So even though I am out of the youth ministry loop so to say, I still check up on two of the most talented, creative, and stinkin hilarious individuals involved with youth ministry, the Skit Guys (@skitguye and @skitguyt )  I have seen them at numerous conventions and at some point in time, I really want to have a “night with the Skit Guys” in Lima, Oh.   So if you read this Tommy and Eddie…come on up and join us! (http://www.willrock4food.com to contact us)

Besides that shameless plug, you all know that I am a huge buckeye fan, a huge sports fan in general…in fact at some point in time I traveled acrossed the country to go pay homage to this team at the Rose Bowl this year.  Sometimes I think it is pothetic but yet I still do it.  You see I spend my Saturdays on the couch or in “the Shoe” watching the Buckeyes, and I spend my Sundays on the couch or at Beer Barrel if it is on NFL Network (thanks Time Warner) watching the Browns.  I could use the excuse, I get it honest  ( http://www.1photoperday.com/family/pick-a-hat/ ) …my dad is the biggest Browns fan alive, even bigger than the BIG DAWG.  But when is it enough, at what lengths do we go to to serve our “Real God!”  Watch this video, and then we will discuss!

When you saw the first bit…you were like, ok funny, I see this on National Geographic or some other channel and in fact it makes me laugh when I see the sticks through their nose, or the amount of jewelry or paint that they wear. This being said, I have made Buckeye necklaces after picking them up in the woods. I even have shoes that were custom made in China ( http://www.nikeid.com ) with the name Beantown Bucknut on the back of them…hideous I know! I have two drawers of Buckeye Shirts and other gear! I will still root them on, but with less of a priority!

So now that you get the drift, how excited do you get about Church, how excited do you get about the Word, about what God is doing in your life! Do you plan the days ahead on what you are going to be reading, or where you will be going to church, or how engulfed you want to be that someone better not knock on the door and interrupt your time with God! Or will we keep going on in a passion that is no different than “building the golden calf.” We are placing “our team before our GOD!”

Enjoy Opening Day and the National Championship tonight!
Tug
(still a Buckeye Fan, just not a worshiper)

Tonight marks the 4th game of my daughter Morgan’s new found love….SOFTBALL!  She is amazing to watch!! I am the coach of the team, so it makes it really easy to watch every play, but I am beginning to be so grateful to even have the ability to see what she is learning on her own!  She so far is 8 for 9 batting, which in the realm of 1st grade softball you have to put the fielders into play with the average, but she has not used a TEE yet!!!!  Secondly I am so jacked to see how tough she is….she loves being the catcher (crazy), and has even got bruises from being hit by the ball, but does not phase her the slightest!!  Last night was a huge thing to watch, Morgan was playing pitcher at the time (we have a facemask on the pitchers)  and our third baseman came about 4 feet from Morgan and chucked the ball at her as hard as she could…hit her right in the facemask!! She looked at me, I went to see if she was ok, she wanted to cry, but said she was fine…I said, you get back out there and play then if you want! She went right back to the mound!!!  Needless to say, what could be so hectic as it is schedule wise, has turned into a great bonding experience with my daughter!! To all you dad’s ,  coach your kids when you get a chance!!! AMAZING REWARDS of TIME BEING SPENT with your own kid!!!

So as I am physically(not wanting to put my eyes on any espn channel for the next week for this is all we will see), and emotionally(sad to see someone that was great, possibly not go out on top) annoyed by the appearance of this talk about Brett Favre making yet a possible 2nd comeback, I have thought of an intriguing twist to all of this!

First of all here is a quarterback who had retired once, drug himself out of retirement to try and place an impact on those that were close to him, fans of him and ultimately all of football, and that he did. Then he did it again, he retired a second time, and is now seeking another comeback…possibly…..I do not in any way shape or form think that this is going to end up the way that he hopes, but one thing is, he will go down swinging.  I personally think that he was a great quarterback, but is making a mistake by coming back out of retirement for the 2nd time.  

Then there is my savior, one who sort of like Brett, is a Hall of Famer, someone who walked this earth risking every bone in His body, literally, and no matter what anyone thought of Him, He was about His business, which was His Fathers!  Then it happen it came time for Him to retire, and some wanted to see Him go, and few were fighting to keep him here (the majority cheering when He retired).  His job was “done” so to say on this earth and frankly He did not need to accomplish anything else on this earth to remain the savior!  Then it happened, He busted out of retirement and people completely questioned His coming back, wondering if it was really Him, How it could happened and whatnot….but face the truth, in His eyes and for us it needed to be done.  Now this is completely where I believe this situation completely differs, When Christ comes back for the second time, it will be the most anticipated event of my lifetime, and I would never want to turn the channel away from it!!  So needless to say, Christ’s coming out of retirement, will leave everybody without questions, while this Brett Favre situation has everyone including many sportscasters saying….STAY RETIRED we do not need you!!!

