Archive for October, 2007
A New Experiment, Feature
I’m starting to use tags and a tag cloud here on the G sides. Thanks to UTW plugin – which honestly is like using a tank to kill a fly – I’ve got a whole array of options. But that might be part of my problem.
The whole idea of using “tags” in a blog is noble. Tag something so that others can find out about it by searching for the same tag. Great idea and powerfully useful when you think about it. The problem for me is consistency.
For example, this post…I’ll use blog, tag, and UTW as tags.
But if I drop in a Bronco reference, do I tag Denver Broncos, Broncos, NFL, football, or all of them?
Over the next few weeks, I’ll try to be more consistent in how I tag…but does it matter?
The Mile High Experience
Last night – after some sleep – was actually an incredible night. Our seats were awesome, 12 rows up from the field on the 20 yard line. In the north east corner, behind the Green Bay bench and I had a great view of both rocket launches from the Demon.
Denver played lights out great except for 3 plays. The fumble at the Green Bay 1. A risk from Bailey that resulted in a 79-yard touchdown. And the only time the Broncos didn’t roll a safety to help with Jennings was the first play of overtime…and The Demon made them pay dearly for that mistake.
That’s why he is the second greatest quarterback of all time. He’s a kid in a candy store when he plays and you can’t help but smile, laugh, scream, shake your head, and moan when you watch him play.
Sidestory 1 – We get to our seats and it’s just crazy loud. We’re standing, screaming the whole first half and a guy behind me yells – “Hey, sit down.”
I glance backward, he’s wearing a Packer jersey. I ignore him.
He says it again. We ignore him again.
He grabs the back of my jersey.
Bad move on fat boy’s part.
“Dude…relax. You have no idea what you’ll start if you touch me again. You’re in Mile High Stadium.” I point to our differing jerseys. I guess he was doing the math because I’m fairly confident that there were around 75,000 people at that point wanting to kill the 1,500 Packer fans in the stadium.
“Well, sit down.”
“WE will sit down when WE want to sit down. Now enjoy the game and don’t touch me again.”
Some friends he was with quickly tried to defuse the situation because the other Bronco fans around me were not as kind and understanding with their language toward him as I was. For some reason, we didn’t hear another word from him…even after the game.
Sidestory 2 – One of the guys we were with used to work with one of the Bronco’s cheerleaders at Six Flags. She played Wonder Woman and he played – yep, Robin, the Boy Wonder. (We did get a lot of mileage out of those jokes.)
Anyway, start of the 2nd quarter, her squad rotates around to cheer right in front of us and he stands up to get her attention. I said – “There is no way she sees you.”
The next second, she looks right at him and smiles and waves. Which ended up working out okay for all of us as we got to meet her after the game at the players exit.
As were waiting to meet her, I lean over to Chad and say “This is ridiculous funny. Me and you (married, older guys) meeting a Bronco cheerleader with these 2 (college guys). You know exactly how this is going to play out. ‘Hi, these are my two lame, old, married friends that have absolutely ruined any chance I have at actually taking you out after the game.’”
Maybe we should have left the guys cab money and went home. At any rate, we met Katie and I have to say, she was incredibly nice and fun to meet. Very personable and……tall. Good night, she looked me right in the eye.
Great experience…hopefully we didn’t dash all hope for our college buddies.
I Hate Favre
Do I really need to explain why?
Watch MNF, I’ll be there
Just had a buddy call me.
CM: “Hey man, what are you doing?”
GE: “Going to watch the game tonight…you and the wiff wanna come over?”
CM: “Nope.”
GE: “Okay.”
Awkward moment of silence….
CM: “I actually need some help tonight….like someone to sit with me at Mile High.”
GE: “What time do you want me at your house?”
This is Broncos Country….
Len’s Post
Here we go – Len’s free post on the G sides…(he has to pay for the others)
The following are the opinions and insights belong to Len Evans, and Lee Evans alone. They are posted here only as payment of a bet placed between the aforementioned and The G Sides.
