Saturday, February 28, 2009

Shout out to The Tallest Blade of Grass

Today, I want to send a shout out to my wife, Sarah, who is the author of the blog The Tallest Blade of Grass . Her blog is dedicated to those people that feel they must always be the tallest blade of grass. You know the type. They are the ones that, in school, could get all A's without even trying, but yet spend endless hours studying so that they can get all A+'s. She and her friend Courtney believe in the motto, "The tallest blade of grass is the first to be cut by the lawnmower". Sarah writes a great blog. You should check it out.

I have to agree with that motto. Not that you shouldn't always try to be successful and achieve great things, but sometimes it is just smarter to be happy with a high degree of success, without knocking yourself out trying to reach the highest degree of success. I know people that, literally, make themselves sick because they are so worried they might not be the tallest blade of grass. So, to you T.B.O.G.s out there (tallest blades of grass), thanks for setting the bar so high. It makes my limbo dance under the bar all that much easier.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Remote Control Cars

One huge bonus, that comes with being a dad, is that I get to have so much fun with my boys. We play with Lego's, blocks, balls, and even a toy cash register. Those toys are always lots of fun. Recently, however, we have taken the fun to new levels. Selleck is getting to the age that his toys are as much fun for me as they are for him. It is so cool!

Growing up, I loved playing with Hot Wheels. Now, I get to play with them with my boys. For Christmas, Selleck received a Hot Wheels town where we can drive the cars through the streets, over bridges, and all around the town. It is so much fun. (Where was this when I was growing up?)

Also, Selleck recently received a couple of remote control cars as gifts. I can't tell you how much fun we have had with those cars. We drive them all over the house. Slade loves to watch them and chase them wherever they go. I always thought being a dad would be great, and it is. But, I never knew it would be this much fun!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Yo Gabba Gabba

My son, Selleck, loves the t.v. show Yo Gabba Gabba. I can best describe it as a kids show (like Barney or Sesame Street) with a dance beat. The show features DJ Lance Rock and several fun characters. Selleck's favorite is Brobee (he's the little green one).

What I like about this show is that they aren't afraid to step out of the box and be creative. They are reaching the kids that get bored with the normal children's programming. I think this is a great example when it comes to church. When I am working on something for church, I try to use whatever creativity I may have in hopes that we can reach all people, those that are fine with the normal, traditional type of worship and those that want something cool or different. As long as we, as a church, are preaching the Gospel and following God's direction, taking a chance and not being afraid to try something new can prove to be very beneficial in our attempt to reach all people.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

What not to do on a job interview - week 2

With the current job market, many people will be searching for new jobs. To help out, I thought I would take one day each week for 5 weeks and give you my "Top 5 things not to do on a job interview". We are in week number 2. These are things that have actually happened during one of the job interviews I have conducted. If you are interviewing for a new job, please do not do these things.

2) Don't be too honest on the job interview - One of the standard questions I would ask on a job interview was "Tell me what your current or last boss would tell me about you". I had a guy that just laid it all out. He went on and on telling me how his boss would probably say things like "I am Lazy" or "I often show up late for work" or "I didn't get along well with other workers or the boss". Wow! That is honesty. Honesty that keeps you from getting a job. Chances are when an employer calls your former boss, many will only confirm the time that you worked there and not elaborate on you as a worker, in fear of getting sued. Being honest is a good thing, but throwing yourself under the bus doesn't usually get you the job. This guy wasn't offered a position.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Selleck's Birthday II

Yesterday was Selleck's 3rd birthday. I wanted to share some pictures from his "Yo Gabba Gabba" birthday party with his friends, our father/son day, and his birthday party with the family.

For his party on Saturday, Sarah made Selleck a "Brobee" birthday cake and cupcakes. I think she did an unbelievable job! Selleck had so much fun with his friends.



Selleck and I spent the day together on Monday. We had an awesome day. We stopped for breakfast at a place called "Scramblers". We both had omelets! We then went bowling. Selleck loved bowling. His first ever game he bowled an 80! Then, we went to see a movie. We saw "The Tale of Despereaux". We ate a lot of popcorn and washed it down with some root beer! To finish off our father/son day, we stopped by Graeters for some ice cream. It was such a fun day for both of us!


