referee tackle.

This video is laugh-out-loud funny. Watch this NCAA referee drop his shoulder and knock USC's QB to the ground:

Thanks for the video, ESPN!

david price.

I can't even imagine being David Price right now. The Tampa Bay rookie played his first Major League game just over a month ago. He is 23-years-old and wasn't even playing professional baseball 16 months ago. His first Major League win didn't come until the playoffs. His first Major League save sent his team to the World Series. And it was pretty clear that the intensity didn't phase him at all.

So today, the first day of the World Series: best of luck to Price and his TB Rays.

Prediction: Rays in 6

henrico, VA

Don't send our mail to Richmond anymore!

No, we didn't move. Because our local government felt slighted, they wanted to change the addresses across the county from "Richmond, VA" to "Henrico, VA."

christian junk of the month award.

ysMarko puts up some good "Jesus Junk" [Jesus Junk refers to items that portray Jesus in a product available in the American marketplace. Because I'm sure products like these lead to meaningful conversations] every now and then. Well, this isn't specifically "Jesus Junk," but it is sure...well, unique.

openMike sent me the link to this new product hitting stores near you real soon:

Guitar Praise

Fun times.

oh happy day.

Well, nearly 5 months ago we heard about the saddest day, and now we find ourselves at June 20. Today's SportsCenter quoted USA Today -- today, June 20, 2008, is hereby declared the happiest day of the year. Enjoy!

Funny thing is, I don't think I feel any different today than I did back in January. Except the wedding is only two weeks away. Now that's exciting.

PATRIOTS UNDEFEATED

Kidding. But in Nicaragua, they are celebrating what almost was:

STRANGE YELLOW BALL IN THE SKY

Apparently I picked the right time to leave Richmond for a few days. After 5+ inches of rain over the weekend, now this??

Times Dispatch: "Strange Yellow Ball in the Sky"

ADAM JONES

Over a decade ago, Major League Baseball retired Jackie Robinson's number: no player would wear his number again. This year, on the anniversary of his debut, players around baseball wore #42 as a tribute to Jackie.

Adam Jones wore #42 for the Orioles. This kid (yes, kid. he's 1.5 years younger than me) is on my fantasy team, so I was excited that he hit a home run. But more importantly, a nice tribute to Jackie Robinson. When Adam hit the home run, one of the commentators said, "Somewhere, Jackie Robinson is smiling." I'm sure he is. Go Orioles!

THE NORVA

According to a Times-Dispatch story today, the Norva will be named one of the top 5 rock clubs in the country by Rolling Stone next week. I've seen a few shows at the Norva (The Fray, Switchfoot twice and Relient K) and they have all been great. A lot of times at a concert you feel lost in the crowd, but at the Norva every seat (well, ok there aren't any seats -- every "stand") is close to the stage.

But the best part -- Bill Reid, owner of the Norva and part owner of the National in Richmond, said, "What we've done at The National is even better than what we did at NorVa." He expects The National to get the same award before too long. That will be something Richmond can be proud of. For now, we can just be proud of our neighbors.

EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE

I just got a message on Facebook from my first youth pastor. I knew he had been working on a new project for a while, but didn't know what it was. He's been working behind the scenes on EverythingMustChange.org. I haven't had a chance to read Brian McLaren's new book, which the site is based around, but I've heard great things. Kind of exciting to know the behind-the-scenes guys...

CLINTON'S MEDIA CORPS

Clinton's campaign has stuck the media following in the men's locker room at the Berger Athletic Center in Texas. One writer said the room doesn't affect the integrity of their stories -- glad their stories aren't crap.

link to CNN.com

IRS TAX LAW

Found this in Publication 525 of the IRS Tax Law, page 33:

Stolen property. If you steal property, you must report its fair market value in your income in the year you steal it unless in the same year, you return it to its rightful owner.

DEPRESSED.

No, not me! Are you?

According to a study by Dr. Cliff Arnall from Cardiff University, today is the most depressing day of the year. He uses "a formula he developed, which factors in the weather, consumer debt from holiday spending and failed New Year's resolutions and arrives at that conclusion" (Time).

Today's been a pretty good day, so I think he missed it. Better luck next year...

