The World Series

I'm sitting here right now, on edge of the stairs, watching Game 5 of the World Series. My friends reading this will laugh at me. Chris? Watching baseball? Not just watching baseball, but getting into it? Never in my life have I declared allegiance to any team in any sport at any time. But, for some reason, it really has been fun to get caught up in the buzz of the World Series. As many of you know, I have always described the chore of watching a baseball game on TV like this: 3 minutes of action packed into 3 hours of television.

But there is a buzz in Detroit. We have hosted the Superbowl AND the World Series in the same year up here. You will never find more dedicated hockey fans than the fans of the Redwings. There is just something different . . . My initial guess is that it gets so cold up here, that professional sports is about all there is to enjoy- cause you can't bear the weather for months. Still, there is something in the air, you can feel it. It makes me want to go to Chelio's ( a restaurant owned by a Redwing player) and watch a Redwings game in the midst of the crazed fans.

So, the Tigers just lost. Wainright just threw the winning pitch. Disappointing. But I didn't think the Tigers could've come back. They just weren't playing as well as they should have- especially the pitching. Ahh, but it was fun . . .

So, hopefully my friends have stopped chuckling to themselves while reading this. Yes, times have changed. I'm a daddy, and I'm watching sports on TV. You'd better watch the skies for Jesus to come back. I think I hear the horsemen of the apocalypse now.

P.S. Anyway, Vicki and I took some "artsy" pictures of Genesis before she gets to big. Vicki got some great shots of her. So, I'm sure you'll be seeing some of them very soon!

ZOE Worship Conference

This weekend, we took a group of 12 from RCC to the Zoe Worship Conference in Nashville, TN. We had an incredible experience worshipping with 1200 worship leaders, praise team members, and ministry leaders from churches all over the US! The keynote speaker, Mike Cope, knocked every sermon out of the park!! I was so blessed to be there.

Initially, I was a little worried about getting everyone down there, since a week before we lost our van rental accomodations. So, we got a few voluteers to drive and caravaned all the way to TN! It ended up working out for the best- since we got an opportunity to bond and get closer with our little group. AND, I got to show them a little piece of Nashville too! Man, do I miss it . . . especially since a big part of the trip was the food. From CheeseCake factory to El Mariachi to Sonic, we ate very well for the three days we were down there. And I didn't get a chance to take them to Baja Burrito. ( there's always next year . . .) But a few of us DID stop to grab a latte at one of my favorite coffee joints- FIDO'S.

But more than anything, I enjoyed the friends and the fellowship. I loved showing off little Genesis to our friends ( Mike was way smitten with our little girl) and spending time with BT and Steve. I loved seeing our group laugh, make fun of each other, and draw closer to each other.

Which was the theme of the conference, by the way. CLOSER.

How do we draw closer to God? With all the avenues and ways in which we open ourselves up to Him, I have one for you to think about. When the body of Christ does what it is supposed to do- be in community with each other, admonish each other, build each other up- then we ARE closer to God.

We become closer to God not as a result of community, but through it. He lives and breathes between us. "Whenever two of you are gathered in my name, there I am with you" (CLV version ;)

Something to think about . . . .