We topped off an amazing birthday with even more presents! I mentioned yesterday that Selleck's Grandparents went in on an awesome gift. It was a John Deere tractor that Selleck could drive! The present was for both Selleck and Slade. Selleck loved it. Slade doesn't quite get it yet. But, when he does, I am sure he will love it too!

Another gift will be great for when Selleck helps mommy in the kitchen. He now has his own chef apron. Very cool!


Selleck had so much fun and loves all his gifts. As his dad, it is great to know that Selleck has so many friends and family that love him and wanted to make sure he had an awesome birthday. And, you know what? He did!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Today is Selleck's Birthday!

Today is Selleck's 3rd birthday! I am so excited about today. Selleck and I are spending the day together for a little father/son time while mommy and Slade are at school. We have some cool things planned. I can't wait to get started! Selleck and I always have so much fun together. Who knew hanging out with a 3 year old would be so much fun? He keeps me laughing and his energy is contagious.

Saturday, we had a "Yo Gabba Gabba" themed birthday party, so Selleck could invite his friends and tonight, we are having a birthday party with the family. Selleck's grandparents all went in on an awesome gift and I can't wait to see his expression when he gets it. I would tell you what the gift is, but Selleck might read this blog and I hate to ruin the surprise for him! :)

I will take some pictures from today, so check back tomorrow and I should be able to post them.

Happy Birthday, Selleck! I Love You!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Sarah's Dad - Robert Shepherd

Seeing as today is Academy Award Sunday, I wanted to blog about Sarah's dad, Robert (Bob) Shepherd. As I mentioned in an earlier post, he's an actor and an all around cool guy. I love to listen to his stories about being on movie sets and his conversations with other actors. The whole movie making world interests me and I like getting the behind the scenes take from Bob.

Bob has had many cool acting jobs, some of which are listed on his Internet Movie Database page here. He has played a Congressmen in "Evan Almighty", Judd the Bartender in "Ghost Town", and Obed in "The book of Ruth", among other roles.

However, I believe the greatest role that Bob has ever played is as a Dad/Husband to his family. As much as I like Bob and enjoy listening to his stories about being an actor, I respect him even more for what he has done as a Dad and Husband. Some of you may already know the story, but I will share it for those who don't. Bob, from what I understand, has always wanted to be an actor. After College, he and his wife, Marcia, left his teaching job and position in the Army reserves to move to California to pursue acting as a full time career. While in California, my wife, Sarah, was born. 10 days after Sarah's birth, Marcia suffered an aneurysm. From what I have been told, it was a very touch and go time. The great thing is that Marcia fully recovered, but the incident had left them with mounting hospital bills.

As any actor just starting out, paychecks can be few and far between. With his family going from 2 to 3 and all the hospital bills, Bob made a decision. He decided to put his acting career on hold and put his family first. Bob went back into the Army so he could receive a regular paycheck and support his family.

As a dad, I can really respect how he has put his family first. It takes a lot to put your dreams behind those of your family. It is great that Bob has been able to return to his acting career, now that he has retired from the Army and his family is all grown up. So, whether or not the name Bob Shepherd is as famous in Hollywood as Robert Redford, Gene Hackman, or Tom Hanks, Bob Shepherd has already won my Oscar for his outstanding performance as Lead dad in the Shepherd family.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Shake the dust

My mother-in-law, Marcia, has written a book called "Shake the Dust - and Move on". It is about those times in life where perseverance isn't the best course of action. As she puts it, "There are some circumstances that demand an alternate plan". She explains that sometimes you just have to "shake the dust and move on".

This book is great to read, in and of itself, but, I think it really hits is purpose best when it is used in a small group setting. The women's small group, at Gravity Church, just finished this book. They found it very thought provoking and it opened up some great conversations.

If you haven't read it, pick it up. It's a great read. And, if you are in charge of picking out material for small groups, I absolutely suggest you check out "Shake the Dust - and Move on".

Friday, February 20, 2009

Useless Knowledge

I have to say that most of the knowledge I seem to be able to retain is useless. I wish I could remember more important stuff, but a lot of times I can't. I think my brain is all filled up with useless knowledge. And, it seems that for me, t.v. trivia is the number 1 category of useless knowledge in my brain. Here is a list of 10 t.v. facts I remember that are useless and are taking up the space of things I would like to be able to remember.

