booyah.

What do you think?

Why I killed my tv

I'm on a 40 day television fast. With that, I've also cut cable to the 2-22 version.

So here's 10 reasons I killed my tv.

10. I realized that I was watching the World Cup. I don't give a rip about soccer and I was tuned in every chance I got. TV has a way of drawing you in to care about things you don't care about.

9. Cost cutting. I cut my cable/internet bill nearly in half. I went from 80 to 45 dollars a month. 35 x 12 is $420 extra dollars to spend on things that are actually worth it...like golf. :-)

8. Less time on tv = more time with God. I'd rather be influenced by Scripture than by Real, Desperate or any other type of housewives.

7. More relevant living. I want to live a life that is adventuresome..not live vicariously through a reality show.

6. Cleveland sports suck...granted my fast will be over in time for the regular season for the Browns and I still get the stations that will carry their games...and this is our year!

5. I hate Tivo. In a commitment phobic culture, we've made it possible now that we can watch one show and tivo two others and watch them later...So we commit to all of them while committing to none of them and we spend hours in front of the television each week. It's mundane.

4. The average amount of television watched in a week is around 25 hours. That, boys and girls is over 3 hours a day. That boys and girls is 1/8 of your life in front of a television. In the words of John Piper, "Don't Waste Your Life". When you're on your death bed and reflecting on the life you lived, there ain't a single one of you that will say, "Aww Crap. I wish I would have watched all of season 7 of the Office."

3. Garbage in--Garbage out. Virtually every sitcom is crude, overtly sexual, and unintelligent. Do we wonder why our culture is largely crude, overtly sexual and unintelligent? I bet there's a tremendous parallel. Where are the days of good television, like the Cosby Show and Home Improvement. (I will say that I have one exception to this and to my no-tv rule. I watch a show called White Collar on the internet each week that is refreshingly witty and entertaining. Go add it to your Tivo...Tuesdays at 9 on USA).

2. Soapbox Television. Look at the majority of kids cartoons...the level of violence and overall darkness compared to the days of Fraggle Rock and CareBears is ridiculous. Adult shows have gone the same way. Every show has the 'token homosexual' that has to have one make out scene a season to check off the necessary soap box category.

1. Dream Stealer. TV makes it so we no longer dream dreams in our persnal lives, we just imagine what it would be like to compete on Idol, or survive on Survivor...We no longer seek life fulfillment. We trade it in for an hour of television

So who is with me...who wants to kill their tv?

get your helmets on

Very Early Warning: 1-in-1,000 Chance of Asteroid Impact in 2182


well...after the good report at the doctor's, I didn't need this news...Blood Pressure is now through the roof.

No...that's actually a lie.

just what the doctor ordered

I went to the doctor for the first time in approximately 10 years. I got sick in Kenya and thought it'd be a good idea to rule out malaria. Plus I have a lump on my head that seems to be growing quite a bit over the past couple of years. Apparently those are good reasons to get checked out.

No malaria.

No concern with the bumps. Seems that some people get collections of liquidy stuff under their skin. It may keep growing, but its nothing to die from.

So no exciting medical drama. On the plus side, I got permission to wait 2 or 3 years for another check up. That's cool by me.

Essentially wasted $15 to get a clean bill of health...could've used that for golf or for a nice artery clogging steak. sigh.

Sunday Reflections

Today was a good worship time at church.

We had a little guy baptized which is a sacred time.

We said goodbye to a church family who has been faithful to the church in so many ways but has to move because of a new job. This was done in a way that was God honoring. It's powerful when a godly man wears his heart on his sleeve in testimony to His Glory!

"Your Love Never Fails" was introduced to the church. By the end of the song people were belting it out. Its a somewhat obscure song on the "contemporary worship circuit" but it is anointed.

Shaina hit a home run with "Healing is in Your Hands". I love what the Kenyans said to describe her singing and worship...She truly brings Heaven downward.

