Equip and Shepherd

Two weeks ago we had a guest pastor at church.  He taught on Ephesians 4:1-16.

There are times when people say things that you already know, but you need to have someone say them out loud for you to acknowledge them.  The youth convention I went to in early March was much like that.  Lots of things I knew, but I needed to hear them said out loud.  Seems like I've been hearing a lot of that lately.

So anyway Toby (the pastor) focused on 4:4.  And within that one line hammered home the idea that YOU were called.  Not just the elders, pastors, deacons, evangelists, etc.  That wasn't lost on me as I teach that regularly to students. 

He went on to say that pastors, elders, etc. are there to equip us to then perform our calling.  So I then had to ask myself if I'm truly equipping.  Am I?  Am I putting the tools into students hands? 

When David went to fight Goliath....he turned down the kings armor because it didn't fit.  He could fight with that crazy stuff that he'd never used before and wasn't tailored for him.  But he also didn't go into battle empty handed. He equipped himself first.  The Bible says he took his staff in his hand, went to the stream and got 5 stones and put them in his shepherd's pouch and then has his sling. 

Am I putting the right tools in my students hands to equip them to face the giants in their lives?  I want to believe I am.  How can I be better?  Am I also putting things in their hands that they just don't need?  They're going into battle and I'm putting a party blower and a snow shovel in their hand too?  Am I equipping in a healthy way?

He also said that a pastors job is to shepherd.  To protect and guide my flock.  In this area I feel like I do well...or as well as my flock allows me to.  I feel that teenagers are the flock that intentionally ignores the shepherds voice.  They know the shepherds voice, but choose to say, "I know this is right, but it doesn't make me happy."  If anything I want to be overly protective of my flock....as my flock walks boldly toward the edge of a cliff.  




Note:  The pastor didn't say all those things about me badly equipping....I did.  Also know that I'm not doubting my calling, I just want to be better at what I do. 

Random Saturday

Random Saturday isn't going to be very random this week.  I just didn't really stumble upon much this week that blew my hair back.  So I'll pass along a couple good blog posts by friends that you should read.

Matt (who's picking hockey picks too) had a very well written post about fandom and Christ's kingdom.  Really good stuff here.


My pastor friend Bill had a post on Friday entitled "Why I blog"....hey that's a catchy post.  Actually he posted it based off my blog from last week like he said he would.  I loved it a lot.  I really liked his #4....I get to share what I care about.  So good.  No one gets to tell me what to write and not to write.....well....Marjorie might make a suggestion every couple months....but mostly it's what I want to write about.  I know most people who read my blog don't care a hoot about hockey....but I do, so I write about it. 

Rick had an awesome post about playing with his boys in his backyard....and a vision from God years ago.  Teared me up.

Jim did the same with his post about his adoption and friends of his. 

Let's wrap it up with this.  My really good friend Anneliese (who I call Wheeze) has been secretly blogging since last year.  She recently decided to make it public....so will I.

Yep that's it for this week.  So why aren't you blogging again?

NHL Playoffs Roudn 2

In case you're late to the party, every year a few friends and I make our round by round predictions of the NHL playoffs to see who is the dumbest.  As of 12:30am this morning the second round is finally set and begins immediately tonight.

Recap of Round 1:
 Matt picked 5 of the 8 winners in round 1.  He is now 5-3.
Randy also went 5-3 in round 1
Jeff went 4-4 in round 1
Your illustrious leader....Me....as always I sucked because I picked the obvious choices and round 1 was full of surprise teams.  I went 3-5.  So basically I"m already out of contention this year.

Honestly my picks were good.  Teams that should've crumbled, stepped up.  Pittsburgh didn't show up for the first 3 games of that series.  By the time they started playing it was too late.  Florida should've buried New Jersey and didn't.   Vancouver was a bust, and should've won.  Chicago/Phoenix was a toss up....and you'll know I picked Chicago but was rooting for Phoenix.  The Boston/Washington series was by far the best series in round 1.  Every game had me on the edge of my seat.  OK enough whining.  Time for Round 2 predictions.