I’ve been a fan since 1980 and I never would have imagined they would win twice in my lifetime so I’m as happy as can be. Living in Texas, I won’t be able to make the parade this time but it was a great year. 1st place from April 18th. My daughter is a 5th generation Red Sox fan and at age 8 she has no idea how good she has it. On a side note, her earliest memory is sitting in the dugout of Fenway Park when she was three years and three months old. We went there for the Ted Williams Memorial event and it happened to be on a day we had planned to go to Boston while family was visiting us in CT, months in advance.
The Rockies were hot to get there and I thought it could go 6 games but between the layoff, the Red Sox pitching and great 2 out hits for the Red Sox it was over in four. I won’t trash Grant or Rockie fans because they love their team and they had a great run to get there. I remember the pain all to well of loving a team and having them rip your heart out. The only fan base I will take cheap shots at are Yankee fans. I lived in CT before they won the World Series and after. I got yelled at from a buddy from the Bronx who talks about growing up in “the neighborhood” when they lost in 03 to Boone’s homerun. I get emails from friends, true friends, who I hadn’t heard from in moths telling me “Boston Sucks!” after the Yankees swept the Sox for 5 games in 2006 to push them out of contention. After that, and more, there are no kid gloves for Yankee fans.
As a Sox fan what hit me this morning is they have a better chance of repeating this next year than they did in 2005. Less free agents and better rookies and home grown players who will be with the Red Sox for a few years.
Truly bad form of team Boras to break the news last night about A-Rod leaving the Bronx.
Go Red Sox!
Unexpected Appearances
This is part of our e-journey through the gospel of John. This week’s from John 20.
Monday mornings are a fight for productivity. The goal for Monday’s is simply this – get SOMETHING done productive. ANYTHING. A devo, some emails, some reading, a meeting – whatever…just get something done PRODUCTIVE. The major obstacle to this goal are interruptions. Meetings, phone calls, emails, and unexpected drop-ins all seem to conspire to make sure that this goal is not meant.
At least, I used to think that way.
I’m pretty sure the disciples had that same mentality on the Monday after Jesus’ death. After the traumatic weekend, anything that could bring normalcy was sought. The goal had to be to get SOMETHING, ANYTHING productive done. ANYTHING to distract us from the pain and agony of the last 48 hours. James, John, Peter and Andrew are planning to go back to the family business- fishing. Thomas returns to his life before the “Jesus Experiment.” Mary Magdalene just wants to make sure Jesus’ body is properly preserved.
That’s when the mother of all unexpected drop-ins occurs. There’s nothing that messes up the day more than to have the one goal of preparing a body for the grave only to find that the person you’re trying to bury isn’t dead anymore.
Mary runs and tells the disciples which starts a series of unexpected appearances.
The disciples lock themselves in a room to make sense of it all and to escape the coming wrath of the religious leaders. Should we believe Mary? Do you honestly think He could raise from the dead? What if it is true? Will he be angry at us for abandoning him? We’ve got to have a plan, a strategy…..
Then Jesus walks through the door…literally…locked and all. And he says – Relax. I preached forgiveness. I’m practicing forgiveness. Here I am, see, touch and believe.
Only one minor problem – Thomas wasn’t there. The Skeptic apparently decided he had enough of the hormones and drama.
Can you hear Thomas speaking? “Hey, we tried, we thought he was the one but let’s not get all emotional. He was a great man, great teacher but guys – read the writing on the wall. It’s over. It’s done. Resurrected? I can’t in good conscious go there with you guys. And because I’m the only realist in this bunch, allow me to love you enough to be honest with you. JESUS IS NOT ALIVE! Unless I see him and touch him myself, I will NOT allow this dream to continue. Let’s just go on with our lives. It’s the best thing we can do. Don’t make this worse than what it already is.”
When Thomas and the disciples finally sit down to meet and talk about it….I’m guessing that Thomas had to be more than slightly annoyed. You gotta figure that he and Peter were going at each other.
Peter: “I’ve seen him!!”
Thomas: “I’m sure you believe that you’ve seen him, we all miss him, Peter.”
