true pleasure that fulfills this desire. One that does not flee in the night as our earthly pleasures do.

So what is it that gives us this pleasure? Lewis argues that we can only attain this pleasure by pleasing God. What could me more enjoyable than experiencing the praise and affirmation from the one who created us, knowing that the God of universe is happy and satisfied with us. In earthly terms I correlate this to being praised by our boss or family or a close friend. It feels good to know that they appreciate us and we feel wanted. But how much better to be wanted and appreciated by God himself?

John Kennedy famously said "Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can for your country". In the same vein, as pleasure seekers we should not be asking what God can do for us but what we can do for God. This thinking is a direct contrast to our culture's current relationship with God. It's all about self, and what we can get out of God. We want him to heal us or a family member, to provide for us financially or emotionally, or maybe even we just want a get out of hell free card from him. God can and does provide all these things but even if he chose to bless us with these requests we would still miss out the truest blessing of all; the pleasure of serving him.

There is an older movie called Chariots of Fire. It's one of my favorites and it is about a Christian man who is seeking to be in the Olympics. In one moving scene, his sister questions his motives and encourages him to give up running and go back to China as a missionary. He responds by agreeing that that going to China is a noble endeavor but when we he runs he feels God's pleasure and he therefore cannot give it up. As the movie unfolds we become aware that God indeed wanted him to be in the Olympics and uses him as a great testimony for Himself.

When we are serving God, we know so because we feel his pleasure. Conversely, if we do not feel his pleasure, we should question whether or not we are truly living lives pleasing to God or are we seeking our own pleasure in the habits and passions that give only temporal satisfaction. It is a daily choice to please God. It is a task that we cannot accomplish in our own power. But if we understand pleasure in this context, we will begin to seek and experience the one and only lasting pleasure that really satisfies our soul.

Osama

Osama Bin Laden recently released a new video tape that attempts to offer a truce but also contains threats of future attack on US soil. What struck me when I read the transcript of his tape was how close his arguments and phrasing against the war and President Bush mirrored what the Democrats say about the war and President Bush. If one didn't know any better you would think they were operating from the same talking points. It was the same old, same old about how the US was losing the war, we are only there for oil, we are torturing innocent people, blah, blah, blah.

Now before all my democrat friends complain, I am not saying that democrats support Bin Laden. I am saying that he is using the Democrats and their arguments against the war for his own purposes. All I know is that if I suddenly realized that my comments were being used by our country's biggest enemy, I would certainly take pause to rethink my comments and reexamine my worldview.

Another thing I found strange was that he was asking for a truce. Does he not truly believe all his blustering about how they are winning the war? The winners never ask for a truce, only the losers. My friend CJ made an insightful comment on this same subject the other day about reaching a compromise with our enemies. He stated that because Islam has no concept of forgiveness but instead is driven by revenge, how can they in good faith meet us in the middle. They can't and any attempt by us to do so is ignorant of their religion and their purposes. In the end there will only be one winner and one loser in this long war against radical Islam. Either they are going to conquer our culture or the west will conquer theirs. There is no "win win" option because our sides our simply incompatible. In this context, it makes it all the more strange to see that Osama is asking for a "truce".

Denver here we come

What a great game yesterday. I was an emotional roller coaster. Giddy one moment and nauseous the next. It kind of reminded me of the jets game last year except we actually deserved to win this one.

I went into the game without much optimism. I thought we had to play things close to the vest and then try to make a play to win the game late. Good thing I am not the coach because they did the exact opposite. Pass early and run late. And it worked almost to perfection. Big Ben looked great and I loved how aggressive our defense was. Those two late sacks were a thing of beauty and should have sealed the game. And for all those who think the Steelers should have simply kneeled the ball three times instead of handing it to the bus, they're are full of crap. Indy had all three timeouts left so they could have gotten the ball back with around a minute left and down by less than a touchdown. Going for the win was definitely the right call especially considering that the Bus hadn't fumbled since 2003.

I watched the press conferences after the game and my opinion of Tony Dungy was reaffirmed. He is a class act and I hope that he does win the Superbowl some day. I can't say the same for Peyton Manning. He was blaming his offensive line after the game. Try taking some responsibility for yourself. The Steelers outsmarted Manning and he was confused most of the game.

One final thing on the refs. I usually don't criticize them because it is one of the most difficult jobs but overturning Polamalu's interception was a joke. If that's what replay is for then we need to get rid of it. There were other questionable calls but that particular one was the worst I've seen this year.

Now we are on to Denver who was the beneficiary of poor refereeing in their own game. Jake Plummer doesn't really scare me and I like that we are on the road instead of at home. Could this really be the year that the Steelers get to the Superbowl? Only one more week and we will find out.

The Sony Open

One of my favorite sporting events of the year is the Sony open in Hawaii. There is something about watching others play golf in a tropical paradise while there is 2 feet of snow outside. Watching the tournament usually induces me to send my resume to the Hawaii legislature only to be routinely rejected and sentenced to another 4 months of Michigan winter.