Barry Melrose had the Pens and Blackhawks in the Cup Finals.....so I'm good to go.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals:  This is an interesting series.  You could make a case for either team.  In Round 1 I told you Washington would lose because they didn't have the goaltending.  Brandon Holtby proved me wrong and stepped up in a crazy way.  Is this the series he comes down to earth?  Both teams went to game 7 to finish round 1.  Will that take a toll on either of them?  Dan Boyle has a concussion for the Rangers after a brutal hit....will he play again in the playoffs or in this series?  Lundqvist is still the better goalie in this match-up.  The Rangers have as much talent up front as the Caps do, they're just not house-hold names.  I have a biased against Washington, just because I don't believe Ovechkin is a real leader even though he has a C on his sweater.  Aaron's pick:  New York in 6

Philadelphia Flyers vs. New Jersey Devils:  I use the word hate when talking about the Flyers.  I just can't stand them.  I've said it before and I'll say it again....they could lose every game from now till Jesus comes back and I wouldn't shed a tear for them.  That being said, they played good hockey in Round 1.  Good not great.  Bryz is still a joke of a goalie.  Even though they won the series...he let up 3, 5, 4, 5 (in the blow=out game where he was pulled), 3 and 1.  Except for the last game....that's not good.  You have to hope his forward keep producing or they're dead.  On the other side, the Devils somehow got by Florida.  They needed double overtime of game 7 to do it, but they did.  Brodeur had a shutout in game 4 to become the shutout playoff leader.  Can the Devils match up with the Filthies?  Just not sure.  Kovalchuk didn't look healthy skating last night.  No word if he's 100%.  As much as it pains me to do this...Aaron's pick:  Philadelphia in 7

WESTERN CONFERENCE

St. Louis Blues vs. LA Kings:  This is going to be the series in the West to watch.  All the Western teams have stellar goaltending.  This series will showcase some great ones.  Jonathan Quick was one of the main reasons the Kings beat Vancouver.  He always seemed to be where he needed to be.  On the other side the Blues' Elliott was hurt at the beginning of the series so they had to start Halak, who then got hurt and Elliott took over...both played great.  They've already announced that Halak is out game 1 and 2 at least.  I think the Blues are still the better team here.  While the Kings have stepped up, the Blues are just grittier.  Aaron's pick:  Blues in 6 or 7

Nashville Predators vs. Phoenix Coyotes:  I said in Round 1 that this could be Nashville's year.  They are loaded for bear and played really well against Detroit.  Granted Detroit isn't the Detroit of old, but they are still amazing.  Phoenix played really well.  Mike Smith is standing on his head.  If he can continue doing that, Phoenix can stay in this series.  I think there's too much pressure on him though.  I saw Phoenix just watching and hoping he'd make saves.  They're just not good enough in front of him and now allowing the shots to happen.  You can't allow the other team to take 40+ shots a game for too many games and have a fresh goalie.  Pekka Rinne of the Preds is a stud.  He's so dang fast and long and lanky.  Aaron's pick:  Predators in 5 or 6


Aside:  The first round was brutal on my sleeping habits.  The first week or so I watched at least parts of every game.  I was starting at 7 and watching till 1am.  That one Sunday games started at noon and ran to 1am.  The later rounds are a little better on me sleeping!

Tobiah States His Case

Tobiah and I were leaving the other day to go pick up Corban from school. All of a sudden he started stating his case for why he wanted a kitty cat. The family has been on my case for awhile for animals other than fish. I'm not a big animal fan because I know that I'll be the one that has to take care of it. I particularly am not fond of cats. We WILL NOT be getting one of those. So I quickly grabbed the camera and had him state his case for the world.

The Digital Age

I can't remember the last time I was so excited about a new band....even when the new band is really an old band re-made. 

By this point everyone should know that The David Crowder Band is no more.  Their final album (which is really a double album) is out.  I'm pretty sure I even aid I'd do a review on that album....that still might be coming.  Anyway....they are no more.  Crowder's doing his own thing. 

HOWEVER....4 of the guys have started a new band called The Digital Age.  After DCB's final show they went back to Waco and built a studio and they're in rehearsals.  You HAVE to listen and watch these two videos (and probably the 3rd just for fun).  Their music is so thick with layers.  So good in so many ways.  You can tell that these guys aren't new to the rodeo. 

I just can't tell you how excited I am for something recorded by these guys!

SO DANG GOOD!!!!

Tuesday Coffee

I'm Sensitive and OK With That

I'm Sensitive.  or at least I've become sensitive.

Not in the "in touch with my emotions" sort of way....but maybe that's true.  Let me explain.

Despicable Me.  Funny movie.  Great quotable lines.  "They're so fluffy!"  We all laugh.  We think the googley-eyed creatures are cute and funny when they blow each other up.  And we laugh. 

What does that movie say about what adoption is?  Why did the evil scientist adopt them?  Because he loved them?  Nope.  Because he desired to grow his family?  Nope.  The orphanage that they were at was horrible.  The view of what adoption is in this movie is horrible.  It turns my stomach.  So this cute movie that is so quotable won't be shown at my house. 