1. Hawkeye, from M*A*S*H, was from Crab Apple Cove, Maine.
2. The restaurant, above the bar on Cheers, was named Melville's.
3. The full name of A.C. Slater from, Saved by the Bell, was Albert Clifford.
4. Frasier and Lilith's son, on the shows Cheers and Frasier, was Frederick.
5. Barney Fife's girlfriend, on the Andy Griffith show, was Thelma Lou.
6. Doogie Howser's best friend was Vinnie Delpino.
7. The Keatons, from Family Ties, lived in Columbus, Ohio.
8. Kevin Arnold's love interest, on The Wonder Years, was Winnie Cooper.
9. Doug Heffernan, on King of Queens, worked for IPS.
10. Rachel Green's (from the show Friends) favorite movie was Weekend at Bernie's.

See! Useless.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Fishers of Men

When I was a little boy, my family and I would go to Canada to fish for one week each year. We went with a group of friends and each family would stay in their own cabin. We even brought our own boat to take out on the lake.

As a little boy, I would often get impatient as we sat in the boat, with our lines in the water, hoping to catch a fish. Sometimes, we would be out for hours with not even a nibble. I still remember sitting in the boat watching my bobber in the water, hoping to see it go under the water (that meant I had a fish on the line). It just seemed like the time passed so slowly.

Once in a while, we would get into a really good spot in the lake and catch fish, one right after the other. It would seem that all we would do is cast our line and right away, reel in a fish. Those were the times I would have been fine staying out for hours.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus calls Peter and Andrew to "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men". As Christ followers, we too are called to be "fishers of men". Part of our direction from God is to go out and share the gospel with the entire world.

At times, though, I can still feel the little boy inside of me as I try to be a "fisher of men". It is easy to become impatient, when it seems I am not getting a nibble. Though I cast my line over and over again, no one seems to respond. But then I think about those times when my baskets have been over flowing with fish, when every effort brought forth an abundance. The memories of those times are what give me the patience to continue to cast my line.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

What not to do on a job interview - week 1

A couple of my past jobs have been in retail store management. My responsibilities were to interview and hire new employees. So, I have had my fair share of experience doing job interviews.

With the current job market, many people will be searching for new jobs. To help out, I thought I would take one day each of the next 5 weeks and give you my "Top 5 things not to do on a job interview". These are things that have actually happened during one of the job interviews I have conducted. If you are interviewing for a new job, please do not do these things.

1) Take your baby to the job interview - I had a lady show up for her interview with a stroller and her baby inside. My first thought was, "Do you realize that if we hire you, you can't bring your baby to work with you?" I know that finding someone to watch your child can be hard to do sometimes, but that can't possibly give your potential boss a good feeling about your being able to come to work without a baby. During the interview, her baby started to cry. It was so awkward. I tried to act as if there wasn't a crying baby next to me and just proceed, but it was nearly impossible to do. Needless to say, she didn't get the job.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Cliff Clavin

One of the t.v. shows that I really loved to watch was Cheers. It was such a funny show. One of the funniest characters was Mailman, Cliff Clavin. If you watched the show, you will know that Cliff was the resident "know-it-all". He was always spouting off "a little known fact". I wanted to list a few of Cliff's "little known facts" that made me laugh.

"It's a little known fact that the smartest animal is a pig. Scientists say if pigs had thumbs and a language, they could be trained to do simple manual labor. They give you 20-30 years of loyal service and then, at their retirement dinner, you can eat them."

"Everyone in the Swiss Army owns a Swiss Army Knife. That's why no one messes with Switzerland."

"It's a little known fact that the tan became popular in what is known as the Bronze Age."

Monday, February 16, 2009

President's Day

Today is President's day. The day we set aside to honor two of the greatest Presidents in our country's history, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. As I believe it is great that we honor these two men, I'm not going to lie to you. I also love that honoring these two guys gets us a day off work.

So with that, I would like to propose that we take a separate day off to honor every President. We have had 44 Presidents, thus we should have 44 days off to honor them. No matter if they were a great President or a bad President, we should still take a day off to show them our respect. In fact, I further propose that if they were a great President, we should take a day and 1/2 off to honor them. That would mean that we would have Monday off and not have to be in to work until noon on Tuesday.

Now that I am thinking about it, why should we stop at Presidents? We need to have Vice President days as well. We've had 47 Vice Presidents. I really think I might be on to something!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Back to the Future

Today, we are starting back at Liberty Heights Church, the church we attended before God called us to serve at a church plant. It will be nice to see old friends and catch up on what God is doing in the lives of the church.

