I just might be convinced

Maybe the Calvinist have it right. You gotta wonder if everything is predetermined and already mapped out. Some things are "meant to be" because it has already been determined. You see things unfold in front of you and you just throw your hands in the air.

How else to explain the Detroit Tigers in the World Series?

8 errors, guys falling down, mising ground balls, guys hitting rocket missles off their bat right to the 2nd baseman or left fielder.

I am nearly convinced they have it right, Calvinist have been right all along.

Dang!

Indescribeable

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation's revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
Incomparable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

Down 3-1

What a bummer .

Our outfielders are falling and diving all over the outfield watching balls land behind them and deflecting off their glove.

Our pitchers are walking the lead-off hitter and throwing the ball 3 rows into the crowd behind 1st and 3rd base.

And now we are down 3 games to 1.

The team can still come back and win this thing.

As a matter of fact, of the 5 times it is has happen in the past, St. Louis was the victim twice (they were the team up 3-1 and lost the sereis).

Even more peculiar is that it happen in 1968, when the Tigers and Cardinals played in that World Series.

Another odd fact is that the Tigers and Cardinals have now met in 3 World Series and each time the following took place:

• St. Louis won Game 1
• Detroit won Game 2
• St. Louis won Game 3
• The winner of Game 4 lost the World Series

So either the basball gods are on the Cardinals side as the Tigers have had so many fluke plays and the Cardinals are destined to win this thing or the baseball gods have to make sure that history repeats itself and tradition holds.

If there is any sport that holds to its tradtions it is baseball -- so we'll see.

Unfortunately I think it may be the former and the Cardinals are just meant to win this thing.

But my hope is not gone. I still have plans to be in Comerica Park on Sunday night watching a World Series Game 7.

World Series Game 2

I thought I was going tobe sick in the 9th inning. Well I actually was sick, and had been all day. But I mean, punch me in the gut, weak in the knees, country music song sick.

The Rollercoaster was in full effect last night. 2 outs, 2 strikes and it nearly all fell apart.

But, they won, the series is tied 1-1 heading back to "The Lou" and hopefully the Tigers roll off 3 straight wins or at least come back up 3-2 and can clinch Saturday night...I'll be there.

Go Tigers!!

THE FREAKIN WORLD SERIES

I was there, so was Michele, but we have no pictures!!

Well, I have video because we did have the video camera and taped the pre-game ceremony stuff, the first at bat, and pretty much the whole first inning for the Tigers.

But we didn't take pictures with a camera. Oh well. I'll have to take the video and get still pictures off of that.

Anyway, it was freakin awesome to be at the World Series cheering the Detroit Tigers on.

Too bad they lost. That was a big buzz kill, but I am confident they will show up tonight and Kenny will continue his strong pitching.

Last night they completely looked like a team that had a whole week off and got back to some bad habits. And 3 errors!!!!

Anyway, as I said, Kenny will continue his strong postseason pitching and Detroit wins 4-0, maybe 2-1. Zumaya in the 8th, Jones in the 9th, we head to St. Louis tied at 1 a piece. I have game 6 and game 7 tickets already, so if Detroit happens to not clinch in St. Louis, they will back in the D next weekend. I will for sure have pictures for that!!!!

Go Tigers!!

Adventures in missing the moment

It doesn't matter the location or the reason or the event:

• A brightly lit, well decorated, jovial chapel filled with loved family and friends that changes my life forever
• A quiet, dark, sad funeral home that makes death a hard reality
• A drab, flourescent lit doctor's office that changes my life again
• A screaming stadium of 44,000 people that causes me to lose my voice.

I usually miss the moment. I do not mean that I do not see or experience what happens. I have all my faculties and know full well what I am doing and what I just witnessed.

What I mean is, it doesn't sink in at that moment. It is usually a hour, day, or week later. Something is said to me, or I say something about it. Stops me in my tracks. The light bulb goes on. It's where I have my "holy crap" moment and I realize:

• I am forever married to my one true love. I will be her provider and protector and together we will start a new family and live happily ever after
• I've just lost my grandfather to a 3 year horrendous fight to cancer or one of my best high-school buds to a mortar shell he never saw coming
• I am going to be a dad. I will have a daughter or son to call my own, to hold in my arms and watch them grow up. What Michele and I started out on 3 years ago is growing
• The Detroit Tigers are going to the World Series for the first time in 22 years, on a walk-off 3-run homer by my favorite Tiger.

See, it doesn't matter. Life, marriage, death, new life, sports. I have many more examples but these 4 tell the story the best.

