tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88392145730498252592024-03-12T19:58:31.408-04:00Chilaxin' in Seattle!Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-38577828471905835832012-01-08T01:35:00.000-05:002012-01-08T01:35:42.965-05:00A new perspectiveToday I was tasked with that all too familiar Christmas chore of disposing of the tree. Fortunately some boy scouts were collecting them across the street with one little demand -- that the trees be stripped of ornaments and tinsel. Since it looks so darn pretty and seemed like a good idea a month ago, I had sprinkled 1000 strands of icicle tinsel on the tree that now required removal.<br />
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Last night, I tirelessly stripped strand after strand of this *&#^@*&! tinsel off the tree! I would work for a while and still see a seemingly endless supply of sparkly glitters taunting me as they lay carefully intertwined with each branch. After a while, I got to the point that I couldn't really see many. I knew there was still more because it's like one of those pop-a-weasel games. Anyways, I felt pretty good and went onto some other task. A little while later, I happened to be on the floor and looked up the tree from beneath. Lo and behold, sparkles everywhere!!! I grumbled and went about my task.<br />
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Now this isn't very profound, but I haven't blogged in a while and I need something to write about. I got to thinking that life is kind of like that. You look at something for a while with one perspective and you think you see the whole thing. You probably even know that you don't, but you still listen to what your eyes tell you. All of a sudden, something causes you to look at it with a different perspective and you see all these things you didn't before. Maybe this is good; maybe this is bad. I know this has happened to me many times in my life whether it be with the CFM Internship, Ireland, or any number of other things. However, even now, sometimes you can't see things until you see things. Who knows what will give you that new perspective or when it will happen. That might be God or that might be taking a risk or it might just be life knocking you down. Whatever the case, there is probably more work ahead. <br />
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And you know what...as I was taking the tree out today, there was still even more tinsel!!!Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-5057515256893812712011-02-13T00:32:00.001-05:002011-08-22T17:23:07.024-04:00You can never go home againThey say you you can never go home again. But then Bon Jovi rifts "Who says you can't go home again" as he comes to realize the importance of the place he had been trying to run away from. I'm not one to say that either is right or wrong, but perhaps both are correct.<br />
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I suppose I have an odd family -- one that is completely close and distant at all the same time. We all genuinely love one another and want to see one another; on the other hand, we are all independently minded and doing our own thing.<br />
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I never really know what I'm looking for when I go back. I'm probably yearning for conversations of a certain elusive criteria -- conversations that I don't know how to have nor know what they look like. Instead, we talk about the same things. My dad will deliver diatribes on the government or the state of the fallen World, my mother will join along They'll ask about my life; things won't have changed and I won't know what to say -- so I won't say much.<br />
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And there we are, another year gone. Another semi-wasted opporunity and another Christmas to blend in with all the rest. I love being with my family even if we usually don't do much. I know one year, one of us will not be there for good. I can feel my lament before it happens, that I will have wished to have done things differently. I am trying to reverse the fates, but I'm not sure I am strong enough or even know what to do...Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-38647945603886421182010-11-24T01:47:00.000-05:002010-11-24T01:47:17.870-05:00The majesty of snow.This Florida boy always gets excited when it snows and boy did it snow! I was thinking that snow is one of those things that is either good or bad based on your circumstances. It was great for me because I got to work from home, but not so great for those with the 7 hour commutes or those who had to spend the night outside.<br />
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But if you're dressed warm enough and have your car parked safely in front of your house, it can be a wonderful thing. I always try to do something special with the snow. This year I went on a run around Green Lake. At first I wasn't very excited as it was bitterly cold and windy with snow falling down all over the place. But the moment I got to the lake, I was so glad that I did. "Majestic" was the only word that came to mind. The beauty of nature and man flowing seamlessly together to a perfect scene. The lake was pristine and I almost had it to myself. It was an incredibly peaceful run and reminded me once again why I love this city and living where I do. It was as if this was a confirmation that this is where I am suppose to be.<br />
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Of course, halfway around, my knee that has been bothering me started acting up again and I had to walk. It was a damper on a near perfect scene. But even walking (and frustratingly muttering about my knee), it gave me more time to soak up the scene. At the end, I threw my hands up like Andy DuFrain did when he escaped from Shawshank and praised God for such a magnificent creation.<br />
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AmenIrvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-90441455281383453232010-05-16T20:08:00.000-04:002010-05-16T20:08:24.251-04:00This old gelapiI recently bought a new car from a friend who is moving to Boston. I bought it because my last car was a lemon and this new car will be a lot more reliable. I also got a great deal on it because the hood had some minor cosmetic damage from a fender bender. If you know me, this type of thing doesn't bother me one bit. I drove an 82' Caprice classic in high school that was called "The Boat", "The Godfather", and "The Brown Bomber". It also had no AC in Florida among many other problems. My recent lemon actually had the back window duct taped on because it had collapsed!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj134MVYZ6Q5KlcAJwNCBqFye3qX_W_hERAF_Y5xnp8ah19U28uamYKUfPMu3umGkSwgN_4ncur2OqqfU0j9sWOMGKgG1vcHZP5qT4tIFj0Vy81jkOn9PYyYNrqg7AqO-VLza3c5gtSINA/s1600/100_0164%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj134MVYZ6Q5KlcAJwNCBqFye3qX_W_hERAF_Y5xnp8ah19U28uamYKUfPMu3umGkSwgN_4ncur2OqqfU0j9sWOMGKgG1vcHZP5qT4tIFj0Vy81jkOn9PYyYNrqg7AqO-VLza3c5gtSINA/s200/100_0164%5B1%5D.JPG" width="200" /></a>I bring this up because twice in the last week I've had mechanics who saw my car in a parking lot offer to fix the hood on the cheap and one of the guys told me that it was going to fly up on me. I politely told them "No thank you". It got me to thinking about cars and how anal we can be with them. I've seen people take up two parking spots, drive around parking lots for a carefully selected space, and getting upset over the slightest scratch or dent. Why do we make such a big deal out of these things? At the end of the day, it's just a car!<br />
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I think of two stories that I've heard relating to damaged cars. The late Randy Pausch (of "The Last Lecture" fame) tells a story where he had bought a brand new convertible. He was going to take his niece and nephew for a ride and their mother was telling them how they had to keep the car pristine. At the same time, he was pouring orange soda on the seat because the car was just a thing. On the way home, the boy wasn't feeling well and he threw up in the car. I was also listening to an interview with the Car Talk guys from NPR. One of the guys was talking about his gelapi. He told the story of how a lady hit him. He rolled down the window and asked if she was alright. After she told him that she was, he told her not to worry about it and drove off! How much more freeing is that?Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-74995432609509498902010-04-26T21:44:00.000-04:002013-05-09T01:31:58.364-04:00The people we all know and most of us loveWe all have those people that we see all the time. Maybe we know their name -- maybe we don't. They typically have a smile on their face and are eager to make acquaintance. Busy folks typically brush on by to something more important; a passerby on occasion will stop by to have their day brightened for just a bit.<br />
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I've been thinking a lot about this lately. The corner of West Paces and Northside Parkway was made famous as the corner of Robert the rose guys for the better part of 20 years. This man stood on this corner almost every night and took such pride in selling flowers. I never had occasion to buy flowers so never stopped to chat. I knew people that did though, and he would carefully describe the best way to cut and store the roses as if they were a rare bottle of wine. Sadly, Robert recently passed away and Atlanta lost a piece its heart that day.<br />