If there is one thing that I love about the Brett Favre situation, it is the fact that in Brett’s eyes, he has to have football.  No matter what people are saying, no matter how many people who say stay retired (me included) or how much pain he is going through….he simply loves the game, and every aspect of it.  No matter what is going on around him, it is not keeping him from what he has to do!!  

So I pose the question, Do you have to have Christ, like I guess Brett Favre has to have football?  Do you really not care what people think of you and if you became a spectacle in the world’s eyes,you would still desire to be HIS CHILD!  Would you tuck your tail and go hide at a ranch in Mississippi, or would you explore every open door to make sure you are finishing the job that Christ has given you. Do you need Christ or is He just a commodity for you to have around.  

It leads me to a verse that I recently came across in Luke 9:50 where it states  Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you!  Which leads me to say there are people in this world even including satan that will rise against you, and there will be those who verbally poke at you about following Christ…..but those that are not against you are for you!!! You have more on your side than what you think!! Stop living in the world of retirement spiritually and come back for more, there is more to be done!!
But Brett…..stay retired, or at least pick a team that you have a chance at winning a super bowl with…but then again that is not you…you like to face every adversity in your life and slam it into the wall!! To that I say…win a championship for Uncle Gary, a long time Vikings fan!!

In a supermarket, Kurtis the stock boy, was busily working when a new voice
came over the loud speaker asking for a carry out at register 4.  Kurtis was
almost finished, and wanted to get some fresh air, and decided to answer the
call. As he approached the check-out stand a distant smile caught his eye, the
new check-out girl was beautiful. She was an older woman (maybe 26, and he
was only 22) and he fell in love.

Later that day, after his shift was over, he waited by the punch clock to find
out her name. She came into the break room, smiled  softly at him, took her card
and punched out, then left.  He looked at her card, BRENDA.  He walked out only to
see her start walking up the road.  Next day, he waited outside as she left the supermarket,
and offered her a ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she accepted. When he
dropped her off, he asked if maybe he could see her again, outside of work.  She simply
said it wasn’t possible.

He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn’t afford a
baby-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter.  Reluctantly she accepted
his offer for a date for the following Saturday.  That Saturday night he arrived
at her door only to have her tell him that she was unable to go with him. The
baby-sitter had called and canceled. To which Kurtis simply said, “Well,
let’s take the kids with us.”

She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but again not
taking no for an answer, he pressed.  Finally Brenda, brought him inside to meet
her children.  She had an older daughter who was just as cute as a bug, Kurtis
thought, then Brenda brought out her son, in a wheelchair.  He was born a
paraplegic with Down Syndrome.

Kurtis asked Brenda, “I still don’t understand why the kids can’t
come with us?”  Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away from a woman
with two kids, especially if one had disabilities – just like her first husband
and father of her children had done.  Kurtis was not ordinary – - – he had a
different mindset.

That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and the
movies. When her son needed anything Kurtis would take care of him.  When he
needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his wheelchair, took him and
brought him back.  The kids loved Kurtis.  At the end of the evening, Brenda
knew this was the man she was going to marry and spend the rest of her life
with.

A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children.
Since then they have added two more kids.

So what happened to Kurtis the stock boy and Brenda the check-out girl?  Well,
Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live in Arizona , where he is currently employed
as the quarterback of the National Football League Arizona Cardinals and has his
Cardinals in the hunt for a possible win in the Super Bowl.  Is this a
surprise ending or could you have guessed that he was not an ordinary person.

It should be noted that he also quarterbacked the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.
He has also been the NLF’s Most Valuable Player twice and the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player.

AND THE REST OF THE STORY:
When Kurt, his wife and 7 children go out to eat he
has one of his children pick out a family eating at the restaurant. Kurt then tells the wait staff he is
picking up the tab for that family’s dinner anonymously. He remembers the days he was working nights
in the grocery store and feeding his family on food stamps.

Not that it made any difference than before, due to the fact that I despise the Steelers with a passion, but I definitely know I will be rooting for the Cardinals come Sunday!!  I simply cannot find it in my heart to root for the most despised team for Browns fans worldwide!!! Yes, I am a Browns fan and yes we will win a Superbowl!!! Mark my words Andy Myers….the Browns will win more games than the Patriots next year…due to the fact that we do not have Crennel anymore…you guys can have him back to fill up the water bottles!!

How about you guys…who are you rooting for in the Superbowl??

(the story about Kurt Warner was forwarded by a lady named Cindy, so I am not taking credit for writing that, you knew it would have not been grammatically correct if it was written by me!!)