My wife is often disturbed by my apparent lack of excitement sometimes. She doesn't like that I am too even kiel unless I am upset or mad. I assure her over and over that my excitement is leaps and bounds above anything. I try to show her the best I can. I have made some great improvements here.

But, none the less, for whatever reason, the moment doesn't hold the same excitement and emotional high or low I feel sometime after that moment has taken place.

I do get caught up in it, I hoot and holler and cry and laugh and hug my wife and squeeze her hand. But for whatever reason I am not the guy you would find crying in the doctor's office, much less a baseball game. My reaction is usually right on par with whatever everyone else is doing. If it is high-fives outside the stadium or a firm handshake and a congratulations from the doctor, then that is me. If it is hugging my grandma and shedding a tear on each other's shoulders or dancing with my new wife in front of our loved ones, that is me.

But my "truer" emotions always take effect with me later. Like I said, after it has sunk in. Something is said to me or I read the Sports section or a birthday passes or I find an old yearbook or an old email, or I wake up early one morning and my pregnant wife is asleep next to me, breathing softly, off in never never land dreaming of the life I hope and pray I can give her.

Then -- I get the moment...

Pardon the Pun

Things are "heating up" again

What started here

went to here

and is now here

This thing is blowing up...

Joy in D-Town

Oh-E-Oh, Magg-lio

Oh-E-Oh, Magg-lio

I wish I knew how to upload the video from the homerun, the reaction, and roar from the crowd.

The Detroit Tigers are going to the World Series!!!!

More than 24 hours later, all i can still say is...

WOW!

Quite Literally....

It is a full blown blizzard here in Auburn Hills right now. If I had a camera I would take the pic and upload it here but being at work that is not a choice.

What happen to global warming?

I can barely see across the street.

Living Life - Jesus Style

Jesus taught us, partially by being born in a manger, life was a redemptive act primarily while it was being well lived. Unlike many, I believe Jesus enjoyed life on Earth. If "enjoy" is too strong of a word for the "Man of Sorrows", perhaps satisfaction would suffice. Jesus was entriely satisfied with His life on Earth. Every moment that passed, whether He was sleeping, eating, burping, or otherwise, was integral to the redemption of the world. Conscience of this, Jesus surely rejoiced over even the most mundane moments in life. Perhaps, this innate satisfaction with being fully redemptively engaged in life was what made Him so beautiful in an otherwise decomposing world.

Evangelism, Jesus Style.

Over the past century, the biblical concept of evangelism (literally: declaring good news) has degenerated into merely forcing oneself to dump a spiel on a stranger. Interestingly, Jesus never took part in this activity. He talked with the woman at the well and even to Nicodemus but never with the intention of fulfilling an obligation or selfishly meeting His need to feel active. Jesus' life incarnated a Kingdom message. Somehow, breakfast became spiritual and Peter was restored. Sight seeing at the temple inspired end time discussions. Farming provided infinite instruction for sacramental (set apart for service to or the worship of God) living. Storytelling resulted in holiness and dying fixed everything.

California - Here we Come

WOW!!!!

Total Euphoria. Detroit took the mighty Yankees down. The last 2 games were complete domination. The aggressiveness of the Tigers pitchers and the base running was by far the key to winning the series. Especially the base running tonight. I think everytime we had a runner on first and someone got a hit, the guy from first would run to third forcing New York to make the play. Bondo tonight and Kenny last night and thier emotions on the mound was refreshing to see. They deserved the standing ovations they received when they exited the game.

All year, and especially the last month or so, all we heard was Detroit was lucky to be there and that going into the playoffs they didn't have the bats to make it very long and go very deep. We do not know what is going to happen in the Oakland series, but the Tigers proved they are for real and they belong. New York, Boston, and Chicago were the 3 teams all the naysayers said Detroit couldn't contend with in the playoffs. Well, all 3 of those teams are now sitting at home watching the Tigers. 2 of them didn't even make the playoffs and the other (New York) was just eliminated by the Tigers.

Go Tigers, we'll back on Friday and Saturday night to cheer you on to the World Series!!!

I like to call this picture "Settling Tee Times"

ALDS Game 3 in the D

1) I can smell it. It is right there for the taking. 1 more game against the vaunted Yankees lineup.

2) Kenny Rogers!

3) My voice is near gone, and I am going to do it all over again tomorrow.

4) Today, I got an email from Ticketmaster, stating my tickets I ordered for the ALCS (4 tickets each to game 1 and game 2 at the CoPa, above and beyond the 2 I already have as a season ticket holder) have been printed...coincidence?

5) Kenny Rogers!

6) Those young guys for the Tigers keep showing up and aren't going anywhere.