We were watching old Foghorn Leghorn cartoons the other day.  In one episode Foghorn "adopted" a chicken hawk.  The entire thing was derogatory toward adoption.  We skipped to the next one.  I get that this was made ages ago.  It won't be seen in our house.

It's easy to say, "it's no big deal...it's just a funny story." "You're making a mountain out of mole hill."  "But by the end of the story he really does love them."

I think it's you that's missing the point.  The point is that everything matters.  How can I possibly let this slide as OK?  I know what adoption is.  I know that it matters.  It's the same thing as belittling father figures on TV and movies.  I'm not the bumbling dolt just because I"m a dad.  I'm insulted when fathers are portrayed that way.  That's not healthy.  In a world with fewer and fewer strong father figures, tell me how that's good for us? 

I just saw Kung Fu Panda 2.  Adoption is all through this movie.  While I thought the action in this movie was better than KFP1...the adoption line still got my dander up.  How is it that Po's dad NEVER talked to his son about being adopted until he's older and had to confront his dad about it?  And the movie gives you the impression that what happens in the past doesn't matter, it's where you are now and where you're going that matters.  That's pure crap.  Both of my boys came from birth-moms who were unable to care for them.  That's part of their past.  That's part of who they are.  And while they were both two small to know that consciously, it's part of them.  Of course that has been redeemed and their future is bright....but our past is what makes us who we are right now.  Po's dad also gives him this big guilt trip when he decides to set out to find out about his birthparents and his past....instead of encouraging it.  I CAN'T WAIT to take my boys to Ethiopia to see the land that they come from!  That's going to be awesome.  For now, this movie won't be seen at our house.

When I tell me boys how much we love them and how we loved them before they were in our arms....how can I show them these movies?  How can I send them mixed signals.  So yeah, I'm a little sensitive.  My radar is full tilt.  That probably won't change.  I'm kind of OK with that.


More:  Are there redeeming things in the Kung Fu Panda 2 and Despicable Me?   Sure.  Po comes home and tells his dad that's he's his song.  By the end of Despicable me the bad guy falls in love with the kids.  But I can't ignore everything else that leads up to those points. 

Random Saturday Revived

So it's been a few years since I've done a random Saturday.  I realized this week that I kept saving links to things, thinking I'd blog about it later.....but none of them are really worth a whole blog post.  So here you go.

-This is just a thought.  Blogger re-did how the layout looks when I create each post.  Part of that is my ability to very quickly see how many people are actually reading my blog.  Quickly glanced at it.  Pretty depressing. 

-Tim Horton's has a month long promotion every year called Roll Up the Rim.  Under the rim of each paper cup you can win things....from cars to free coffee.  I end up buys way more coffee during the month than normally.  One of these years I'm gonna win a car.  ANYWAY....my friend sent me this picture.  Fabulous.

-I don't remember what I was searching for, but I found a guy named Aaron Reinhard in Michigan who gives guitar, bass and drum lessons.  How weird is that?

-My friend Steve was commenting about how horrible so many of the "Instagram" pictures are.  He was just saying that so many decent pictures are turned horrible by the use of the app.  So after hearing that I found this.   You really need to see these pictures.  It took me awhile to figure out what one of them even was.  Crazy awesome.  Jim this is for you.

-So the Wall Street Journal reported that a retired Captain had his picture hanging in the Pentagon along side pictures of Patton, Nimitz and Eisenhower.  Apparently it was an inside prank from friends of his and the pictures been hanging there for a year or so without anyone noticing.  How awesome is that?  Pranking inside the Pentagon.

Finally....from the Pittsburgh Steelers....Lamar Woodley pranks his buddies Mercedes Lewis from the Jacksonville Jaguars, Michael Turner from the Atlanta Falcons, and Steve Breaston from the Kansas City Chiefs.  I'm usually not big on prank videos.  For whatever reason this one made me laugh.  It's my blog, so I'm posting it. 

EDIT!!! UPDATE!!!! Remember when I posted about that Google map that had dots on it for where all the NHL players were born? Well I also edited that post to say that a player named Akim Aliu played the last two games of these season. I sent a message via Twitter to the maker of the map. He just got back to me. There is now a dot in Africa!!!!! I feel so stoked! Not only is there a dot in Africa....I had a hand in putting it there!

I am Thomas

Easter is over. We've read through all the accounts of Jesus resurrection. The other day I had a new revelation though. Maybe it's not new...but it was kind of a new thought to me.