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But Robert isn't the only one of these people in my life. Others have been sprinkled throughout my experience to remind me of what life is really about. There was Edward, the real change guy, who faithfully sold homeless newspapers for years outside the Brooklyn Safeway in Seattle. He always told me, "Have a nice day, sir" despite never having bought a newspaper from him. In my office building, there is Dallas the security guard although I don't think he could stop a crime if one were to occur. This man in his 70s faithfully graces the doors every day and knows everyone's name. He has the same phrases he always uses like "going topside" or "they're waiting on you". If you ever stop to chat, you likely won't be leaving for 20 minutes and will feel like you're being rude when you finally leave. This kindred old man will surprise you with the occasional profane word and endear you with stories of his wife. There's Johnny, who is stationed by the light on the exit ramp as I drive to Church. I have never seen anyone smile so freely -- even though he has little in the way of possessions. He's an avid Tech fan and always gives me "the rock" during our brief 45 second conversations. He scrapes by on the kindness of those passing by, but on Easter morning he shared with me how he was helping those less fortunate than him.<br />
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I really wish I would have stopped just once to talk to Robert and become a minor player in his legacy. Maybe I've finally learned that hurriedness is rarely as important or as necessary as it seems at the time. Perhaps taking a few moments to be blessed will more than compensate for arriving a little late. And just maybe, I will learn to treat others as these have treated me.<br />
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<center>
<b>R.I.P Robert</b> <br />
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<img alt="robert-hiestand-roberts-roses" src="http://www.foodiebuddha.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/roberthiestandrobertsroses_thumb.jpg" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/buckhead-mourns-robert-the-425926.html">http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/buckhead-mourns-robert-the-425926.html</a></center>
Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-47849612092898614722010-04-23T21:07:00.000-04:002010-04-23T21:07:12.124-04:00Sometimes the losers are remembered moreI've been meaning to blog for a few weeks now, but time has a way of disappearing on me. All that to say that I apologize if this post is a bit dated.<br />
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I am talking of course about Butler's epic near miss of winning a National Championship! It was the perfect underdog story in the perfect city and it even had the whole Hoosiers thing going on. But alas, real life often doesn't follow the script of reel life and a half court heave that climaxes a fairy tale script painfully misses by mere inches.<br />
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All is not lost though. I think this is one of the rare occasions where the loser will actually be remembered more than the winner. For whatever reason, a loser sometimes captures our imagination whether we identify with them or they have an epic collapse or they show the heart of a lion.<br />
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I think of Jean Van De Velde or Greg Norman whose names have become synonymous with gargantuan collapses. I think of Andy Roddick at last year at Wimbledon who left everything he had on the court and remade his image in the course of a few drawn out hours. I think of the one loser who may capture these qualities more than any other story. I was listening to the story of Julie Moss in the 1982 Iron Man. She was a 23 year old College Student who just did the race trying to get a degree. Amazingly though, she found herself winning by 20 minutes in the run. At the end of the race, her body just gave out on her in a fashion that is painful to watch on video. After competing for 11 hours and being 30 yards from the finish, her body just gave up on her. She was passed for the victory, but yet she was determined to finish. In a remarkable display of courage, she crawled to the finish to win the hearts of millions. Yes, sometimes we learn more from the losers and remember their story. Hollywood be damned.<br />
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Video of her finish:<br />
<a href="http://www.livevideo.com/video/4FE1ED0A9D254E39A0EE2405DAE105F5/julie-moss-1982-hawaii-ironma.aspx">http://www.livevideo.com/video/4FE1ED0A9D254E39A0EE2405DAE105F5/julie-moss-1982-hawaii-ironma.aspx</a>Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-4437827735984202522010-04-04T23:27:00.000-04:002010-04-04T23:27:47.488-04:00The Lord's Prayer<div style="text-align: center;">My maker</div><div style="text-align: center;">Blessed be thy name</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thy message carried out</div><div style="text-align: center;">Right here, right now</div><div style="text-align: center;">My provider</div><div style="text-align: center;">My atoner</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thou tempts me not</div><div style="text-align: center;">My deliverer</div><div style="text-align: center;">To thine be the glory</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-82956339305732897892010-03-29T21:23:00.000-04:002010-03-29T21:23:39.735-04:00Talking to StrangersI have an amazing Fair Trade Coffee shop in my apartment complex with an amazing view of the river. The baristas are all really fun folks and the atmosphere is fantastic! Given all these things, I spend quite a bit of time in the coffee shop. I don't believe I've ever approached someone I don't know, but I've had a few people come up to me.<br />
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One day I was working from the coffee shop and a lady came up to me and complimented me about how hard I had been working. The irony of the situation was that I had finished working for the day and I think I had been checking ESPN.com. <br />
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Another time, I brought the book "Celebration of Discipline" in with me because our small group is going through it. I actually wasn't reading it as I was on my laptop. A guy who was meeting there with a prayer group came up to me out of the blue and asked me, "How is God working in your life?". It caught me by surprise (I also hadn't realized that he had saw me bring in the book). I was thinking that was a pretty gutsy question to go up and ask a complete stranger. It took me a few minutes to come up with an answer, but then we had a really good conversation. He asked if he could pray for me and I ended up praying for him as well.<br />
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It got me to thinking about risk taking. I wish I was so bold as that. I saw a video for a local Church here where the person was traveling to Church for a service. Along the way, they traveled on the subway and walked on the streets. All the while, captions would pop up over the various people he passed saying things like "lonely" or "going through a divorce". The point being that we are constantly passing people all the time who are dealing with things and we never interact with them. I'm a decently social person, but I never approach strangers; I usually avoid talking to people on planes. I saw that video and thought "great video" and then of course went on with living my life the same way I always had. Perhaps I need to be a bit more open to talking to strangers.Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-54274653076857743952010-03-06T16:00:00.001-05:002010-03-06T16:02:46.719-05:00Church across dividesI was in Seattle a little over a week ago and I got to walk the halls of UPC again. UPC is a Church that I spent 6 years at through College and after College and is a place with many memories. A great thing about UPC is that you can show up on any day or any night of the week and there is always so much going on. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03cNGe741o2FMHSawbTsfnzNO0Fy5VY5uqBahnetZgqc0727vWBAjPFU1FwHwhSWAU__OeEHrKQyuUUNmlaZcZ2zQ-AbQSnJoEnqaJ23RaPbmnQGEMsp-r_1UDCc_xjsj4Bexq4crl7Y/s1600-h/IMG_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03cNGe741o2FMHSawbTsfnzNO0Fy5VY5uqBahnetZgqc0727vWBAjPFU1FwHwhSWAU__OeEHrKQyuUUNmlaZcZ2zQ-AbQSnJoEnqaJ23RaPbmnQGEMsp-r_1UDCc_xjsj4Bexq4crl7Y/s320/IMG_0023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>While I was there, I noticed several posters around the Church advertising for Lenten small groups. The campaign was very well done and consisted of various people within the Church holding signs describing characteristics of small groups. As I walked up a stairway, one in particular caught my attention.<br />
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<i>"Small Groups are intergenerational" -- Don & Cool guy</i><br />
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I have been involved with two very large Churches -- UPC and a Church here in Atlanta. Large churches tend to get very segregated across age and marital status. I know that when I first returned to Seattle from Ireland, I eagerly sought out the Young Adult group and my biggest priority was connecting with people my age. However, during the last couple of years, I have become more and more convinced that the Church needs to cross divides. A cool thing that use to happen at the Young Adult group is that a group of 55+ year olds called "Second Wind" would come and bring deserts every once in a while. As a result, I developed a friendship with a man named Lee. I had a conversation with Jon Epps (the UPC young adult leader) while I was in Seattle where his vision was very much along these lines. It was cool to see UPC taking on these divides. The high schoolers, college students, and young adults were all attending the same Church service. Students do work for elderly populations with the Church. Small groups are being formed across ages.<br />
