Beijing: A Look to the Future

Like so many millions around the world, I was thoroughly drawn in by the 2008 Olympic Games, enthralled by the spectacles and inspired by the performances. In fact, never before have I been held with such rapt attention by an Olympiad. Perhaps it was the stunning Opening Ceremonies that captivated me so; possibly the Michael Phelps phenomenon is the reason for my unprecedented interest. Maybe I just finally realized the significance of the Olympics.

As I watched the Closing Ceremony last night, I was impressed at the wonder of such an event, not just in the remarkable artistic expressions, but in the global scope. For 17 days the nations of the world set aside their differences and had fun together. Certainly, the competition was fierce and national pride rose to new heights; yet, people came together and played games. Taiwanese athletes came to China to compete. The Putins and the Bushes sat in the bleachers together. And the little island nation of Jamaica wowed the world.

We saw that people really are people no matter what colors they wear. We heard shouts of celebration in languages we don't know, but we all could understand. We saw tears of heartache and disappointment, as well as tears of joy. We saw mistakes and failures, victories and stunning upsets. We saw fear and courage, sportsmanship as well as disrespect.

We also saw the yearning for more. Though with the Closing Ceremonies the politics and struggles of the world will again take center stage, we saw the hopeful vision of humanity expressed in Beijing. Deep down, we all long for that mysterious and majestic land, that place of wonder and delight. We long to peak inside the gates and get a look with our own eyes. We all long to gather with people from every tribe and nation and celebrate as never before. Yes, we long for something more.

Food for thought?

One of the great joys of American living is the countless number of buffets available around the country. One of the staples of our culture is the pizza buffet. From Chuck E. Cheese to CiCi's to Sbarro's, one can enjoy a multitude of styles, settings and economic tiers of pizza buffets in this great land of ours.

With that in mind, let me voice a deep disturbance in my mozzarella-loving soul: why are buffets always out of pepperoni pizza!?! Pizza buffets are among the most mismanaged arenas of consumption in the food service business. Think about it. Every time you go up for a slice of pepperoni, disappointment sets in as you see everything else but that which you were hoping to find. Oh, sure, there's always plenty of Canadian bacon and pineapple, an abundance of hamburger, and several slices of vegetarian. Not a sliver of beloved pepperoni.

Let me raise my voice on behalf of my fellow pie-obsessors. Pizza-pushers, lend me your ears! Is it really that hard to get it right? It's simple supply and demand. We demand pepperoni at the buffet; it's your job to supply us with the goods. Keep your trendy, creative attempts on the menu for those who enjoy a taste of the bizarre. I for one will stick to the classic.

Canoe Trip

This week I got to serve as Camp Pastor for a Men's (and Young Men's) Wilderness Canoe Trip. We headed down south for 3 days on the San Marcos River. It was a blast! A few of the guys had virtually no paddling experience, but by the end of the week, we all safely navigated some class 3 whitewater in our two-man canoes. All told, we ended up traveling 20 miles down the river.

On the more meaningful side of things, we spent our time focusing on Peter's call from Jesus to "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." All of the guys, young and old, responded well and were a great encouragement. Thanks for inviting me, guys!

(I'd love to post a picture, but we didn't take any. Ah, the freedom of an all-male excursion!)

Insights from a Homeowner

Just a few changes I've noticed about myself since we officially put down roots:

1. I have the superhero ability to notice every imperfection, even if it doesn't exist.

2. All I really wanted for my birthday was rain (and I got it!). I'm asking for the same thing for Labor Day and Christmas.

3. Having profanity-laced dreams about others breaking things in our house; starting to wonder about my mental health.

4. My slob instinct seems to have dissipated.

5. Blogging has become a much smaller priority.

And so we came to Rome

I've been waiting to post some pictures from my 4th of July weekend. Hopefully, I'll still get to that in the future. In the mean time, I would like to share an insight I received yesterday while doing my Bible reading.

Acts 28 records the last leg of Paul's trip to Rome, culminating in the simple statement at the end of verse 14, "And so we came to Rome." I've read through the book of Acts several times, and so I know that I've rushed past this particular verse before, without so much as a moment to ponder its power. Yesterday, however, I remembered that earlier in chapter 23 the Lord promised Paul that he would one day testify about Jesus in Rome. Acts 28:14 is the statement of fulfillment for that promise...3 years later.

When the Lord Jesus appeared to Paul and promised that he would preach in Rome, Paul had no idea that he would first spend two years in prison; that he would first share his faith with 3 Roman governors; that he would first be shipwrecked; that he would first declare God's promise to save all 276 passengers aboard that doomed ship; that he would first spend 3 more months ministering to the people on the island, and that only then would he be allowed to go to Rome.

We may hear the promise of God or sense where He may be leading us, but rarely do we realize the places He will take us along the way.

The 4th

July 4th is almost here. Time to get out on some water, fish, and then grill.



I like fire.

LOST Fathers

While I was out driving one day last week, a thought began to form in my mind. An observation became theory, and then theory became conviction. Have you ever noticed that almost all of the main characters on Lost have problems with their fathers? Think through it for a bit. Jack's father was an overbearing drunk. Kate killed her father for beating her mother. Sawyer's father killed his mother and then himself. Hurley's father abandoned him when he was a child. Clare's father (same as Jack's) was unknown to her for most of her life due to his "real" family. Aaron's father was a dead-beat. Walt's father Michael has numerous issues in their relationship. Locke's father was a con artist and tormented him. Desmond and Penny were troubled by Penny's father. Jin and Sun's problems mostly all came from her father. Even Ben had problems with his father, the drunk who blamed his son for his mother's death.

So, here's the question: is this "Father Phenomenon" a key part of the script, or is it merely a sad commentary on our society?

By the way, no problems here with my Dad. He's cool.