Some back story: I've been doing youth ministry for somewhere in the neighborhood of 15-16 years. I've been in Warren for just shy of 12. I am far from an expert, but I would like to believe that I have a pretty good feel for what it is that I do, and on the heart beat of teens.

Over the years (particularly here in Warren) a wide variety have come to us (the area youth pastors) with ideas of what we should be doing with the teens. At the heart of their ideas, they have good intentions. They want to impact teenagers for Jesus. I'm all for that.

How they go about that though is often very misguided. When someone tells me that this will revolutionize youth ministry, or this event is going to be essential to the faith of my teens, I instantly feel walls going up internally. When I get a call from a company selling their new material for youth group and they tell me that it'll transform the way my teens look at the world, I find a polite way to hang up on them.

(this blog post wasn't intended to go here, but now my dander is up...sorry for this next paragraph) What will revolutionize my teenagers lives is Jesus Christ not your curriculum. While I love Francis Chan and all the other guys that you're pitching me in your curriculum, I don't want my teens to fall in love with their eloquent speaking, I want them to fall in love with Jesus. Your one day event with no follow up and no way of plugging them in to local youth groups, will only be that....a one day event...a flash in the pan. Your idea is good, but why didn't you ask for our help rather than tell us the event is coming and expect us to show up. And don't guilt trip me into feeling that if I don't, then I don't love Jesus or that I don't want my teens to love Jesus. Why not partner with us (who have been here and cooperating with one another for the last 12 years) rather than doing your own event and expecting us to like it without allowing us to show you how you've totally made it irrelevant to teenagers because you're in your 50's and don't understand what teenagers deal with. (again I apologize for this paragraph)

So as I was reading for myself the account of Jesus appearing to His disciples and Thomas not being there I related. I have this visual of some of the disciples catching up to Thomas around town and saying "Dude you won't believe what just happened Jesus appeared to us. He's alive." If I'm Thomas I'm totally saying, "Quit messing around guys. That's kind of disrespectful." There's NO WAY that I'm going to say, "oh sure that makes sense". I am totally "when I see it, I'll believe it guy." I am constantly the skeptic.

If I'm Thomas, I've had a lot of life experience to tell me that dead guys don't come back to life.....even if I did see that whole Lazarus thing. I mean I've seen enough tricks and slight of hand to know that it's probably just some sort of scam. I am immediately skeptical. I am immediately cynical. I can feel the internal walls raising up around me. This is another one of those times that I hear one thing but another thing happens. This is another "perfect" moment. This is another youth event that will just be AMAZING. Right. Right. Sure. Sure.

I am Thomas.

Jesus, I'm sorry for the times I doubt your power. I'm sorry for the times I don't trust you...or your people. I'm sorry for my bitterness and my cynicism. I'm sorry for the times that I take control instead of letting you having control. I'm sorry for worrying about details that are none of my business.

Double Oh

Making Morning Easier

Maybe you've seen this. It's been featured in a couple outlets. This would be so fun. Total waste of money? Sure. Sweetest thing ever...possibly.

With a touch of a button....or touch of your iPhone, instant coffee, or cappuccino, or mocha, or whatever. Perfect every time. Yes please. Here's their facebook page. No word on US pricing that I could see.

PS...To Why I Blog...and I Want You

Over the weekend I re-read my last post "Why I Blog". (if you haven't read it yet, you should do that before reading this.....see I linked it for you and everything!) I told you in there that I often think about particular people while I blog. Well as I read that post, I heard a couple people complaining. I heard your reasons for NOT blogging. (OK so I could be crazy hearing voices.....so what?)

The obvious objection is "I just don't have the time for it."

I know. It takes time. It takes a bit of effort. You have kids. You have a busy schedule. I know. Me too.

To blog well, it's like everything else...you need to force yourself to do it. You have to be disciplined. Maybe even have (gasp) a schedule. Seriously it makes sense...everything else in your life is on a calendar why can't 1/2 hour of typing be on your calendar too? I know that the times that I'm most productive are the times that I've had an intentional, planned out schedule for making it happen.

"I don't have anything important to say." If that's true, then I want you to go delete your Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. accounts. Right? Honestly...you do have something to say. It's just that once again it will take some effort instead of a 140 character blurb. I know you. You have cool stuff going on in your life and I feel like I'm missing out on it.

