As a young man, teens into early adulthood, one tends to shy away from encouraging your friends with real and simple words of encouragement.  Instead, one says something like, “Sup man.”  “Nothin’, sup wit’ you?”  “Nutin, man.  ya know, stuff just happenin’”  “Cool.  Cool.”  And if this really intense conversation gets any deeper, it typically has to do with the Celtics or the hottie who just walked into that store.

I don’t remember the first time I started saying things  like “Thank you for being a great example in my life” or “I have to tell you that that act of service was nothing short of amazing” to other people face to face, but I do know that each time I do it, it gets less cheesy and less uncomfortable.  Not saying anything against thank you notes because I like them and I send them, but it takes guts and emotional risk to step outside of your comfort zone and say something absolutely nice and true to someone’s face.  I know, it shouldn’t and it seems weird to say it, but far too often we fear the reaction of others so we keep silent and talk about the weather.  This is especially true for guys.

Is it true for you?

The Trailer

I have a love for the art of story.  I love the eloquence of a finely told life experience, especially if it is accomplished across the bridge of two movies or two books.

It probably started when my dad and I sat down to watch “The Magnificent Seven” and “The Return of the Seven” one night.  I loved that a team of experts would come together, then accomplish their task, and then I loved the fact that I got to see it done all over again.  I mean, some of these series of movies and books have been life-changing for me.

Occasionally a book gets a solid first run, and they make a sequel not worthy of the original content.  In fact, many times the only reason it’s done is marketing.  Unfortunately this happens a lot in the Christian sub-cultures of our world.  Are you serious?  Give me a break, “The Power of a praying pet turtle?“  Or the Oh so popular “Chicken Soup for the One eyed radio DJ’s soul.”  So I thought I’d share with you my favorite series of film, literature, sports, or television:  (and no, American Pie is not on the list)

10.  Boston/LA 2008 – That sure was a long 21 year wait.

9.  Left Behind. It did become something of a marketing ploy, but I enjoyed the story nonetheless – inaccuracies and all.

8.  Young Guns. I love these movies, and Jack Bauer’s in them, so they can’t go wrong.

7.  Star Wars. Many would suggest this would be number 1.  I would not.

6.  The A-Team.  “I pity the fool…”

5.  Rocky. Nuff said.

4.  John Lescroart’s Dismas Hardy series.  A collection of detective/legal thrillers set in San Fran.  Good stuff!

3.  Lord of the Rings books and movies – These last two were difficult, but an amazing story to walk through.

2.  Letters to the Next president by Andy Stanley – seriously, you have to hear or watch these.

1.  Harry Potter – I have no words to say how I felt after I finished those books in November of 2007.  And this was after I made fun of others who read the stinking things.  Whether its the movies or the books, these things are absolutely brilliant.  And of course I was drawn into witchcraft immediately after reading them.  (this is sarcasm)

Okay, your turn. What did I miss?

I thought of a lot of things.  I thought of the times my dad used to turn on the television on Sunday afternoons and we’d watch the Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish dominate everything that moved on the old parquet floor of the Boston Garden.  I thought of the times immediately after when I’d run outside, pretending I was their point guard Dennis Johnson (I was pretty short as a child) and dribbling through orange cones and chairs and anything else that could defend me.  I thought of the countless number of times that I would go out as a young teenager and practice my turn around jumper ala Larry Bird, or my baby hook ala Robert and Kevin (I had grown a bit at that point).  I thought of the Wheaties box I bought the first week I moved to Massachusetts – July 9, 1998 – with a commemorative picture of Bird on it.  I have yet to open it.

I also thought of the playoffs in 2002 when Pierce and Walker took the C’s to the semifinals, and I would sit in my pastor’s house and watch the games over chinese food and ice cream with Lonnie and Ruth Snell.  They almost did it then, but they definitely were not the best team, and typically in the NBA, the best team wins.  Ironically enough, that year Shaq and Koby were the leaders of the best team, the Lakers.
And then I thought about what Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers must have gone through last year.  The worst team in the league.  The joke – and they were a joke – of this great professional sports area.  To bring your team from that to win the world championship is a feat that not many people’s psyche would have allowed.  But quitting, losing, and ultimate defeat were words that were not even in the dictionary when Ainge pulled off the trades that would ultimately bring them to win it all.  Not just bringing in Allen and Garnett, but also Posey, House, and Brown, and still made them a team, something even this Celtics fan denied could happen in a year.
“Two years, maybe, but I’d give it three, and even then, the new “big three” will probably be showing their age too much to win a championship.”
And then last night happened, as the Celtics destroyed the Lakers in a fitting end to their dominant year, and as I sat with my friends, some old friends, some new, (A shout out to Jay, Al, Steve bramlett, Jon, and Ben inserted here) I thought about this moment,and I thought about what it takes to be a champion.
It takes a team, committed to something more than personal glory, committed to something more than a “me first” mentality, to show up on a regular basis, and admit in their action, I will do what it takes to accomplish the task at hand.
That’s what I want to be a part of, and the vision may be different for me (no trophies for this one), but the end result wil be so much more satisfying.  To see people connect into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.  And I love the team I get to accomplish this goal with.