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Martin Luther King Jr. famously said that Sunday mornings was the most segregated hour of the week. The body of Christ is made up of people of all nations, all races, all ethnicities, all ages, all abilities, and all backgrounds. If we are missing this in our Church experience, we our missing out on a wealth of experiences and relationships. That is one of the reasons I am excited about my current Church. I attend service with and know older generations, children, married couples, lawyers, teachers, students, etc We also held a joint Ash Wednesday service with a predominantly African American Church which just felt so right.Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-13733200208274325902010-02-22T23:26:00.000-05:002010-02-22T23:26:40.821-05:00CompassionAs some of you already know, I am an Advocate for Compassion International. For those of you who don't know, Compassion is a Christian child sponsorship organization that provides healthcare, supplemental food, education, etc. to children in the poorest countries in the World. My favorite promotional video is this one: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=180351094789">http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=180351094789</a><br />
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Last night, Compassion put on a special event here in Atlanta that I was very fortunate to be a part of. They began with the stories of two different teenage girls: the first one raised $40,000 for a program in Kenya and the second was raising awareness and funds for malaria in Africa. Very inspiring stories.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7aIA6KT3dCY5Qnxo1assiBYib8XF3xLkugGTR6eO0IzCPJT-UDZ9K3nHQbohMItFgVSeiVB0jTN9CD-LANIXrHfsEXxHW5R9G04Gb9KskDu3QoYmkdj90QgP3_uxj2-VmJj6MjeNXcw4/s1600-h/richmond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7aIA6KT3dCY5Qnxo1assiBYib8XF3xLkugGTR6eO0IzCPJT-UDZ9K3nHQbohMItFgVSeiVB0jTN9CD-LANIXrHfsEXxHW5R9G04Gb9KskDu3QoYmkdj90QgP3_uxj2-VmJj6MjeNXcw4/s320/richmond.jpg" /></a>However, the main speaker for the night was Ricmond Wandera, who is one of the four individuals featured in the video link above. There are no words to describe the magnitude of his story.<br />
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His father was murdered in Uganda when he was 8. Richmond, his mother, and his six siblings were forced to moved to the slums because they couldn't pay the rent. During that time, many of his friends died of malaria, diarrhea, and other preventable deaths. Fortunately for him, he was enrolled in a Compassion project in Uganda where he was sponsored by a 15 year old girl.<br />
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After being sponsored, he was singled out for his leadership qualities and became a part of the Leadership Development Program (LDP) where he was able to get a Bachelor's degree in Accounting while being mentored. He graduated first in his class. He became the youth leader at the Church that he use to be a sponsored child at. He is currently one of four LDP graduates who was selected for a special scholarship for a Master's degree at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He currently promotes Compassion and plans to return back to Uganda to be a leader.<br />
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He shared that sponsorship changes 3 groups<br />
1. The sponsored child<br />
2. The sponsor<br />
3. The Body of Christ -- he shared how his mother and all 6 of his siblings became a Christian as a result of the act of this one 15 year old girl<br />
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I get to do concerts and events from time to time. Last year I heard the musician Shaun Groves speak on Compassion. He talked about how his family had decided to move to a smaller house and move from two cars to one car and lived simpler. It was incredibly convicting to me. I knew that I should give up my monthly cable bill. I loved watching Mike and Mike in the morning on ESPN, but that was money being spent that could be going for something way better. When I thought about it rationally, I knew what the right thing to do was, but I still wanted to hang on to a comfort. So it took me a couple of months, but I ended up doing it. It's easy to pretend like it's some great sacrifice, but hearing stories like Richmond's only emphasizes how little I know about sacrifice.<br />
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As an advocate, I have an amazing opportunity to present to different groups on what is Compassion is about. If you know of any group at all that would be open to having a presenter, I would love to come and talk about Compassion. If you're in another city from me, I can find someone who will be able to come. And even if only 1 child becomes sponsored as a result, that is at least 1 more life that is saved.Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-56647914586114442892010-02-13T23:36:00.000-05:002010-02-13T23:36:24.833-05:00Playing in the snow...I get excited by snow -- maybe not as excited as I use to when I would drop anything for the nearest snowball fight (I did grow up in Florida after all). While work and other sorts of grown up obligations make it more difficult, I still make a point to enjoy the few snowfalls I get in some manner.<br />
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Today, I decided to go down to Piedmont Park to enjoy the snow. The wind chill was brutal, but I bundled up and went for a stroll; there is something so beautiful about a new snowfall. After I had wandered around for a bit, I came across a hill that several people were sledding down. I stayed and watched for a while. I thought about how much fun it would be to enjoy something like this with someone else. It is so much more fun to let out that inner child when you have someone else to enjoy it with. Given that I was by myself (and that I also didn't have a sled), I just watched.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGiqgpB8WzvB9STdjBpsZTSwADWBHMMio5IrXkolJqrSLbySjfWg6KKQ9aJNz6RsKniv37HAasiVbq40wDvgkXJMuPWNOJ5_K3vOZtKQhH2fYZ431m1EFqelPM-gdJcwmaRbxj3mBBP0Y/s1600-h/IMG_0009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGiqgpB8WzvB9STdjBpsZTSwADWBHMMio5IrXkolJqrSLbySjfWg6KKQ9aJNz6RsKniv37HAasiVbq40wDvgkXJMuPWNOJ5_K3vOZtKQhH2fYZ431m1EFqelPM-gdJcwmaRbxj3mBBP0Y/s200/IMG_0009.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>There were two groups that caught my attention. The first was two young girls, who I assumed to be sisters, who were sliding down together sitting up on the same sled. They were laughing and having so much fun. The second group was a father and his young daughter sliding down together. He was face first on the bottom of his sled while she rode on his back. These two groups made me think about being a father. I want to be the father who doesn't get upset about icy roads, but seizes the opportunity to go out and have a fun afternoon with his daughter. Those are the memories that you don't forget. The two girls just seemed to capture childhood so well. Sometimes life is just about having fun and laughing and nothing more.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWosMX2yYLTu2PWSudQNtr5KQlbi624DDJvs2U8h6e4SelcjhFmd926MOarBKBpN9TuwfvFc7bEsg9OVDEkRAhrhTAiJaABHnLupiIw7PECqUHX-vy3zoSNk-mjWw5jHGLml0KrYxIVLI/s1600-h/IMG_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWosMX2yYLTu2PWSudQNtr5KQlbi624DDJvs2U8h6e4SelcjhFmd926MOarBKBpN9TuwfvFc7bEsg9OVDEkRAhrhTAiJaABHnLupiIw7PECqUHX-vy3zoSNk-mjWw5jHGLml0KrYxIVLI/s200/IMG_0015.JPG" width="150" /></a>Well, I didn't come to the park to just muse about life and fatherhood and whatever else; I came to enjoy the snow!! I continued walking and started throwing snowballs at inanimate objects. I marched onto the fields at the park that were already speckled with snowmen. I got on my knees and started making a snowman. It then occurred to me that he needed arms. And then I thought it would be pretty fun to put my beanie, scarf, and sunglasses on him. I hate to brag, but it was a pretty sweet looking snowman!<br />
<br />
I don't ever want to forget to make these moments a part of my life. In fact, these moments are usually the only things I remember later on. I barely remember any of my classes, but I do remember flapping my arms and squawking loudly like a hawk in Red Square.<br />
<br />
"In the short term it would make me happy to go play outside. In the long term, it would make me happier to do well at school and become successful. but in the very long term, i know which will make better memories." -- Calvin and Hobbes.Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-59080876358624767062010-02-01T21:32:00.000-05:002010-02-01T21:32:50.168-05:00Breaking down the barriersIt seems to me that God has really been working in my heart. There are far more examples than I can cover in this blog. A few weeks ago, I was riding on MARTA to the airport. It is not uncommon to have a homeless person stand up in a car and make a speech for money before moving on to the next car. On this day, I pulled out my Bible to do some reading. A homeless man sitting across the way from me saw this and got very excited. He started motioning and pointing towards my Bible with a sense of joy in his spirit. He came over to me and handed me a piece of cardboard saying that he was deaf and homeless and needed some money to shower and get a place to stay. He even mimed like he was showering. Being put on the spot, I took a few moments and decided to pull out my wallet where I found a $1 bill and $5 bill. I'm ashamed to say that my mind flashed to an email exchange I had with another person where I mentioned giving a homeless person a $5 bill. Because of this, I gave him the $5 bill. Again he got very excited and pointed up in the air towards God and then he came over and gave me a hug. <br />
<br />
Later, after I had gotten off the train at the airport, a woman came up to me. Her and her friend had been sitting down the car a bit facing me. I was very bewildered as she tried to give me a $20 bill. She said something to the effect that I had been very gracious to the man and that she had been moved by it. She kept on insisting that I take the $20. As I tried to object, she told me to give it to someone who needs it and she left.<br />
<br />