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

1. Wrapping paper or gift bag?
For the last-minute wrapper (like myself), the gift bag is so easy. But then again, it looks like, "Hey, I didn't want to spend the time wrapping so I just threw it in a bag." Final answer: wrapping paper.

2. Real tree or artificial?
Artificial. It's not sticky.

3. When do you put up your tree?
Growing up, it always (almost) went up the day after Thanksgiving, or sometime that weekend. It's gotta be after Thanksgiving though.

4. When do you take down your tree?
Again, growing up it was down sometime around or on New Year's Day. Any longer seems tacky.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Egg what? Nope, of course I've never had it. But still, not interested.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Tie: The one I remember most is the LEGO train. It took a while and a trip back to Toys 'R Us to get it working correctly, but it was a lot of fun once it did work! The one I recall from pictures was the LEGO Christmas after the fire. A lot of the LEGO's I had played with (Dad's from the 60's and 70's) were gone, and Santa brought new ones.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
There are a couple around the house (apparently three), but I don't have one.

8. Hardest person to buy for:
It's all about the same.

9. Easiest person to buy for?
See above.

10. Worst Christmas gift you've ever received?
No comment.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail.

12. Favorite Christmas movie?
Elf.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
December. It often has to wait until after classes and exams are over.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
No, but some of those "Worst Christmas gift you've ever received" are still around. Hmmm.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Frosted sugar cookies and chocolate covered cherry cookies. I hope I'm not missing any... I think those two are my absolute favorite.

16. White or colored lights?
Depends on where you're putting them

17. Favorite Christmas song?
"This Christmas/Joy to the World" by TobyMac and "Little Drummer Boy," Jars of Clay version.

18. Travel for Christmas or stay home?
That depends on what you mean by travel. One of my favorite Christmases was the year we woke up in Richmond, spent most of the day in Northern Virginia and drove to my grandparents' that night. I think as long as we get some time at home, it's good.
Then there's the year we had a miserable Christmas on a cruise ship. We weren't home. We puked. All of us. There wasn't much to do on the ship. Our stop in St. Martin/St. Maarten was on Christmas Day, and naturally everything was closed. And people were beating each other over the head with glass bottles. An all-around great Christmas. Not.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. And Rudolph.

20. Angel or Star on top of tree?
At home we have an angel. When I have my own tree? I'll leave that decision to Kim...

21. Open presents?
It was probably near the end of high school or beginning of college, I think my parents finally got tired of us always asking on Christmas Eve to open a present. We started having a Christmas Eve book, and the tradition lived on. It's a good one.
As for the rest of the presents, it's usually (unless we're on a cruise ship...) Christmas morning. A couple years ago, I was on staff at a church when Christmas was on Sunday. We had the Christmas Eve service there, and then I went with my family to their church. Then Sunday morning we all went to my church, and then drove out to Charlottesville to be with family for the day. I was exhausted at the end of that day, but we came back home and opened Santa's presents and our family presents that night.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Everyone and their mother is out driving around and shopping all the time, and it takes an eternity to get anywhere. Runner up: exams.

23. What I love most about Christmas?
When it's a quiet, peaceful night and you drive/walk around and see a Christmas display (lights, nativity, etc.). Last night, I was at UR for the annual Christmas Candlelight Service and caught a glimpse of the library tower with the lighted wreaths hanging high above the University. I guess that's the kind of feeling the shepherds had when they saw the star. Except Jesus isn't underneath my "star."

CHRISTMAS WITH A CAPITAL C

I don't normally listen to Christian radio. For whatever reason, though, I had the new local station on during my drive to class. After the morning's Scripture reading from the Book of Psalms, the anchor said, "And remember, Merry Christmas. With a capital 'C.'"

Sunday morning in worship, during the epically-long greeting, the welcomer said, "Now we'll do something that you probably haven't done very much. And forget being politically correct. Say this after me, 'Merry Christmas.'"

This morning I received an e-mail, purportedly shared by Ben Stein on CNN (although it did resemble a lot of SPAM/urban legend-type e-mails: SNOPES says a variation is true). The message was from Ben Stein:

I am a Jew and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish, and it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautifully lit-up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don’t feel threatened. I don’t feel discriminated against. That’s what they are -- Christmas trees.