When I look back at where I stood in my personal Ministry before we left and where I am now, I see that God has used my service at Gravity Church to equip me for where he will take me in the future.

Before we left, I really didn't have a Ministry purpose. I helped out in several areas, but I didn't truly know where God wanted me to serve. Being at a church plant, I was able to get a feel for all areas of Ministry. With so few attendees, I had to pitch in on every aspect of the church for it to be successful. I was able to teach a small group, preach on Sunday mornings, plan outreach, help with church finances, lead youth group, put together Sunday morning media, be a mentor, add creativity, improve first impressions, and hundreds of other things. It has really given me a sense of what I enjoy doing and what I don't, what I feel I do well and what I could do better, and where I think God is equipping me and where he is not. I can now more clearly focus on the Ministry God has for me.

I am looking forward to God using me in a new way as we return to our old church. I am thankful for what he has lead me through the past 2 1/2 years and where he will take me in the future.

(Our going Back to the Future will have to be on hold a week. Selleck is sick and I am going to stay home with him today.)

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Spring is in the air

Today is the day pitchers and catchers report! What does that mean, you ask? It means that today is the first day that Major League Baseball players report to spring training. That also means that spring and the baseball season are just around the corner. I can't wait!

I have always loved playing and watching baseball. Of all the sports I've played, baseball was my favorite. The cool thing for me, as a dad, is that Selleck loves baseball as well. I know what you are thinking, but I did not force baseball on Selleck. He just picked it up. I would watch baseball on t.v. and Selleck would sit and watch it with me. When he was younger, and nothing would keep his attention for long, he would sit down and watch baseball for minutes at a time (For a little boy, minutes are a long time).

Selleck loves to play baseball too. This year he is really starting to hit and throw the ball really well. It is cute when he grabs his bat, puts on his baseball helmet, and says "I'm Junior", referring to Ken Griffey Jr. He already knows the names of more Cincinnati Reds players then my wife does (of course that isn't saying much). I think this baseball season is going to be the best ever! Go Reds!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Friday the 13th

Today is the dreaded Friday the 13th. If you are superstitious, I would imagine today is not a good day for you. I don't believe that I have a lot of superstitions, but I will admit I do have a few. One is that when I play baseball or softball, I make sure to never step on the chalk foul line when I run out to my position. Another is when I am watching a game on t.v. and my team is doing well, I don't change the channel during commercials.

All in all, I don't think I have too many superstitions and the ones I do have make sense to me. That is not to say I would be fine with breaking a mirror or opening an umbrella inside. And, if today I happen to be walking under a ladder as a black cat crosses my path and it causes me to step on a crack (poor mom), I might be a little worried.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Reality Star

My wife and I love reality television. One show that we enjoy is "Little People, Big World". The camera follows the Rolloff family around 24/7 and you see them just simply living there lives. You share the great times and the bad times, the exciting times and the mundane. I think it can sometimes be therapeutic to see that other people have the same struggles I do.

It makes me wonder if I would be a good reality star. Would people want to tune in and view my life? My guess is no. Who would watch hour after hour of: Scott watching t.v., Scott eating a burrito, Scott scratching somewhere he shouldn't on national t.v., etc.

Maybe, though, I should start living my life like I am on reality television, with a camera following me around 24/7. I am sure I would pray and read my Bible more. I would make sure I am always going out of my way for others. I would live the life I wanted to be portrayed to viewers across the television world.

God is watching 24/7. Other people may be watching, even when I don't know it. What am I portraying to them?

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Duke vs. North Carolina

I am a huge fan of college basketball and my favorite team is Duke University. Tonight is one of the greatest nights of the basketball season. It is Duke vs. North Carolina, the best rivalry in sports. As one announcer put it "Duke and North Carolina are separated by 7 miles and a shade of blue". That refers to the fact that the schools are only 7 miles apart and Duke's primary color is Duke Blue (a darker blue) and North Carolina's is Carolina blue (a baby blue). Also, tonight's game is at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the greatest venue in college basketball. It doesn't get any better then this.

So, needless to say, tonight at 9:00 pm I will be glued to my t.v. rooting on Coach K and The Duke Blue Devils. Go Duke!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Work Friends

The friends you make at work sometimes seem different then your "real" friends. You learn a lot about people when you work side by side for 40 hours a week. However, I think it is easy to discount the friendships you have with co-workers, because you don't see them any place but work. You don't hang out after work or go to a ball game or even go to church with them, so it is easy to not count them as being a part of your "real" friends circle.

