ole satchel...

History is my favorite thing. I like to read and watch historical things. When I was growing up I would spend hours looking over historical material. I really like the stories surrounding sports history. I would watch all the NFL reviews I could as well as old NBA footage .The Ken Burns documentary "Baseball" is by far the best for baseball history. I saw it on PBS a few years back and was instantly hooked. I bought the book and believe it to be the best historical account ever recorded for any sport. I loved reading about Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays. One of the beats stories is about former Negro league pitcher Satchel Paige. He started his career in 1923 with the semi-pro Mobile Tigers at 18 and pitched until the age of 60. Satchel was in the major leagues with the Cleveland Indians and the St Louis Browns and he was also on several barnstorming teams. I like Satchel for a number of reasons but my favorite was his rules for living. Here they are….

1.Avoid fried meats which angry up the blood.
2.If your stomach disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thoughts. 3.Keep the juices flowing by jangling around gently as you move.
4.Go very light on the vices, such as carrying on in society — the social ramble ain't restful.
5.Avoid running at all times.
6.And don't look back — something might be gaining on you.
Satchel could have been one ofthe greatest pitchers in baseball. i often think he was like Lazarus....you cant keep a good man down...When Jesus called Lazarus out, the Greek is translated "Lazarus!!! Here!!! Outside!!" What a sight it must have been. I have often wondered what Lazarus did after that. Was he on the speaking circuit? Did he wake up every day just excited to be alive? I wonder if his rules for living went like this…

1. wake up each day and live like it's the last one.
2. if you have a problem with a someone go ahead and swallow your pride and make it right. this could be your last chance.
3. when you walk have a little pep in your step. people notice how we act and no one likes a crybaby.
4. dont sweat what other people say or think about you. if God makes us and saves us and we serve Him and live like Christ...then why care what the world thinks?
5. go strong every day and leave no doubt who you love.
6. and dont look back...thats the old life and it was terrible.

We need to really live. we have been called out from death and now have life. go fight win!!


e

sit back and enjoy the ride..

Gas prices are hovering around $4.00 a gallon. Food prices world wide are at an all time high. Poverty is rampant…war rages all over the globe….polygamists and teen brides on the evening news….two children named McCain and Barack throwing fits the whole world can see. Sounds like a made for TV movie huh? Seems like a Six Flags ride we can’t get off of. We used to wake up every day unsure of what has taken place while we slept….but with the internet and 24 hour news; we get it as soon as it happens. Kind of makes you anxious don’t it? Some people don’t even like leaving the house anymore. Despite it all…God still hold us in the right place. The world moving at just the right speed around the sun….. Where we don’t freeze or burn up…The sky staying right where it should be. So it stands to reason that we can trust God for all the regular daily stuff as well right? After all if he is keeping the world going then I can surely trust Him with my worries….and my kids worries….and my friends worries. You get the idea. Yet we continue to worry our selves to death so we can say we are ok. The first thing we need to realize is God is concerned with our details….. He already has that worked out and finalized. How many people woke up today ready to get on with life and go the curve ball of life? A lot of times at church we confuse suffering with blessings. It is not a matter of if…it is a matter of when. We are going to have struggles…we cant avoid them. While living in Lubbock Texas a few years back I learned about trust. A plane flight in 1995 taught me quite a few things. I flew southwest airlines from Houston to Lubbock that year. It started out ok but when we got close to Lubbock it was like I was on a roller coaster….With no brakes. Next to me was a man who was just realxing and eating peanuts. While I was sweating it out, He was calm. I asked if he was scared. “Not really” he replied. And I asked…..why is that? “Well I do this flight every week and it’s always the same. I’m used to it”. I was puzzled at first and now 13 years later I get it. He had let go of his need to be in control and he trusted the pilot. While there might be some bumps and bruises along the way He knew that he was ok. Kind of like us. There is not going to be anything new come up that is going to catch God off guard. It’s going to be the same for us. Wars and rumors of war…. Empty checking accounts…. Natural disasters and man made disasters. The truth is we are walking in a made for TV event. And we know the one who wrote it. So let’s trust in the God of all time…all the time.



Eric

come on get happy!!!