Peter: “No, I’ve seen him, $%#% it!!!” (I figure if he cussed when denying Jesus, he probably cussed while affirming him as well.)
Then Jesus does the walking through the door while it’s still locked trick again. “Thomas, bro…you guys have a lot of work ahead of you. Come here and touch me and let’s get this over with so we can move on.”
The unexpected appearance is no longer a distraction, it’s the reason for existing.
The Brooms of Boston
In a few minutes, I’m fully expecting an email from Len that contains his post for winning the bet of the century.
My buddy Robert has already commented and has made the mistake of equating Rockie mojo with Bronco mojo. His beloved Packers will experience the full wrath of Colorado disappointment tonight.
Being swept by the Red Sox in no way diminishes the accomplishments of the Rockies. Great run, great fun in the city for the last couple of weeks. Seeing LoDo in purple and black was an awesome way to spend October.
I’ve only got one complaint to the Fox Network.
During a close World Series, it is NEVER okay to cut away from the action to tell us the status of A-Rod’s contract talks with the Yankees. NEVER.
I have never been so mad at announcers in my life. I’m not sure what’s worse – the arrogance and self-focus of A-Rod to not be at a game he was getting an award, the Yankees for constantly making announcements to steal away the focus from other teams, or the media for being little Steinbrenner lap-dogs. “A family commitment” kept A-Rod from showing up and accepting his award, but didn’t keep him from visiting a strip club with a mystery blond OR announcing that he was opting out of his contract. Nor will it keep him from traveling all over the country to find the next 200 million dollar contract.
Len’s post is coming.
Thoughts on Rox
If you’d told me that the Rockie pitching staff would have held the Red Sox to 5 hits…I’d taken it.
But 5 hits plus 5 2-out walks equals 2 runs + ice cold bats = Red Sox win.
It was a tense game and for the most part well played.
Matt, Matt, Matt – you go 4 for 4 with a rocket up the middle that about decapitates Papelbon then somehow goes daydreaming towards second to get picked off. We still love you, brother.
Back to Coors Field on Saturday night. I still think the Rox can win it.
World Series Prediction
Alright…enough of the experts on ESPN, FOX, TBS, and EIEIO.
Time for the G sides nation to predict.
Boston has outstanding pitching, clutch hitters, a big green nasty wall, a fantastic venue to play in, wonderful history, and a cool looking logo – the ever simple but dignified “B”.
Colorado has pitiful owners, great venue, outstanding defense, solid batters, a relaxed “tell it like it is” manager, and about 14 different uni combinations to choose from (but most of the state loves the black).
[As an aside - the purple tops are okay but the total pinstripe look is not good. The purple on the pins isn't the same purple on the cap...if they wear that cap...they could wear the all black cap. See? Way to many options.]
The team with the best record versus the hottest team on the hottest streak in MLB history.
What will give?
The Rox will bring it home…..
in 4.
A sweep.
And if they don’t…then they’ll win in 5 or 6 or 7.
An Interview for A Seminary Student
Had a seminary student call me today to interview me for their youth ministry class. Allison is a first year student at Denver Seminary. She spent two years as a missionary in Budapest, Hungary teaching in a school, an Aggie, knows my fam in Budapest, and is single but looking. (You can thank me later, Allison.)
Thought I put the ramblings up here because I honestly think the interview was more helpful to me than to here.
Why youth?
Why not? I mean, if you have no marketable skills doing anything else – might as well be youth!
Seriously, there’s a couple of pieces to this answer. When I first started doing this, it was common practice to put the wild, crazy pastor in youth because that’s where he/she best fits as well as it’s the place where they can do the least damage. Youth ministry was a place where you served until you grew up to be a “real” pastor – whatever the heck that is.
I think that’s changed for the most part now.
There’s also a “professional” answer to this. The teen years are the most critical ages in which people make decisions, they are open to the Gospel, they aren’t jaded yet, they don’t know what they can’t do. It’s a time of incredible openness and opportunity. While all of that is true, that doesn’t necessarily mean just anyone should get into student ministry.
