Show Me.

What a great night...

We had a few people over tonight and just sat here in the living room worshipping and praying for one another. It was a really great time. There is nothing like just getting quiet before God and waiting on him.

I really treasure these times. These moments where you just get a taste of who God really is. He only gives us what we can handle... Rob Bell talked about this in Velvet Elvis:

Later Moses says to God, "Show me your glory."

Which is our way of saying, "I need more. I need something I can see. Something tangible.

God's response? He tells Moses to go stand on a rock, because he's going to pass by. He explains to Moses that no one can see him and live, so he'll cover Moses with his hand (God's hand) as he passes by, and then he says, "I will remove my hand and you will see my back."

The ancient rabbi's had all sorts of things to say about this passage, but one of the most fascinating things they picked up on is the part about God's back. They argued that in the original Hebrew language, the word back should be understood as a euphemism for "where I just was".

It is as if God is saying, "The best you're going to do, the most you are capable of, is seeing where I... just... was."

That's the closest you are going to get.

I love that picture. Just the idea that seeing God would literally kill us. The holiness is so overpowering, that we would cease to breathe again if God even showed himself to us. We have to just catch a glimpse of where he was! It leaves us wanting more... pursuing him. He loves that.

I wanna be like David. People have spoken it over me before and I just so happen to be named David too. A man after God's own heart... David never stopped seeking and trying to experience just a glimpse of his savior.

It's these moments like to tonight, when I see where he just was and it makes my heart fill with joy that I cannot explain.

It's Official...

I am going through some kind of sports withdrawal.

I watched the entire NBA Draft tonight on ESPN... pathetic. I don't even really watch the NBA unless the Pistons are in the playoffs.

The only thing left is NHL Free Agency. July 1st the frenzy begins...

I need a hobby, huh?

Nothin' Like a Good Book.

I've been reading a lot lately.

I am trying to keep up with Cheryl on our little Bible reading schedule - like I said, trying.

The book that has blown me away, is Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis. Right now, if there was a book that I wish every single person who follows Christ would read (besides the Bible), it would have to be this book. Even if you aren't a Christ follower, you'll end up enjoying it.

No matter what you've heard or read about Rob Bell, give this book a chance.

Rob & Big

It seems without fail, that Rob & Big always makes me laugh. Sure, it appeals to my sophomoric side, but I love it anyway.

I love the relationship these guys have. At first glance, they are the typical odd couple, but the interactions and fun they have makes me long for a little buddy like Rob or even a big buddy like Big Black.

Guys, keep bringing us that amazing style you both have and unlike most of the MTV relationship shows, at least you can't get divorced... well, let's hope anyway.

Keep "Doin' Work!"

The Sleep of Ages...

Whoa!

You ever have one of those days where you have no alarm set and your body decides you need to sleep like you're a hibernating bear? That happened to me today.

I am still getting over the cold/flu thing I had and somewhere in my brain a message was sent to the sleep center to get as much rest as possible. It doesn't happen often, but when you need it, you need it.

Mr. Hughes, Where Have You Gone?

While Matthew and Sarah were here this weekend we ended up renting The Breakfast Club. Sarah had never seen it, which was a tragedy that needed to be rectified. This was and still is one of my favorite movies of all time, written and directed by John Hughes.

You may remember Mr. Hughes from such films as: Mr. Mom, Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, She's Having a Baby, Uncle Buck, Home Alone and many others.

If you haven't had a chance to enjoy one of these movies, take a weekend or two and familiarize yourself with them. Have a John Hughes movie night. Make some popcorn and rent a few, you will not be disappointed.

3rd Times a Charm?

With Matthew & Sarah here, I wanted to expose them to some food they may not have in Michigan, so we ended up heading out to Chipotle for lunch today. They both loved it. Emma seemed to be okay with the atmosphere, so that was good too.

Later that evening, we treated them to Donato's Pizza. Another thing you can't get in the Great Lake State. Once again, both enjoyed our choice of pizza with a little taste of Ohio.

Now let me just say that this may or may not be true, but it is what I have heard. Chipotle & Donato's were apparently owned by the fast food giant, McDonald's. This all goes into my theory that the Golden Arches fill their food with some form of addictive drug or additive that makes you crave it. Crazy enough to be true, isn't it.

To make matters worse, on the drive down here, Matthew and Sarah had McDonald's breakfast. Matthew said he felt a little sick knowing he had eaten Mickey D's three times in one day. His own little version of Super Size Me. Let's hope he can cleanse himself on Monday.

Excited...

Matt, Sarah and Emma are coming tomorrow!!

Very excited to see them all... should be a great time.

I Do More by...

Remember those Army Reserve commercials back in the 80's? They had a guy say, "I do more by 9 in the morning than most people do all day."

That was me today... well, I didn't really do much, but I was wide awake around 4:55 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep. So, I decided to get up and watch the sun rise and take a shower. The sunrise was beautiful.

Honestly by 9:30 a.m. I was about to pass out...

I'll be humming the song from that commercial for days now... "Be. All that you can be. In the Aaaarrrrmy!"

That 'Ol Familar Feeling

Well, as some of you may or may not know, I have had a couple of bad cases of bronchitis.

When we moved to Ohio, I was sick for almost two and a half months. Back in 2002 I also had a real bad case that lasted the entire Summer. My brother had the same thing happen to him that year.

On Monday, I started feeling the itchy throat and stuffiness and started to freak out a little. When you've had a horrible cough that lasts for months and have actually coughed so hard that you've passed out a few times, you tend to be a little more sensitive to certain feelings. Plus, like this guy to the left, people tend to frown on all the germs you're spraying around.

I made an appointment with a new doctor here in town on Tuesday and today I got to meet with him. It was a pretty pleasant experience and I walked away with some medicine to try to help cope with the allergies that bring on these symptoms.