"No one will read it or care". I will. Seriously I will. I used to have a blog roll on the right side of my blog of all the blogs that I was following...the problem became that most of them hadn't been updated in a long time. I want to read what you're writing. I want to read your thoughts. Here's the other thing....at the get-go, no one will read it...because you haven't blogged in a year or a couple months.....you're going to have to get those readers back.....make people aware that you've started up again. It won't just naturally happen. People stopped reading because you stopped blogging.

Which segways nicely into my next point....I Want You to Blog. I don't mean casually hack at it. I mean give it a full on try. Let's say....one month of consistent writing. Not daily....but maybe 2 or 3 posts a week. Just make it happen.

Remember when you were blogging and all your friends would comment at your posts because you inspired them, or made them laugh, or were in awe of how cute your kids are and how much they've grown? Remember that feeling of accomplishment? Remember how your heart would leap when you got an e-mail saying someone commented on your post? Yeah...that's still going on, you just aren't part of it.

I want you to come back to the fold. Or to start over. Or to start for the first time. Post a comment. Link me your blog in the comment so I make sure I'm reading.

Why I blog.

I have a a file folder in my Bookmarks in Firefox of blogs. That is further broken up into 4 categories: people I know, music blogs, daily, and then misc. I sat here thinking, I should check out some people I know and what they're blogging about. I opened up the list and started mentally going through who's blog was who's.....and realized that very few of the ones I wanted to click on were actively blogging. It was kind of disappointing.

I know that Facebook and Twitter have taken the place of blogs in a lot of ways. We can microblog now. Little snippets of thought instead of longer posts. We connect instantly with the small rather than weekly with the big thought. What really happens though is that I know less about my friends instead of more. I know small details about their daily comings and goings...funny things they've encountered....pictures, jokes perhaps. But I don't know how they're feeling, or what they've been thinking about, or really how they're wrestling with Jesus in their life.

I will be the first to admit that blogging is hard. I've been a major slacker at times. I've gone through periods of doubt. Does anyone actually read this? Why would anyone care? What's the point?

Here are a couple reasons I've decided to continue blogging. It's not an exhaustive list....more off the top of my head than anything.

1. It helps me collect my thoughts. With ADD that's not always easy. As I bop around through my day and week and random thoughts rush through my brain...when I'm intentionally blogging, certain thoughts seem to stick easier and allow me to mull them over more. It's like there are these virtual folders in my brain that when I'm blogging things go into easier. Thoughts that would normally just float away into space, are now contemplated a little more for content and depth.

2. I meditate more. This kind of goes along side of #1. When I'm blogging and reading blogs I allow myself more time to wrestle with thoughts. Most of the things I'm meditating on are God's words and church thoughts to be fair. Blogging then almost becomes a way to journal....not the girly kind of diary journal either....but maybe a bit of that too.

3. I think about you more. This is weird, but when I'm blogging I almost always think of someone who would appreciate what I'm putting here....whether that person reads my blog or not. I put up a link, a picture, a story...in my head I'm mentally directing it at someone. I also am more aware of what my friends are telling me about what they're doing....so I can pass it along as well. You'll notice I've blogged a couple times about my friend Katie....it's because she's doing rad stuff. (that now opened the door for the rest of you to say, "I'm not doing rad stuff? blog about my dork").

4. Conversation means more. Dialogue with someone whether it's in person or online takes on a new dynamic. All the "collecting my thoughts", "meditating" and "thinking of you" culminate inside of conversations that I have. I often feel more "THERE", when in the midst of conversation. That's obviously not to say that I blog about every conversation I have....actually not at all. But it focuses my attention to the details.

5. Because of all of the other items....I wrestle with Jesus a little more. I know that's probably not a theologically correct phrase. Jesus would kick my butt. But I wrestle with what Jesus wants me to do and with my calling and purpose. I think about his church and my place in it. I do all these things anyway, but because it's so much a part of my life and I'm writing about it, I wrestle more. Is this real? Is this something only I'm thinking about?


So that's what I have so far. If you blog, why do you do it? If you have blog and stopped...why? If you don't blog, why not think about it.

Picture of the Day

NHL Stanely Cup Playoffs: Round 1

Well here we are. The playoffs begin tonight. I know most of my regular readers could care less, but you're reading my blog, so you're stuck with it.

As already noted, every year several friends and I put our playoff predictions round by round up on our blogs and then see who's the seer of seers. I've given pretty in depth analysis every year.....but my picks have been garbage. Let's see how I do this year.

Can I just say that I love the fact that the last day of regular season hockey decided several of the playoff seedings....in fact in the West the final 7 and 8 slot was decided by the final game of the regular season (10:30pm EST start time) and that game went to OT!