Ok ill say it. . “Hello world here’s a song that were singing….come on get happy” I love to watch the old reruns of the partridge family. Yes it is weird and geeky but I love that show. The cool tunes and the wacky adventures of the partridge family is greatness. I also loved the multicolor school bus they owned. The show was always like real life. A mom loses a husband, goes to work to make ends meet. Then the family starts out playing music and you have a bus full of kids playing rock-n-roll. Yeah…maybe not like real life. I do love the show. The opening song was “come on get happy” and for years I have tried to incorporate that into a catch phrase for student ministry. So many times I see people who are just unhappy and beaten down. They have no spark in their life. It seems there is no reason for them to get up every day. You ever get that way? Psalms 75 speaks of our great God” We thank you, God we thank you. Your name is our favorite word; you mighty works are all we talk about. You say “I’m calling this meeting to order, I’m ready to set things right.” That seems to be enough reason for us to be happy. But more comes out from the cross. Hope-victory-SALVATION! Did you just smile? The bill collectors are at the door. The family is going into the toilet. Life is hard all the time. But- God will put things right. We have been put right. get happy!

spanning the globe....

The famous words of announcer Jim McKay would led the way to ABC‘s Wide World of Sports every Saturday and Sunday…..Before the days of ESPN. After the NFL season had come to a close all you had was wide world of sports to look forward to. Where else could you find cliff diving or soccer…..or the Harlem globetrotters? It was the place to find lumberjack climbing competitions, swimming, cycling…..all kinds of sports. Now we are able to find sports scores or games at the click of a mouse …even on our phone. As we watched these Beijing Olympics every night I think of how most people would not watch diving or swimming any other time. I mean…think about it…are you really going to sit down and watch track and field on a Sunday? Most of us would rather watch a Cowboys preseason game. The dog days of summer are behind us and school is back in. We get ready for the fall and we began to get back to the routine. Has coming to church become “routine” for us? I think we sometimes view church as just another thing in our life…instead of the main thing. And I am not talking about church attendance but the impact God makes on us daily. Psalms 84 says it best.

One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship
beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches.
I'd rather scrub floors in the house of my God
than be honored as a guest in the palace of sin.

See how special it is? As the world watched these athletes compete, and all the talk of gold medals slows down, and fades out for another 2 years…..we will forget the sports and athletes we have watch so faithfully. When you start your routine again next week, remember how good it is to be worshipping with your brothers and sisters every chance you get.



Eric

school days....

School days…..

Another school year has begun. As you get a chance to catch your breath I wanted to share a song with you from Kenny Loggins called “Return to Poohs corner”. Loggins wrote it when he was a senior in high school as a way to recapture his childhood. It has since become a lullaby favorite for parents and children all over the world. God calls us to raise our children to honor Him and reminds us we only have them for a short time. Remember to treasure every second…..enjoy.
Christopher Robin and I walked alongUnder branches lit up by the moon
Posing our questions to Owl and EeyoreAs our days disappeared all too soon
But I've wandered much further today than I should
And I can't seem to find my way back to the Wood

chorus
So help me if you canI
've got to get backTo the House at Pooh Corner by one
You'd be surprisedThere's so much to be done
Count all the bees in the hive
Chase all the clouds from the sky
Back to the days of Christopher Robin and Pooh

Winnie the Pooh doesn't know what to do
Got a honey jar stuck on his nose
He came to me asking help and advice
And from here no one knows where he goes
So I sent him to ask of the Owl if he's there
How to loosen a jar from the nose of a bear


It's hard to explain how a few precious things
Seem to follow throughout all our lives
After all's said and done I was watching my son
Sleeping there with my bear by his side
So I tucked him in, I kissed him and as I was going
I swear that the old bear whispered "Boy welcome home"

Believe me if you can
I've finally come backTo the House at Pooh Corner by one
What do you knowThere's so much to be done
Count all the bees in the hive
Chase all the clouds from the sky
Back to the days of Christopher Robin
Back to the ways of Christopher Robin
Back to the days of Pooh
© 1969,1994 MCA Music Publishing, a division of MCA Inc.

Save the people..

Save the people…

Michael Vick is a terrible person. Vick, the starting quarterback from the Atlanta falcons, pleaded guilty to financing a dog fighting operation in federal court and is currently facing a 23 month sentence in federal prison. He was the bankroll for the dog’s being trained to fight as well as “eliminating” the dog’s who did not perform in the ring. The media circus surrounding Vick was of a movie. His family grief stricken and his good name which was VERY HIGHLY profitable, is now mud. We have all the animal activist groups just beating down the door with the words “justice!!”. We have a soft spot for animals, our loyal friends. They never complain. They are always there for us. Good companions and loyal. In no way am I giving the ok to what this man did. It is horrible and despicable. People who are involved with this type of thing sicken me. I remember the ‘save the Wales’ movement a few years back. Save the sea turtles. Save the Amazon rainforest. Save the planet. These are all worthwhile causes. Dog fighting is a cruel and vicious sport and should be stopped every where. While we are at it, we need to remember to save the people. We seem to miss that part. We say Vick is
beyond redemption. He is a lost cause. “there is no room for the murders and perverts and liars and dog fighting fans!!” that’s what we want to scream. Those people are not worthy of grace or forgiveness. They are out of chances. We were all out of chances. Way gone. But then…hope showed up. Jesus came to show us a better way. He was the better way. While we are forgiven for our sins…we got to face the consequences. Save the people. Believe that God can change people. We face the broken messed up people every day when we look at the mirror. While you may never face jail time or even cheat on your taxes, you require grace. Look beyond justice to mercy. It has already begun for a lot of us…


Eric

the ugly side...

