The Office (but not the TV show)

Guess what happened today at work. Too slow.

I found out that I'm going to get an office.

It's not because I'm being promoted or getting a raise or anything. It's because there's an empty office in the church office area, and my supervisor thought it'd be a good idea if I (in charge of compiling and counting and entering monetary contributions each week) weren't sitting at the very front of the office in front of a couple of huge windows while I count money every week. A valid point.

But I'm really excited. I'm very much an "I love having my own space for my own things that I can set up my own way for my own purposes" kind of guy.

Rooster

There's an episode of The Office in which Michael asks Dwight why he was late. Dwight's response is one of the funnier lines I've ever heard on a television show:

"I overslept. Damn rooster didn't crow."

The "H" word

I've been trying to hold the "H" word in for quite some time, but I can't take it anymore, so I'm going to say it. I HATE snow.

I'm responsible for making sure all the sidewalks around our church are shoveled, snow-blown, or whatever else I have to do so that people won't slip and fall. It's snowed every Sunday morning so far this month. I'm asking for ONE February Sunday free of snow-blowing responsibilities. It's additionally irritating because I'm in the midst of leading a Sunday morning class.

I don't know how many of the last few Mondays it's snowed too, but when it snows on Mondays it makes my already-too-full-and-too-frustrating Mondays even worse.

Sundays and Mondays are the only days of the week I REALLY don't want it to snow... and I'm pretty sure those are the only days it's snowed for the past month.

That's me complaining. I'm done now. It's off my chest.

We ate at Tuesday... on a Sunday

Last weekend Elizabeth and I wanted to go out to eat to celebrate Valentine's Day. We discovered that there's not really a decent restaurant in the Denver area that has really good options for people who are being careful about the calories they eat.

Today a nice couple from church invited us out to lunch and we went to Ruby Tuesday. Turns out Ruby Tuesday is a GREAT place to eat if you're trying to eat healthy. They have a lot of (good-tasting) options in the 500-calorie range, and their salad bar is about as good as you'll find in casual dining restaurants.

A year ago if you'd told me that I'd someday write a blog post in which the dominant topic is the calorie count of food I would have had you committed to a looney bin.

Bad olympic timing

I like the olympics, but when it comes to the winter olympics, I'm kinda picky about which sports I enjoy watching.

I like: Most skiing events (moguls, super-G, slalom, ski-jumping), speed skating (both short and long tracks), snowboarding (half-pipe and snowboard cross), hockey. Maybe some others.

I don't like: figure skating, ice dancing, cross-country skiing, luge.

My wife's not wild about the olympics, so we haven't turned them on much over the last week. But every time I've turned them on this week, it's been a sport I don't like. If on a given night NBC is going to broadcast ski-jumping, ice dancing, and snowboard cross, it doesn't matter when I turn it on, they'll be just finishing ski-jumping or snowboarding and starting the half-hour of ice dancing.

I don't know how my timing has been so bad.

Tiger

Tiger Woods made a statement to the world this morning. It was his first public appearance since he crashed his SUV on November 27th, which led to the discovery of a whole bunch of extramarital affairs in which Woods had participated. I'm writing to, believe it or not, defend Woods.

Famous or not, what Woods did was dispicable. His actions devastated his wife, kids, mom, extended family, and because of the nature of his career and fame, his fans, sponsors, co-workers, employees, and more. But even since his statement this morning (which I've listened to) it seems that all I've seen are further criticisms of the man. He wasn't contrite enough. He was insincere. He looked down at his notes most of the time and therefore his apology was simply a necessary staged acting job. His words aren't good enough, we need to see the change.

If you haven't listened to or watched his statement yet, you can find it pretty much anywhere on the web (it's about 13:30 in length). I would encourage you to check it out... if you care at all.

First of all, the guy was plenty contrite. He stood there in front of a global audience and offered a completely unqualified apology. He didn't skirt any issues, he didn't blame any person, system, or institution except himself. He took 100% of the responsibility for his actions. He chastised the media for invading his family's privacy, not because reporters have hung around trying to get glimpses and statements from him, but because they've essentially stalked his children, his wife, and his mother. He made it clear that his family has done nothing wrong and do not deserve to be treated that way, though I didn't hear him suggest that the press should leave him alone.

Second, looking at your notes during a public address is a pretty rotten barometer for how sincere you are. If I wanted to share something important with a large group of people, I would have notes and I would probably look at them frequently, making sure I left nothing out. That's what many preachers do. And all other kinds of public speakers. In fact, if it's true that speakers who refer to notes are insincere then President Obama would not have ever been elected (plenty has been made of the man's reliance on teleprompters for speeches).

As for needing to see the change, I suppose all I can say there is that you have to give someone time.