I'm trying really hard to be "merry" this Christmas season. For the past half-decade (maybe longer), I have been bombarded with academic work in the days leading up to Christmas. It's been a struggle to find joy in that kind of a season! I still have class this year, professors are still assigning papers and exams, but I am trying hard. Then I realized that maybe my trouble finding joy is more about the "church" than about me.

Every time we turn around, someone else is fighting for "Christmas." Fighting? For Christmas? We can worship in our churches and celebrate with our families any way we want. Ben Stein said he's not offended. A quick history lesson:

In 1492, King Franz Ferdinand and Isabella finally "cleansed" the Spanish countryside of the last Muslims and the nation become solely Christian. What came after that? [Yes, fourth grade history wizards, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.] The Protestant Reformation came next right on its heels. The voice of a new kind of Christian that was not concerned with everyone worshipping the same way. This voice wanted to give everyone freedom of worship, and a separation of the Church and the state.

If the Church keeps fighting about Christmas, there will likely be a new Protestant Reformation. According to Phyllis Tickle, it will happen, if it's not happening already. Then maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to celebrate Christmas without hearing about a fight.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK #2

Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office.

Mike Huckabee
Republican presidential contender, when asked whether Jesus would use the death penalty at Wednesday's CNN/YouTube debate

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Yes, I'm going.

Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe
confirming his plans to attend the EU-Africa Summit in Lisbon next week despite strong European opposition

THANKSGIVING

Psalm 69:30: And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

What do we accomplished by our thanks? When we say "thank you," what happens? When we receive a gift, we thank the giver. It recognizes their giving spirit and our gratitude. It's a personal thing. But God created all, so the ultimate thanks should recognize the giving spirit of God, and our gratitude to God. But it shouldn't stop at us -- it should be, as this Psalm says, about magnifying God, making the name of God greater among our friends, our family. It's all part of bringing the Kingdom of God down to Earth, making this place a better one. As you sit down around the table today, give all the thanks to God.

Happy Thanksgiving.

PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION: THANKSGIVING

Normally our church includes the Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamation in the Thanksgiving Eve Service. They didn't this year, and without starting an argument about whether or not the President's Proclamation should or shouldn't be a part of the service, here it is. I like that the President can set aside Thanksgiving Day for our entire country. It's a good thing. In the words of my young cousin, "Happy Ganks-Turkey!"

Americans are a grateful people, ever mindful of the many ways we have been blessed. On Thanksgiving Day, we lift our hearts in gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy, the people we love, and the gifts of our prosperous land.

Our country was founded by men and women who realized their dependence on God and were humbled by His providence and grace. The early explorers and settlers who arrived in this land gave thanks for God's protection and for the extraordinary natural abundance they found. Since the first National Day of Thanksgiving was proclaimed by President George Washington, Americans have come together to offer thanks for our many blessings. We recall the great privilege it is to live in a land where freedom is the right of every person and where all can pursue their dreams. We express our deep appreciation for the sacrifices of the honorable men and women in uniform who defend liberty. As they work to advance the cause of freedom, our Nation keeps these brave individuals and their families in our thoughts, and we pray for their safe return.

While Thanksgiving is a time to gather in a spirit of gratitude with family, friends, and neighbors, it is also an opportunity to serve others and to share our blessings with those in need. By answering the universal call to love a neighbor as we want to be loved ourselves, we make our Nation a more hopeful and caring place.

This Thanksgiving, may we reflect upon the past year with gratefulness and look toward the future with hope. Let us give thanks for all we have been given and ask God to continue to bless our families and our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 22, 2007, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage all Americans to gather together in their homes and places of worship with family, friends, and loved ones to reinforce the ties that bind us and give thanks for the freedoms and many blessings we enjoy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.

GEORGE W. BUSH

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Somehow, somewhere along the way, faith stopped being used to bring us together and started being used to drive us apart. It got hijacked. Part of it's because of the so-called leaders of the Christian Right, who've been all too eager to exploit what divides us. At every opportunity, they've told evangelical Christians that Democrats disrespect their values and dislike their church while suggesting to the rest of the country that religious Americans care only about issues like abortion and gay marriage, school prayer and intelligent design...I don't know what Bible they're reading, but it doesn't jive with my version."

presidential hopeful, Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.)
in an address to the national meeting of the United Church of Christ

from the Associated Press (June 23) by way of The Journal of Student Ministries