That’s where the “personal” side for me kicks in – I just love teenagers. I love hanging out with them, playing Xbox, going to games, staying up late, watching movies, seeing God change them and me, watching them impact their campus and friends with Jesus. Some will label that as “calling” and to a larger extent, I’d agree with that.
What keeps you going on days you don’t want to keep going?
You know, as bad as this sounds I honestly wish every person in ministry has a complete train wreck experience. Not a moral failure wreck but a “everything I am trying is a complete failure” kind of experience. Because it’s in those moments where you wrestle with your motives and calling and gifting. Even though that can be extremely painful and heartwrenching, I think it’s necessary and better for all involved.
For me, two things happened in the “wreck.” My calling was confirmed despite my complete lack of fit in the context and my complete disconnect philosophically of where I was serving. Here’s the odd thing – it was confirmed by both people outside and inside the wreck, by people who both agreed with me and disagreed with me.
“Calling” is one of those half-mystic, half-community thing. Do you know that you know that you’re supposed to be doing this? Have others around you confirmed you? But it’s so necessary because if this isn’t your calling – you are going to get devoured. You may get devoured anyway, but it won’t be fatal if your calling is secure.
Every person I have a hand in hiring now, I ask the same question – what would you be doing if money were no object? Whatever that answer is – I’m guessing that’s both your calling and passion. And if it isn’t this [student ministry, or ministry in general], I’m not quite sure you ought to be in ministry.
The second thing that I’d add but it’s honestly the most important piece of this puzzle is my personal relationship with Jesus. Quite honestly it is the most neglected relationship in the lives of most pastors. We just get to busy and distracted.
But those two things – they aren’t determined by my job title or who writes my checks. I could work for UPS and still be in the center of God’s will – discipling leaders and loving Jesus. These two things can’t be touched by anyone else. No human has any power or control over those things.
And that’s the growing up I had to do. Anything else you have as a motivator for ministry that can be removed or manipulated – it will be. It’s going to get tested. It ought to be tested.
What’s the best part of your job?
Getting to play Xbox and call it cultural research.
That’s half a honest answer. It is one of the coolest parts of my job – getting to play and hang with teens. But THE BEST part of my job is watching God take a snotty, arrogant, indecisive, insecure, nerdy middle school girl or boy and then place her in a closed country as a missionary for His glory 7 years later, watch him start and lead a homeless ministry that changes a church and a city. Being in their lives for years and watching the transformation both in them and in me. Watching our relationships morph from authority figure to leader to co-sojourner with Christ.
The Missed Opportunity of the Rockies
Diary of a Rockie Fan:
And finally we had to watch this.
Ticket brokers have hit the mother load. Thank you, Montforts for once again bringing reality to the dream we’ve been living in this past month. You still own the team and you still have very little clue as to what you are doing and even worse leaders.
I don’t think even Cub fans would tolerate this…and that’s saying something.
What will probably get lost in the emotion of most fans NOT getting tickets is the complete disconnect the Rockies ownership has with the fans.
There’s a lot to learn from this. Regardless of what the Rockies said, the decision to sell online only tickets was made because that was what was most convenient and cost-effective to THEM, not fans. We’re not stupid, we understand the economics of the issue. We just thought given the opportunity to do something right and redeem the reputation of the Rockies and baseball in general in this town – they would have jumped on the chance to get a share of the Bronco love. They missed it. They completely and utterly blew it.
Instead of making a decision based on what was best for the fans, the Rockies took the easy route. Then when it failed, they insisted that everyone else around them adjust to them, not them serve their fans.
You know what would have been awesome? During that 8 day vacation, do a lottery, sell the tickets at Coors Field, open up the stadium for the fans to see practice, have the players sign autographs for those in line. Heck, do it on a Sunday and watch the Broncos get pounded on.
That would have captured the city’s heart and left a great taste in our mouth regardless the outcome of the series or how little tickets were available.