As far as apologies by celebrities go, this was maybe one of the best I've seen. I guess my whole point here is, isn't this exactly what you'd like to see from a sports icon who's messed up? Tiger was in 45 straight days of in-patient therapy, and he's going back for more starting tomorrow (all according to his statement). He flat out said he was wrong and took full responsibility. I guess I don't see how we can berate him more today than we did yesterday.

Yes, there's a possibility that in the coming months and years we see the same old Tiger come out and rejoin professional golf, still swearing and yelling at everyone who makes the faintest noise during his swing. He might continue to fall into sexual affairs and ruin his marriage and his family. He might never be respected by anyone again. But I honestly think it's much more likely that the intense therapy and support he's receiving actually does some good. He might come back to golf as a different guy. He might, over time, make some amends with his family. Earn back trust and respect from his wife and kids. Maybe even from fans. He might go on to be the role model everyone apparently thought he was a few months ago. I guess only time will tell. But can't we give him the benefit of the doubt for now?

(For the record, I'm neither a golf fan nor a Tiger Woods fan. I'm pretty indifferent about the whole sport, including its biggest names. I remember watching the end of a Master's Tournament that Tiger won more than a decade ago because that's what dad had on the tv that particular Sunday afternoon. I honestly can't say I've watched him play since, other than on highlights that occasionally show up on SportsCenter. I was just a little surprised by the venom being spit out by so many after Woods's statement today. That's all.)

Numa Numa

It must be five years now since this video took the internet by storm. And I don't think I'd watched it since then. I still laugh my head off every time.

The Prodigal Son

The Prodigal Son is my favorite of Jesus’ parables. It always has been. I think it’s the picture of the father disgracing himself as he runs down the road to meet his bonehead of a son while he’s still “a long way off” that I love.

Even though that’s the part of the story that I love so much, I think if I was a character in the story I’d be the older brother. You know, the one who gets all upset because his bonehead of a brother is getting a party thrown for him even though he’s been a complete jerk. I’m just like the older brother in a lot of troubling ways. I’ve never gone through a real rebellion of any kind in which I acted out against God or my family. In fact, I’ve pretty much followed the rules my whole life and never really gotten myself into too much trouble at all. That’s not the troubling part, though.

What I don’t like is that I think the older brother in the story has a valid point. I totally identify with him. He’s been good and obedient his whole life. He didn’t defy his father, waste his wealth, or make any super stupid choices. He just worked hard and wanted to know why he didn’t get a party every once in awhile. “C’mon, dad,” he’s saying, “This brother of mine treated you like dirt and now we’re having our very own Mardi Gras for him. I’ve treated you with nothing but loyalty and respect and I get nothing.” (New Revised Jake Version)

Then dad says, “Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.”

The father’s response stirs two things in me: First, the father is pleased that the older brother has stayed with him. He even reminds the brother that everything the father has is also his. Second, the older brother seems to have forgotten (or never fully realized) how magnificent it is when one who is lost comes home. In fact, it’s even more than being lost and found; it’s that one was dead and is now alive.

In a lot of ways I completely take for granted the blessings that the Father has given to me. Somewhere in my subconscious it’s like I’m waiting for the really obvious blessings (like winning the lottery [an extra-special blessing since I don't play], getting a good job, getting to see my family more often, etc.) and I forget that I’m living them. Also, like the older brother I have come to minimize the excitement and importance that surrounds the acceptance of the Lord into the life of a non-believer.

I hope that if Jesus’ story kept going it would end like this: “The older brother then understood the importance of his brother’s homecoming. He went into the house to get his freak on with the rest of the party guests. Who knew fattened calf tasted so good!”

A few memories

I found some photo prints in a box in our bedroom and I scanned some of them in. Here are a few.

This is my grandpa and me in front of Morro Rock. I wish I had more pictures with him.

At my high school graduation party.

The Wilton Little League All-Stars circa 1996. (I'm the chubby kid, bottom right.)

We were the undefeated champions of the tournament, of course.

Violence against women?

You should read THIS quickly (it's quite brief). Then come back here and leave a comment answering the following question:

How does the National Organization for Women expect to be taken seriously when they do things like this?

Thank you.

Smokin'

I just read THIS blog post on the Stuff Christians Like blog (if you don't read it, you should) about Christians who smoke.


In the comments section I read a comment that said, "There will be plenty of cigarette smokers in heaven, and Jesus will probably smack them in the head and say, 'gross, dude.'"


I thought that was hilarious. And true.

An article you should read

If you haven't heard, (former) Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow will star in a pro-life Super Bowl ad this weekend. Apparently this is a really controversial and somewhat offensive idea to some people.

I just read THIS article in the Washington Post from a woman who is pro-choice, but who calls out ultra-liberal feminist groups for what they are: not pro-choice, but pro-abortion. She also talks more generally about how we could use more athletes (and young men!) like Tebow. I liked it.