Jerry brought it with the message...I may have to listen to it again to really get all the gems! Here's just a few:

The width of God's love demonstrates his indiscriminant pursuit of each of us.

The height of God's love speaks to the level of quality that it possesses.

The length of God's love tells how it is forever in both directions. His steadfast love endures forever!

The depth of God's love gives us substance, character and maturity.

When we think that Scripture says no one can fathom the magnitude of any of these 4 'directons' of love, it is mind numbing.

Letting God into our hearts is inviting him to be the father of the household. You cannot withhold a room in the house from your Father. You need to hand over the keys and let him in.

We prayed the Iowa Mission Team on their way. I cannot wait to hear how God uses them.

I'm preaching next week on the topics of unity and maturity. Can't wait!

I love my wife.

It's been hot. flippin' hot. I am a hairy guy. Generally, hairy guys and hot weather don't mix (that's not to say that hairy guys and hotness don't mix).

So sitting in a house this afternoon with no AC, fans blowing hot liquid magma instead of air, and me still being hairy...I was just dripping sweat. It's been like this for a couple weeks now. I'm not complaining. We are blessed to have an amazing house...but this heat is overwhelming.

Tonight in the midst of the heat, Shaina and I decided to go find Air Conditioning with a makeshift date. We went to Old Carolina, a wood style barbecue joint that originated in Massillon and has pretty much the best pulled pork in the history of mankind. A small detail to consider though is that if a joint is wood grilling its meat...its gonna be hot there. So dinner in the AC was a fail...but dinner was still good. We then proceeded to Target for the sole reason of stealing their cool air for an hour or so.

We got home and I sat down in my skivies in front of a fan to try to cool down and prep a Sunday School lesson. Shaina asked me to come outside for a minute...I went...still in my skivies...(keep in mind that we have no neighbors and this story will remain g rated.) I get out the door and something whizzes by my head...Lo and behold my wife had launched a water balloon attack and so we had fun with that, watched a storm roll in, and then sat and worshipped at the piano a little bit. I needed that.

I have been running on E with ministry this summer. There is just a ton going on and for the first time in quite awhile, Shaina and I were off the clock together.

My Sunday School lesson isn't prepped, but maybe for the first time in a while, my heart is.

It's been a good day...add to the Break in the Routine the fact that Team Thompson brought home the Legends Cup earlier and it has certainly been a day apart. It's time for this hairy mess of hotness...or is it hot mess of hairyness? to get some rest in the toaster oven known as our house!

The Biggest Day in the Sports Year

It has finally come...the day you've all been waiting for all year. Saturday at 7:00 a.m. the 3rd annual Legends Cup will be fought for.

In case you have been oblivious to the world you live in, the Legends Cup is an 8 v 8 golf competition that is Ryder Cup Style. My 8 take on my buddy Scott's 8 to seek to grab bragging rights (and the Legends Cup) for the next year. So far my team won the inaugural event and Scott stole it from us last year (with what will ever be known as the "handicap conspiracy".) Tomorrow it boils down to 27 holes of fury...9 scramble...9 best ball...9 individual ball.

I've called in my uncles Jim and Rick...who won the title in year one and took hiatus last year. I've got my two shining stars from last years debacle, Jeff and Bruce coming back. I've got two young guns, Jon and Matt, weighing in at a combined weight of 170 pounds and then I've got my buddy Todd and myself. (I paired myself with the best golfer on the course...why you might ask? Because I'm not a moron.)

Thankfully its only supposed to be mid 90s and humid and I will have gotten at best 5 or 6 hours of sleep.

Bring it.

Get Ready To RISE

Very Excited for RISE tonight. It's a tough message on Luke 9:51-62. Apparently we're going to have a number of people missing out because of a Brad Paisley concert...Is it bad if I am wishing bronchitis upon him? Yes...Yes it probably it.