I have learned that not hanging out with someone after work or on weekends doesn't mean the person isn't a "real" friend. This became very evident to me last week. A couple good "work" friends of mine were let go because of company wide layoffs. For guys that I, kind of, thought of only as "work" friends, it hurt to see them leave.

One of the guys, Chris, is a good kid (He is in his early 20's, so I can call him a kid) and I know he will land on his feet. He has a strong family support system and I am certain he will be successful in whatever his next career choice.

The other guy, Jason, is a bit older and has twin girls a little older then my son, Slade. He has worked with me for several years and I feel for him as he tries to support his family. I know that he too will be a great asset to the next company he works for and I wish him the best.

It was hard to see them walk out the door. Much harder then I even imagined it would be. Not just because I have lost co-workers that I saw every day, but because they are "real" friends that I will miss.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Where now?

I recently read a blog post by the Pastor of National Community Church in Washington D.C., Mark Batterson, entitled "Released From and Called To". In his post, Mark talks about the times in Ministry when God calls you away from something and calls you to something else. As he said, it is always difficult leaving a Ministry that you have put so much into. But, it is even harder when God calls you away from a Ministry, but is yet to call you to another. He referred to it as a "No man's land".

I am currently in the "No man's land" he is talking about. Yesterday was my last day as Executive Pastor at Gravity Church. God has released me from my Ministry there, but has yet to call me to another. It is a difficult time, with so much uncertainty. What this time has given me, though, is a time to pray and seek God's will in my life. I know he has a plan for me, I just need to be patient and wait to see what it is.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Jeni's Ice Cream

There is an ice cream shop in Columbus, Ohio that I just had to blog about. It is called Jeni's Ice Cream and it is a must stop for anyone visiting the area. We had heard about Jeni's and since it was only a short drive, we decided to give it a try. It was worth the trip.

Jeni's is not your run of the mill ice cream parlor with run of the mill ice cream flavors. I can only describe the flavors they offer as ice cream thinking outside the box. Some of the flavors we sampled were Salty Caramel (a french style caramel with sea salt), Queen City Cayenne (milk chocolate "Cincinnati style" with cayenne and cinnamon), and my favorite, Black Coffee. They say that their Black Coffee flavor tastes like coffee smells, and they were right. I am not a huge fan of coffee to drink, but I always love the smell of coffee. This ice cream brought that smell to taste and it was wonderful.

So, if you are ever in the Columbus, Ohio area, I would recommend Jeni's Ice Cream. I even think they do a mail order business. I might just have to check that out!

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Shout out to Robshep.com

I wanted to send a shout out to Rob Shepherd at RobShep.com. Rob is my brother-in-law and the one that inspired me to start blogging. Rob is the Director of Community Groups and Students at Waters Edge Church in Yorktown, Virginia. He has had a blog for some time now and seems to really have fun with it. His blog is great, by the way. It is a perfect combination of real life, pop culture, and reflections of a Pastor. I really enjoy reading it. If you haven't checked it out yet, you really should.

So, to you Rob, I say thanks. Blogging has already proven to be a lot of fun.

(If you were thinking, from the picture, that Rob must be some sort of child blogging prodigy, no that is my son, Slade. Rob is the one on the left)

Friday, February 6, 2009

The Three Stooges

The Three Stooges always make me laugh. I have spent many a Saturday morning busting a gut to the antics of Moe, Larry, and Curly (Shemp is funny too, Curly Joe not so much). To me it is simple, physical comedy that you don't have to think much about and can just sit back and be entertained.

I recently read a survey that said an overwhelming majority of women do not like the Three Stooges. What? How can this be? The greatest comedy trio in the history of the world and 1/2 of the population doesn't like them. I have tried to figure out why this might be and, for the life of me, I can't figure it out. If you are out there and don't care for the Three Stooges, please enlighten me as to why. It is a mystery that I need to get to the bottom of.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Change

There are two ways to deal with change. You can embrace change and take it as another opportunity or you can hate change and fight it all the way. For me, I seem to follow the 2nd path. When things change, I find the uncertainty of it all hard to deal with.