But they didn’t do that. They didn’t even try it. Instead the fans got soundbites of defensiveness and spin doctoring and after all the years of horrible baseball – we deserved better.
I’ll still pull for the Rocks. I hope it’s a sweep…for more than just the obvious reasons.
Watching the Rockies News Conference
So I’m ready to go home but the Rockies have called a 5 PM news conference to discuss the fiasco of the ticket sales or non-ticket sales this morning.
I’ll give you a play by play account. Meanwhile, the reaction in Denver is hot. I mean they are fuming mad and should be. The chance that ticket brokers and out of towners get tickets before fans in Denver do is incredibly high and the Rockies management is doing nothing to protect that or prevent it.
The Red Sox did. You can read what they did here. Once again, we get to watch the growing pains of the Montforts learn how to own a major sports franchise.
5.00 – FOX reporter is ready and says on air – “I know nothing. The Rockies said they would be here at 5 and they’ve lied to us again.”
5.10 – still no Rockies management. Reporters are looking really irritated. More so than normal. The server crash screwed up ticket sales for the rodeo, the arts center, and CU football as well.
5.11 – FOX news just came on the webcast and said that it would start in 20 minutes.
5.12 – Someone just asked – “What are they waiting for? The riot police to show up? That’s actually not a bad idea.”
5.13 – I’m sitting here in a major crisis…okay, it’s not major but it’s significant. If I get in the car to go home, I’ll miss the press conference. If I stay here, I’m going to be late for dinner. Calling Amy…asking her for what she thinks…
5.16 – Still nothing. I’m going to risk it and go home…take with me 2 laptops.
5.18 – Right as I’m about to shut down the computer, a dude walks up to the mic.
5.20 – False alarm…some news geek reporter trying to get a perspective shot for his camera crew.
5.56 – Home….no news conference. Now it’s getting really funny. The national media is picking up on the fiasco…and they’ve just reported Denver Broncos WR Brandon Marshall was arrested for DUI this morning at 2. Great day for Denver, huh?
6.16 – Rockies spokesperson Jay Alves comes out….”We will have more information before your 10 o’clock broadcast.” One of the reporters asks him “How in the world could you guys let this happen?” Jay gets a bit testy – “Don’t get mad at me. We’re trying to work it out.” And he walks off.
So, we’re in a worse boat than what we were before. Now no one knows how the Rockies will resume selling tickets or when or under what guidelines.
The Montforts get this chance to redeem their reputation in Denver, a chance in one single month go from boneheads to brainchildren and they strike out…looking. It’s a fair question to ask of the Rockies – how in the world could you let this happen? The Indians, the Red Sox, the Diamondbacks, and the Yankees all had lotteries in place to sell home-field tickets to home-field fans in a way that made sense and at the very least TRIED to avoid the ticket-scalpers and put as many home-town fans in the stadium.
We know every system is flawed and there is always a few that get through the cracks…but this…this is like inviting the fox to sleep in the hen house – to steal a phrase from my grandfather.
Ridiculous. Makes me wish I was a Boston fan…almost.
The Death of Hope
This is part of our e-journey through the gospel of John. This week’s from John 19:15-42.
I wonder what was going through Nicodemus’ mind as he went to help bury Jesus’ body? I wonder if he and Joseph of Arimathea were close? Were they closer after this day? Did Nicodemus know that Joseph was a follower of Jesus? Did Joseph have regret or relief that he had kept his love for Jesus a secret? What was Pilate like when Joseph asked him for the body of Jesus?
Was Nicodemus nervous as to what his peers in the San Hedrin would think of him? Was he so overcome with grief, he didn’t care? Was it all a fog and he was in shock? What was burying Jesus like? The last time we saw Nicodemus was in John 3. Did he ever decide on the validity of Jesus? Was he still wrestling with it when this happened?
The 19th chapter of John is just dark. It’s full of questions and despair and it ends with the words…”they laid Jesus there.” There had to been this sense of hopelessness. This is the one we thought God promised us. This is the one we have waited for. And it’s dark.
And God is silent.
The disciples are scattered.