I felt a lot better having had a doc look at me. Usually I end up waiting until I am deathly ill before seeking medical attention, this time I wanted to nip it in the bud.

So all's well here in Buckeye country... except that it's Buckeye country.

To Vonage or Not to Vonage

Day two of the Vonage experiment is not going well.

I spent about an hour on the phone (Vonage) to DirecTV today trying to figure out how to use Vonage with my DTV. You need to make calls for software updates and program data, etc. So far it has not worked.

After a call to Vonage and three to DTV, still no answers. I've searched quite a few forums and other places and it seems like many other Vonage/DTV users are also experiencing these problems recently.

If you know anything about this or have suggestions, pass them on, PLEASE!

To be continued...

Pennies from Heaven

Back in 2001 - 2002, I worked at a place called Wedgwood. It was one of my favorite jobs. I worked with teenagers who had psychological and behavioral issues.

As I have mentioned here in the past, money has been tight. We're not completely broke, but we had to be extremely careful with what we had and as I mentioned before, even got a little help from friends with free dinners, etc.

Today, I brought the mail in and there was a letter from Wedgwood. When I opened it there was a letter with an attachment that said there were checks that I had never cashed while I was employed with Wedgwood still on the books! The attachment of course was a check... unbelievable!

God is good. This is just another little reminder of how much He loves us... a check that came right on time from almost 6 years ago.

I wish you could see the smile on my face... and the joy in my heart.

Dads

When I think back and smile about Dad I will always remember when he and I would "wrestle" in the living room at our first house on Anne Avenue. Dad would close the front window drapes so no one thought he was beating his toddler son to death. Then we would wrestle and bounce off the couch and I would laugh and have a great time.

I also remember Dad taking me to my first hockey game at the old Olympia Stadium (where I cried because it was so loud). There were many more Red Wings games with Dad over the years. Since Dad is from Scotland we actually kicked around a soccer ball more than playing catch. We even went to a soccer game at the Silverdome one time to see the Detroit Express.

There are so many good memories of vacations to Traverse City and even one trip to Scotland. Our vacations usually started out as a mystery trip that eventually landed us in Traverse City. No matter how hard we tried, somehow Dad always returned to his favorite place. We also relived some of our vacations through watching slides on the ol' projector. Dad would still break that out if we mentioned it. We have some really good pictures of our trip to Nova Scotia with the 'Zingers before Matthew was born. Heather and I were best buddies back then.

Dad, thanks for the memories.

Thanks for being a Dad that I can look up to. You've always thought of your families needs first and for that we may have been a bit spoiled, but you always wanted the best for us. Thank you. More than anything, you showed us that God is the most important thing in life and that has never left us.

Happy Father's Day (now a Grandfather too... Happy Father's Day Matthew!).

No Mac Love

I really took it on the chin at a backyard BBQ this afternoon.

A couple of guys started talking about PC's and of course I said I had a Mac. You would have thought I relieved myself in their lemonade. They all scoffed at me and made Mac jokes. One guy asked, "How do you upgrade a Mac? Every two years you pick it up, throw it away and buy a new one." Some of these guys even said they refused to buy an iPod because they hated Mac so much... even though they conceded that iPods were superior to any mp3 player on the market.

Where does all this hatred come from? I mean, let's be honest, I have a deep dislike for Microsoft so I guess I understand, but why can't we all get along?

Mac is doing all they can now to make that possible. You can run Windows on your Mac now. iPods are PC friendly. Safari is now available for Windows users and Apple even helped (made something else for them to copy) Microsoft come up with a crappy knock off of OSX called Vista. Now with the iPhone, how could anyone not have a little love for Mac?

Well, for now, I guess we'll just have to learn to live with our differences.

Alpha Dog

Just watched the movie Alpha Dog (rated R), about the kidnapping and eventual murder of Zach Mazursky (in the real story his name was Nick Markowitz).

Number one, this is one of those stories that has you hoping for the best, but knowing the worst is going to happen. The fact that this story is based on real events just makes it that more painstaking to watch.

The main thing that amazed me was the acting of Justin Timberlake. He did such a great job. I really felt for him, because all along the way, he has the chance to make things right. He wants to make things right, but keeps believing it's all going to work out. Until the very end, I think he saw a way to smooth things over, but ultimately it wasn't his decision.

This is a sad, disturbing movie, but most definitely worth a watch.

Wally World?

Where are you going this Summer?

I would love to get some ideas for a possible get away for Cheryl and I. Not that we'll be able to afford it, but I would love to have a new adventure. I keep saying I need to take her on a cross country trip to the West like I did last year.

Vegas is definitely on the list so we can hang with friends, but what is your favorite place to go?

Curb

Tonight we had some friends over and exposed them to one of the best comedy series ever... Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Looking back at some of the beginning episodes just reinforces my undying love for this comedy genius. Larry David, the co-creator of Seinfeld (also the voice of George Steinbrenner on the show), is the main character and is probably one of the most self absorbed, high maintenance people ever. There's a little bit of Larry in all of us - - therein lies the comedy.

I know I've talked about this show in the past, but I want to remind everyone - - this show is on HBO, so expect a little edginess. It's definitely adult humor...

Throw it in the Netflix cue if you're looking for a good laugh.

Missed My Calling

Maybe I should have been a computer nerd...

Today at 1:00 p.m. an installer came to my door to take me from the pathetic world of DSL to the super speed highway of a cable modem. "This should just take a few minutes," were the cursed words that came from his mouth. I thought about all those times when I was working at Franklin Covey and we would say, "It's been pretty slow today," only to be bum rushed by a billion FoMoCo idiots.