With the upcoming release of the new Batman movie ‘The Dark Knight”, I am reminded of Heath Ledger. The 28 yr old actor was found dead in his apartment after an apparent overdose on several sleeping pills and anti-depressant drugs. Ledger was a rising star in Hollywood and was cast as the Joker in the new film. He also starred in “The Patriot” with Mel Gibson and “a Knights Tale”. He also starred in the controversial movie”Brokeback Mountain” which was acclaimed as a love story between two men and earned Ledger an Academy Award nomination.. At the time of Ledger’s death, Westboro Baptist Church located in Kansas made a statement that they would “picket this perverts funeral, in religious protest and warning. Heath Ledger thought it was great fun defying God almighty and his plain word. God hates the sordid, tacky bucket of slime seasoned with vomit known as 'Brokeback Mountain' - and He hates all persons having anything whatsoever to do with it. Heath Ledger is now in hell and has begun serving his eternal sentence there - besides which, nothing else about Heath Ledger is relevant or consequential." I cannot quote the entire press release due to the content. Westboro Baptist church members have also picketed numerous funerals of solders killed in Iraq and Afghanistan saying”Our attitude toward what's happening with the war is [that] the Lord is punishing this evil nation for abandoning all moral imperatives that are worth a dime." Westboro members also protested the memorial of 2006 Sago Mine disaster victims claiming that the mining accident was God's revenge against America for its tolerance of homosexuality. Footage of the protest, including several members dancing, was later shown on Fox News. You have probably seen these people on TV condemning everyone from Billy Graham to the Kansas Chiefs football team. Where am I going with this? In no way am I advocating homosexuality as a lifestyle. I think it goes completely against God and what the Bible teaches. I didn’t know Heath Ledger or anything about him aside from the fact he was a great actor in “The Patriot”. All I know about him is that he is dead and it is tragic. His family is devastated and saddened. We are here as the body of Christ to love and lift up those who are hurting. We don’t embrace the sin filled life of people but we share the hope we have in Christ so perhaps they will find that hope and be changed for God’s glory and honor. Where does this lead us? We have to be people who love the truth and stand for it like Christ did. We have to let people know we have a reason for hope. We don’t accept lifestyles or choices but we do as Jesus did….. love and encourage them. God does the changing in peoples lives. So pray for theses families touched by tragedy. Pray for people who have no hope. We have to believe in God for people to change. Be blessed my friends.

Eric

testing human kindness....

“it’s the end of the world as we know it….and I feel fine.”

You may or may not recognize that song title by the group REM But the song seems to be talking about our world today. As I sit here in the office at the church looking at the news, it seems like there is just plain bad stuff everywhere. War rages in the middle east. Gas prices spike again….. shootings and murders and hatred and…..it never seems to end does it? It seems like everything is coming apart. We also have broken relationships and hurting people and……..we seem fine. On the outside it all looks good right? Most people smile and say they are ok and we let it go at that. After all we are busy and we know these people right? There is nothing wrong and we go about our business. When I was working at First Baptist Church of Lubbock with the student ministry we would go to conferences and when I would mention our church, guys would always ask how are you doing in Lubbock?…which really meant how many students we had coming. My standard reply was 500. How did we get that many they asked? Well I would tell them we gave away new cars like the price is right. Funny thing is some guys almost believed it. They were not interested in me but more so how big our group was. We have to get past the surface to make a difference. Most of the time the surface is all we want to look at. We do not really want to know peoples worries and fears and pain. Is the world coming to an end? I have no idea. But I know we need to stop feeling fine. Why don’t we REALLY make a difference? Driving to my mom’s house last week I saw a hitchhiker at a truck stop. He was wearing a sign that said “testing human kindness”. What a great idea. Why don’t we show some kindness today…..just because God calls us to? Give out free water…or make a person some cookies. Mow a yard or wash a car. Get to know the people who live a cross the street and have a block party. Stop feeling fine and do something!



Eric

Dad? did you know dogs are color blind?

i love my three little boys. we have such a good time at bed time getting ready. brush your teeth...get a drink of water and let the good times roll. There joy and and humor is contagious. We get in bed, pray and then the entertainment begins. I thought you might want to hear a few statements my wife and i have laughed about over the years when the boys are discussing God, animals and life.