Anyways. 9:00 p.m. at Wadsworth UMC...The third installment of RISE: A Gathering for His Renown! The band is ready to rock and I'm ready to sweat while preaching (isn't that a sign of a good preacher?)

faith of a child

I did a wedding last Friday (my first ever!) I was privileged to marry Jason and Lauren Murvine and as my grandpa says..."I tied a good knot." Haha...they are stuck together...not because of me, but because of the love they've found together through Christ.

One highlight for me was sitting in the pastor's office with the bridal party waiting for the ceremony to begin. The ring bearer was a little guy of 4 years old and he was asked to tell us a story. He proceeded to tell us word for word the story of Noah's Ark and then the Prodigal Son. He apparently listens to Bible stories before he goes to bed as they are told by a British guy...(this little dude even used a british accent when he got excited! haha.)

But I was impressed that a 4 year old had such a foundation.

The 'Shema' found in Deuteronomy 6, recited by Jews each day is a great principle for parenting.

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.a 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6 Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7 Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblemb on your forehead, 9 and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Holy and Righteous

Can I ask...How would define the gospel?

I think a lot of people get that Jesus died for their sins and they like that whole eternal salvation concept, but as far as sanctification goes, they are either 1)non-participatory or 2) self starters.

Some don't give a rip about actually working out their salvation with trembling and awe in our God. They are content to understand the gospel as a fire insurance policy or a "get out of hell free" card. There is a serious problem with this mindset...its called the Bible. We should not get the idea that just cuz we like Jesus and prayed a sinner's prayer to him that the deal is done. Yes the cross is a complete and total work...but the cross must lead to new creation. Here's something we came up with in our Men's Study that stems from 1 Timothy 1

Faith --> Moral Conscience --> Love
Faith --> No Moral Conscience --> Shipwrecked Faith (handed over to Satan and Hell.

In other words, if our belief in Christ doesn't change the landscape of our lives, the very foundation of how we think and live, then it is a shipwrecked faith...going no where and the result of which will lead you to Hell.

Now with that said...some try to make the moral conscience thing happen on their on (self starters). They think that they can change the landscape of their lives and the way they think and live by sheer will power. This is also not biblical! Christ is the one who sanctifies and changes...creates and births. You do not achieve holiness. Christ made you holy once for all on the cross. You do not achieve righteousness by behavior modification...You ARE RIGHTEOUS because Christ made you righteous once for all on the cross.

So those of you who are shipwrecked, return to the start and deal with whether you really have faith in Christ!

Those of you who are self starters, return to the start and realize that what Christ did on the cross is total and complete and he saves you...you don't save yourself!

If the gospel hasn't changed your entire life's course...then it probably isn't the gospel!

I'm an ox.

Pastors are sometimes viewed as glitz and glamour/spotlight guys who talk for an hour or two on Sunday. Some are visionary like Andy Stanley. Some are passionate like Louie Giglio. Some are profound like John Piper. Some are simply relevant communicators like Mark Driscoll and Perry Noble. Some are winsome like Pete Wilson. Some have annoying (fake?) smiles like Joel Osteen.

But heres the bottom line. Pastors had better be oxen.

They'd better be able to carry the weight of burdens.

They'd better be able to maintain a straight line as they're moving forward.

They'd better be able to withstand mistreatment.

Because that is what good pastors and leaders do.

But you are not off the hook either.

You had better not muzzle the ox. (1 Timothy 5:18)

Paul is referring most explicitly to paying/taking care of your pastors. So you better be doing that...but there's other muzzles as well. People muzzle leaders by being constantly negative...constantly attacking their flaws or leadership style...constantly undermining their leadership, teaching and vision.

Your pastor is an ox. Fight for the ox to succeed. Don't sit back and muzzle.

(And yes. The ox analogy goes further because I'm big and particularly hairy...I get it.)

Get your Quitness Beer While Supplies Last

Bitter, Lebron-inspired brew re-releasedEmail Print Comments986 Associated Press

CLEVELAND -- A Cleveland brewery is re-releasing a bitter beer inspired by LeBron James' decision to leave the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.

