You Won't Be Disappointed

I know I don't use my blog much to promote books or to give book reports. Which is strange, because I read so much. Favorites from 2007 include:

• Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
• Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
• Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition
• Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples
• The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less
• A Leader's Legacy

I just finished a book this morning that I want to talk about. It was the best book I have ever read! It has everything - romance, intrigue, mystery and instruction. I just love movies and books that speak to my heart, yet also make me think. This book pulls off both! Some days I found myself not being able to put it down. As a matter of fact, it's so good, I've read it through over 10-15 times. And the amazing thing, it just keeps getting better and better!

By now, most of you probably know I'm referring to the Bible. For reading, I like to use the One Year Bible NIV.It's laid out with daily Old Testament, New Testament and Psalms or Proverbs readings. I love setting down with my Bible and a cup of coffee, spending time with God, allowing Him to speak to me through His Word.

And this morning, while enjoying my cup of Starbucks Christmas Blend, I finished reading through the Bible. What a thrill reading about the wall being finished around Jerusalem in the book of Nehemiah, the new heaven and new earth (the new Jerusalem) being prepared for us in the book of Revelation and an awesome song of praise in the book of Psalms.

Here are the last verses in the last chapters from the books of Nehemiah, Revelation and Psalms.

Remember me with favor, O my God. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.

Let me encourage you to begin a consistent Bible reading program if you don't have one. Start with reading through the Gospels or the New Testament. Reading through the entire Bible takes about 10-15 minutes a day. Most people spend more time than that reading the newspaper or watching TV. Start small, experience some success and then keep going!

Allow God to speak to you through His Word. This is a book I recommend to you without reservation. The characters are real, the plot is awesome, and the ending is unbelievable! You won't be disappointed!

Top Ten List

So, here we are, the end of the year. It hardly seems possible that 2007 is coming to a close. But for you, my faithful blog readers, the end of the year means it's time for me to announce my Top Ten 2007 blog posts!

I had more difficulty this year narrowing the list down to ten, so I developed two Top Ten lists. A bit unusual, I know. Just look at it this way, you are getting twice your moneys worth!

In reviewing the past year, I realize how many of my posts were inspired by people who acted out of courage and faith. People of character and conviction who overcame great obstacles in order to achieve heroic results. In honor of these men and women of courage, I dedicate the first list to my Top Ten Inspirational People (in no particular order).
10. Claim to Fame
9. Amazing Grace
8. Character Not Color
7. Oh Happy Day and No. 42
6. Time to Take A Stand
5. Don't Pass Him By
4. Just A Midwest Boy From Iowa
3. Living and Dying For Jesus
2. Pura Vida
1. 26.2

My next Top Ten list is a more traditional mixture of posts about a variety of subjects. Many times when I start to write a blog post, I don't know exactly what I want to say. Sometimes in the process of writing, I discover a story that needs to come out ... a deeply held belief that needs to be expressed ... or a fleeting thought that needs to be further developed. These posts often become my favorite.

Without further ado, I present to you my Top Ten Favorite blog posts for the year (in no particular order).
10. Your Are Only As Old As You Think You Are
9. Step Up To The Plate
8. Generation Me
7. What Can I Do To Make It Right For You?
6. The Joy of Life
5. It's A Small World After All
4. Willing To Risk Death Daily
3. Servant and Leader
2. Proclaim Liberty Throughout The Land
1. The Smart Thing To Do

And because it's my blog and I can do anything I want to, I'm going to give you four bonus posts.
4. Looking Backwards, Moving Forward
3. A Rich Legacy
2. Less Is More
1. For The Love of The Game

So there you have it, my top 24. What were your favorite posts from 2007? Leave a comment to let me know.

If you've read this far, you have way too much time on your hands! Begin your own blog, tell your own stories, and write about the things that stir your soul. Make 2008 a year to remember!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:1-7

Christmas Lights

Now, it's time for some Christmas lights. Click on the picture above to see a very interesting Flickr slide show of some creative Christmas light displays! Enjoy.

The 12 Days of Christmas

It's time for some Christmas music. Sit back, relax and enjoy this version of The 12 Days of Christmas. Last year, Josh and a group of Linn-Mar guys performed a similar arrangement at the Get In The Spirit concert. These guys are good!

Winner Announced

And the winner of the Name That Book contest is ........ Tye Male! Tye was the first person to identify the quote as coming from the book of Zechariah by posting the correct answer on my blog. Retha Gordon emailed me the correct book and Chris Leonard answered correctly by posting on my Facebook page. You are all winners!