I started watching this tournament only two years ago when Michelle Wie first played and just missed the cut as a 14 year old amateur. It was truly an amazing performance and I have been a big fan of her ever since. To be honest, this event would not even be on my radar screen had it not been for Wie playing in the tournament. And while some men might not like the fact that she gets special exemptions to play and a lot of publicity despite never winning a tournament, she is a marketing machine. Her mere appearance has transformed the Sony Open from a lower tier tournament into a special event. A lot of viewers will tune in this weekend just to watch her. If she doesn't make the cut I would expect the weekend TV numbers to drop precipitously.

Hopefully this is the year she can put two solid rounds together and make the cut. Wie's golf coach says she is playing a lot better this year and likes her chances but generally that's what coaches tell the media. If she does make the cut she will be the first woman to do that on the Men's tour since Babe Zaharias did it in 1945. Even my favorite Swede Anika couldn't do it a few years ago. I just checked the leaderboard and she is already off to a rough start at +3. Regardless, I am still pulling for her this week.

Are you ready for some football

I am getting excited about the NFL playoffs that start this afternoon. After a long season of inujuries and ups and downs for the Steelers, they head into Cincinatti with alot of momentum. Incredibly they are actually a road favorite and every commentator is picking them to win. I hope they are right but these are the same people who thought Notre Dame and USC were going to win last week. Sometimes when everybody is on the bandwagon I get nervous. I just hope the Steelers get out to an early lead and avoid turnovers. If they can do that then we have a very good shot of giving Bill Cowher is first road playoff win. Then all we have to do is win at the Colts next week. Even my lucky Big Ben jersey might not be powerful enough for that to happen. And honestly if my Steelers don't win the Superbowl I am pulling for the Colts. Is there a better witness for Christ lately than Tony Dungy? My guess is that most people will be cheering for him.

Shifting Gears to college football, I really enjoyed the Rose Bowl the other night. Finally a championship game lived up to the hype. And yes Vince Young was fantastic but it was about the same performance he had against Michigan in last year's Rose Bowl. If anybody watched Texas football he was that good all year long so I am not sure why people's opinion of him has changed all the sudden. Now he should be the #1 player in the draft? What ever happened to Reggie Bush being the all time greatest player. Personally I would rather have Leinart as my QB in the NFL but Young is good. Real good.

One final thing. Texas's win wednesday night gave them the most wins in college football over the past five years so they are no one year wonder. Here are the top 10 records over that time:
Texas 56-8
Oklahoma 55-11
USC 54-10
Miami 53-9
Boise St 53-11
Georgia 52-12
LSU 51-14
Ohio St 50-13
Louisville 47-16
Va. Tech 47-16

To all my fellow Michigan fans please note that we are not on this list. Michigan is close at 44-20 which is not bad but they should be a top 10 program and quite simply they are not. I hear Lloyd Carr is shaking up his coaching staff but maybe he needs to look in the mirror.

Just Shut Up

It's such a tiresome subject but Pat Robertson has made another regrettable remark. Apparently he thinks that Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's sudden stroke is a punishment from God because he is "dividing God's land". He uses a scripture from the book of Daniel ( the bible not the new TV show) to support his idea.

I wish that he would keep his mouth shut. I hate that we as Christians will now be branded with these ridiculous remarks simply because one of our supposed leaders claims it to be true. Apparently, Robertson has never read the book of James which talks about controlling one's tongue, being quick to listen and slow to speak. And James is a lot easier to interpret than Daniel.

It's too bad that Robertson does not understand that when he makes these types of comments he claims to be speaking for God. Well maybe he does understand this and thinks of himself as a modern day prophet. I'm not quite convinced. May God have mercy on him if he's wrong.

Having said that, instead of wasting my time arguing against the merits of Robertson's claims, I am going to use his example as a reminder to hold my own tongue. I find that I am often tempted to speak for God and often without checking with Him first. This can happen when I am giving advice to a friend or even just offering my opinion during a bible study or church meeting. It seems innocent enough and compared to Robertson my remarks will have only limited impact. But what if somebody believes my comments really do speak for God? That's a heavy responsibility and one that I need to be aware of. One that all of us Christians need to be aware of.

Remember This Name

For those of us who are political junkies, Jack Abramoff is a familiar name and we have been following his story for some time. For those few people who actually have lives and don't know who he is, let me bring you up to speed because you will begin hearing his name a lot and he could shape the 2006 elections.

Jack Abramoff was a powerful and influential DC lobbyist. He represented the Indian casinos and supposedly funneled money and other gifts into the hands of a couple dozen members of Congress to gain access and influence. Some of you are thinking so what, this happens all the time so what's the big deal? The big deal is that the justice department has recently reached a plea agreement with him to find out who he gave these gifts to and what he received in return. When this happens you are going to see members congress running to the hills to avoid this scandal.