Last night, I had the incredible privilege to join a group from my Church to bring and eat dinner with the men of Trinity House Big Bethel. This is a shelter and rehabilitation program for men on the streets -- many who have come from a background of alcoholism and drug addiction. I have rarely seen such joy and warmth and service that I saw in these men. Special things are happening here! At the dinner, we all went around and shared our stories. After each of us said our name, the whole group would say "Hey [insert name]!" And then the evening concluded with the Power Clap, which was full of awkward dancing.and great laughter.<br />
<br />
As much as I hate to say it, stereotypes plague my mind. As I looked for a parking spot before dinner, I suspiciously eyed the men loitering on the street. God is trying to teach me that people like these are no worse than any other person that I encounter. They are loved by him and can teach me much. We let fear and stereotypes consume us and we put up barriers up to try and protect ourselves. What am I protecting myself from? If God is on my side, whom shall I fear? Slowly, he is chipping away at my heart of stone and teaching me the value of love and relationship to all I encounter.<br />
<br />
The last couple of weeks, I've carried around that $20 bill in my pocket as a somber reminder of that day on the train. To look at it is to see my judgments of people and the barriers that are still in my heart I'm not sure what I am going to do with it, but perhaps it will be used to break down some more barriers.Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-63410363731484941482010-01-01T22:54:00.000-05:002010-01-01T22:59:48.392-05:00What's your story?<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have this friend Sara Toguchi who is one of those people who can only be described as one of a kind -- you just have to know her. One of the things she often does when first meeting someone is asking them "What's your story?". It is always rather blunt and comical and usually puts the person on the defensive. It is remarkably efficient at cutting out the small talk, but it also inadvertently draws attention that we all have a story.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I just finished the latest Donald Miller book </span><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Million Miles In A Thousand Years</span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and it blew me away. It's the best Miller book I have read -- yes, that means better than </span><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Blue Like Jazz</span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (gasp). I really liked the Publishers Weekly review: "Readers who loved </span><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Blue Like Jazz</span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> will find here a somewhat more mature Miller, still funny as hell but more concerned about making a difference in the World than in merely commenting on it". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The book is all about story and about how we are all living a story. The only problem is that many of us are leading a boring story that isn't going anywhere. He offers the following definition: "A story is a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it". I really like what he had to say about conflict in the great stories. "Somehow we realize that the great stories are told in conflict, but we are unwilling to embrace the potential greatness of the story we are actually in. We think God is unjust, rather than a master storyteller".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">He goes on to talk about how our stories can be about wanting a Volvo or being a couch potato or we can instead look for the epic stories full of memories, meaning, and relationships. Learning about story led him to pursue three different stories: riding a bike across America, finding his father, and one about a girl. Eventually he comes across what he calls his epic story, which was starting up a program called </span><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Mentoring Project</span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> that provides mentors for boys without fathers. This is a program that is being run through local Churches nationally. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And so that is the challenge for us. Our story can be about nothing in particular or we can strive to find greater stories in our lives. It won't be as easy as plopping on the couch in front of the t.v. -- in fact, it probably won't be easy at all. There will be conflict and hard work and plenty of distractions. But think about your favorite stories: books, movies, whatever...the best stories are never easy for the protagonist.</span>Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-3886825352189203222009-11-23T22:37:00.000-05:002009-11-23T22:37:53.788-05:00Chasing ClownsA little while ago I was at a benefit concert for anti sex trafficking. It was a good thing with some great musicians that I enjoy listening too. The funny thing was there was a stretch with a lot of depressing breakup songs and he even cracked a joke about it. I wouldn't have thought much of it except that I had been at another concert several weeks prior where it was even more obvious. Now I've been jaded by girls plenty myself and I can appreciate a good breakup song as much as the next guy, but there was something stirring inside of me that shouldn't we have something else to write about? I don't know God or family or even yellow submarines.<br />
<br />
I started thinking about this idea of heartbreak just not seeming so important anymore. And then for some reason, this got me to thinking about Camp Side By Side -- a camp for kids with cancer that is very close to my heart. I started thinking about the many stories we've all heard of the person everyone loves slowly dying in front of all their friends and families -- the story where they are the beacon of strength and clarity and joy. I ended up writing a poem about it. The funny thing about this poem was my favorite line was the line "Chasing Clowns". I have never seen a terminally ill child chase a clown, but that line seemed to capture everything I was trying to say so perfectly and so vividly.<br />
<br />
<b>Chasing Clowns</b><br />
Growing pale<br />
Looking frail<br />
Finding joy left within<br />
<br />
Seizing time<br />
Making rhyme<br />
Smile so big<br />
<br />
Laughing, playing<br />
Like we did back when<br />
<br />
Hearbreak, traffic jams, dollar bills<br />
Just don't seem so important anymore<br />
<br />
Not held down<br />
Chasing clowns<br />
Fooling us around<br />
<br />
Teaching us<br />
Refusing fuss<br />
Just the way things are<br />
<br />
It will soon be done<br />
But not before some fun<br />
<br />
Need not cry<br />
All must dieIrvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-282538209874982892009-11-17T22:14:00.000-05:002009-11-17T22:14:52.569-05:00Going for it all...A couple of months ago I went bowling with some folks from my apartment complex. When I go bowling, a game is a complete failure if I don't crack triple digits. The first game I'm bowling okay and I need something like 8 pins in the final frame to get 100. So what do I do, I step up and come up 1 short to get a 99!! I am utterly crushed and looking for a reason to live.<br />
<br />
But the real story is what happens next. I don't mess around when it comes to bowling. I don't try anything crazy because I don't want to throw a 50 up there. But I am just so jaded and dispirited by my 99 that all rules are off. Everyone knows that all the pros bowl with spin so I decide I'm just going to do it because I don't care anymore. Let me preface this by saying at this point I've probably tried spinning a ball 3 times in my life so I have no idea what I'm doing. But the stars aligned, I went out and bowled a 165, the highest score of my life! I bowled 4 strikes in one game -- this has never happened before!<br />
<br />
So the obvious metaphor here is that sometimes you just have to go for something instead of playing it safe. This has certainly been true of my life where most of my childhood, my hearts playing career, and various other points in my life I've been too afraid to go for it. I see it all the time in tennis where I start playing not to lose instead of playing to win -- and then of course I lose.<br />
<br />
But here's the crazy thing, I just went bowling again last Thursday. At this point I'm walking on a water because I'm coming off a 165. This happens to be a guy / girl mixer and I'm talking up my new found spinning expertise. So what do I do? I step up and roll a 148. Pretty solid score, almost all the balls are right on target -- this spinning thing has got a future in my life. But then game 2 comes and all a sudden I've lost it. Balls were finding the gutter, they weren't spinning back far enough, it was just a mess. I was like Samson with his hair cut off! Somehow I salvaged a 106. So game 3 comes up with a very important bet on the line and I need a big game. I have faith in the way of the spin so I stick with it. Even worse, I bowl a 92. I'm already a Has Been four games into my spin career.<br />
<br />
So what's the lesson here? I'm not really sure. Go for broke and prepare for when broke comes along.Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-71887210945589968762009-10-14T23:31:00.000-04:002009-10-14T23:31:49.365-04:00Irishisms revistedI was visiting an old friend from Belfast the other day who reminded me of a recurring email segment that I use to do in Ireland called "Irishisms of the Week". Considering that it is by far the most read thing I've ever written, I've decided to compile an anthology. Since I am lazy, this is largely unedited.<br />
<br />
<b>11/25/05 Happy White Thanksgiving</b><br />
<br />
<div>Irish Spellings: Tyres, Cheque, Colour<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>Pronounciations: Croissant (said with a french accent...and I thought they didn't like the French), vit- (like fit) amins, and Nike (pronounced like Pike and this is an American company!<br />
<br />