Matt-“Uh Dad? if we had a dog we wouldn’t need a vacuum cleaner”

Josh-“So where were we before we were born? Were we stuck in God’s machine?”

Ben-“Mom is Jesus made out of cheese?
Dawn-”No…what makes you think that?
Ben-“Well his name is Chesus.

Josh-“Dad who is stronger Spider-Man, The Hulk, Or Jesus?”

Matt-“Dad? I think God wants us to get a dog so he won’t have to take care of so many other dogs”

Ben- “I bet Jesus can fly”
Josh-“Like Superman?
Ben-“No like God”

Matt-“Hey Dad if Charlie’s Dad is the pastor of the church what do you do?”
Dad-“Well I work with the teenagers buddy”
Matt-“Oh..so you get to wear shorts all the time huh?”

Josh-“Why do all those kids hang around you all the time Dad?”
Dad-“I have no idea Joshua”
Josh-“Me either. I wish they lived with us”

Eric

the hustle...

Keep those cards and pledges coming!!

I love the TV evangelist guy. I am a huge fan of the television evangelist. It is some very comical stuff isn’t it? You ever watch these people? It is a scene. I’ve seen all of them. The healers and dealers I call them. They are out trying to do all the work of God all the time and can get it done for only $25.00 dollars a month! Did you know that God works on that scale? I love the suits and wild hair and all the shouting and singing. The hustle is old but still so very easy to run. The world has become so desperate that they will believe and buy into anything. It’s “your best life now!” and “achieve the success you have always dreamed of!” uh-huh. These guys seem to think they have invented the wheel again. They might mention how much God is working in there ministry and how good God is. I heard one guy say that as he was trying to “witness” to a pro football player he said ”I'm not intimidated cause I make more money than him” uh-huh. God must be blessing cause he is getting paid right?? I don’t recall God saying go out and hustle people and call it a blessing. While we need to support the body of Christ and its work(and in my case the workers…which I am thankful for) we are not to be about the world and what it is about. Now we have the Internet evangelist guys and all their websites. We can download sermons and give online to there ministries. 1st John tells us to test the spirits because all of the false prophet in the world.… so what kind of things are we plugging into? The thing could be a certain product or maybe a talk show. Or even a church or a pastor. Lets make sure we are building into the one who overcomes and not the hustler out to sell the cross and preach the "feel good about ourselves" gospel.

Eric

foreverandeverandeverandever...

Any one have the time???-

“I am yours”……the catch line in the song “foreverandever”….by the David Crowder band. That forever is a wild concept. I first heard the song at the youth specialties conference last year. I spent a few days there with about 8000 youth workers. David Crowder was one of the artists that led worship but I am pretty sure that most people had ever seen worship like it. The forever song states that we are “falling for you for eternity,right here at your feet,where I want to be” we are his forever. That whole concept just freaks me out. I am sure it is because my small mind can not handle the thought of more than 200 years at a time. The wild thing is that God is not defined by years or even time. Do we realize that the God of all the universe, the star maker, the timeless wonder, Is interested in us? In the amount of time I take to type this God has not even noticed the ticking of the clock. He IS the clock. He is start and the finish. Wild concepts…remember? I am amazed that we as a group of people can be together at this time in this place all because God has already worked out all the details of our being together to help on another and bring His plan together. That is a run on sentence. That’s what God is like…one long run on sentence that never stops despite what is going on. We are the culture of having little time because our time is limited. God laughs at that thinking. We are trying to get it all in while He can see the sunset 500 years from now. We see how much control we really have when we see these things. WHATS EVEN COOLER…IS THIS…..WE WILL LAST FOREVER. When the day comes and the skies open up and God makes it all right…then we will really be alive. Forever. That is wild thinking man. You want freak someone out today? Grab them and ask them if they want to live forever…or better yet….live today like you know you will live forever. And stop looking at the clock.



eric

anybody?

so this is my first official blog. a couple of friends of mine told me i should try it so at least i will have 2 readers. i hope. my sports world is unraveling. starting with the cowboys playoff lost, the rangers season starting, dirks injury and the tarheels final four whip.....im stuck like chuck. maybe i can become a tennis guy. or ultimate frisbee. at least i have the tour de france.

top ten nba players i loved in the 70's-
10. loyd "world b" free
9. cedric "cornbread"maxwell
8. jamaal wilkes
7. maurice lucas
6. bob mcadoo
5. pete maravich
4. walt fraizer
3. walter davis
2. bernard king
1. julius erving


i also loved me some artis gilmore with that fro.

e