By 4:00 p.m. the technician and even the "level 3" tech support couldn't figure out what was going on... of course, they blamed my Mac. They told me to call tomorrow and have a "Mac Guy" come out to help me. All they did was complain about how hard it is "to work with these Macs." Are these guys kidding me? Mac is the definition of "user friendly" (I feel like I am using way too many "qoutes"...). If I can find my way around Steve Jobs' lame rip off of a Mac OS, then how are these "technicians" unable to understand my Mac?

After the two guys left - yes, another guy came over to help - I went upstairs to clear my head, then came back down and sat down in front of the cable modem, wireless router and my Mac and (I still don't know how) within ten minutes had everything up and running perfectly (evidenced by this Blogging).

I have never thought of myself as a computer geek (we'll leave that to Geekbert), but somehow I always play around until I figure it out. Don't ask me how I do it... the steps escape me, but it gets done.

Let's hope the VoIP is a self install.

VoIP

So does anyone out there have Vonage, SunRocket or another VoIP for their home phone? Embarq is killing me with their shoddy DSL and Local Phone to the tune of $75 a month!

Ridiculous!!

I need to make a change... being a TiVo user I also need to know if anyone has experience with using VoIP for daily calls?

I have read a ton of stuff on message boards, but it's always nice to know what your friend's experiences have been.

Soprano's Finale

Wow... all I can say is totally unexpected.

For all you TiVo owners out there, I won't ruin it for you, but Cheryl looked at me and said, "Worst Finale Ever." Just like the Comic Book Guy on the Simpson's. Like I said, not what I expected, but my love of the idea of the Mafia kept me pulling for Tony right to the end.

I'm sure the message boards for this finale are insane tonight... now it's time for me to sleep, thankfully not with the fishes.

Movie Night

Alright, time to talk about a few movies...

Cheryl showed me something amazing recently, you can get DVD's for free (well, your hard earned tax dollars anyway) from the Library. I had no idea that new movies would be available, but all you have to do is request them and bang, they get 'em for ya'.

So I got on a waiting list for some and about 5 came in at the same time, so we watched a few today. Thursday, we watched Rocky Balboa and I have to tell you, it was a really good film to end the Rocky franchise on... not amazing, but Rocky 5 was horrible and this one washed some of that bad taste out of my mouth.

So today we ended up watching Fast Food Nation and Running with Scissors. Both of them lean more toward the independent side of movies, so be warned right away, they aren't going to appeal to the masses. Also, in no way am I recommending any of these movies for your viewing, so, no whining please.

Fast Food Nation was almost like a documentary on the fast food industry, but it was totally scripted and took you through the process of the big bad machine that is the fast food. The movie really centers around the beef and where it comes from and how they get it to the companies quickly and cheaply. It is really disturbing if there is any truth to it, even if it's just a little truth. Sad thing is, I ate McDonald's today anyway.

Running with Scissors is one of those movies that you start watching and wonder why you haven't turned it off, but you just want to know what happens... really, you wonder if anything will ever happen at all. This is a story based on someone's personal memoirs, which is really sad if all the crap that happens really happened to him. Annette Benning really does a great job of playing a pathetic crazy mother (if you can really think of her that way in the film), but overall, it's just two hours of wondering where in the world this crazy train is going.

I also have The Last King of Scotland and Half Nelson awaiting a spin in the DVD player, so as you can see I am on a little bit of an artsy fartsy kick.

Clark.

Hockey season is over... now comes the long Summer.

Enjoy.

Ducks: 2007 Stanley Cup Champions

Well, they did it...

At least the Wings lost to the Stanley Cup Champions. Congratulations Duck Fans... the Gary Bettman realized one of his dreams tonight: a Champion on the West Coast.

Don't get to comfortable with that thing... the Wings want revenge.

Worth It?

Dog food... poisoned.

Toothpaste... poisoned.

Being able to buy cheap stuff at Wal Mart... Priceless?!?

Maybe not... Apparently there is a price after all.

Conspiracy?

You decide...

Two weeks ago as we traveled North to visit with family for the Memorial Day Weekend, gas prices were up around $3.49... This week gas prices around here are $3.01.

Hmmm... maybe these trustworthy gas companies really don't have our best interests in mind. Along with those people elected to fight for our rights.

What a crock!

Good Food. Good Friends.

Did I happen to mention how amazing it is to have great friends?

A steak dinner and lots of laughs when you don't have two pennies to rub together is always a blessing. Having friends like Dave & Kelly is definitely a gift from God.

By the way, Dave & I will have something fun for you to watch really soon. You'll have to vote and help us win too... hopefully that makes you curious. I'll keep you updated.

Yoda Logic

So I may be like 15 years late on this, but as we watched Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, something struck me (pun intended).

Let me set up the scene for you:

Luke is on Dagobah working with Yoda on becoming a Jedi Knight. Yoda is sitting on top of Luke's feet as he stands on one hand and is moving rocks with the "force" and setting them on top of one another. R2D2 makes some noise (as usual) and throws off Luke's concentration and everything comes tumbling down - including Yoda.

A frustrated and whiny Luke (must have gotten that from his father) starts out the conversation after R2 alerts Luke to the fact that his X Wing Fighter has sunk further into the swamp:

LUKE
Oh no. We'll never get it out now.

Yoda stamps his foot in irritation.

YODA
So sure are you? Tried have you?
Always with you it can't be done.
Hear you nothing that I say?

Luke looks uncertainly out at the ship.

LUKE
Master, moving rocks is one thing,
but this is a little different.

YODA
(irritated)
No! No different! The differences
are in your mind. Throw them out!
No longer of use are they to you.

LUKE
(focusing, quietly)
Okay. I'll give it a try.

YODA
No. Try not. Do, do. Or do not.
There is no try.