</div><div>Definition bap - hamburger bun or some sort of breaded food...(I think)<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>12/20/05 There's no "happy" in Christmas</b><br />
</div><div><div>Through my travels of the UK, I have heard or seen the phrase "Happy Christmas" more times than I can count. Well, I have quickly chastised the locals and pointed to "We wish you a Merry Christmas" and every Christmas movie I can think of to illustrate my point...so there you go.<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><div>Most people consider themselves British and not Irish (although they can get Irish passports)<br />
</div></div><div><br />
</div><div>C.S. Lewis was born and raised in Belfast<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>"Tea" can refer to well tea or more oftenly dinner<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>The keyboards are almost identical, except that some genius thought it would be funny to switch the ' <a href="mailto:%27@%27" target="_blank">@</a> ' and ' " ' keys <br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>Taking your hand and putting up two fingers (like the sign for smoking or the number two if you were counting) is like flipping someone the bird -- even though you can do that as well<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>Locals will be highly amused if you ever use the words "fanny" or "pants" in a sentence<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>platform = stage<br />
</div><div>gallery = balcony (nothing like someone telling you to put away the "platform" or to get something from the "gallery" and you just staring blankly back at them.<br />
</div><div>main Church = Sancutary<br />
</div><div>car park = parking lot<br />
</div><div>Christmas dinner = really big 4 course meal with more forks than I know what to do with<br />
</div><div>brill = brilliant = well done<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><b>2/7/06 mourning the Hawks in Belfast...</b><br />
-- repeating yourself<br />
e.g. I went to the store so I did...I've got a paper to write so I do<br />
<br />
skip = dumpster<br />
<br />
fit = hot, attractive, etc.<br />
e.g. Wow, that girl's really fit<br />
<br />
celidh (caley) = traditional Irish Dance<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>2/26/06 Postal Strike is over!!</b> <br />
</div><div>If you meet anyone named Sam, their name can only be pronounced "Psalm"<br />
<br />
This place could really use a lesson in road signs. Apparently, they<br />
thought it was a good idea to place an obscure sign on a building side<br />
at either end of a street and to ignore the 25 BLOCKS in between!<br />
(rule also applies to London)<br />
<br />
It's just not a sandwich unless it has butter and lots of butter on<br />
it. This phenomenon also extends to buttering hot dog buns with hot<br />
dogs on them...I kid you not.<br />
<br />
"cheeky" -- roughly equivalent to "sassy", but not really negative<br />
"slagging" -- poking fun at a friend<br />
Both words tend to get used around me quite a bit, and I also seem to<br />
be developing a reputation at being around the girls -- I don't know<br />
how these things get started<br />
<br />
"yer man" -- could be anyone from a friend, to the president, to<br />
anyone with loose ties to you..."Yer man George Clooney is up for best<br />
Director at the Oscars, so he is"<br />
<br />
Random Steve quote of the week: (new section devoted to my Northern<br />
Irish co-worker Steve Kee who may just be my hero in life)<br />
<br />
"The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese"<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>3/6/06 working for the IRA...</b> <br />
</div><div>I'm convinced that there are more KFCs in Northern Ireland than in all<br />
of Kentucky (on a side note, this guy from Kentucky brought a bucket<br />
of the Colonel's finest to an International food fest...hillarious)<br />
<br />
Ulster = essentially Northern Ireland (but not exactly)<br />
Ulster fry = heart attack on a plate -- eggs, bacon, sausage,<br />
pancakes, soda bread, potato bread, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.<br />
ALL FRIED (seeing a theme?)<br />
<br />
nackard = tired<br />
snog = kiss<br />
mucker = friend -- and to think that it sounds so derogatory<br />
<br />
ack = random filler with no discernable meaning -- often used before<br />
the word 'no'<br />
<br />
Guy 1: Hey mucker, you look nackard. Were you snogging last night?<br />
Guy 2: ack...no<br />
<br />
Steve joke of the week:<br />
<br />
What do you call a dog with no legs? It doesn't matter, he won't come<br />
Where do you find a dog with no legs? right where you left him<br />
<br />
</div><div><b>3/26/06 Husky heartbreak...</b><br />
</div><div>Ireland: the only place that could hold a national drinking holiday<br />
in the middle of Lent<br />
<br />
List of famous Northern Irish bands in no particular order: Van<br />
Morrison, Snow Patrol, and ummmnnm.....<br />
<br />
If a Northern Irish person ever makes fun of American sports, point<br />
out that Northern Irish soccer holds the World record for consecutive<br />
scoreless minutes and that the scintalating sport of Cricket can last<br />
5 days.<br />
<br />
bill (on a baseball cap) = peak...what's that all about?<br />
<br />
Radom Steve quote of the week (while standing around): "I'm good at<br />
looking and I'm good to look at"<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>4/15/06 Happy Easter!! </b><br />
</div><div>American concepts foreign to the locals: Sloppy Joes, Corn Dogs, Dairy<br />
Queen, Jimmy Buffett, Slurpee's, real milk shakes, real hamburgers, PB<br />
& J -- which will really get you a perplexed look as "jelly" is<br />
"jello" over here<br />
<br />
Aluminum -- pronounced (Al - u - men - e [as in bee] - um) ...that's just weird<br />
<br />
nappie -- diaper<br />
pram -- baby carriage<br />
petrol -- gas<br />
trainers -- sneakers / any sports' shoe<br />
jumper -- jacket or hoodie<br />
<br />
Random Steve quote of the week:<br />
<br />
(As our minister is trying to illustrate this really complex point<br />
about OT people dying and going to heaven where he repeatedly uses the<br />
phrases "over here" and "over there")<br />
<br />
Steve: "That appears to be mutually exclusive ... from over here that is"<b> </b><br />
</div><div><div><br />
</div><div><b>4/26/06 pics from Scotland and other fun news...</b><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>The 26th letter of the alphabet is 'zed' not 'z'. I've repeatedly<br />
pointed out that "x -y -zed, now I know my a - b - c's " doesn't rhyme<br />
so it is clearly wrong<br />
<br />
ketchup = red sauce<br />
BBQ sauce = brown sauce (a very flowerly language they have over here)<br />
<br />
a period (at the end of a sentence) is a "full stop" and no I am not<br />
making this up<br />
<br />
The Yankees' marketing behemoth is in full force over here with a<br />
ridiculous number of people wearing their stuff who couldn't tell you<br />
that the Yankees are a baseball team, that they play in New York, or<br />
that George Steinbrenner is the scum of the Universe<br />
<br />
<br />
Steve quote of the week as Kairos is located in his hometown of Cookstown:<br />
<br />
"After the cinema, the second most exciting place in town is the kids'<br />
play park where people come to snog...oh, and then there's the<br />
recycling center..."<br />
</div></div><div><b><br />
</b><br />
</div><div> <br />
<div><b>5/11/06 Tis' the season to BBQ...<br />
</b><br />
</div>Irish greetings: How's you, hiya, heya, what's about you?, how's the craic<br />
<br />
Is that us? = Are we done?<br />
That's us = We're done<br />
cheerio (say it like a posh [snooty] English person for full effect) = goodbye...and to think it's not a breakfast cereal <br />
<br />
The following are all real Crisp (potato chip) flavors: Lamb and mint, Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Marmite Yeast Extract, Pickled Onion, Prawn Cocktail, and Smoky Bacon...to name a few...Marmite Yeast Extract...yum<br />
<br />
<strong>Steve thought of the week</strong> (and he took physics so you know this adds up)<br />
<br />
So: <br />
<div><wbr></wbr> women = time * money<br />
and everyone knows that: time = money <br />
so: <wbr></wbr> women = money²<br />
and of course: <wbr></wbr> money = √EVIL<br />
which follows that: money² = EVIL<br />
so: <wbr></wbr> women = EVIL<br />
</div><div>...and we wonder why we don't have girlfriends <br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>5/29/06 Christmas in May (and almost June)?</b> <br />
</div><div><div>Does anyone else find it alarming that the church phone number contains 6666 all in a row?<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><em>The modern marvels</em> -- on / off switches on every electric socket; the electric shower (you never run out of hot water) -- I feel this is right up there with the shopping cart escalator in Northgate for 8th wonder of the World! <br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><em>Great Belfast engineering feats</em> -- The Titanic and the DeLorean<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><em>class</em> - that person / place / thing is really great<br />
</div><div><em>flip</em> - loosely translates to "I'll be darn" or "crap!"<br />
</div><div><em>dead on</em> - great - generally refers to people<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>"Flip, yer man's dead on. That was class."<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>eegit - idiot<br />
</div><div>minger - ugly person - the equivalent of "loser"<br />
</div><div>"does your head in" - drives you up the wall<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>"That mingers an eegit. He does my head in."<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><strong>Steve's Irish jokes of the week</strong><br />
</div><div>What do you call an Irishman hanging from the ceiling? Shaun - de - leer<br />
</div><div>What do you call his wife? Crystal Shaun - de -leer<br />
</div><div>What do you call an Irish beer thief? Nick - ed mc Guinness<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>6/19/06 back in Seattle with phone...</b> <br />
