Author: Wick

Okay, so Peter Forsberg will be back again for the Av’s tonight. They’ve been crying long enough, and blaming their bad play on his absence…it’ll be nice to see them lose with him.

True also that they’re playing on home ice tonight….which would have normally been an advantage. With Forsberg back, they might have even had a small chance. But tonight….they’ve announced that goalie Jose Theodore will be in net again.

Really?

Game One: Jose (joe-say) started in goal, and was removed for a different goalie after allowing 4 goals in a row. No more goals were scored. Wings win.

Game Two: Jose started in goal, and was removed for a different goalie after allowing 4 goals in a row. One more goal was scored. Wings win.

Game Three? They’re going to start him again!!!! Well, I suppose 3 strikes and you’re out applies to the Colorado Av’s right now. Wings will win, and hopefully for some crazy reason, they’ll try to start Jose again for game 4. 🙂 We can hope.

As for Ozzy? A brick wall. Especially when compared to Jose.

As for our next opponent, it looks like Dallas may be making San Jose bow out. That’d be nice, because San Jose seemed to be everyone’s pick for the Western Conference. Dallas we’d have a better chance against.

Game On.

(all of the above smack talk could be subject to change, depending on how lucky the Av’s get)

Recently, I read an article about a guy who checked out 6 different denominations in a row. His goal seemed to be just to get a feeling of what else was out there, besides the Baptist Church he’d attended for 30 years. It’s a decent article, entertaining at points, and a reminder that we may be surprised what actually inspires someone to return after a visit.

Sounded similar to other people who have done similar things, for other reasons: The Friendly Atheist, random support groups, authors looking for inspiration…you could Google to find more if you want. It’s just about as trendy to church-hop, and share your experiences these days as it is to share your view on a new movie that just came out.

In the best cases of these…it’s someone who honestly is searching for something. Not to write about. Not to research. Not to exploit. But to live.

I’m not knocking these things, really. But I think I might knock how we (or I) read them. We can read these writings, and usually it points us (or me, at least) in directions of how to “do” church differently, so that it will appeal to these types of visitors who may be coming in, AND out of our doors. I think that can be good.

But I also think in reading these types of reviews, something else is revealed. Something about “how/why” we need to be involving ourselves in these communities. I think “communities” is a key word in understanding that. These “one-visit-review” mentalities can easily become our mentality in attending the services our communities observe…and we make judgments about even our own church based on a single experience…or even a few.

Yeah, the music can be (too loud/too soft) sometimes.
Yeah, our 3 pastors can all be dorks most of the time. (and say the right thing, the wrong way; or the wrong thing, with a right heart)
Yup, there will be older people who scowl, and younger people who show disrespect.
Yes, we aren’t current enough, and we don’t pay enough attention to our heritage.

But my best experiences of what’s going on here have been when I attend from a honest search for something to LIVE. Not when I’m looking for a 5-star sermon. Not when I’m looking for Crowder-esque worship times. Not when I’m looking for God to say exactly what I wanted to hear.

What I’ve found is an honest community (but still human), that is willing to say “let’s live together, seeking God”….and found that stands above any music, preaching, friendly greeting, or free donuts I’ve had so far.

So if you’ve seen me around lately, you may notice a bit more facial hair than usual. It may even seem as if I’ve stopped shaving altogether.

Yup.

It’s not because I’m lazy, although I do enjoy not worrying about it. It’s not because I’m a youth pastor, and have the freedom to not care about my physical appearance. It’s definitely not because my wife enjoys me becoming a hairy monster.

Why? I dunno really. Back in High School, even even most of college, I couldn’t grow much facial hair. So that aspect of being a FANatic never struck me. But over the past few years, I’ve committed to some solidarity with the hockey players who yearn for the cup, and show it more and more the closer they get to it. For more info on why it all started, check this out. (and no worries, I change my underpants no matter who wins)

Granted, not all NHL players give up shaving for the playoffs. But many of the greats do. Here are some pictures of those greats sporting their playoff faces…

Basically, I have a few traditions I follow during games I watch, etc….but this is one tradition I can take with me anywhere, and display publicly. So now, instead of thinking to yourself “how disrespectful, wish that boy would shave”….you can think “man, that guy really wants his team to win the Cup”.

Sure….there’s plenty of Spiritual applications you can make with all this…I’ll let you find them.