The secret followers are confused.
Hope is dead.
God is silent.
Everything is dark.
Or is it?
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, and am not silent.
…All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads:“He trusts in the LORD;
let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you
even at my mother’s breast.I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted away within me.My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced my hands and my feet.I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me.They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.But you, O LORD, be not far off;
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.…
They will proclaim his righteousness
to a people yet unborn—
for he has done it.From Psalm 22
So in the middle of the death of hope there are glances, hints of something greater, something more beautiful, more astounding than one could possibly imagine. Glimpses of a fulfilled promise.
It’s almost as if God was in fact screaming to His children – IT’S NOT OVER. LOOK AT MY HAND. I wonder if Nicodemus remembered Psalm 22 on that Friday?
Why The Montforts Will Get Boo’d Again
So it’s 12.30 pm and the site to buy tickets for the World Series is still running but giving the same message – all our servers are busy, please wait and the site will reload.
But here’s the rub of the situation in Denver…very few Coloradoans got through. The Denver Post is reporting that since the Rockies decided to sell the tickets via internet, Red Sox fans from all over the country got tickets, a very few minority of the IP addresses were from Colorado.
There was a simple solution for Colorado to keep their home-field advantage – sell tickets at the window, allow folks to camp out for them, don’t sell them on the internet where the average fan has virtually NO CHANCE at getting tickets.
THIS JUST IN: MLB is in the first year of a 5 year partnership with StubHub tickets…think that had anything to do with selling tickets online?
Go Rocks, anyway. The Red Sox are just the Yankees with different uni’s. Can’t wait to see Dice K with a bat in his hands.
UPDATE: Rockies just had a press conference, the servers crashed and most of the tickets have not been sold. So instead of selling them at the ticket window…they are going to try again.
Good night…they’ve just shut it down and there will be NO TICKET sales at Coors Field.
Update on WS Tickets
Got nothing. We had 4 computers going, started the process at 10 till 10 and nothing. Pulled up StubHub and other sites like it – they got tickets immediately and started selling them at outrageous prices. It’s completely frustrating to see that happen…a $65 ticket that during the regular season was $1 and now it’s sold for $850.
Apparently the market will hold that – somebody is buying those tickets.
The consolation for me – I’ll get to watch it in HD and if the Rockies win it here, I’ll go downtown to celebrate.
The Online Hope
Starting in few minutes, I will join thousands, yeah – millions of other people who are trying to get World Series tickets online.
It is the single most significant sporting event to happen in Colorado ever. EVER.
I was at the ’88 AFC Championship game when Ernest Byner fumbled (thank you, Margaret Bryan, my high school sweetheart who happen to have
season tickets to the Broncos. No that wasn’t the only reason I dated her but that’s a whole other blog). This is bigger.
I’ll keep you posted.
If anyone else out there gets tickets and needs a place to stay in Denver for the series…I’ll exchange free lodging for a ticket.
(I’ll tell Amy about that later…right now…gotta get online…)
Once you go Mac…
What a busy week.
Thanks to an anonymous gift – well, the gift wasn’t anonymous, rather the person who gave it was…well, I know who it was but you don’t….you get the idea…
Anyway, a Powerbook G4 was donated to the church. So I “took one for the team” and gave up my PC laptop to our Children’s Minister. Having an iPod made the transition a bit easier…
Then I finished up all the tweaks on the blog.
Now – got to find a card reader for the camera so I can start posting pics again.
Rattlesnake – the Other White Meat
Rocks up 3-0 to the ‘Zona “Bunch of Cry-baby, complaining” Snakes.
The series was going on just fine till the last two days when Eric “Oh! That’s where the left-field fence is” Byrnes suggested that the Rockies were just lucky and the Snakes had actually outplayed the Rockies.
Let’s take a page out of Tulowitzki’s book on this one. He calmly responded “There may be some truth to that. They can outplay us all four games. If we end up winning the series, I’ll be fine with that.”
Tonight – no rain but it will be cold. Half the temperature than what it was in Arizona three nights ago.