Before I get to my picks...if you haven't been through this process with me before I will remind you of a couple biases I have off the top that are probably part of the reason that I pick horribly.

1. I watch a lot of East Coast hockey all year long. I live on the East Coast. By the time some of the Western games are starting...I'm going to bed. My favorite teams are on the East Coast. I would like to believe that this year I've tried harder at watching some West Coast hockey and knowing a little more about the teams out there so that my picks are slightly more educated. We'll see.

2. I'm a goalie. I watch goalies more than forwards. I think about playing goalie. I think that goalies are the most important. So often when two teams are close in other categories, I just pick the better goalie. I've missed badly because of this. This year.....I'll still probably pick with a huge goalie bias.

OK let's get to my first round picks.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

New York Rangers vs. Ottawa Senators:
Let's say for the record that any of these series could be an upset and could go either way....to me this one is probably pretty cut and dry. New York has been the best team in the East all year long. They have the best goalie in the league this year in Lundqvist. They play gritty hockey and have guys that can finish at the net. Ottawa still has star power and has some skilled guys...but I just don't think they have enough to match up with New York. Aaron's Pick: New York in 5

Boston Bruins vs. Washington Capitals: Hockey analysts will tell you that this is a series to watch. For star power and name recognition it might be. You're talking about the defending Stanley Cup champions playing a team that has been hot and cold all season and just happened to get on a good streak at the end to edge my Sabres out for the last spot. They won their last game of the season to sneak up into a 7 spot...and they're gonna pay for it. Boston still might be the team to beat in the East...they haven't been streaky in the regular season, but they're a playoff team. They'll go in the corners. They'll make you pay. Let's also point out that Washington's top two goalies are out so the goalies they're stuck with are an AHL goalie and they called up Dany Sabourin who's been all over the place but hasn't cracked an NHL line-up since 08. They're hoping Braden Holtby is the answer...he's young and only played 14 games in the NHL. He's done well...but this is the playoffs. At the other end you have reigning Vezina winner, and Conn Smythe winner and Stanley Cup winner Tim Thomas. Aaron's Pick: Bruins in 5 or 6

Florida Panthers vs. New Jersey Devils: This is an interesting match-up...and one that no one will watch. Both teams struggle to get fans to show up for their games. Both teams have flown incredibly under the radar...even Florida who has had an incredible year. New Jersey comes in winning 6 straight games. Marty Brodeur looks like he's young again. This series could seriously go either way. I have to pick a winner and I just don't know...so I'll say...Aaron's Pick: Florida in 6

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers: In the interest of full disclosure, I have liked the Pens for years. I have also disliked the Flyers for my entire life. Something about that team drives me crazy. Good players get traded to Philly and instantly become dirty. I really love watching the Flyers lose. That all being said...please follow my reasoning for this series pick. This is going to be really fun to watch (and it begins tonight!). Hard nosed hockey. This series to me is the Penguins to lose. Shocked right? Here's why though.....Evgeni Malkin. There's a reason he's going to be the Art Ross trophy winner this year. He is a BEAST! Everyone wants to talk about Crosby coming back. I think I might've picked the Pens in this series without Crosby playing. Malkin has been walking around good defenseman all year like they're pillars. He's playing at this crazy level that we saw when they won the cup. Add in Crosby and Neal and Kunitz and Staal...that's a lot of firepower. Between the pipes...there is an argument that Fleury could get some Vezina votes just for keeping the Pens in it when guys were hurt and slumping. Bryzgalov has been all over the place. Let's also not forget that every time the Coyotes made the playoffs, he was horrible. I really wonder if he's a pressure goalie. Again...this series could go either way...Aaron's pick: Penguins in 7


WESTERN CONFERENCE

Vancouver Canucks vs. Los Angeles Kings:Once again the Canucks were the Presidents Trophy winners (best regular season record). That hasn't meant much at all for years once playoff time comes. Vancouver is a crazy good team...but they're probably going to be playing without Daniel Sedin who's out with a concussion. I still think they have enough skill guys to get past LA. LA has been fighting hard just to make the playoffs for the past month. I think the Nucks are normally chokers, but should get past LA in the first round. Aaron's pick Vancouver in 5

St. Louis Blues vs. San Jose Sharks: This should be a fun matchup. San Jose is pretty gifted. They've actually been one of the big disappointments most of the year. Many people predicted them to easily win the West and probably take the Cup....they barely made the playoffs. St. Louis on the other hand has been the surprise of the West. They have to amazing goalies who are shutout kings. Under Ken Hitchcock they are a very hard nosed team. They have no problem mucking it up. They're my Boston Bruins of the West. Normally I'd pick the Sharks, but I think this is a Blues series to lose. Aaron's pick: St. Louis in 6

