As you can see in my previous post, I truly love Christmas. Now, comes the hard part - getting myself back in the habit of actually being productive. I get used to sleeping in, taking it easy, going to see holiday movies, eating out, eating at home, playing the X-box with my son, and just hanging out. Don't get me wrong, everyone needs "down time" and I enjoy taking mine every year. The difficult thing is getting out of the "down time". I have heard people say if they won a million dollars they wouldn't change a thing - that they would keep on working like they do today. Really? Welllll, not me.... I wouldn't mind trying it out for awhile.
The one thing that gets me back in gear and going again is the fact that I am blessed. I remind myself that many people this past week worked every day. Some people don't have a choice. They have to get up at early hours, work late into the day, and work very difficult jobs. To some, Christmas is just another day in the week. Those people didn't get "down time" or the opportunity to see a holiday movie. I think about that and how much I actually enjoy my job (to the point that it doesn't seem like a job), and I don't have any trouble getting back to the reality of my life. God has blessed me and my family. I remind myself of this truth and allow it to help me shake the doldrums and get back to work!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Kids and Christmas - the True Meaning
During this time of year, I become like a big kid. I enjoy everything about Christmas - cookies, presents, shopping, lights, cold weather, cookies, Christmas pageants, the Charlie Brown Christmas special, Santa, cookies, time with family, and Christmas music. Did I mention cookies? My mom for years has made these great cookies (just for me by the way!) with chocolate icing on top - oh my word! I could eat two dozen - and probably do every year. Christmas means different things to different people. For some, it is a joyous occasion while for others it can be a sad time without beloved family or friends who have passed on. It also seems that our culture has become afraid to say this time of year is the "Christmas season". We know call it the "Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, holiday, festival time of year" (I would like to see you create a song with that title!) But in reality, this time of year should mean one thing for everyone - a time to be thankful and reflect on the birth of Jesus Christ.
As a Christian, I am aware of the importance of Christ's birth, but I far too often don't appreciate and value it the way that I should. As we approach December 25th, I am challenging myself to remember the true reason for this holiday. While I enjoy all that comes with Christmas, I am able to do so because of the birth of Jesus.
Our family will take the time this year to teach our children this important lesson. My wife and I have worked to develop certain traditions in our home that emphasize the importance of Christmas. Each year, we all go see a Christmas production that tells the story of Christ birth and then talk about it on the way home. We read the true Christmas story from Luke chapter 2 on Christmas Eve before going to bed. We also take the kids to a Wal-Mart or shopping mall and let them pick out an angel tree gift to buy and give away - because not every child will have presents this year.
I love celebrating this season, especially with my kids. We do it all - as you can tell in the picture above! But the most important thing we do is consistently remind them of that important event that happened about 2,000 years ago in a very small town called Bethlehem. So as you snuggle around the fire with your family on Christmas Eve, take a moment to look out the window at the starry cool evening and remember what Luke told the shepherds on that similar night: "I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!"
As a Christian, I am aware of the importance of Christ's birth, but I far too often don't appreciate and value it the way that I should. As we approach December 25th, I am challenging myself to remember the true reason for this holiday. While I enjoy all that comes with Christmas, I am able to do so because of the birth of Jesus.
Our family will take the time this year to teach our children this important lesson. My wife and I have worked to develop certain traditions in our home that emphasize the importance of Christmas. Each year, we all go see a Christmas production that tells the story of Christ birth and then talk about it on the way home. We read the true Christmas story from Luke chapter 2 on Christmas Eve before going to bed. We also take the kids to a Wal-Mart or shopping mall and let them pick out an angel tree gift to buy and give away - because not every child will have presents this year.I love celebrating this season, especially with my kids. We do it all - as you can tell in the picture above! But the most important thing we do is consistently remind them of that important event that happened about 2,000 years ago in a very small town called Bethlehem. So as you snuggle around the fire with your family on Christmas Eve, take a moment to look out the window at the starry cool evening and remember what Luke told the shepherds on that similar night: "I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!"
Monday, December 3, 2007
College Football and the BCS
Okay, this may not be a post that would interest all of you, nor will it be one of my more spiritual post. With that said, occasionally, I think it is good to get things off your chest - I call it venting. This vent is in regards to the college football ranking system and championship formula known as the BCS. Now let's get one thing straight - I am a die hard Tennessee Volunteer. 
So, I don't have a dog in this fight (as my old high school basketball coach used to say - for an explanation look up a redneck dictionary). Back to my venting. For the life of me, I don't understand why we cannot have a college football playoff. It does not have to be like March Madness College Basketball with 64 teams. Rather, something very easy that could be implemented tomorrow. Here is my plan (I am sure that I am not the original author of this plan, but I will take credit for it). First, make all 6 major conferences have a championship game like the SEC and ACC do currently. To have this conference championship game, you would need at least 12 teams in the conference so that you could split teams up into 2 divisions.
To accomplish this task, move Notre (we are the most over hyped overrated team in the history of college football) Dame and move them to the weakest conference in America - the Big Ten. That would give the Big Ten twelve teams - thus a championship game. The Big East already has enough teams, so they can have a championship game. For the Pac-10, put Hawaii and Boise State in that league to give them 12 teams. Now, all 6 conferences (SEC, ACC, BIG TEN, BIG 12, PAC-10, BIG EAST) have a championship game.
The winners of those games make it into the BCS championship tournament, and the final 2 spots are determined by the BCS ranking of the highest team that did not win their conference championship game. Let the BCS poll seed the teams, and play them beginning January 2 as not to detract from the New Year's Day Bowl games. Let the playoffs be played in the stadiums that house the Sugar, Orange, etc. so that they will not lose their money, and the other 34 teams left out of the BCS tournament can play in the bowl games named after corporate sponsors. There.... I feel better. It will never be done, but I feel better. For now, we have to put up with this craziness of the BCS and hope that it changes soon. In reality - in the grand scheme of this world - it really is no big deal. Enjoy your college football and GO VOLS!
So, I don't have a dog in this fight (as my old high school basketball coach used to say - for an explanation look up a redneck dictionary). Back to my venting. For the life of me, I don't understand why we cannot have a college football playoff. It does not have to be like March Madness College Basketball with 64 teams. Rather, something very easy that could be implemented tomorrow. Here is my plan (I am sure that I am not the original author of this plan, but I will take credit for it). First, make all 6 major conferences have a championship game like the SEC and ACC do currently. To have this conference championship game, you would need at least 12 teams in the conference so that you could split teams up into 2 divisions.
To accomplish this task, move Notre (we are the most over hyped overrated team in the history of college football) Dame and move them to the weakest conference in America - the Big Ten. That would give the Big Ten twelve teams - thus a championship game. The Big East already has enough teams, so they can have a championship game. For the Pac-10, put Hawaii and Boise State in that league to give them 12 teams. Now, all 6 conferences (SEC, ACC, BIG TEN, BIG 12, PAC-10, BIG EAST) have a championship game.
The winners of those games make it into the BCS championship tournament, and the final 2 spots are determined by the BCS ranking of the highest team that did not win their conference championship game. Let the BCS poll seed the teams, and play them beginning January 2 as not to detract from the New Year's Day Bowl games. Let the playoffs be played in the stadiums that house the Sugar, Orange, etc. so that they will not lose their money, and the other 34 teams left out of the BCS tournament can play in the bowl games named after corporate sponsors. There.... I feel better. It will never be done, but I feel better. For now, we have to put up with this craziness of the BCS and hope that it changes soon. In reality - in the grand scheme of this world - it really is no big deal. Enjoy your college football and GO VOLS!
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