There is already a sense that Congress is ripe with corruption and scandal. First it was Tom Delay being indicted for laundering money into Texas political races. Then Duke Cunningham pleaded guilty to accepting bribes for directing defense contracts to certain businesses. Now Abramoff comes along and he creates the perfect tri-fecta. Democrats are already playing the scandal card and it seems to be working.

In 1994 Republicans made corruption in Congress a key component of their contract with America. They seized upon the public's mistrust of politicians and were able to take back Congress for the first time in 50 years. The problem is that some Republicans have become the corrupt politicians they ran against in the first place. Now we will see if the Democrats can turn the tables.

One interesting thing to watch is whether any Democrats get named by Abramoff. I am already hearing that both parties may get caught up in this saga which would make it a little bit difficult for Democrats to claim the high ground without be hypocritical. But hey that's never stopped them before.

Stayed tuned. This story is just beginning to get to interesting.

Just how bad can my dating life get?

My last date was in August and lately I am feeling a little bit restless and lonely. I usually hate dating, a fact most of my ex-girlfriends will confirm, but I think I might be ready to meet someone and actually pursue a romantic relationship.

The past few weeks I have spoken with several friends on this topic and many have suggested that I should use an online dating service. I have always rejected this advice because I think using personal ads is for losers but desperate times call for desperate measures.

So tonight I finally break down and decide to join eharmony because I have heard good things about the site and because it has a moral component to it. I spent over an hour answering all 1000 questions for my personality profile only to learn at the end that they have no matches for me. Here is the actually wording from their site:

'Unfortunately, we are not able to make our profiles work for you. Our matching model could not accurately predict with whom you would be best matched. This occurs for about 20% of potential users, so 1 in 5 people simply will not benefit from our service. We hope that you understand, and we regret our inability to provide service for you at this time."

Good grief. Does it get any worse than getting rejected by a dating service? Couldn't they just just take my money and set me up with women who aren't my matches? Are there really
no women for me even in cyberspace?

When I read that I had no matches I actually burst into laughter at my unfortunate predicament. It was either that or break down into tears because even the dreaded world of internet dating can't help me find someone. I mean it's not like my hopes were that high but I at least figured they would try to set me up with somebody. I would have even settled for an unattractive, obnoxious, liberal, high school drop out. Anything would be better than nothing.

I guess the search continues and at least now I can tell all my friends that I tried their advice. Anybody have any other ideas?

A tradition of losing since 1957

Yesterday my brother gave me a free ticket to go the Lions game in Detroit. It was a fun afternoon and I enjoyed spending time with Vince and another buddy of his. The game itself wasn't that much fun. It fact it was painful to watch but I kept staring to see just how bad it was. Kind of like checking out a car accident. I knew Detroit was in for a long day when they fumbled the opening kickoff. They held them to a field goal but it was the closest the Lions would get the rest of the game.

To protest team management many Lions fans wore orange which was the color of the Bengals. It was funny to see so much orange in the stadium. It looked more like a home game for the Bengals instead of the Lions. And actually I would say there probably were more Cincinnati fans than Detroit or it was awfully close. After decades of futility the Bengal fans sure are excited. We'll see how loud they are after a quick exit from the playoffs this year. But at least they are in the playoffs which is more than the Lions can say.

Before the game about 1000 people marched outside the stadium protesting Matt Millen who is the team's general manager. Since he took charge the team has the worst record in the league. It's been 5 straight 10 loss seasons and what do the Lions do but reward him with a contract extension. I read in the media guide that all but three of the players on the Lions roster were brought in directly by Millen so he doesn't have anybody to blame but himself. During the game their were lots of chants to fire Millen and dozens of people holding fire Millen signs or wearing T-shirts in protest. Things got so ugly during the second half that even the Bengal fans started waiving the signs and joining in the fire Millen chant. To learn more about Matt Millen's failures go to http://firemillen.com

If Millen had any self respect he would resign this morning and if the Ford's had any respect for the fans they would fire him. The fans of Detroit deserve better.

Til Midnight

Last night was a long day as the Senate wrapped up our legislation session for the year. We started at 10:00 am and usually a long session day goes until the early afternoon. Not yesterday; instead we didn't finish until after midnight. We spent most of the time waiting for the House to send us bills that they were working on and needed our vote before the end of the year. I was there mostly to keep an eye on a couple of projects in the budget, one of which the Governor has vetoed twice already and will likely veto again this year.

Late night sessions are an interesting dynamic. Senators and staff start to get a little stir crazy after a while. A group of Senator's played euchre to pass the time. Other Senators closed their eyes to take cat naps while we waited for some action. Some staffers took bets on the exact time the Senate would adjourn while another male staffer surfed Victoria's Secret website presumably Christmas shopping for his wife or girlfriend. Speaking of Christmas there was a spirited debate on the Senate floor over whether the tree in front of the Capitol is really a Christmas tree or a Holiday tree. Perhaps the highlight of the night was Sen. Switalski's annual holiday Limerick which was very funny and a little off-color as well.