This evening, I presented Tye with his grand prize - a hand decorated, Christmas cookie. Thank you to all who played the game!

Christmas Cookie Art

We had our annual Christmas cookie decorating party this afternoon. I must say, Erin's creativity has raised the bar regarding the quality of our decorating efforts! In my humble opinion, everyone did their best work this year, turning out some remarkable pieces of art. The cookies almost look too good to eat!

You can click on the picture above to see more Christmas cookie art. Jon is holding "Work Out Brenda!" You would need to have been here to understand! Our cookie decorating provided several hours of fun and laughter. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Name That Book

I was reading in my Bible this morning and came across several familiar passages, but I'm not sure I would have remembered which book of the Bible they were from. Here they are:

Rejoice greatly O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king come to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

I told them, "If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not keep it." So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, "Throw it to the potter" - the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter.

So, how about you? Do you know what book of the Bible these two quotes are from? You can't use a concordance, online or PDA Bible or other helps. You can use one lifeline by asking a friend. No other help.

The first person who gets the correct answer gets a special gift! You're on the clock - name that book!

Honesty

Lance Greco sent me a link to a ESPN article today titled, Santangelo admits HGH use, says he'll 'face the music'. In my blog yesterday, Let the Games Begin, I mentioned that I'm waiting for just one baseball player to step forward to take personal responsibility for his HGH use.

Well, the wait is over. F.P. Santangelo, a seven year veteran who last played with the Oakland A's, was one of the players named in the Mitchell Report. Santangelo now works for Sacramento's KHTK Radio as a member of, "The Rise Guys" morning show. This morning he came on the air and admitted that he had used HGH. Here are some of the quotes from the MLB article.

In an emotional two-hour radio appearance, the seven-year major league veteran, who last played with the Oakland A's in 2001, confessed to using human growth hormone, explained how and why he did it and publicly apologized to his two kids, his ex-wife, his parents and listeners. He talked about the difficulty he had in explaining it all to his children.

Santangelo's honesty, his candor and his willingness to accept responsibility for what he had done touched some listeners and infuriated others. Opinions ranged from, "You're a liar," "You should resign," and "What should I tell my kid?" to "You don't owe anyone an apology," "I commend you for telling the truth," and "Keep your head up." Santangelo absorbed it all, telling listeners, "I made this bed and now I have to lie in it."

Friday, Santangelo described the release of the Mitchell report as a "relief," telling ESPN.com it was something he had wanted to "scream from the top of a mountain" for some time now, but fear of litigation kept him from doing so.

"This is just me," he said. "I hit things head-on. I'm honest to a fault. I never run away from anything. Once I knew this was coming out, I wasn't going to hide from it."

As difficult as it was to listen to critical phone calls, Santangelo said the hardest part was sitting down with his kids a month ago to explain to them about the decision he'd made. When a caller asked what he should tell his 10-year-old son about Santangelo's inclusion in the report, the former major leaguer instructed him to tell him the exact same thing he told F.P. Jr. "I told him, 'You make mistakes. If you make the right decision in the first place, you won't have to go through what I have. But if you do make a wrong decision, you handle it head-on, with humility and you move on.' "My kids are learning a very good life lesson right now. Their Dad screwed up but he faced the music and is dealing with it head-on."

At the end of his two-hour radio stint, Santangelo again apologized to his friends, his family and his listeners. He again took accountability for his actions and admitted he made a horrible mistake and that everyone's criticism was warranted.

Kudos to Santangelo for being a stand up guy. He's admitted his error and is taking responsibility for his decisions. Admission of guilt is always the first step toward recovery and healing. Santangelo has discovered the peace of mind that comes with honesty.

He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but however confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13

Let The Games Begin

The Mitchell Report was released today. In case you haven't been following the HGH scandal in baseball, former Senator George Mitchell was selected in March 2006 to head an independent probe into the drug scandal in baseball.

Many of the names released today were not new. BALCO had already linked Bonds, Giambi and Sheffield. But other names like Clemens and Pettit were surprises. The new report linked more than 50 players to performance-enhancing drugs who had not been previously associated with doping.

"Every American, not just baseball fans, ought to be shocked by that disturbing truth," Mitchell said. Baseball started testing for steroids in 2002 leading to the "growth" (no pun intended) in Human Growth Hormone use. Unlike steroids, HGH is not detectable through urine testing.

Mitchell said former baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent told him the problem was possibly "the most serious challenge that baseball has faced since the 1919 Black Sox scandal" - when Chicago White Sox players conspired with gamblers to affect the outcome of the World Series championship.