</div><div><div><em><u>World Cup thoughts:</u></em><br />
</div><div> 1. It has been incredibly addicting...this can be the only reason to explain why I've been watching games like Switzerland - Togo?<br />
</div><div> 2. The Italians are the biggest bunch of pansies, floppers, and whiners!<br />
</div><div> 3. I watched the game in a bar next to a bunch of sterotypical Italians raising their arms in yelling the player names like a very disappointed Italian grandmother -- very funny<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><strong>Tea time</strong> -- when the amount of tea they drink here, you think it would be well... "tea" time, but you'd be wrong!...it's actually dinner<br />
</div><div>e.g. "I'm going to grab my tea" -- of course, if it was after 9, it would be your supper and they're also firm believers in the dessert spoon to eat things like cake, pies, etc. -- very weird<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><strong>daft</strong> -- stupid, foolish<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>In Florida, it's <em>"coke"</em> ... in Washington, it's "<em>pop"</em> ... and in Belfast it's <em>"fizzy drink"</em> -- what's that about?<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>And finally, the Queen's English is in full effect with words such as <em>"tidy</em>", "<em>naughty</em>", "<em>proper</em>", and "<em>posh</em>" -- tally ho my dear chap<br />
</div></div><div><br />
</div><div><b>7/05/06 back in Seattle with phone...<br />
</b><br />
</div><div><div><u>Slieve Donard</u> -- That's right I got to conquer the highest point in all of Northern Ireland (all 2600 feet of it! ... pic below) which was promptly celebrated with ice cream of the "chockee bear" (highly recommended) variety at Maudes' Ice Cream <br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><u>Final North Coast trip</u> -- took one final trip to the North Coast which included running down the sweetest sand dunes and the jousting match of death<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><u>Free Irish Whiskey</u> -- after realizing that I spent an entire year without having any Irish Whiskey, we stopped by the Bushmills factory and we ended up securing complimentary Irish Whiskey<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><u>Prank of the minister's office</u> -- as part of the final night festivities, I was a part of a prank of the minister's office that can only be described as "teddy bear picnic" -- craziest adventure since crashing the sailboat into the island at Firwood! -- pics to come later <br />
</div><div><br />
</div><strong>Favorite Irishisms of the year:</strong> <br />
<div><br />
</div><div>What's the craic [crack]? or How's the craic? -- sad to say that I can no longer use these in a sentence unless I wind up at Pike's Place Market in the middle of the night<br />
</div><div>anything with the word "wee" or "yer" in it -- "There goes yer wee man"<br />
</div><div>Wha abouch ya? -- If you ever meet someone from Ballymenia...of course, you might have a hard time understanding them<br />
</div><br />
</div><div><b> </b> <br />
</div></div></div>Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-40180691347345539172009-08-26T23:12:00.000-04:002009-08-27T22:52:15.173-04:00The perfect ChurchI've been thinking a lot about Church lately. Unfortunately, this has been because of a disappointment in my current Church experience. It's tough because there are things in your life (like Church!) that you want to be part of a fluid experience, but what do you do when something rudely disrupts the pattern of that familiar experience? Do you ignore it or do you ask the tough questions?<div><br /></div><div>It's these questions that have been on my mind. What would the ideal Church be like? And let me clarify that when I say "Church", I am referring to a specific set of believers who meet in a singular place as opposed to the body of Christ as a whole. And so back to Church.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have often been struck by the segregation of the modern day Church. We have white churches, black churches, rich churches, poor churches. Pretty much the stuff we all think of when we say "segregation". But we don't stop there, what about style of worship? Traditional, Contemporary, Gospecl, Bluegrass. Or what about age and marital status? Young twentysomething singles, retirees, newlyweds. You get the idea...</div><div><br /></div><div>I went to a Church the last two weeks that a friend suggested. This was a Church in very much the modern style of being focusued on social justice / service and being set in a warehouse type environment with coffee in hand. I liked the Church. I found the preaching to be strong and the people to be friendly and open, and a strong commitment to serving the needy and the community. These things are clearly the most important. However, there were two things that nagged me about this Church 1. I'm not sure that I could of found someone over the age of 40 and few folks that you would expect to find in a traditional Church 2. It was too casual (the Pastor wore flip-flops). I'm not one to get too caught up in what people wear to Church but whatever happened to the holiness of God's house? If I would never weak flip-flops and shorts to work, why should I to Church?</div><div><br /></div><div>And so this brings me to another Church that a person I repsect told me about -- Kairos Church. They have been meeting at another Church at 4 and are probably only 40 or 50 folks. I went and the Pastor and the people just felt authentic. The Pastor challenged the congregation on topic that has been on my mind for a long time and saying that you will not be comfortable in this Church. I even received an email the next day from him saying hi and asking how he could pray for me -- wow. It's hard to sum up in just a few words, but this felt like what I've been looking for. This looks to be a place on the move, committed to service and committed as a diverse and a whole community. It's not the perfect Church, but then again the only perfect church is on McDaniel Street in Downtown Atlanta :)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadE10DJQXLOTz7Hc5Jv6Pg6RBvMKMhYwh_F-T-BkgTCkGjWWXeSm-PF4I-AGgCK4tTu25Vzjp7MCwR6MO2gSRNe3xCneZse9sWfg3UwgW-gYPk_3T9nJ2bxUUC8KcYL0oOYluuBFmBYk/s1600-h/perfectchurch.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadE10DJQXLOTz7Hc5Jv6Pg6RBvMKMhYwh_F-T-BkgTCkGjWWXeSm-PF4I-AGgCK4tTu25Vzjp7MCwR6MO2gSRNe3xCneZse9sWfg3UwgW-gYPk_3T9nJ2bxUUC8KcYL0oOYluuBFmBYk/s320/perfectchurch.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374840832968442178" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 315px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div> </div>Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-13333108480563027812009-08-05T23:02:00.000-04:002009-08-05T23:16:52.348-04:00Edgar, me, and the Casino cigar roomWhen you’re in the cigar room of a casino with Edgar Martinez at 2 in the morning, you have to ask yourself “How did I get here?”. It is only then that you have to shake your head and realize that only Brent could have gotten you here.<br /><br />Incredibly, this was not my first bizarre run-in with a celebrity (I once chauffeured and gave my cell phone number to a very drunk Shooter McGavin). Shooter notwithstanding, this evening took the surreal cake.<br /><br />So Brent was celebrating his 27th birthday at the Snoqualmie casion. He was there with probably 10-15 of his fellows Sports Administration Grad students that included a U-Dub Tennis player and a former NFL nose tackle.<br /><br />One of the girls had found herself at Edgar’s Blackjack table and before long another girl took up Edgar’s offer of a free $25 to play at one of the empty seats. And then things really took off. At one point, everyone pushed all in where everyone except another high roller went bust, but he quickly bankrolled the other players including Edgar himself. Then the girls started hitting it big and at one point players were taking shots for getting blackjack.<br /><br />And if the night couldn't any stranger, I soon found myself as part of a group of 12 or so to caravan over to the Casino cigar lounge with Edgar. Granted, I was at the far end of the table and Edgar didn't say 2 words to me all night...but he saw me! I can also say that I know the man behind the women behind the blackjack table. So if you ever find yourself behind a blackjack table with Edgar Martinez and he's offering you $25, you should probably take that bet.Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-25103508272235850212009-06-30T00:03:00.000-04:002009-06-30T22:41:33.296-04:00The idea of transformationI suppose that this is the perfect time for me to stop and reflect on life after one year of being in Atlanta. I think that one thing God is teaching me is patience. My mind is adript and buzzing constantly with ideas. But deep down, I know that the time is not quite right.<div><br /></div><div>I recently had the privilege to hear the author of <i>The Shack</i> speak. One of the things that he said that struck me was that God only ran once in the Bible and that was in the story of the Prodigal son where his beloved son had returned home. More often than not, Jesus took his time and was often days late -- sometimes to the point that people died. But because of this, he never missed the present moment, whether it was being careful to feel the touch of a bleeding woman or simply recognizing the presence of an outcast Samaritan at a well. Another story that has always left an impression on me is that of the earthquake that freed Paul from his chains. With every opportunity to escape, he risks his life to save that of a jailer who had likely beaten him just hours before.