These NBA Playoffs, while surprising in some ways, have not been overly exciting. There have been moments, here and there, that have been exciting, but overall we have seen lopsided games, no real fights, and a lot of injuries. There are still plenty of things to love about the NBA, though (especially if you’re a Spurs fan).
Catalyst
So, Thanks to my friend in the blogging world, Tyler Stanton, I was able to attend Catalyst Dallas last week. And it was awesome.
I know many of you guys may not be into hearing 10+ sermons over the course of 2 days, but that is totally my cup of tea. I love it, and I don’t know why. Anyways, Catalyst is more than preaching; it’s a leadership conference specifically for young church leaders, of which I am not one. I still learned great leadership skills from men of God that are putting these practices into motion to disciple and bring people into Christ.
Mom
I realize this is a few days overdue, but I really want to express gratitude for my mom. She won’t mind, I’m sure. I sent flowers and chocolate late, too.
My mom is one of the most amazing people I have ever come across. She is a strong woman. She has made mistakes, and is not afraid to admit them. She is open and honest about her struggles. She has also made wonderful decisions (including having me). Her decisions were based on the well-being of my sisters and I. She lived through abuse, and came out of it stronger. She seeks Christ in all she does, and although sometimes we do not agree, I know her decisions from a pure heart. She has been the greatest role model she could possibly be for my sisters and I. She cares for my disabled little sister with patience and mercy. She has loved my rebellious other little sister with grace and compassion. She has supported and encouraged all of my decisions, never judging or questioning me, while allowing me to grow into the man I am. My mom is beautiful, caring, gracious, compassionate, loving, encouraging, and wise.
My mom finds her identity in the Cross, attempting my sisters and I to do the same.
I love you, Mom. Thanks for all you are.
Deep Artists
I was raised listening to Christian music. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I wasn’t able to listen to any other music because it was obviously devil music. When I got into high school, i obviously started listening to whatever I wanted, and when I got into college I realized that music does not have a soul, and therefore cannot be deemed “Christian” or “non-Christian.” I still think lyrics are important, and most of my music taste is based on the lyrics of the particular artist. As I have matured, I have come to appreciate authenticity in art over lame lyrics. I have come across bands that, although they may not claim Christianity, or any form of spirituality, have insightful, affirming, and altogether deep and honest lyrics.
Top 10 NBA Players
As the NBA season winds down, I’d like to throw out a surprisingly controversial list. Friday night, some friends and I went out to watch the Spurs-Lakers game with a Lakers fan. We didn’t watch much of the game, partially because it was a blowout (in the Spurs’ favor, of course) and partially because we had many heated NBA-themed debates. One of them was the 10 best players in the NBA debate. I decided to post mine in order to jumpstart my NBA playoff posts.
Church Hunters: Dallas
It’s very hard to find a church in Dallas.
I know, there are like a million in the Dallas area. I’m right in the middle of the Bible-Belt.
Ironically, that doesn’t make it any easier to find a church.
Autumn and I have been to many, many churches looking for the perfect place to call home. People our age are leaving church at alarming rates, for reasons that can be found here, but I still think it’s important to be in church. I’ll admit that I am not excited about it. I have been let down by churches many times, and every one we try that becomes a dead end just makes us more discouraged about the whole process. Added to the fact that we really don’t know how to find a church (is there a step-by-step process?) and it just becomes a crazy, stressful venture. So I’m reaching out to you guys for suggestions.
The Very Worst Lesson
Growing up, I was told you could ask God for anything you wanted. I was told that God would hear your request, analyze it, and decide whether it would be in His best interest to grant it.
But I also learned that God has an express line. There was one request He would grant 100% of the time you asked it, and that is the exact reason you should never request this particular thing. What is this scary thing? If you grew up in the church, you know what I’m talking about:
Peyton Manning to the Broncos
Peyton Manning visited the Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals last week, and has some more teams scheduled over the next week or so. According to “Sources,” (Who is this “Sources” guy anyways?) Peyton has it narrowed down to four teams: The Broncos, Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, and Tennessee Titans.
Here’s why, as a Broncos’ fan, I want him to stay out of Denver:
#Kony2012
It’s been really hard to be online and not hear some sort of opinion about Invisible Children over the past few days. If you haven’t seen the Kony 2012 video, you can watch it here. If you have been following IC (see what I did there?) for any amount of time, you will know that the great production quality and the call for awareness is normal for them. They use social media well to get word out for their million-man, multi-city movements, including “Displace Me” and the upcoming “Cover The Night.” They were founded to raise awareness for Central Africans being kidnapped, murdered, and displaced by Joseph Kony.
And The Winner Is…
I had my first contest ever, to show appreciation to all you guys who read my blog. The response was awesome! Next time, though, I’m going to use RaffleCopter because they make it fun and easy. Just a few words before I announce the winner:
