Author: Wick

So the NHL kicked off this past weekend in Europe. Yup, you heard me. Europe. The NHL is trying really really hard to gain it’s American fan base back to where it was back in the ESPN days. The lockout and just bad press, and not much work on public perception has allowed one of the greatest things our country still somehow controls to become increasingly less popular.

So what do they do in order to increase their American fan-base?

The first 2 games of the season, were played with HUGE advertising, and HUGE fanfare….in Prague and Stockholm. Great idea.

I’m not stupid. Or at least, I realize a TON of players in the NHL are from these areas. But I just think they could have picked, or even created other “special” dates to play overseas. Are they actually teasing the European nations, tempting them to try and have their leagues rival the NHL? Do they not remember being sued by the Canadian leagues during the lock-out for Lord Stanley’s Cup? (The cup goes to whatever league is the world’s leading hockey league) Or maybe they’re moving towards an “IHL” (International Hockey League).

Anyway, all that frustration aside, and still hoping they can build up to a ESPN level in the next few years so people don’t have to pay extra just to see a sport they love…

I think Detroit stands to win another cup this year. Many hockey “experts” are predicting it as well….so you know it’s not just a blind fan saying it. Although I think we could have done without re-signing Chelios physically – I do think it was good for team morale. He’s right up there with Lidstrom as far as leadership and inspiration for the team.

Chicago will do much better this year….and the year all around will be crazy. They’ve arranged the schedule so that each team will play against each team at least once. The past 3 years, they were on a year-by-year rotation – to make sure each team played each other once in those 3 years. This allowed more rivals to form, etc. Now that some of those rivals have been rekindled, they’re gonna go ahead and change formats again.

Ah well….I’m gettin’ tickets to Wings vs. Blues in Saint Louis on March 14th….anyone else in???

Pizza. Yup, among more important and more life-concerned emphases this month ( and some odd ones too). October is also National Pizza Month, and in honor of such I would like to spend some time telling you about my relationship with pizza. I could give you a history of my entire life with pizza, but instead will refrain to a simple “best of” from specific categories.

DINE-IN: Giordano’s Pizza in Chicago. I first tasted this AMAZING pizza that truly reveals WHY it was originally called a “pizza pie” back in college. This pizza wins “BEST PIZZA I’VE EVER TASTED” award in my book as well. As with all categories of pizza, I am adamant that no vegetables (even mushrooms, Larry) be anywhere on the pizza. Even just on half. Because, as vegetable-lovers will not understand, the veggie juices are totally notice-able elsewhere on the pizza. Meats and cheeses are the only toppings allowed on my pizza’s. Even the sauce itself shouldn’t have too many chunks.

DELIVERY: Hungry Howie’s in Michigan. Although apparently they’re growing (not one here yet), I grew up knowing this as a Michiganders’ privilege. They’ve changed a bit, but you can still select from a few different flavored crusts, always loaded with Parmesan and garlic flavors. Not long, and your smile will resemble that of Howie himself painted on the box.

FROZEN (high end): It’d be a tie between Freschetta and DiGiorno, depending on who has the better sale that week. Both are getting creative lately, making their pizza’s on garlic bread and focaccia crusts…I’m enjoying it. But I still prefer the traditional cheese-stuffed crust pizza. Flip the oven to 425, and pop that thing in the oven fully frozen on a pizza stone, to cook as the oven pre-heats. It’s the best way.

FROZEN (low end): Another tie between Jack’s and Tombstone (interesting fact – DiGiorno, Jack’s, and Tombstone pizzas are ALL made by the same company – KRAFT) depending on who has a better sale that week. I would say that Tony’s used to be on this list, simply for having the pepperoni that curled up around the edges like little bowls of hot grease. But due to flat pepperoni, they’re no longer competitors.

HOME-MADE: Corn-meal Crust, and on the grill. Check my wife’s blog in order to learn more. This one goes not far behind some of the best DINE IN options out there. If you haven’t, you need to try this at home. 🙂

All in all, as much as I try to avoid youth-pastor cliche’s (polo shirts, bad music, etc.)…I’ve fallen for this one. I could eat pizza 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, and be alright. I’d rather have a frozen pizza over a full roast beef dinner any night of the week. But I’m trying to grow up….slowly.

And to close it all – check out this article with a brief history of pizza, which apparently goes a lot further back than even I imagined.

So lately I’ve been wondering how all the talk of mansions in Heaven started. Because no matter how it started, you don’t have to be in most churches long to realize it’s everywhere. Current worship songs, classic hymns, and even just in the language we use. Our “mansion of glory”, or old Joe that just passed away has gone to his “mansion in the sky”, etc. I’ve even heard people talk in such a way that suggests that people who live “better” in this world are going to get larger mansions or somethin’ crazy like that.

So I did some searching.

According to SearchGodsWord.org, “mansion” is not found anywhere in the Bible. However, the Greek word “monh” (mone) is found two times in the Greek. They are found in the book of John, chapter 14, verses 2 and 23.

It does appear throughout the Septuagint, but even then is usually meant as simply a “home” which needs a further descriptor in most instances.

The King James Version of the NT DOES translate ONE of the instances as “mansion”. But it doesn’t work very well.

Verse 2 – In my fathers’ house are many dwelling places. The KJV throws in the word “mansion” here, although the connotation here most biblical interpreters would say is not a mansion. I’d say maybe the authors of the KJV wanted to emphasize how incredible this dwelling place would be compared to the world we currently dwell in. Mission accomplished, but to take it as far as we have may be damaging. The word here even goes the opposite direction, meaning a “temporary” place…a place you would stay on the way somewhere else…in this case, the New Creation.

Verse 23 – …and we will make our home with them. It would be odd to refer to us as “mansions” for God to dwell in. We’re human. To call us a mansion, with everything that comes with that word would seem to contrast the humility found in John. So it doesn’t. It refers to us as places the Holy Spirit would “a dwelling place with him (or her) we will make”. To emphasis here is on God dwelling WITH us…not on US being a mansion.

So it seems odd that we would take one vague connection to a mansion, and make it such a prominent theme in our theology. But if someone knows of a verse that I’ve missed, where Jesus says “make this important”….let me know. I’m open.

I’m not against using the word here and there, just like the KJV probably used it to contrast how incredible what comes next will be compared to this world. But let’s realize what it is, and what it isn’t. 🙂