"By and large, the conduct of the players' association was a disgrace and an outrage," Dick Pound, chief of the World Anti-Doping Agency told Reuters. The head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, Travis Tygart, said: "It is a sad, sad day for the national pastime and all who love America. All involved should be ashamed."

Disgrace, outrage, shame, crisis of integrity - all serious challenges to the game of baseball. And how will the players and their association respond to these serious charges? Just watch. There will be blame shifting, finger pointing, excuses and explanations galore. Here are just a few we might hear:

• My agent made me do it.
• I didn't know it was illegal.
• I thougth it was clear cream.
• My mom recommended it to me.
• All my teammates were doing it.
• I've never heard of HGH.
• I used it but didn't inhale.

I'm eagerly waiting for one player, just one player, to step forward and take responsibility for his own actions. I'm waiting for just one person to say, "I used HGH and it was wrong. I made a mistake and I'm sorry. I've been a poor role model. I appeal to young people who look up to me to not make the same mistake that I made. HGH and steroids are very dangerous. I'm sincerely sorry for what I have done. I will use the rest of my career to repair the damage I have helped to cause and hope to regain your trust."

I'm waiting, but I'm not too hopeful. Baseball has ceased to be a sport and has become just another form of entertainment. The bottom line is the dollar. Decisions are made by whatever it takes to put people in the stands. Baseball has become just another game. The word "integrity" and baseball no longer belong in the same sentence. Baseball more closely resembles WWF (it's now officially called the World Wrestling Entertainment) or Roller Derby.

Here is how Wikipedia describes professional wrestling - a simulated sport and performing art which combines wrestling with theater. Baseball might want to take notice. That's not a bad definition. Professional Baseball - a simulated sport and performing art which combines baseball with theater.

Maybe there's a reason that major league baseball is referred to as The Show. Maybe baseball never was a sport. Maybe it was always about entertainment. Who really cares if their favorite actor or artist is using HGH or steroids? It's all about the latest song or movie.

So, if you're looking for some good entertainment this week, watch as baseball players run for cover, dodge accusations and parse verbs. It's all part of the script. It's good theater. Let the games begin!

Heart Cry of the Broken Hearted

New Covenant once again hosted the Children's Candle Light Memorial Service. You can read about last years service here. The service is a very sacred time as the families come forward to light a candle in remembrance of their loved ones.

A special thanks to Dennis Sharp who organizes this special service. A Gazette reporter attended this years event. You can read the Gazette article online here.

I'm thankful that we have a God who entered into our pain and suffering. He knows what it's like to loose a beloved son. He knows the heart cry of the broken hearted.

Prepare For Launch

The days of prayer, planning and anticipation are just about over! Tomorrow morning we do our first "soft launch" at our Washington High School site. We are doing soft launches on December 2, 9 and 16. Then on Sunday, January 6 we are having an "open house" for our New Covenant church family in preparation for our Grand Opening service on January 13. On Sunday, January 13 we will officially become "one church at two locations!"

This morning the Launch Team met to discuss details, go over the schedule for tomorrow morning, to pray and then pack the trailer. You can click on the picture above to see a slide show of the morning. Launching in the winter presents some special challenges and we had to deal with the sleet and ice this morning. Hopefully this nasty weather mix will move through tonight so we can unload and load in better conditions tomorrow.

There will be a lot of details to work out over the next three weeks. The purpose of our "soft launch" Sundays is to give us practice and experience with the equipment and set up/tear down process so that we are ready for guests on January 13. Our goal is to create space for those who are not yet here, who need to hear the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

We are still looking for people who would like to serve at our Wash Campus. Stop by the table in the lobby on Sundays to sign up. Or you can email Lisa Harrington to let her know you would like to help.

Tomorrow is a big day! We are stepping out in faith and launching a second campus. We are trusting God for big things. Prepare for launch!

Christmas Variety Show

We traveled to the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center in Cedar Falls last evening to attend the UNI Men's Glee Club Christmas Variety Show. The performance was 2 1/2 hours of inspiration, entertainment and laughter. You can click on the picture above to see a slide show of the evening.

Believe, In The Sanctuary, Lux Aurumque, and Gloria were vocal favorites. And A Glee Club Christmas Carol and Dance of The Sugar Plum Fairies were show stoppers! Sharon and I especially enjoyed the show as Josh, David Hoobler and Ben Wohlers all sing in the Glee Club.

It was a great evening of entertainment. It was a great way to begin the Christmas season. Kudos to Dr. Barrett and all those who performed!