On a serious note we did pass quite a few bills including tax cuts for job providers, welfare reform, a resolution to protect property owners from losing their property to imminent domain and a budget bill. All in all it was a pretty successful way to end the year.

Blockbuster Sucks

How many of you have recently gone to the video store to rent a movie only to find that there is nothing to watch? How could there be so many movies made and so many that are unwatchable? Either Hollywood makes stupid movies to cater to stupid audiences or consumers simply figure they have no choice and rent the first nonsense they find. I usually go back and forth among the aisles until I find a movie with a cool cover. Then after watching it I discover that the reason I had never heard of it was because it was a made for TV movie.

After years of movie rental futility I decided to plan ahead and have been creating lists of movies that I missed at the theater or that have been recommended to me. I read online lists of people's favorite movies or I jot down a title when it comes to mind so I won't forget it. Right now I have about 10-15 on my list and a majority of them are older films from the 80's and 90's.

The other day I go to Blockbuster with my new list in hand but I am having trouble finding the movies I came for. I realize that these movies are kind of old but not that old. But since I am in a bad mood I decide to spend considerable time browsing each genre trying to decide if Leaving Las Vegas is a classified under drama or classic. Well after several minutes I soon discover that that movie as well as all the other movies on my list are no longer carried by Blockbuster but have been replaced with about 300 copies of each crappy new release. I mean really how many people are running to the store to rent Stealth or Bewitched?

So instead of getting what I came for I ended up settling for Deuce Bigelow which was not that great really. In fact it's hard to believe that they made a sequel. To add insult to injury the cost was $3.50 to rent one lousy DVD.

I thought my list was the perfect remedy to avoid the predicament of renting bad movies but I have been thwarted by the rental industry itself. Now not only do I have to keep a list but I also have to find a rental store that actually carries those movies. Who knew finding quality entertainment could be this much work? Maybe I'll just watch reruns on TV instead.

Stuck

I just found out a good friend of mine is planning to get married. I am happy for her but why is it that other people's good news reminds me of the void of good news in my own life? As I lay in bed I kept thinking that I wish I had some new exciting things to share with someone but when I look at my life there isn't really much going on. Other people are getting married, moving to new cities, have new jobs, are part of church plants, having kids, etc. Me? I am stuck in the same old same old. It's like things just stopped a few years ago and I can't make the kind of decisions that allow me to take hold of what life has to offer. I can't seem to commit to the women I date and then regret when things don't work out. I can't muster the courage the quit my job but then complain about how bored and unfulfilling it is. I can't bring myself to look for a new church even though I know I've outlasted my service there. I can't invest in new friendships but then wish I had some single guy friends to hang out with. I can't bring myself to get my finances together to buy a house despite the fact that I am sick of my crappy apartment. So this morning I woke up and prayed for strength to step through the doors that God opens for me. I want the good things of life that I see other people experiencing. But for some reason I keep avoiding them.

Notre Dame and the BCS

I was listening to Mel Kiper on ESPN radio the other day and he made some stupid comment about how Notre Dame should be in the BCS championship game if both Texas and USC were to lose. First of all that's probably the dummest thing he's ever said and that's saying something since he once considered Trent Dilfer to be the best QB prospect in years. Not only does Notre Dame not deserve to play in a championship game but they shouldn't be in the BCS at all.

Their overall record is 9-2 which is respectable but no better than several other one and two loss teams that are more worthy for a BCS bowl bid most notably Oregon, Auburn and Miami. When you examine Notre Dame's record you learn that they have no real good wins over high ranked teams. Their best win was over a 7-4 Michigan team that was a big disappointment this year. Their only other wins over teams with winning records were BYU and Navy both of which finished barely above .500 with very easy schedules. In fact, the combined record of all the teams they beat this year is 42 wins vs 56 losses. The computer rates their strength of schedule at 88th in the country and it's only that high because of USC's record. And while most people laud Notre Dame for playing USC close since when did losing a close game against a good opponent make you a good team. The same Notre Dame apologists who say they deserve a BCS bid must have forgotten the Irish also lost to a below average Michigan State team.

The problem with Notre Dame is all the hype and mythology surrounding the program. Sure they were good back in the late 80's and early 90's but they have lost their last 7 bowl games and haven't won a bowl game since 1993. Can anybody even remember their last big win over a top 10 team? But you see it doesn't matter how good the Irish are because college football is all about money and Notre Dame is all about money.

Notre Dame and their selfish greed is exactly what's wrong with college football. The have their own TV contract and their own BCS agreement because they don't want to share any of the money they make with other schools. It's about time that someone in the NCAA stands up to Notre Dame and tells them they need to play by the same rules as other schools. But unfortunately until fans start to see through the fraud that is college football this will never happen.

Back from Pittsburgh

I had a good time over Thanksgiving weekend. My Brother, Mom and Stepdad drove to Pittsburgh to see my Grandpa, Aunt and Cousin. My family is a little odd sometimes. There are a lot of health issues and financial issues in the family and my poor Grandpa worries about everyone and my aunt is in denial of most of the problems to point where you have to tiptoe around the real issues and pretend nothing is wrong. It makes for a lot of uneasy conversations. It's sad when my immediate family is the most healthy part of the family tree. Having said that, I did enjoy seeing everybody again and I wish that I lived closer than 5 hours away.