Great Lakes Brewing Co. says 30 gallons of "Quitness" ale sold out in three hours Wednesday at the company's downtown brewpub.

The beer will return Saturday on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The brewery says "Quitness" is a dry hopped India pale ale that leaves a bitter aftertaste, perfectly describing the mood of Cleveland sports fans these days.

After seven seasons and no championships in Cleveland, James, the NBA's two-time reigning MVP, announced last week he was joining stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.


Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

Vision Stoppers

We studied Nehemiah a couple weeks ago in our young adult Sunday School class and one of the things we observed is that when Nehemiah took hold of the vision that God had for him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, that was precisely when the opposition started from area leaders like Sanballat.

Its pretty much a guarantee that the closer you get to obedience, the harder the road is and the more doubters, skeptics and accusers you will encounter. That is definitely what I am finding with Church ReVerb. I find myself on the brink of either pushing through to obedience or giving up and throwing in the towel.

What do you do when the road to obedience is hard and costly? Do you go big or go home?

Poo Police

So, if there were a category in my blog for Too Much Information, this post would go under that section...Some of you sicker individuals will read on with anticipation.

For the last year or so I have been absolute clockwork...I walk into the church in the morning...it doesn't really matter what time...and within 5 minutes I have to visit the john. I don't know what it is...maybe its a 'holy crap' mentality...maybe my body, including my sphincter just relaxes and calms when I enter the house of prayer...maybe I just like to poop on the clock.

Whatever the case may be, my office is located with the youth director and the custodian's offices all next to our own bathroom. My two coworkers happen to be women and so if I see them in their offices, I tend to venture to a different toilet facility out of respect and chivalry. But if they are not in their offices, I let it rip.

About a month ago, the plot thickened as suddenly in our shared toilet facility there appeared an industrial strength dry air freshener spray. I can only assume they want me to take a hint.

And lately, it never fails that the moment I 'mobilize the troops', enemy invaders show up in their offices.

I guess it really is true..."He who poops in church...sits in own pew."

But maybe we could capitalize on this unique scent with some financial gain?

Wedding Blitzkrieg

Today begins the stretch of 3 weddings in 7 days. Shaina and I both have a role in my cousin Staci and her groom to be, Andy's wedding today. Then next Friday I will be doing my first ever wedding flying solo, which I'm pumped for. It will be for my good friend from high school who helped point the way for me to come to Christ. Then next Saturday its simply sitting back and enjoying the day at my cousin Steve's wedding with his bride to be Laurie.

Depending on my mood I either love going to weddings or dread it...When I'm dreading it, its because of self centered reasons about giving up my time...but when I'm loving it, its because of these 3 things...

1. It reminds me of the New Covenant and how Christ and his bride, the church have modeled to us what marriage should look like...sacrificial serving. Usually when marriages go south, its because the desire to put the other before one's self has been lost.

2. It reminds me of my own marriage to Shaina. Not only the important stuff like the vows and such, but also the humorous moments like when my grandpa couldn't recall Shaina, Shawna, Shyna's name and when I put my own wedding band on Shaina and she non-chalantly made the switch so that I could have one on that fit me!

3. It makes me hopeful...particularly when people do it God's way and not their own. Hopeful that love wins!

5 hours and 20 minutes

Loved this take from Bill Simmons on ESPN

If LeBron picks anyone other than the Cavaliers, it will be the cruelest television moment since David Chase ended "The Sopranos" by making everyone think they lost power. Cleveland fans will never forgive LeBron, nor should they. He knows better than anyone what kind of sports anguish they have suffered over the years. Losing LeBron on a contrived one-hour show would be worse than Byner's fumble, Jose Mesa, the Game 5 meltdown against Boston, The Drive, The Shot and everything else. At least those stomach-punch moments weren't preordained, unless you believe God hates Cleveland (entirely possible, by the way). This stomach-punch moment? Calculated. By a local kid they loved, defended and revered.