Phoenix Coyotes vs. Chicago Blackhawks: To me this might be the most unknown of all the series. Two great teams. Mike Smith, the Yotes goalie has willed them into the playoffs. He had 3 straight shutouts recently. Stood on his head. CRAZY. I would love to see Phoenix do well...if not win the Cup. They've had a bad go of it over the past couple years. I would like to see Phoenix win. I think Chicago is going to be hard to beat. The big question mark in this series is if Jonathan Toews will play...coming back from a concussion. This is a toss up. For the record I want Phoenix to win...BUT Aaron's pick: Chicago in 7

Nashville Predators vs. Detroit Redwings: It's really hard to pick against Detroit....because they're Detroit. Nashville is finally built for the playoffs. And they are built for right now. They made some crazy trade deadline deals. Then as the season was coming to a close, they got a legit scorer in Alexander Rudlov from the Russian KHL league. They are a serious threat this year. Basically if they win the Cup, they won't be able to afford their players, if they don't win the Cup, their players will leave. This might just be their year to be the Wings. Aaron's Picks: Predators in 6


Final thoughts: This is the part of the year where Aaron gets less and less sleep because I'm staying up late to watch the West Coast games.

Some of the other guys might not get their blogs up in time for tonights games, but know that they have registered their picks with us via message on Facebook. You can check in on their blogs here:
Matt
Jeff
Randy

I love hockey.

I really do. I know it's kind of obvious, but sometimes I'm just reminded how much. Yes I'm a Sabres fan, but I really like this sport a lot. I'm sitting here on my couch and I've now watched at least parts of 5 or 6 different games tonight....and I'm not done yet. I just love to see what's coming next.

So today I found this. It's a Google Map with where ever NHL player was born for this season. SO COOL! Here are some quick observations....

-Africa, the Middle East and Australia need to step it up. South America you only have 1, so don't get cocky.
-The Penguins, Craig Adams was born in Brunei....that's awesome.
-Did I know that NHL enforcer/tough guy George Parros was from Washington PA (where my parents live?) I knew he went to Princeton and has some of the best hockey facial hair year round....but I'm not sure I knew he was from Washington.
-I also didn't know there were any NHL'ers from Aliquippa PA...playing his high school hockey in Hopewell....which is where my dad went to high school as did students from my first youth ministry. I also played roller hockey in Hopewell....probably not against him though.
-Jumping the border I was looking near where my wife grew up...I knew that the back up goalie from Carolina, Justin Peters is from the little town of Blyth, where Marjorie's brother used to live. However Ryan O'Reilly is from another town right there too of Clinton. Awesome.
-No one from Hawaii? Come on Alaska has a bunch!

That's a fun map to play with.

In other hockey news....there's a defenseman for the Nashville Predators who's name is TJ Josi....but it's pronounced like the Mario character Yoshi...which bring great joy to our household.



EDIT: As soon as I hit the POST button, I'm watching the Canucks/Flames game....Akim Aliu (who I've blogged about before) just got a point for the Flames...the first point by a NIGERIAN born player. He isn't on the map because he has spent most of the year in the minors. Go AFRICA!

NHL Playoffs are Coming to a Blog Near You!!!

That's right. We've hit one of the best times of year. The weeks just before and then months of the NHL playoffs. I know I say this every year, but I AM STOKED!!!!

Already in the past couple weeks we've seen some great heated games as teams (Buffalo included) try to get in. The West is insane with 4 teams trying to get one spot. Playoff hockey is being played right now.

That being said....playoffs are coming. As is tradition the last couple years, the blog will do round by round predictions of the NHL playoffs. A few of my friends will be joining me on their blogs with some of their predictions as well. Last years winner Matt Slater, my buddy Randy Hall from Toronto, and my friend Jeff Ledebur have all said they'll be participating again this year.

We talked about a weighted round by round point system....so that the first round winner doesn't determine the end winner as it did last year. No consensus was reached. Thoughts on that?

Wanna join us in picking teams? You don't necessarily have to know anything about hockey. Just comment below and we'll add you to the blog roll.

Adoptive Parents Mis-cue

So sometime ago a friend sent along a link via Facebook. As often happens I read it, thought "that would be good to blog", bookmarked it, and it's now sat for a few months. Today is the day.