Friday the men in the family went the Western Pa. sports museum which was very cool. Being an avid Pittsburgh sports fan it was like heaven being around so much memorabilia. I almost cried when they showed highlights of the 70's steelers and pirates on the big screen. I also enjoyed learning more about the history of the negro baseball leagues.

The next day we went to the crash site of flight 93 which went down on 9/11. It was interesting to see the area and very sad as well. They have a makeshift memorial at the site until they figure out what to build for the permanent reminder. My favorite part was a set of park benches with the names of each of the passenger and crew members. It's hard to imagine what would have happened had that plane made it to the final destination. When you look at where it crashed you couldn't have asked for a more isolated location. I am not a conspiracy theorist but it makes me wonder if we didn't shoot it down on purpose.

Now I am back to the real world so to speak and looking forward to my next vacation days which won't likely be until Christmas. It's hard to believe it's almost December. I guess I have to start Christmas shopping.

Giving Thanks

I am thankful to have rest of the week off from work so I can travel to Pittsburgh

I am thankful that I have a job with a lot of vacation time so I get to travel as often as I do

I am thankful that I have a job period

I am thankful for my coworker Jennie who has become a close friend

I am thankful for other Senate staffers who help make my job a lot easier

I am thankful to become friends with several democrats this year

I am thankful for living so close to my family

I am thankful that my teenage nephews still think I am cool enough to talk to

I am thankful for the board game Race for the Whitehouse because it gives my brother and I something to do together that we both enjoy

I am thankful that my Mom took a risk and started her own jewelry business

I am thankful that I keep in close contact with so many friends from college and high school

I am thankful for email and cell phones because it helps me keep in touch with those friends

I am thankful that I got to be in my buddy CJ's wedding

I am thankful that my friends Jon, Jason and Jason all found new jobs in their field

I am thankful for my friends in Lansing

I am thankful that they often feed me

I am thankful that I am still friends with my ex-girlfriend Michelle even though she is dating some other guy now

I am thankful for my church starting at 11:15

I am thankful that my church allows me to wrestle with my faith and my role in the church

I am thankful for my cat Freckles and that she is still healthy

I am thankful that I get to see a lot of live sporting events with my stepdad

I am thankful for Ben Roethlisberger and that his injury wasn't season ending

I am thankful that the Steelers are on TV as often as they are

I am thankful the Penguins drafted Sydney Crosby

I am thankful Michigan beat MSU in football or it would have been a really bad season

I am thankful to be reading CS Lewis in my office bookclub

I am thankful for all the members in my bookclub because we share a common faith

I am thankful to be part of the men's group at my church that read Wild at Heart this year

I am thankful it has inspired me to be more adventuresome and to live more courageously

I am thankful for gifted writers like John Eldridge and CS Lewis

I am thankful for my XM Radio

I am thankful for the Drudge Report

I am thankful that I started blogging this year

I am thankful people actual read my blog

I am thankful for other people's blogs

I am thankful for thanksgiving because it reminds me to be thankful

It's too darn hot

Last night as I was flipping the channels I came across a TBS special called Earth to America. It was one of the celebrity variety shows to highlight the problem of global warming. The opening Montage was George from Seinfeld dancing and singing it's too darn hot. It was totally cheesy and cracked me up. I guess he's never lived in Michigan where we sing it's too darn cold and cloudy.

The show got me to thinking about a book I have been reading called State of Fear by Michael Crichton. The book is basically an editorial against global warming disguised as a novel. He attempts to make the case that everything we know about global warming is simple fear tactics used by environmentalists to push their agenda. In the book he frequently makes fun of hollywood stars being duped into environmental causes. He couldn't have created a better example than Earth to America.

As someone who knows virtually nothing about science, I do not claim to know whether global warming is actually occurring or not. And if it is, what difference it really makes. But after reading Crichton's book it leads one to question the basic assumptions of what we think we know. If enough news reports, interests groups and celebrities say the world is getting warmer does that make it true? And if we question global warming what else are we being told that we should also question?

A Bad Day for Michigan

Yesterday was a terrible day for Michigan sports. Not only did Michigan blow a fourth quarter lead to Ohio State, but Michigan State looked pathetic against Penn St. So much for starting the season 4-0. Now both schools should seriously evaluate if Carr and Smith should return next year. Neither one of them got the best out of their team this year.

If that wasn't bad enough Michigan State's basketball team also lost to Hawaii. I thought they were supposed to be good this year. Oh well. I would hate to be at one of Izzo's practices this week. Good thing basketball unlike football is forgiving so they still have a chance to right the ship. Speaking of basketball, I guess the Pistons are not going unbeaten this year. I can understand losing on the road to Dallas but by 37 points.