What’s your Championship?

This post was written with Randy Elrod’s Watercooler Wednesday in mind.

I watched an incredible game tonight when the Celtics overcame a 24 point deficit in the 2nd quarter, and 18 point deficit at halftime, and a 20 point deficit in the 3rd quarter, to defeat the Lakers 97-91.
Of course I’m a Celtics fan, so I’m a biased, but here’s a thought for you:

Don’t quit.

When you start something that you feel you’re supposed to do, and you set you’re mind to do it, don’t quit, no matter how tough it gets.

You could have a huge crowd against you telling you there’s no way you can do this.  You might be getting run over by circumstances spinning out of control.  You may even feel like everything you’re doing is failing – words, actions, everything.

But don’t quit.  You will get through this. 
No excuses.  No crying.  No bitterness. And…

Don’t quit.  (and yes, I’m talking to you)

“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering and the time has come for my departure.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” – 2 Timothy 4:6,7

Watching Sportscenter this morning, I was updated on what happened in last nights big games in the NBA and the NHL.  I found that both of my teams won – the Celtics and the Penguins (two teams I’ve rooted for since my childhood, lest you believe I’m a band wagon fan).
During the bit about the Celtics, one of the commentators mentioned that Doc Rivers, the coach of the Celtics, showed clips of Muhammed Ali’s fights, and made this statement over and over again:

“It’s not how many times you get hit, it’s whether or not you move forward.”

I wonder whether this would be a great statement for you and I to move inside our head and our heart.  Because we are going to get hit.
Maybe in the context of work life – When your doing what you absolutely love to do, maybe even what God has made you to do, yet your boss is a demotivator and the environment is as low as it can be, but you still think this is where God wants you to be.
Or maybe in your family life – In this day where it seems people are out for themselves, including those closest to you.
Or maybe in your church – If you go to a church without a dream, without a future, and where the people are critical of everything anybody does to bring in new life.

It could be that you’re getting hit.  And it seems like it will never end.  But “it’s not how many time you get hit, it’s whether or not you move forward.”

Moving forward doing what God wants you to do will eventually prove that God is who He says He is and that He is making you what He promises to make you.

What does He want to make YOU?

I just woke up from a 9 hour sleep and still feel like a Mack truck ran me over, which actually would probably be a bit worse.  Still on my travels through the midwest, before this last night’s sleep, I really hadn’t slept since Monday night-Tuesday morning, and am still pretty tired.

This morning Ray and I make our way to Cincinnati.  This is the point of the trip, and I’d like it to be longer, but alas I have a meeting at 4:00 pm tomorrow at the church that I need to be there for.  I’ll make frequent updates here to let you know if I’m on schedule or not.

I really did get to spend some quality time with my parents, grandparents, and even my cousin Mike last night.  I did not however get to watch the Celtics crush the Hawks and expose them for who they really are, but sleep was more important anyway.

Eventually I’ll post pictures and more stuff from tis trip, bur ever since I switched my blog software to WordPress 2.5, I can’t upload pictures from my computer to this blog, so I’ll have to fix that first. 

This trip has been so great!  Though its going to be short, I’m still learning to “travel in the speed of love.”  One step at a time, meeting new people.  Caring about people I already know, and making the most of every opportunity.

More to come.

This week:

My wife’s on vacation from school.
I drove to Albany with Carie, Jess, and Darren.
I attended this church in Malta, NY and wrote this blog about it.
I’m eating healthy.  (no really, I am)
The Celtics will sweep the Hawks.
The Penguins will continue their sweeping ways.
I will be doing premarital counseling, attending a wedding, posting comments about relationships on blogs,and talking about marriage on Sunday Morning @ Fellowship.
I hate Enterprise Rent-a-Car.
I love humor.
It will be 80 on Wednesday here in Mass.
Fellowship Church begins a new series called “Family Matters”
God is already teaching me things

Will be an amazing one!