Luke closes his eyes and tries to think the ship out.
The fighter begins to shake a little, but doesn't rise.
Luke tries as hard as he can.

LUKE
I can't. It's too big.

YODA
Size has no meaning. It matters
not. Look at me. Judge me by
my size do you?

Luke shakes his head no.

Yoda, Jedi master, raises his arm. The
huge X wing fighter moves magically out of the muddy
swamp and lands gently on the shore.

Luke is amazed.

LUKE
I don't believe it.

YODA
That is why you fail.

For me this whole thing comes down to faith. Faith without actions is dead... Paul said that, but I'm not even talking about "doing" things necessarily. I'm talking about believing, trusting, knowing that God will do what He says He will do.

God says, "Scott, I will take care of you and Cheryl no matter how much money you have in the bank. Keep your eyes on me and everything will be just as I want it to be. May not be exactly the way you want it to be, but it has a purpose. Believe."

I say, "Well, I trust you, BUT..." and there it is. As Yoda said, "That is why you fail." Do I really believe? Not enough, I have a tendency to hedge my bets. Making plans and drawing up possible scenarios.

God is just asking me to believe. He'll take care of it. Faith is believing... The action is letting go of my logic and buying into His.

I may not need to put rocks on top of one another or lift my X Wing Fighter out of a swamp, but Jesus let me know that all I need is faith the size of a mustard seed to move a mountain.

I'll get workin' on that one...

A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away...

30 Years to be exact.

That's how long it has been since George Lucas made the first Star Wars movie, Episode IV: A New Hope.

Cheryl and I have been having a little movie marathon this weekend. We are watching all of the Star Wars films, Episodes 1 - 6. Personally, I've never been a huge Star Wars fan, but we've been kind of flipping through them on the TiVo.

HBO started showing all six back to back in HD Friday afternoon to celebrate the 30 year anniversary.

We watched Episode IV all the way through. I don't really remember Episode V & VI that well, so we'll probably watch most of those too. We both like Episode III the best so far... I'm a sucker for the Lightsaber fights, plus watching Anakin Skywalker become Darth Vader is pretty interesting.

Jar Jar was a really bad idea, but Yoda with a Lightsaber is a thing of beauty.

I'm even scaring myself now... can Comic Books be that far behind? Let's hope we never have to answer that one.

May the Force Be With You.

Copycat...

Geekbert did this on his Blog and I had to give it a try... you can too.

On a Mission to Blog

As I think most people can see, I am doing my best to Blog everyday.

This may lead to some trivial or non-amazing posts, but I am trying to get into a rhythm. Nothing wrong with writing everyday... is there? So, bear with me and hopefully the Blogs won't be all that bad.

I should have some good stuff soon, I am in the midst of reading Rob Bell's book, Velvet Elvis. So far so good. I knew it would be...

The End is Near

They're kidding, aren't they?

Bingo... on TV? Do us all a favor and please don't watch... in fact turn off the TV and read a book. Maybe take your dog for a walk...

Crap! Hopefully Bailey didn't see me type that.

Nope... we're o.k. for now.

Sweatin'

Summer?

It sure feels like it here. Monday was warm, today was warmer... actually hot & humid to boot. Seems like it came fast and furious.

Things are supposed to cool off next week again... maybe we'll have a little transition time before the really hot weather comes again. We hope at least.

His Eyes

As we were driving home from Detroit today, something really hit me as we headed down 75... I am critical... judgmental. Not earth shattering news, but I had one of those moments where I realized something about that critical spirit. I see someone or know something about them and make huge assumptions about them - usually negative ones.

Part of this epiphany hit me during a mix Cheryl had playing on her iPod. A song by none other than George Michael called "Freedom," was blasting through our car speakers and I realized I had very negative thoughts about this guy based on the fact that he was gay and that he had been busted doing some lewd things in a public restroom.

We also listened to a teaching by Rob Bell on our way up to Michigan about the tongue. One of the things he talked about is our need to find out the "dirt" of other people. Tabloid magazines and even news organizations make huge amounts of cash by filling us in on the goings on of people like Brad & Angelina, Britney, Paris, Lindsay Lohan and Rosie's bickering matches with the Donald and Elizabeth. Even in those situations we make judgments. Paris is a slut, Lindsay is a drunk, Rosie is a liberal, ghastly beast... but how does God see them?

This is where the rubber hits the road. I struggle with this all the time. The human side of me does not think this way. I see someone that looks different, sounds different or acts differently and I automatically make assumptions - - judgments. Usually these are not kind judgments either. I know a lot of times I think I am just making observations that are not racist or judgmental, but let's be honest, all of us have prejudices.

The sad thing for me is when I find myself looking down on people who don't know the Jesus I know. Whether they be Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Hindus or any other religion, my tendency is to think they are idiots. To lessen them. To feel superior to them. To me, this is so far from God's heart for those people. He sent His Son to die for everyone... not just me.

The same can be said for homosexuals, pro-lifers, Democrats, Republicans, anti-war supporters, environmentalists, capitalists, communists or conservatives. God loves them all. Jesus wants their hearts... and I should want that for them as well. The Holy Spirit nudges me in that direction all the time, but I live in my flesh far too often.

There are two songs that I always hear in my head when I begin to ponder this subject... these are two groups from way back in the CCM days, so if you have no idea who they are, don't worry. Petra had a song called, "We Need Jesus," and 4Him did a song titled, "Through His Eyes." Both of those songs have a line that runs through my mind when I am sensitive and listening to what the Spirit has to say:

See each other as He sees us...
(Petra)

If we could see through His eyes
Then we could dare to love
The way God loves
(4Him)

So that is my prayer. Learn to see people the way my Father does. It's not easy, but it has to be the place where God longs for me to be... after all, it is the 2nd Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:39).

Pizzas, Panera & Taco Town

I never realized how much I missed Little Caesars Pizza until I couldn't have it anymore... $5 or $6 pizzas that actually taste good are hard to come by in Ohio. At least where I live.

So tonight we enjoyed the pizza we miss so much (thanks Mom & Dad) as we watched 60 Minutes (Dad's choice, but it was his birthday so I obliged him). While we were watching, we got to a really moving moment in the story of our troops in Iraq... we were all literally in tears, when suddenly, Bailey broke forth with his patented psycho guard bark. Everyone, especially Mom & Dad (because Cheryl and I are somewhat used to it), jumped about ten feet out of their chairs. He preceeded to do that at a few more key moments throughout the rest of the show... did I mention that I would like to kill that dog sometimes?

We spent time with Matthew & Sarah at Panera Bread this morning and my adorable niece, Emma, smiled at me like twenty times and I loved it (could've been gas, but I will believe it was her undying love for Uncle Scott). We also just got back from spending time with them at their house tonight and we laughed a lot... Taco Town had Matthew in tears.

By the way, as mentioned above, Dad celebrated a birthday today... Happy Birthday Dad! Love you and wish you God's best this year...

Ohio (and a BBQ with friends) here we come!

Visiting Hours

What an amazing day Cheryl and I had today!

Last night we hung out with the family and had a steak dinner, compliments of Mom and our Grill-Master, Matthew.

We woke up early this morning and met up with Rob & Nicole. We had such a great time with them! Everytime we see them I realize how much I miss both of them in our lives. They are probably some of the best friends we have ever had... when we are with them it is like nothing ever changed. I love being with them and can't wait to see them in Vegas really soon!

After we stopped off back and Mom & Dad's place we headed out to Jim & Phiona's... what an amazing time we had with these guys... we just seem to grow closer to them whenever we see them. I love having family like that. They are headed off to a China very soon and we will miss them so much. God is so good... somehow, we will get there!

This has been a great weekend... still more to come.

Drives Me Crazy...

Interesting thing happened on my way back to Detroit today... I remembered how much I hate driving around all these brain dead people.

Numerous events unfolded as we headed up I-75 that left me losing my cool on some unsuspecting guy as we turned down the street to get to my Mom & Dad's house. This guy had no idea that I had just endured about 20 or more motorists that were as bad, if not worse, than he was.

I am amazed by the agression and lunacy that people have while operating their vehicle. Cell phones strapped to ears while they go 85 mph, weaving in and out of traffic without a care in the world.

I have lost my edge since we moved to small town Ohio. I used to honk and make my way through the asphalt jungle with ease. Now, it seems foreign to me. Definitely less stressful... which I believe to be a good thing.

We made it okay and all was well when we finally got to see everyone, especially that cute little niece of mine. The return trip will at least get less stressful as we head into the farm country on those two lane roads that lead to home... it's where the heart is after all.

More Idiot Box Stuff

Sorry to talk TV two days in a row, but I failed to mention anything about the American Idol finale.

First off, I think the right person won. Jordin is an amazing young talent and will only get better. I honestly think Blake will be a huge star though. He just has something about him... very creative and unique.

Let's face it, coming in second or third doesn't hurt you on this show. Melinda, Phil Stacey and few others will have careers after this thing is over... unfortunately, Sanjaya might be one of them. Eh, I guess the guy deserves his fifteen minutes just like the next guy...

Oh, by the way, TiVo or DVR users, how many of you didn't get to see the winner crowned on AI last night? Apparently the show went about ten minutes long and we didn't even get to see the winner... Good job FOX!

Also, just in case you missed it (and according to the ratings a lot of people have) Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is back on NBC on Thursday nights for who knows how long. NBC, please let me enjoy this show... give it another chance!

The Summer TV season is coming, get ready for tons of Reality TV and some stuff they thought no one would like. It's a year round business now... I noticed that According to Jim and King of Queens have resurfaced for the off peak season, but so did Top Chef!

LOST

Is it just me or is LOST one of the best drama's ever on TV? I know some people have grown tired of all the twists and unknowns on the show, but this year has revealed some amazing stuff. The season finale tonight was amazing.

If you haven't watched the finale yet, quit reading now... you've been warned.

The thing that really does it for me is the character development. Last week when Charlie realized he would have to die to save everyone, it killed me. When Hurley was rejected by his friends twice when he wanted to help but eventually saved them, I was overjoyed for him. Locke even got to escape death once again, I love that guy. Yes, it's just a TV show, but I really love it. The writing and, as I said before, character development are stellar.

The amazing twist we saw tonight was what I think is a look into the future. After everyone is rescued from the island. Jack obviously is having a breakdown of some sort in the future. We usually see these "flashbacks" to show us the past of the characters, but in this episode, when Jack calls a mystery guest to meet him at the airport, out of the shadows comes Kate, whom as far as we know, Jack never knew before the crash. Plus, Jack started talking about how he longs to be back on the island and takes plane trips with his "golden ticket" (which I assume most airlines would give you if you survived a crash on one of their planes... odd) and prays that the plane will crash again.

So let me say this, if you haven't watched LOST at all or you haven't followed it well, put the DVD's in your queue at Netflix and enjoy catching up until the show is on again in January 2008.

What A Ride...

Well, the season is over for the Wings, but it has been quite a ride...

Personally, I think the Wings let one get away and I think they were the better team overall, but Champions play through adversity and in the end - - they win.

This has been a great season to be a Detroit Fan... The Tigers came, oh so close. The Wings were supposed to be mediocre, but they made a statement this year. Now it all hangs on the Pistons...

We can only hope that the Lions win more than 3 games, but I think they are on the right track too.

I have always been a huge Wings fan and I always will be. Pride is the only thing I feel for these guys this year. They played above what a lot of people thought of them. This loss is a lot easier to take than previous years. They will be back, the future looks bright in Hockeytown.

The good news for a lot of my friends is... I have a lot more time on my hands now. Can't wait to see everyone again....

Thanks for a great season Detroit Red Wings...

Just What I Needed...

The past few days have been a such a great time with our friends here in Ohio. With some of the things that are going on right now, having friends and family that you love means more than you'll ever know.

We hung out with Derek & Casey and their boys on Saturday night and had a great time... Sunday we went to Sarah's graduation party and spent time with Sean & Rachel, Steve & Nicki and saw a bunch of other people there too. Then, today I hung out with Tony, then Cheryl and I had dinner with Dave & Kelly at our place.

It is so great living and going to church in the same town. It's so conducive to building community and deepening relationships.

Plus, we're coming back to Michigan this weekend and we'll get to see our family... it's been too long and we're really excited to see everyone again! We'll even get a chance to see two of the best friends we've ever had from Las Vegas!!

God has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams...

A Little Rain Must Fall...

I am one of those people who struggles with hiding the way I feel. When times are tough, you can pretty much see it. If I am annoyed, you'll know it. I hate being fake... that is a good thing and a bad thing. Sometimes I need to keep things to myself, but for the most part, I would rather let you know where I stand.

Saying all this leads me to where I am at this afternoon. I'm feeling let down. God is faithful and I know He loves me, but sometimes I am disappointed by Him. Some would tell me, "That's life," or tell me, "to get over it," because you and I both know there are people in far worse circumstances than myself. But let me ask you this, if I pretend that I am o.k. with something when I'm not, doesn't God know that? Of course He does...

Things don't always work out the way you expect them to. They don't always end up the way you hope for. But I can't stop hoping. I can't stop believing that God will save the day. He has a plan and I hope for that plan to be fulfilled even in the midst of my disappointment. I have to keep on hoping.

We sang a song this morning that touched me. That I want to share with you about God's love. I needed to hear it and this morning I believed it a lot more than I ever have before. As I have mentioned before, learning to accept and truly believe that He loves me has been tough, but today I moved a little closer to really understanding it...

God of glory You have made all things
Who am I that You would think of me
For You made the earth, You made the stars
Yet You know my name; You know my heart
You’re always there; You’re never far away

So amazing as You paint the sky
So amazing, makes me wonder why
You love me like You do
You love me like You do
That You love me like You do
So amazing, so amazing

I see the birds ride on the winds, they fly so high
Mountain peaks so tall they seem to touch the sky
Creation calls Your name above
Yet in Your mercy and Your love
You came to give Your life that I might live

Hold on to hope and feel loved...

What a Bunch of Horse...

I was checking out a little playoff hockey today on NBC. They usually have Saturday & Sunday games, while VS has the weekdays.

So today was game 5 between the Ottawa Senators and the Buffalo Sabres. Pretty huge game is Buffalo... they lose this one and they are playing golf for the rest of the summer.

Turned out to be a great game - - what I saw of it anyway. You see that horse to the right? Well, NBC, who truly loves the NHL, decided to leave the Stanley Cup Playoff game when it headed to sudden death overtime to catch a race that lasted all of about 3 minutes. But they needed a lot more than that to talk about all the story lines...

So now hockey fans (if there really are any out there), not only is the NHL behind the NFL, MLB, NBA & NASCAR, but Major League Soccer (MLS) and now Horse Racing are giving it a run for the money.

For all the fans in Buffalo who were watching at home... sorry you missed it, but your team lost in overtime. Hopefully there are some good highlights on Sports Center - - oh, wait a minute, they don't like hockey either. Oh well, that one horse made it around the track real fast at least.

Mow-er Time with Cheryl...

I've talked about this on the ol' Ramblin Scotzman before, but I hate cutting the grass. Partly because I hate sweating and smelling like exhaust and/or gas. The other reason is when you are a guy, around the age of 13 or 14, you learn to cut the grass. It seems like a fun thing at first, but then it becomes a job...

Either way, I would like to say that this season has been very different than usual. Cheryl has taken an interest in working with me on the yard and it has been awesome.

I love that she is willing to join me in a task that she knows I despise. The truth is, now I don't hate it so much because I get to do it with her. A lot of people would never want to work with their spouse, we have done it before and it was tough at times, but with age and experience we have learned to truly work together and enjoy it.

Cheryl, thanks for being my best friend and partner in life... not just in the fun stuff, but the less desirable stuff - - like cutting the grass.

Cheers

My TiVo has been picking up Cheers reruns lately.

I remember sitting in the living room with the family watching Cheers and hearing Dad laugh hysterically. His favorite part was the opening joke. We all laughed and had a great time on Thursday nights.

I loved Woody. He always killed me. And who could ever forget everyone yelling, "Norm," when he walked into the bar. Great cast... was glad when Dianne left though.

Cheryl and I actually went to the real Cheers while we were in Boston. Talk about different. Not at all like the inside on the TV show. Still fun to see.

Thanks TiVo.

Accord-ingly.

Forgive me father's for I have sinned...

Growing up in a Ford family and marrying a girl from a Ford family, made me feel like a sinner today.

After our Wal Mart fiasco the Sunday, we ended up getting everything squared away and were given the number to our local Enterprise Rental Car. We were supplied with a vehicle while our Ford Taurus was in the shop. When I called to confirm pickup this morning, I asked what type of vehicle we would end up with... the gentleman on the phone told me there was an 80% chance we would end up with a Honda Accord.

Cheryl and I headed out this morning to pick up her rental so she could head off to work. I Google Mapped the Enterprise and we set out. I knew right where I thought it would be, but I never recalled seeing an Enterprise in that area before. As we drove down the street to where it was supposed to be, all I saw was a Honda dealership.

We ended up in the middle of enemy territory (as if living in Buckeye country was not enough). Growing up in Motown, we were taught to despise "foreign" cars. They were what was wrong with America and here we were in the belly of the beast about to drive away in one of it's evil machines.

Cheryl went in and signed the paperwork while I waited in my "American" vehicle. Safe. Secure. Proud... and slightly envious of all the new cars around me.

As Cheryl came out to her shiny red Accord, I rolled down my window and warned her not to fall for this little Honda... it would tear our families to pieces (not really, but it sounds pretty dramatic, right?).

I'll admit, when Cheryl got home from work today, I rushed out to see this little import. I took it for a spin and kicked the tires. I can tell you this, it ain't made for the rotund individual to fit comfortably into. Nice, but not the most amazing thing I have ever been in. I could feel myself repeating my Dad's mantra, "Probably not as nice as a Fusion... Wait until you see that new Edge, that thing is amazing." Still loyal, just like Dad. Can't help it.

Our little adventure with Honda will be over on Friday... until then, we'll just have grin and bear it.

Why Did I Do It?

Just a quick story about your favorite Super Store, Wal Mart.

Since we have moved to a smaller town in Ohio, my worst fears have become a reality. When you need something here, Wal Mart is usually the place to get it. You may or may not know this, but I think Wal Mart is ruining America one small town at a time.

We've been getting our cars serviced at Wal Mart since last Summer. The part of me that loves a great deal could not pass up the amazingly low cost of an oil change. It's like $17 or $18... I mean, how can you pass that up? What could happen? It's just an oil change right?

This past Sunday we dropped off Cheryl's car and came back to pick it up. I went to get some gas while Cheryl settled up. My cell phone rings and Cheryl says, "We have a problem." Seems that the last time the ol' Taurus was in for an oil change someone cross threaded the oil plug, which holds the oil in the oil pan. Pretty important. Well the Service Manager tells Cheryl she needs to take it to the dealership to get that fixed. Hold on a second buddy... someone in your shop put it in wrong. Fix it.

After a twenty minute conversation in a packed waiting area, finally the Assistant Manager of the entire Wal Mart comes to solve the problem. I was amazed at how hard they tried to push this thing off on us. I kept asking him if he thought I was under the car playing with the oil plug in my spare time. Someone at this Wal Mart goofed up, now fix it.

We ended up taking it to our local Ford dealership and I was not surprised to learn this was one of many "mistakes" they've had to fix from Wal Mart. $375 later, Wal Mart is buying us a new oil pan.

Lesson learned. No more Wal Mart.

Wish I had seen this site before I gave Wal Mart a chance to screw up.

Pearls of Wisdom

Today a friend of mine, Tony, and I were talking about the love of God.

I have always struggled with God's love for me. You see, I have always felt unworthy of it. While me being unworthy of His love might be true, He loves me in spite of that. I can say that and understand it to be true, but my mind understanding it to be true and my heart believing it to be true are two totally different things.

As we were talking, Tony could see that I was truly struggling with this. I know that God impressed this on Tony's heart to share with me and it suddenly brought me closer to truly believing with my heart more than ever before.

Tony brought up the parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl. In essence, both parables talk about someone finding something of great value. Then in turn both of these people sell everything they own and purchase this new found treasure. He asked me what those parables meant to me. Honestly, it caught me off guard. I'd never spent a lot of time thinking about it. So I told him that I thought it was about my relationship to God and that I needed to see the worth in it and be willing to give up everything for it.

Tony had a different take. In fact he gave examples of how Christians in China who have face persecution have a totally different understanding of these parables. He said that I am the pearl. I am the hidden treasure. That God loved me so much that He sent His Son to "purchase" me. Jesus loved me so much, the hidden treasure that He found in the field, that He gave up everything to get me.

Me. He finds me worthy.

I can hardly fathom it. It stirs something inside of me that I cannot describe...

I am learning. Trying to accept this amazing love that He has for me. It is so hard to understand, maybe that is the point. My mind may never comprehend this love.

My hope, my prayer, is that I will stop rejecting His love. Thankfully He's not finished with me yet and He is very patient.

For Mom.

Seems like one of the first times I've not been able to see Mom on Mother's Day.

Being away from family has been tough at times, but it has been a good thing as well. It has forced both Cheryl and I to grow in ways I had no idea we had to. It has caused us to lean on and trust the Father more than ever before. It has caused us to let others help us out, when usually we would have called Mom and Dad.

Personally, I am learning more about myself in this process than I ever have before. All the times I have been compared to my Mom while we laughed used to make me think I was not enough of a "man," but now I see that it means I have a big heart, that I am loyal, that I am forgiving, that I'm a dreamer, that I love people, that I love my spouse, that love making people happy and encouraging them and more than anything that I love my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Mom, these are the things that I have gained from being your son. These are the things that you have built into me. Thank you for teaching me through the way you live to love, care and dream.

Love you Mom.

We'll see you soon.

First Watch

Cheryl and I finally did it... we went to Firstwatch in Dublin for breakfast.

Why has it taken so long you say? Well, it's a very well known fact that I detest, nay, loathe lines and/or waiting. Thanks Dad...

Every time we have driven past said restaurant, there are gazillions of people waiting for just a taste of whatever they are selling in there. Maybe they are secretly owned by McDonald's and have also injected their food with whatever drug makes people eat at the Golden Arches all the time. Either way, it's always busy. It's open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and apparently that's just not long enough.