If the Rocks win tonight, they’ll have won 21 out 22 games, won 8 straight playoff games, their bullpen has a .90 ERA. Is a World Series Championship really out of the picture?
My Favorite Theme Designer
Overall, I’m pleased with the theme change weekend. I’m sticking with this theme and in the process was exposed to some of the best WordPress Themes ever…ironically, they all were from the same designer – Milo at Peety-Passion.
If you are looking for a fresh design that has a bit of an edge to it – check out her themes. She has them on her site but the best two places I found to look at them and “test-drive” theme are here:
WordPress Theme Viewer – Milo themes
Now – I’ll be tweaking the sidebars this week so until then – toodles.
More Like Pilate
This is part of our e-journey through the gospel of John. This week’s from John 19:1-14.
A lot of people resonate with Peter when they read the Gospels. The moments of great faith followed by moments of extreme failure, the desire to follow Jesus coupled with the inexplicable habit of running off at the mouth. A lot of people relate to Peter in this chapter – the three denials and how many times have we denied Jesus?
I gotta be honest with you…I think I’m more like Pilate. Peter tried to attack an entire detachment of Roman soldiers by himself armed only with a sword. As a former Army soldier, I know that I would have never done that. Peter then followed Jesus around that night trying to stay close to him knowing that Jesus was more than likely going to be executed. I don’t think I’d do that either. Then Peter flat out denies ever knowing Jesus while using a bit of colorful of language. I’m pretty sure I’d never do that.
But Pilate is a different story.
A Cacophony of Compromise.
Trying to play both sides to the middle. I’ll run over here, try to placate and play nice with the crowd. Then I’ll run over here and play nice and placate Jesus. I can work this out. I’m smart enough and savvy enough to get the screaming crowd and Jesus to work it out.
When Pilate heard this (that Jesus was the Son of the God), he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer.
“Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free
Pilate knows what he ought to do but lacks the character and fortitude to do it.
His insight has exceeded his character.
Pilate finds himself in the exact position that I dread most – is it possible to remain “friends” with the people and “friends” with Jesus? Can I find favor with the people and Jesus at the same time? Peter’s blunders and failures are redeemable because there is both an extremeness and a humility that will ultimately allow Jesus to have first place. The desire to be liked, popular, and preserve the self-image places Pilate in the middle of two worlds and ultimately that will trump Jesus every time in Pilate’s economy.
And while Jesus didn’t put Pilate in that position, he didn’t rescue him from it either.
And Pilate fails. I’m guilty of glossing over that failure in order to point out Peter’s failure and the crowd’s failure. But I honestly don’t have a whole lot in common with them.
I don’t like how much of me I see in Pilate.
Changes, part 3
Here we are… I think I’m going to settle into this theme and put the “G” touch on it over the next couple of weeks.
The “G” on the side, I added. It’s by that same designer – whoever it is – there are some sick designs but for whatever reasons, I couldn’t get the exact one I wanted to work.
But this one is good. It should work. Plus, it’s the closest I’ll ever get to a tattoo…because I’m a pansy.
More changes
I love this current theme…it’s sweet looking but I keep getting error messages whenever a link is clicked.
The designer has some of the sickest looking themes I’ve seen….check ‘em out if you’re a wordpress user – peetypassion.com. Hopefully I’ll get some help soon because I’d hate to have to change again.
Here’s the details – I’ve gotten like over 250 emails saying basically the same thing…if any of you have any ideas….let me know.
A user tried to go to http://grantenglish.com/< ?php%20bloginfo(\\\'template_directory\\\');%20?>/images/indicator.gif and received a 404 (page not found) error. It wasn’t their fault, so try fixing it.
Major Face Lift
It’s fall. It’s gorgeous here in Colorado.
And I’m so bored with my website look.
So after careful consideration….even in light of past attempts going very, very, wrong. I will update my wordpress version AND reveal a new theme…hopefully before the weekend is over.
Once more – I’m going in.
If I’m not back in 5 minutes…..
Wait longer.