Even the one team that Michigander's have come to depend on also lost yesterday. Yes the Red Wings continue their recent swoon by losing their fourth and a row. And this time to the crappy St Louis Blues. I didn't even know St Louis still had a hockey team.

Now our state's hope for winning anything this weekend rests with Lions and I am not counting on them beating the Cowboys. Heck I wouldn't even count on them beating either Ohio St or Penn St if they had to play them. But while things look bad at least I don't live Miami. They had an even worse day.

Kwame

Yesterday the city of Detroit held their Mayoral election and I cannot believe Kwame Kilpatrick won re-election. Kwame spent the entire campaign trailing his opponent and was behind 57-43 when I went to bed. I was very surprised when I woke up to find he had won and I have a hard time understanding how a man whose entire time in office has been defined by nothing but scandals actually won the voters approval. Granted his opponent wasn't the most charismatic person but why don't the residents of Detroit expect more out of their leadership. Detroit has a lot of tough issues that they need to face and quite frankly the Mayor's track record suggests he isn't up to the job. I have heard it said that voters get the kind of leader they deserve and so maybe Kwame's election is more an indictment on the city of Detroit than on himself. Who knows? On the plus side, I doubt he will be too inclined to help our Governor out in the next election since she refused to help him in this race. If Granholm can't get the vote out in Detroit (which will be difficult without Kwame's help) she is going to have a hard time winning re-election next year. Somewhere Dick Devos is smiling.

Gone with the wind

This past weekend, I had the privilege to travel to South Dakota and Minnesota to learn more about alternative engery and in particular wind energy. Minnesota has been very aggressive over the past decade in developing wind farms and currently have well over 600 turbines up and running. It's fascinating that ancient cultures used wind for power and yet we are just now rediscovering its use as we look to replace oil and coal as our main power staples.

For some reason Michigan is trailing other states when it comes to developing alternative energy and I am not sure why. In some parts of the state where wind farms are being discussed, many local people oppose them as a nuisance because they are loud and ugly to look at. While I was in Minnesota I was able to stand right at the basin of a turbin and it really isn't that noisy. And while you see them dotting the countryside, they are no more obtrusive than power lines.

Hopefully, once the first wind farm is up and running in Michigan, these misconceptions will be eliminated. While wind might not be the only answer to for increasing our state's renewable energy supply it should be part of our overall plan.

Sam's Club

The other day I had to go to Sam's Club to buy bottled water for event we are helping sponsor. Since I do not have my own membership, I decided to take the oportunity to do a little shopping for myself. It is truly an amazing store. They have almost everything anybody could ever want. However, it is not really designed for the bachelor's lifestyle. As much as I like mayonnaise I really don't need a 5 gallon jar of it. In the end I decided to load up on $80 worth of Mountain Dew and Egg Rolls hoping that supply will get me through the end of the month. And while I can justify my purchase, the whole experience of buying so much just struck me as expansive consumerism run amok. I mean I can afford it but what must poor starving people in the third world think when we have these huge grocery stores filled with food and they have very little. This is not a slam on big grocery chains but rather a question to our culture as to how much we take our wealth for granted. If I am hungry, I go get something to eat and don't even think about it. Others are not so blessed. I am not sure what the answer to global hunger is but I am going to start spending more attention to how I shop and I am certainly going to be more thankful for what I purchase.

October 31st

While many of us celebrate Halloween today I want to focus on another event that happened on October 31st which deserves equal attention. On October 31, 1517, a German monk named Martin Luther decided that several of the church's practices were incorrect and he decided to challenge the church on these practices. Specifically he opposed the payment for indulgences. Back in his day, the church believed that you had to achieve a certain level of good works to get into heaven. However, it was almost impossible to meet required number of good works so the church decided to create the idea of indulgences. Essentially, instead of doing the work you could pay the church and they would do the work for you but you would still get credited with it. I know this sounds like a ridiculous system but this was very commonplace in the medieval church.

Luther was so fed up with this practice that he decided to post on the door of his local church a list of 95 reasons why indulgences were not in compliance with the scriptures. His posting is often called the 95 thesis and is considered by most to be the beginning of the protestant reformation. Since I have a lot of time on my hands lately, I decided to actual read the 95 thesis and while the translation is a little stiff I noticed one key point that stuck out to me. While Luther was opposing indulgences he was actually using that practice as a way of challenging the entire notion of linking good works with salvation. He often went back and reemphasized that it is by grace that people are saved and not by works. Needless to say, the church did not respond too kindly to his posting and was driven from the church as a heretic. But nonetheless his message and courage reshaped the religious landscape in Europe and ultimately America.

So why should we care about what happened almost 500 years ago. Here's why; The church today has drifted back towards being more about rules and regulations than about God's grace for a dying world. People inside and outside the church both receive the same subliminal message that if you want to be a good Christian you have to comply with a certain set of lifestyle requirements. You should go to church, pay your tithe, read your bible, pray and maybe take an occasional missions trip. You should always avoid having sex before marriage, getting drunk, taking drugs, stealing, lying and a whole list of other activities depending on what type of church you go to. Complying with these behavioral traits is something that all Christians should strive to do but they don't define our Christianity or save us from our sins any more than buying an indulgence did.