</div><div><br /></div><div>The idea of transformation has been on my mind of late. I happened to be in Durham about a month ago when I visited a Church there with friends and heard one of the most challenging sermons I have in on a long time on the "Sterility of Religion" <a href="http://www.summitchurch.cc/templates/System/details.asp?id=29456&PID=319636&sermonsite_action=view_sermon&sermonsite_sermonid=31111">http://www.summitchurch.cc/templates/System/details.asp?id=29456&PID=319636&sermonsite_action=view_sermon&sermonsite_sermonid=31111</a>. There were many things that resonated with me but one was the example he gave of going to the homeless shelter to feel better about ourselves and our "service". This hit me right between the eyes as he very well could have been describing my experience with the Safehouse outreach here in Atlanta. It is easy for me to pretend that I am doing some outstanding thing while the true service opportunity is staring me directly in the face. All the while, I go on talking to my friends.</div><div><br /></div><div>A friend of mine, Sandor, recently spoke in my Sunday School class about the idea of Transformation. The premise was this: What could really happen if our entire Church and our entire community were transformed by Christ?! I went to speak with him on this and the conversation fell short of what I had hoped. Nevertheless, the idea is still stewing on my brain. Have we as a congregation settled for just enough to ease our consciences? Do we really believe (or want to believe) that God is ready to do immeasureably more than we can ask or imagine?</div><div><br /></div><div>It is seemingly ironic that a blog that begain talking about patience ended up talking about transformation but the ideas are not mutually exclusive. In fact, more often than not the two have to work hand and hand and I believe that to be God's preferred way anyways.</div><div><br /></div><div>I do not want to leave this as just a passing idea. Frequently, good intentions are choked away in the weeds of life. I think that there is only one way to start and that is through patient prayer.</div>Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-21620644839242399072009-03-05T23:07:00.000-05:002009-03-24T23:10:44.238-04:00The land of 10,000 traffic lightsAnd there you have it -- my pet name for the city of Atlanta. I think there is a lesson to be learned here and plenty of time to ponder it as the light turns green, drive 25 feet and the next light turns red. Repeat roughly 30-40 times for the next hour and a half and that pretty much sums up Atlanta traffic.<div><br /></div><div>So 9 months in...what do we know? We know that nobody is from Atlanta. The midwest is well represented and so is Alabama. People don't meet for coffee; they meet for lunch or dinner or drinks. SEC football reigns supreme (GA. Tech who?) and a party in the fall is likely to find passionate fans from at least 7 of the SEC schools -- and God help us all if Georgia happens to have lost.</div><div><br /></div><div>It would seem that Atlanta is in search of an identity. There really isn't an identifiable landmark unless you count the Aquarium or Stone Mountain (a.k.a. "The Confederate Mount Rushmore"). It is constantly on the go and it would seem the prevaling attitude is "Work hard, Play hard"</div><div><br /></div><div>I look at this new residence and I wonder now I got here and how long I'll be here. I obviously know the circumstaces that brought me here but the question is undoubtedly a deeper one than that. I was never excited about the city itself and I am still not overjoyed about the prospects of it as a long-term home.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, the longer I am here, the more convinced I come that God brought me here. There were certanly things I had to face and questions I had to answer. Beyond that, there have been many other positive things about the move. But even more, I get the feeling that God has placed me here for a very distinct purpose. Perhaps it is the relationships I will form here or the organizations I will get involved with and perhaps it is just a matter of trust -- the ability to trust that God has a plan for me that is beyond anything I could imagine for myself. My mind is constantly churning and the hope is that someday it will figure out how to make butter.</div><div><br /></div><div>So all that to say that I have been having a great time and loving life. I have many several friendships and found a consistent Church community. The job has been teaching me incredible things and given me the opportunity to learn from one of the experts in my field. I have maintained my usual heavy involvement with Church related activities but I am learning how to better manage my activities and my time so that I don't feel overloaded or spread too thin. I often get the chance to work from a coffee shop at the Church which gives me the opportunity to pester the student ministry staff. I have even found a little time to resume my tennis career and to expand my rec league softball prowess (I actually got a legit triple the other day!). And lastly, I have seen my family more times in this past year than any point in the previous seven before that.</div><div><br /></div><div>And with that, I leave you with one more thought:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Southern Lesson of the Night</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I think most people are aware that "Y'all" is a Southern term. However, I received a rather surprising education the other night. Apparently "All Y'all" is a perfectly legitimate use of the term. Now lets use that in a sentence:</span></div><div><br /></div><div>"Are all y'all comin' for some chicken & waffles?" (and no I did not make up that combination)</div>Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-44422026274227626732009-03-04T23:05:00.000-05:002009-03-04T23:57:19.752-05:00You can never go home again...or can you?The signing of Ken Griffey Jr. to Seattle has inspired me to write this blog entry with the giddiness of an overexuberant schoolgirl. Ok, I must confess that it took me approximately two and a half seconds to get over the disappointment of not seeing him play in Hotlanta. But back to the point at hand...<div><br /></div><div>It got me to thinking about homecomings and perhaps I will use these musings to derrive some sort of greater meaning from the idea. I think we've all been at some place at some point of time that's magical or at least we look back at some point of nostalgia with rose colored glasses. It was a time when all was well with the World, everything had P-U-R-P-O-S-E (See Avenue Q for this somewhat forced and out of place reference), etc., etc., etc...</div><div><br /></div><div>And that's exactly what this was -- not just for the Kid, but for an entire city. I have read article after article from Seattlites of what watching him play meant; I have seen how one double can reshape the entire identity of a place. Here's the thing...I didn't grow up in Seattle and I've never seen Griffey play as a Mariner. I arrived to my adopted city in time to witness the Mariners win more games than any team in History. Seattle has had it's share of great moments like the Sonices in 79 or the Dawgs in 91. Sacred icons like Largent, Edgar, and the Dawgfather are ever looming.</div><div><br /></div><div>And yet this somehow feels different. Griffey was not only great -- perhaps the greatest talent to wield a bat -- but he was everything that was right with the game. He played with such joy and effortless effort that you just couldn't help but like him. He was warmly embraced and he never turned his back on the city even when he wore another uniform.</div><div><br /></div><div>But now what...he's coming back. Can he tarnish his legacy and ruin the indelible memories? One of the few things I've learned in life is that those special moments are reserved for that time and place. You can never go back because the atmosphere is never the same -- no matter how much you want it to be. However, I think this is different. New magic and new circumstances can always be created; it just can't be done in the same way.</div><div><br /></div><div>A perfect storm is brewing. Expectations have been set to where nobody expects the player that left. The city has been ripped asunder and a hero has emmerged from the ashes to strap the remains to his back. And that is what so special about sports -- the impossible is possible. When the conditions are ripe, a hobbled vetern can limp around the bases leaving onlockers to gasp..."I don't believe what I just saw!"</div>Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-86434018932133026262009-01-20T21:46:00.000-05:002009-01-20T22:24:55.889-05:00Faith and PoliticsTonight was a night to be proud to be an American; a night to celebrate the political process and the witnessing of history. I celebrated with this man who has the weight of the World on his shoulders and in the seamlessness and bloodlessness of the transition. I wish Obama and his family all the best in the next four years.<div><br /></div><div>We are also living in a Facebook World and nothing can so quickly illustrate the thoughts and views of the peope you know (or at least meant once or maybe not at all). Among the many excited folks for this momentous day, there were a few that took this opportunity to take shots at Bush and the past Administration -- most of them from people I know to be Christians. This did not sit well with me as I believe him to be a sincere believer and one has never been ashamed of his faith and that is at least one thing we can celebrate about his Presidency.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now that I don't think his faith should be free reign to do anything and we should constantly be critical and discerning of any President's decisions. There have been things that have been done in the name of Christianity that should not have been. However, we also have to be able to separate the policies from the person. We have to be careful in judging someone that we have never known on a personal basis.