The "article/blog post/short snippet" is on some baby/parenting website (what's up with me using / today?) Let's be clear that I'm not a regular reader of said website. The article is 10 things NOT to say to adoptive parents. I don't like the format for one thing. You have to click through each one of the things, so you can see the picture that has nothing to do with the item it's attached to, rather than just have it in article form. Whatever.

Also, I don't think that all 10 things are legit things. Some of them are specific to the writer of the article and not universally applicable. SO I'm going to comment on these because I feel some of them need some clarification and the little snippets aren't good enough. The fact that it was "published" on a fairly large site like this makes me cringe.

1 and 2 Is it difficult to love a child that isn't your own? I could never love someone who doesn't share my biology. No on has said these to my face. They've inferred things similar to this, but not these words. It takes all of about 10 seconds in my house to know that my boys are my boys. There's nothing I could do more or less for a home grown child. Love is love. I think if someone were to actually use those words to my face I would just stare at them like they're speaking a foreign language. Honestly I rarely see skin color. I see my boys. They just happen to have a different skin tone as mine.

3. He/she's so lucky. This is probably the best point made by the writer. Marjorie and I regularly say that we're the lucky ones. Every parent is lucky. A lot of this is our perspective of life though....God has a plan. He's always known what our family would look like. We're not lucky, we're maybe obedient....sometimes. Our boys have a history that includes birth mom's that couldn't take care of their children themselves. They have history that includes turmoil, paperwork, tears, upheaval, just to get them home. That might all be in the past, but it's still part of their story and just like you and me, our stories aren't just something that goes away because it's in the past.

4. It's so much easier than having the child yourself. Really? So you are pregnant for 9 months. We waited for Corban AFTER we were matched with him for 16 months....and that's on top of the 7-10 months of waiting before we were even matched up with him. Tell me how that's easier? Tobiah went faster than that but instantly went to the Hospital and has continually seen specialists for the past 4 years for weird things that were inside his body that we didn't know about. Yep, that's been pretty easy too. How about all the questions about why their skin is different colored than mommy and daddy's. or why their birthmommy couldn't take care of them. Super easy.

5. She's like a little China doll. Definitely not heard this one.

6. Her real mother was probably a prostitute. Again never heard this or even inferred. I do like the point....Marjorie is their real mother. I also don't like when people ask if they're real bothers....yes their real brothers. Literally as I type this they are playing tug-o-monkey in the next room and using loud voices toward each other. Of course they're real brothers. Their birth parents are different and they were born in different parts of Ethiopia but they're real brothers.

7. What kind of person would give up such a beautiful, sweet child? I feel like I've already addressed this. However I'll say this....my kids are definitely super cute/handsome. But I really believe that everyone notices how cute they are because they're also really well behaved and have great personalities. If our boys were grumps and unruly when we went to the store, they wouldn't be quite as cute. But they're always smiling and not begging for stuff and listen when I ask them to do something. Cute.

8. People who adopt children from foreign countries just want exotic children. Again, this just goes back to our view of life and who God is. We're quick to say that the reason we adopted period, we because God lead us there. It was never our plan when we were dating or in the first years of our marriage. God turned our hearts to Africa and specifically Ethiopia.

9. Anything in Chinese-directed toward Asian children. OK obviously this doesn't apply to us....but it did happen once. We were eating Ethiopian at a restaurant in Pittsburgh and the owner who is Ethiopian tried talking to Corban...who looked at him like he was dumb. Oddly when we were in Ethiopia picking up Tobiah there was another family there picking up a younger child and they brought their older son (18 or 19) who they adopted when he was 3 or 4. Everyone kept talking to him in Amharic because he looked the part, but didn't know a word of Amharic. Let's also not forget that few people, particularly where we live, know any African languages.

10. How much did they cost? Again no one's ever said this. As part of discussions about parents thinking of choosing adopting they've asked how much the process cost. Rick Rohlin once told us early on...don't ever add up the costs of the adoptions....just write the checks. You're not buying children, you're paying for the process...much like doctor bills.


So there are their list.....mine would've been different. Like are they real brothers? So many questions about how they are different than me.....which they're not. So many questions about African culture that are total stereotypes and misconceptions. Most aren't necessarily from a place of ignorance as much as they are just not knowing...and wanting to be part, but not knowing how to use appropriate words.

Adoptive parents, what would your questions be? What have people asked you?

A Good Chuckle

I just love his daily comics. These couple made me laugh from last month. With April 1st just behind us, what's making you laugh lately? A video that I haven't seen? A good joke? Post a comment and let me laugh with you!