Right now, I am going through a change. God has directed me and my family to a different path as it pertains to our Ministry and where He will have us serve. Even though this can be scary, a change that is directed by God can be a great thing. It is always difficult to leave a Ministry that you have poured yourself into. But, as sure as I am that God had brought me and my family to that Ministry, he is now telling us to move on.

Change for me is hard. I pray, though, that I will take this change as an opportunity to do something else for the Kingdom of God. Wherever God directs my family and me, I will embrace the new opportunity that He has given us.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Godfrey

The town of Stuckeyville, on the t.v. show "Ed", was very quirky. One of the quirkiest things about Stuckeyville was the most popular first name found among the citizens of the town. That name was Godfrey. In most episodes, there would be some random character that popped up that was named Godfrey. It was pretty funny to notice that a Godfrey was somewhere in each episode. In fact, in one episode, a guy named his bowling ball and the name he chose, Godfrey.

I was thinking that in my immediate circle of family and friends, I don't believe there to be two people with the same first name. I find that kind of odd. In high school and college, I had friends with the same first name, but as an adult, it seems everyone I come in contact with, on a regular basis, has a different first name. The closest thing I can think of is that my father-in-law and brother-in-law are both named Robert. But, one goes by Bob and the other Rob, so that isn't even a case. Now I am wondering if I am the type of person that can only deal with one person per name. If I already know a Jim and run into someone else named Jim, I can't become friends with him because I can't deal with another Jim in my life. Maybe this is all just a coincidence or maybe I have serious issues. Who knows?

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Ed from Stuckeyville

One of my all time favorite T.V. shows was "Ed". Ed was on NBC from 2000-2004. The beauty of Ed was that it was simple. It was about a guy that once lived in New York City as a big time lawyer, but gave that all up to move back to his hometown, Stuckeyville, and pursue his High School dream girl. The show was all about the characters. As they developed each character, you would being to care about them. The show didn't have any forensic experts or huge special effects. Nothing like that at all. It was just a simple show and I loved it.

I try to translate the concept of simple when I am preparing a Sunday morning talk. I am not meaning simple as in no video or skit or technology. I am talking about simple in that I try not to cloud the point God is laying on my heart with all this extra stuff. The first few times I would give a talk, I thought I had to show how much I knew. I would talk about things that maybe I had read somewhere or heard somewhere, but that where hard to explain or that I might not have completely understood myself. It would just confuse the points I felt God wanted me to make. But, the more simple I made it, the more easily I could present it. And, like the T.V. show Ed, the more people could actually walk away with.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Happy Ground Hog day!

If you didn't know, today is Ground Hog day! Today we get to see if the World Famous Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow and if we can expect an early spring or 6 more weeks of winter. I am hoping for the early spring.

Each Ground Hog day, I think of the movie "Ground Hog day" with Bill Murray. If you haven't seen it, you should. It is about a guy that keeps reliving Ground Hog day over and over again until he gets it right. It is a very funny movie.

Sometimes I wish I could have a Ground Hog day, like in the movie. Just be able to relive a day until I got it right. But, unfortunately, I can't and when I screw something up, I have to live with it. I guess the closest thing to a Ground Hog day do over is that, when we mess up, we can ask for forgiveness from whomever we wronged by screwing up. I know we can't be perfect, but we can be forgiven.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Super Bowl expectations

I am a huge Cleveland Browns fan. Being a Browns fan, you come to have certain expectations of the team. Usually the expectation is to be disappointed with their lack of success. But, this year was going to be different. This year the Browns were the sweethearts of the early season prognosticators. Many had predicted the Browns to go to, if not win, the Super Bowl. As a long suffering Browns fan, that really got me pumped up. That is why their 4 wins and 12 losses this year seemed to sting a little worse then years passed.

It is like that sometimes for Christ followers. It seems that people have high expectations of us, sometimes realistic, sometimes not. That is why it is so easy to thoroughly disappoint people. As a Christ follower, people think you should act one way or do things a certain way, and when you don't, they are disappointed. I think some of the expectations are valid. As a Christ follower, I should be nice to people and go out of my way to help others. Other expectations are just not realistic. "As a Christ follower, you should never get mad." That's just not realistic. Of course, I should be able to control my anger and not lash out at people, but I get mad. Striving to always meet the expectations of this world will leave us and others disappointed. All we can do is strive to meet the expectations of Jesus. That is all that we are expected to do.