Thankfully, there is a new emerging reformation going on in the church today. Many people in my generation have learned that adhering to a doctrine of works has left them unfulfilled spiritually. We want more out of church and our relationship with God. Instead of works, the emerging church is focusing on how to really connect with God and experience the grace and joy that he wants to offer us. Does this mean that a person can then do anything they want? No. But instead of focusing on works, the focus is on changing people's hearts so they will want to do what is pleasing to God. Not because they have to but because they want to please him.

While this movement is still fairly small and below the surface it is gaining momentum especially among younger post modern thinkers. Changing institutions and traditional practices is difficult to accomplish. We need to be patient and steadfast. If we compare it the reformation again, it should be noted that while historians date the beginning of the reformation in 1517, the seeds of reform were already spreading across Europe as early at the 1300's. Hopefully it will not take today's church several hundred years to reform itself but change takes time. I am thankful that at least there are those in the today's church that are posting their own critiques and that is what I will be celebrating today.

Top 10 signs you're at a bad Halloween party

The main event is bobbing for pumpkins

Your accountant entertains partygoers with scary stories of embezzling your money

The fat naked guy from Survivor shows up and wins best costume

For the scary movie they show Roseanne Barr; the early years

The person in the Michael Jackson costume is in charge of babysitting the kids

Instead of candy corn it's candy asparagus

The prize for best costume is a first edition of Uncle Fester's Halloweenopoly

Your date is seen doing the Monster Mash with Rosie O'Donnell look a like

People compliment you on how funny your costume is even though you forgot to wear one.

The guy dressed up as Elton John follows you around asking if you want to see his trick or treat

One last thing on Katrina

A friend on mine made a video of our trip which is available on his website. I would encourage you to watch it. http://www.megiddoplains.net/sight.php

We helped Carlos remove debris from his yard

I think this used to be a hotel in Pass Christian

This was in a condominium complex near the kitchen we worked at

What I learned in Mississippi

I just got back from my trip down south to help the victims of hurricane Katrina. It was an amazing experience and I am having difficulty sharing how much I learned. The funny thing is that I almost didn't go at the last minute when my friend Darren who invited me to go on the trip backed out. He was the only person I knew and I wasn't keen on the idea of spending several days with people I had never meant. But God had a bigger plan for me and so I went and I am glad I took the risk.

My team was great and despite varying personalities and backgrounds we got along very well. I bussed down with a group of people from several Christian Missionary Alliance churches in Indiana. I would say about half the team were college students and the other half a little older. Everybody worked hard and nobody complained. There were no selfish agendas and everybody was flexible. It was amazing to see how we all worked so well together. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was part of a team, a part of something bigger than myself. And while I was only with these people for a few days, I somehow feel a deep spiritual connection with them. People in the church often talk about community and this weekend I experienced it in a very real way.

Before the trip, I thought I was going La. But instead we went to Gulfport Mississippi. We worked with an organization called PRC made up of several Christian volunteers from all over North America. We stayed at the navy base which was kind of cool. They took very good care of us and we ate like kings. We slept in a building with over 1000 other volunteers mostly from the Red Cross but also from the church of scientology. I was hoping to see Tom Cruise with them but apparently he had other things going on and couldn't volunteer.

The first day, half our team helped restock and clean a supply tent and the other half of us went to help clear debris from the local resident's property. The rest of the trip we helped run a makeshift soup kitchen in a town called Pass Christian which was one of the hardest hit spots in the state. We also went into the neighborhoods near the kitchen to help clean properties.

It was hard work hauling trees and rubble from people's property. For those that know me, you understand that manual labor is not really my thing so to speak. But through much prayer I was able to carry my weight and felt like I had accomplished something at the end of the day.

The next few days we worked in Pass Christian, preparing and serving food. It was actually a lot of fun. I even learned how to make hush puppies. It was there that I think our team really began to bond. We served food to people who were from the neighborhood and to the workers that were helping get the area cleaned up.

It's almost impossible to describe the devastation I saw in that town. New Orleans got all the news but this part of Mississippi was hit just as hard by the winds and the sea. Whole neighborhoods were gone with nothing left but a few foundations to houses that used to be there. The wreckage left me in awe of the power that destroyed the city.

The local residents were very grateful for our help. On one of my breaks from serving food I met a couple who lived in the area. They had stayed in their house during the hurricane and about half there house was destroyed by the storm. They were still living there and making due with what they had left. The man's name was Bill and he was scheduled to have knee surgery this week. His house is destroyed and now he will be unable to work or do much to help clean up the house because of his surgery. His wife Pat works part time and is going to take care of him but the doctor wants her to have neck surgery herself. Despite their troubles, they maintained a good spirit and are just happy to have someone willing to sit and talk to them.