</div><div><br /></div><div>By all accounts, President Clinton was a very smart and personable man with many strengths. However the image of him that sticks in my mind is him saying "depends on what the meaning of is is" and toying with the institutions of marriage and the courtroom. And that is why Bush receives higher marks in my book because he remained faithful in marriage and I believe him to have have been one who humbly sought the will of God (I am not trying to justify any of his actions with this statement). And that is why I have the highest regard for President Carter. From the accounts I have read, he had a tumultous Presidency but he has lived out his faith in magnificent ways since leaving office; he has constantly served and loved others.</div><div><br /></div><div>And that brings me back to President Obama. This man has already impressed me with the way that he has conducted himself. He has shown wisdom in selecting his cabinent and has genuinely made efforts to cross the aisle. He has avoided opportunities to gloat and he was gracious to the outgoing Administration. He seems to be one that is committed to and genuinely loves his wife and daugthers.</div><div><br /></div><div>We have to hold the decisions he makes to the highest of standards and to use the checks of our political system accordlingly; he is in a position of tremendous power. I am a firm believer that character ultimately defines a person. And so if Obama falls flat on his face and fails miserably, but does so in such a way that he can hold his head up high where he will have done what he believed best and did so with a discerning, humble, and trustworthy heart...then I will have considered him to be a success. God Bless you Mr. President.</div>Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-90634759756620368512009-01-06T22:38:00.000-05:002009-01-10T18:21:13.141-05:00Praying to an invisible GodBen Towne passed away. There it is...such a simple statement but something that calls into existence much of what I believe. Now I barely knew the Townes and I have really only followed the story from afar through blogs, and friends, and church community. But yet this is a story that permeates through my very being -- I suppose more for what it says about God than anything else.<div><br /></div><div>I have grown up in a fairly Conservative wing of the Presbyterian Church -- strong on the Bible, theology, and the tenets of Calvinism. However, the miraculous often escapes us. It is not that we explicitly deny it, but we leave it hanging awkwardly in the distance not knowing quite what to do with it. There is nothing that will challenge these notions quite like spending a little time abroad. I have been propheshized to, seen the speaking of tongues, and witnessed a semi-exoricism among other things. This has kicked off an internal struggle (as the Rev D. J. McKelvey can attest to) as to who God is and the role that God plays in the here and now.</div><div><br /></div><div>And so that brings me back to Ben. I prayed for the Towne family -- not just for the standard requests of comfort and support for the family but that God would heal this little boy. I hoped that faith as small as a mustard seed and the prayers of hundreds of others would prove a testament to the living God. </div><div><br /></div><div>And now I'm left to wonder what it all means. I was heartbroken at some of the posts I read from this family who was desperately grasping for air. I know that you can't pick and choose with these things; trajedy, war and strife are as old as the Earth (just look at Israel) and faith has perservered. But still, faith is supposed to mean something; the prayers of the people should change things; the hand of God should be everpresent. I can recite a well versed and coherent arugument to the contary, but you know what...I just don't understand.</div><div><br /></div><div>A funny thing happened while I was writing that last paragraph. I have often bemused by the Psalms and how the Psalmist can curse and question God and yet come full cirlce to praise Him at the very end. It is a natural part of faith. You have to have a forum to question God, but then you have to realize your place. I sometimes feel like the disciples...at the point when everyone else has deserted Jesus and he asks if they will to. Peter answers that they have nowhere to go -- not exactly a glowing endorsement but a moment of genuine vulnerability. For better or worse, I'm in this for the long haul. Glory be to God in the Highest. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-42981094301415314262008-11-17T22:41:00.000-05:002008-11-18T00:27:35.753-05:00My brush with deathLast night was most certainly the closest I've ever come to dying. As I was walking under a covered walkway at the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">airport</span>, a runaway shuttle accelerated and took out one of the poles about 10 feet behind me. The pole flew into a man and he went still to the ground with his blood soaking the pavement. The whole experience was so surreal like something that could only happen in a movie. <div><br /></div><div>I remember hearing a story about the Value Jet flight that went down in '96. A man was running after the plane and just missed it; hours later he was left to ponder his new lease on life. Now my experience wasn't quite so cut and dry, but I can now empathize a little bit more with what he must have been going through. It is events like this that make you contemplate your position in life. Some will say that God was watching after me. Now, that very well could be the case, but it seems a bit hollow when another man may have lost his life.</div><div><br /></div><div>I turned on the news last night in hopes of hearing something of the outcome. I scoured online news sources in search of some account of the incident, but nary a word. I did however stumble come across a few other equally as tragic events and was left with a reality where things like this are almost <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">blas</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">ѐ</span>. Nevertheless, I will be left with two images from the night: one of the man lying on the ground and the other of the driver frantically pacing.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know what this means for me -- probably not a whole lot for the immediate future. It is a reminder of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">frailty</span> of life and how quickly it can be taken from us. I have been <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">embarrassed</span> by some of my emotions and pensive about others. I am going to refrain from making any pronouncements about God's role in this. I do however want to use this as a marker in my life that will keep me grounded and pointed in the right direction -- now if i could only figure out which way that was...</div>Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839214573049825259.post-53401087997613194772008-11-05T22:37:00.000-05:002008-11-06T00:07:49.655-05:00Can Obama unite us?I think just about everyone must have an opinion on this recent election. Many are jubilantly celebrating and still others think this country just took a turn for the worst. I received a somewhat troubling call today; this individual told me they were sick about what had just happened. I tried to surmise as to why and heard much about his voting record and stances on abortion which are perfectly legitimate ideological reasons not to vote for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">someone</span>. The troubling thing was not the person's vote but that they had given up on him before he had even started -- that they had already determined what his legacy would be.<div><br /></div><div>We are a nation divided. In a election widely hailed as a landslide victory, 46% still voted in the minority. I have known many individuals, Christians no less, who are both to the far right and to the far left. I have lived in the Bible Belt, the heart of perhaps the most liberal city of America, and even the UK. I have heard disturbing comments from all sides -- how can a real Christian possibly believe that?! It is a sort of tribalism -- not all that different from the regional conflicts that <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">permeate</span> the World.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then there comes the election of the first black President elect. The sad thing is that many people voted against him because of his skin color and still many others voted for him precisely because of his skin color. Nevertheless, it is truly a remarkable achievement of one man who has cvercome tremdous odds. It is a reminder for those of us cynics that we should dream the impossible dreams and that the the improbable can truly become a reality. </div><div><br /></div><div>There are many people in this World who present one public facade only to turn into something else behind closed doors. The challenge of an election is to try and ascertain the true character of a politician beneath the continuous rhetoric. One of the measures of character is how a person acts when they are in power. I think of the story of King David and how he listened to the prophet Nathan when he could have easily had him killed. And that is the thing that struck me about Barack Obama last night. He had just achieved an overwhelming victory and had every right to relish in the moment with his supporters. However, he made a point to reach out to those who didn't vote for him and say "I will be your president too" -- that to me was a sign of character.</div><div><br /></div><div>With that speech, I got excited about an Obama Presidency. Now here's the thing...I tend to be on the Conservative side of things and I do have my concerns about some of his polices as well as the worries of an unchecked Democratic Congress. But I look at him and I see a man who is committed to his family and who has a genuine desire to help this country. He has earned the respect afforded to the highest office in this land and an opportunity to change all the rules. Only time will tell if he can retain that respect and truly be a President for all the people. </div><div><br /></div>Irvinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10045659398322149531noreply@blogger.com0