Bailey woke us up around 6:30 this morning (on a Saturday that is just wrong) and I thought, what better time than now to head over to the beloved First Watch. We ended up pulling into Dublin right around 8 a.m. and as I headed into the shopping center where First Watch is, I noticed something rather absurd... gazillions of cars! All of which were parked in front of the breakfast joint with a little taste of heaven in it... and, wait for it... there was a line of people waiting to get in! People, we are talking about 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning... what gives?

This had better be the best breakfast I have ever eaten... was it? It was pretty good. Wait in line good? Eh, I could take it or leave it. Not too mention, Dublin is kind of like the O.C. compared to Marysville... for my friends and family in Detroit, it's kind of like the Northville/Novi/Plymouth crowd out there. A little snobby and too beautiful for their own good. So if you were planning on putting a baseball cap on and catching a shower after breakfast, you may want to have your hair nicely coifed and make up on before you get there.

So, if you ever come to visit or want us to join you at First Watch for a little breakfast, you go first and get us a table. We'll be there soon.

Cell Phone Play by Play

So the NHL brain trust has done it again.

Depending on who your cable carrier in my old home town of Detroit happens to be, you either got to watch the Wings take on the Ducks in the Western Conference Finals or had to call me for updates or play by play of the game.

My Dad and Brother had to get updates and play by play via our Verizon phones!

Another amazing move by Gary Bettman.

I wonder how that conversation went...

Gary Bettman: Okay guys. I have a great idea. Since we screwed up our deal with ESPN and ABC and are fresh off a lockout, I have a brand new plan. We could be on the Outdoor Life Network!
Lackey #1: Outdoor Life Network?
Lackey #2: Yeah, great idea Boss!
Bettman: Yes! They will change the name next year to Versus! They have all sorts of cool programming that our audience will love too. Bull riding and rodeos, fishing and hunting and kickboxing! What a combination!
Lackey #1: I don't get.
Bettman: No most cable and satellite providers don't even carry it yet, but that will change. We're the number 4 sport in the US, people will demand it.
Lackey #2: Actually sir, NASCAR is ahead of us now...
Lackey # 1: ... and Soccer is actually gaining ground.
Bettman: No matter, the NHL and Versus will catapult us to number one in no time.

Add to that nonsense that after the first two rounds of the playoffs your local station loses it's rights to broadcast their home team. In Detroit that means no Mickey Redmond!

Why do I continue to watch? I guess I'm a Red Wing fan for life... no matter how bad that moron Betmann screws things up.

Chad Vader

I'm not a huge Star Wars geek, but when I saw this, I laughed.



Hope you enjoyed it... you can check out the entire first season (finale coming this month) on YouTube or at Blame Society Productions.

American Idol Observation...

Is it just me or does American Idol guest artist this week, Barry Gibb, look an awful lot like:














The Geico Caveman
















I am so mean... sorry Mr. Gibb, I couldn't resist.

Why Not Just Get a Mac?

My buddy over at Geekbert.net posted a link that just explains how lame Windows and the Gates crew really are... Check it out here.

Isn't it time you looked into Mac? Really, what's it gonna' take to convince you? iPod? iPhone? iTunes? Intel Macs?

I'm just sayin'...

Cheryl's Request... Blog!

The Lovely and Talented Cheryl just told me I don't Blog enough... she said enough very funny too.

So I figured I would do a little Blogging:

Spring is in the air... in fact it was dang hot today in Ohio.

With that beautiful Spring air comes thunderstorms... Bailey's favorite... his favorite thing to be scared of and whine and cry about (usually when we are sleeping).

Spring also means NHL Playoffs... the Wings played horrible last night. Speaking of the Wings, this guy came by the house the other day selling lawn treatments. I opened the door and he made his pitch. His final sell was, "If you sign up today, I'll throw in a free squid." I looked puzzled for a moment and then he pointed at my Wings flag blowing in the wind... that made me laugh... had he said Octopus, he would have really impressed me.

NHL Playoffs also mean late night starts in the West (the conference the Wings are in)... 10 pm starts for those whacky Left Coasters... getting sleepy thinking about it. Bettman, do us all a favor and move the Wings to the East already!

Sports, sports, sports, sports!

The NFL Draft was held Saturday and Sunday... it's kind of like the Super Bowl if you are a Lions Fan. Matt Millen didn't disappoint all the Lion faithful... picking up the 4th wide receiver in 5 years within the # 2 pick. From all the publicity, the kid - Calvin Johnson - is a stud, let's hope so.

... I couldn't end our brief foray into football without talking a little Buckeye football (Boo!). The Dolphins surprised everyone in the draft when they picked Ted Ginn Jr. with the 9th overall... hilarious. The crowd on hand in Miami almost lynched the GM... Plus, the Heisman Trophy winning QB, Troy Smith, wasn't picked until the 5th round...

Michigan had seven players chosen overall and a record 4 defensive players in the top 50 picks. Go Blue!!

I've got some interesting things on the horizon which I hope to talk about soon...

Puttin' on the Foil Coach!

It's that time of year again my friends...

The NHL Playoffs have begun. Three good games tonight and the boys from Hockeytown begin their Quest for the Cup Thursday night at the Joe.

This will be one of the first playoffs of my hockey life that will not include "The Captain," Steve Yzerman. It will be strange not seeing him out there, but it's time for the youngsters to step up and take a run at the toughest championship in all of sports: Lord Stanley's Cup.

If you've never experienced playoff hockey, this may be a good time to check it out. Like so many other professional sports, the "Salary Cap," has evened the playing field a bit. Parity is what they like to call it.

Let me just say this, if the Wings decide to make a deep run this year, I may not see you until sometime in June. Versus has hockey every night and I also have NHL Center Ice from DirecTV, so my TiVo will be working overtime.

Hopefully the chant, "LET'S GO RED WINGS!" will be heard all the way down here in hockey starved Ohio.