I noticed that their story was not unusual and that many of the hurricane victims had large issues that they were already facing before the storm hit. It makes me wonder if there was a divine conspiracy to bring Christian volunteers into their lives to address some of these other needs on top of helping them rebuild their homes.

The last day I met a lady who had lost her home in the storm. She told me that she was helping her neighbors clear their yards because she had nothing left to do at her house and she didn't want to just sit around. At first I thought I heard her wrong but here was a woman who had lost everything and she was serving other people. Amazing.

What still strikes me is the enormous scope of the task. We worked very hard but I felt like all we did was scoop one spoonful of water out of the ocean. I really wanted to stay and do more because there is so much that still needs to be done. What I had to learn was that God was in control of providing the workers. He sent us for one weekend to help. I have to trust that he is going to send other workers to do the work that we couldn't get to. And actually, I could see that already happening as I was down there. People from all over the country were helping out.

One older lady named Marge drove down from Michigan all by herself and was sleeping in a church parking lot. She came down to the soup kitchen to help cook and serve food both days we were there. When I asked her how long she was going to stay, she told me she would be there as long as God wanted her to be there. At first I felt guilty that I wasn't staying longer. Most volunteers were there for at least a week. Then, I realized that the work wasn't about me and that I was only there to play a small role in a larger play. I learned that there was no way our team could solve all this community's problems, but that God had called his entire church into action and if each of us responded the work will get done.

Another thing that struck me was how alive I felt while I was there. I sensed that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing. Dare I say it was fun and exciting to be in the midst of so much suffering? I almost felt like I was having too much enjoyment from serving people that I forgot to be compassionate and share in their pain. I'm not sure this makes sense but before the trip I thought my best gift would be empathy and the ability to listen and take on these people's burdens but I didn't cry the entire time I was there. I hope I didn't get caught up in what I was doing to not have my heart broken for the people of the town. Or maybe that's okay because I was supposed to haul debris and slice apples because that's what they needed.

The last thing I wrestled with was the idea of coming back home to the real world. I feel like my work down there was the real world and that what I do in Lansing is not. Shouldn't it be the other way around? My first inclination is to jump in the car and head back to help out again next weekend. Or maybe wait for another natural disaster and help those victims. But on my way to work today I prayed that God would reveal the pain and suffering that is happening in my hometown so I wouldn't have to travel 14 hours to help. Down there the suffering was so obvious and immediate. Here it is concealed and swept under the rug by my daily routine. I trust that God will provide me additional opportunities to serve.

I know this has been a really long post but I had a lot on my mind and it is tough to share it all in only a couple paragraphs. I hope to have some pictures available later that I will post on the site.

Headed South

In one of my recent posts I wrote about how men are looking for adventure in their lives. Recently, I have not felt that adventuresome but had not really pursued anything exciting. A couple weeks ago I was speaking with my friend Darren and he mentioned his church was taking a trip down to the gulf coast to help the hurricane victims. He asked if I was interested because they had one spot open on the bus. Seeing this as my opportunity to pursue adventure I said yes before knowing any of the details. I am still not clear what our team will be doing exactly but I am leaving this afternoon for Lake Charles, La.

I am excited about being able to help the people in the region who have been devastated by the hurricanes and also nervous because I am not sure what I can do to help. But it is this nervousness that tells me I am doing the right thing. Depending on God instead of my own abilities or plans is what makes this trip so adventuresome. I am not taking my laptop with me but I will post an update on the trip when I get back next week.

Who?

I woke up this morning hoping to write about the Michigan-Michigan State game this week but then Bush announces Harriet Miers as his supreme court pick. Now I feel inclined to write and share my opinion before every other blogger says the same thing I am about to say.

First of all, who the heck is Harriet Miers and what makes Bush think she is the best qualified candidate? To be honest, Miers is a blank check and I don't know much about her other than she is a Bush loyalist and is his legal counsel. How bout telling us a little about what she believes in before throwing her out for the supreme court? There is no firm commitment from her to overturn Roe v Wade, to protect property rights or religious freedoms. Maybe she will, maybe she won't. But why select her when there are plenty of other capable choices that would do those things for sure.

To me the pick looks like political cronyism which is not a great way to pick one of the nine most powerful people in the country. Bush had the chance to rally his base by selecting a hard line conservative like Janice Rogers Brown but instead chose to reward a friend with the position. Does the president not realize that most Republicans are not happy with him. He was not impressive handling Hurricand Katrina and then tries to make up for it by throwing billions of our dollars at the problem with very little oversight or planning. He is asleep at the wheel on immigration reform and is getting no traction on any of his domestic agenda. Remember social security reform? Neither does anybody else.

I say all this because I have been the presidents strongest defenders but at what point do you say enough is enough. Naming the supreme court is one of the most long lasting and impacting choices a president can make and Bush blew it. Now this decision definitely puts conservatives in a tough spot because they won't want to oppose his pick but what reassurances do we have that she is going to be a legal conservative. We have none, other than Bush's word which lately rings hollow with conservatives.