It would be unforgivable. Repeat: unforgivable. I don't have a dog in this race -- as a Celtics fan, I wanted to see him go anywhere but Chicago -- but LeBron doing this show after what happened in the 2010 playoffs actually turned me against him. No small feat. I was one of his biggest defenders. Not anymore.



And here's where I really worry, because I don't think LeBron James has anyone in his life with enough juice to hurl his or her body in front of the concept of "I'm going to announce during a one-hour live show that I'm playing somewhere other than Cleveland." It's the best and worst thing about him -- he has remained fiercely loyal to his high school friends, but at the same time, he's surrounded by people his own age who don't stand up to him and don't know any better. Picking anyone other than Cleveland on this show would be the meanest thing any athlete has ever done to a city. But he might. Assuming he's not malicious, and that he's just a self-absorbed kid who apparently lost all perspective, that doesn't make him much different than most child stars who became famous before they could legally drink -- or, for that matter, Tiger Woods. That's just the way this stuff works. Too much, too fast, too soon. You don't lose your way all at once; just a little at a time. Then one day you look up and there's a TMZ photo spread with 15 of your mistresses, or you're agreeing to stab an entire city in the heart on a one-hour television show.

(When Kevin Durant announced his own five-year, $86 million extension with an endearingly simple tweet yesterday, we all had the same thought: "Now that's how it's done." Pretty sad that an NBA star stood out for being humble and only caring about basketball.)
-------

LeBron waved at me 2 weeks ago...I know he was indicating to me that he was staying in Cleveland on subconscious levels...so I, the always-stars-in-the-eyes-Cleveland-Sports-Fan remain unwaveringly steadfast in the belief that he will stay.

Funny related note...the radio guys on 850 am's The Really Big Show suggested that if LeBron goes, Cleveland replace the larger than life poster of him on the side of a Cleveland building with a larger than life middle finger...I'm not condoning such behavior, but it is kind've funny.

So will he say stay or will he go? What's your 11th hour prediction? I'm still in the "Stay Camp" but most addicts might call this phase "Denial".

ouch.

"When we depend on organizations, we get what organizations can do. When we depend on education, we get what education can do. When we depend on man, we get what man can do. But when we depend on prayer, we get what God can do."
A.C. Dixon

'abdominals'

Anyways, tonight, during the Ab Ripper X portion of my workout for P90X, for the first time since high school, a voice cried out. From under the layers of winter insulation and late night pizzas cried the still small voice of my abdominal muscles. They still exist. While it was a nostalgic moment of reunion tonight, my hunch is that when the alarm goes off in the morning, the still small voice will be screaming and we will not be on as good of terms. In honor of this newfound relationship, I thought I'd post this commercial.



This is one of my favorite commercials of all time. Yet I am equally entertained and freaked out by it.

Day 5 complete.

X treme

Just finished up day 3 of p90x. In general I just want to get in better shape.

Thankfully Shaina is going through the program as well, which will give us a better chance of sticking with it.

Day One was chest and back + Ab ripper x

Day Two was plyometrics which is essentially a cardio workout that focuses on squats and lunges.

Day Three was Shoulders, Bis and Tris + Ab ripper x

I just started feeling day one today on day three. it was a struggle to lift my arms this morning...but I made it through.

Here's the stats. I'm 207 lbs at the outset of this workout program and a 34 or 36 waist (depending on which brand of pants and whether you ask me or Shaina my waist size.)

I'd like to be down to 190 and a 32 waist size when I've finished the program on October 1. I would also like to be able to complete the Ab Ripper workout with max repetitions on each exercise...right now I can do 15 out of 25 on most of them but there are a few that are literally impossible for me at this point because of my lack of core strength.

I have a feeling that tomorrow will be "Don't move my arms day"

So if you've experienced P90X is there a certain day/video that you just absolutely dreaded when you woke up that morning to do it?