7) Kenny Rogers!

8) What is A-Rod's problem? Seriously. How can a guy with all that talent and skills be so horrible in the playoffs? He is one of the best of all time, but come the playoffs, not so much.

9) I have been to many live sporting events. Playoff basketball games, Stanley Cup Finals games, MSU/UM football games, NCAA basketball tourney games, etc., etc. Tonight's game was like nothing else. Anything. I was so nervous/excited Thursday night about it, I actually took NyQuil to fall asleep. Therefore......

10) Same thing for tonight. Time for the NyQuil.

11) Kenny Rogers!

Let's go Tigers!!!

Not much "analysis" I know, but my emotions are running high and the experience of a Detroit Tigers playoff game doesn't leave you much room to "analyze" a game.

Bless you boys.

Tigers 2nd Tiger game

1) Wow, have I never been more unproductive at work than I was yesterday from 3pm on.

2) The Tigers "two best hitters" seem to be the most scared people out there, Ordonez and Pudge. Menawhile, the young guys are tearing it up - Monroe, Thames, and Granderson. As well as.....

3) Verlander and Zumaya...wow!!! 23 year olds throwing 100mph fastballs in Yankee Stadium during a playoff game. Not backing down at all. Except for one Johnny Damon swing (which is all it takes in baseball sometimes) they were near perfect. These guys had better be around the Tigers organization for awhile.

4) Brandon Inge has got to go. Sorry, I know he has been a Tiger the longest and has done anything the team has asked him (played catcher, left field, 3rd base, etc.) everytime they have asked him. But he is brutal at the plate. Maybe I wouldn't be so down on him if everyone in Detroit didn't think he was the next Alex Rodriguez. Which leads me to.......

5) No way A-Rod is back in New York next year. A guy that goes .340/35/130 every year should not be as big a "bad guy" as he is in New York. He is way too worried about making a mistake rather than just playing and doing what comes natural.

6) I still love New York fans, and it is even better to watch them when they are losing and then when the Yankess have lost, it is award winning stuff. I wish I had access to a New York sports talk radio show.

7) As unproductive as I was yesterday at work, I may be even more today. My excitement level is too high in anticipation of being at tonight's game. I may just sit at my desk and watch the clock tick away. Then turning around and going to tomorrow's game as well. Priceless!!!

Let's go Tigers!!!!

My Thoughts on the Tigers first playoff game

1) Tuning in last night and watching the start of the game was all too surreal, and I think when I go to Friday night's game will be even more. The Tigers were the prime time game on Fox, with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver announcing for a national audience with the Tigers in Yankee Stadium for a playoff game!!!! I asked Michele to pinch me to make sure it was for real.

2) The Tigers 1 through 3 hitters did have 7 hits.

3) Detroit does/did not look scared or intimidated.

4) The Tigers must score runs when they have runners on 2nd or 3rd and no outs. Absolutely must!!!!

5) I have no problems with the hit and run with Mags and Pudge.

6) I forgot how much fun it is to watch playoff games in New York. Yankees fans are the absolute best. Cheering and booing every play. Every time the other team is up and putting a rally together the looks in the crowd are total despair and end of the world drama. Priceless.

7) I think last night is the Yankees at their best. The Tigers can do better. The Tigers did not rollover and play dead. They fought back, if the Tigers play their best who knows.

8) The Tigers bullpen only gave up 2 hits as well. One was a Jeter homer but.........

9) Jeter is every bit our generations Joe Dimaggio. We just have all the media to take away the mystique and aurora.

10) Outside of Mariano, the New York bullpen is a mess. Which is why.........

11) I think Torre rolled the dice and took Wang out early, expecting to have to use him on 3 days rest on Saturday. The Tigers have a real good chance to win tonight and Friday (if Verlander and Rogers are there normal selfs). That could mean Game 4 on Saturday at Comerica could be a series clincher. Who would New York throw up there?

I am not saying the Tigers will have that chance come Saturday, but I think it was in the back of Torre's mind.

The joys of blogging

The last couple of weeks have been very enjoyable to myself and I think some others here in the blogoshpere. Specifically to the other three gentleman whose blogs I have links too in the column to the right.

Visions of Time
Sojourner
Transitions

Each of our blogs, through some recent posts of ours have had some absolutely awesome conversations to them. All on different subject matter too. Well, they have mostly been on religion, but different areas of religion.

Visions of Time had a large discussions on time, defining time, and measuring time.

Sojourner on the Humaness (is that a word?) of Jesus as well as on Salvation and Perserverance. Sojourner as also stepped out in faith and is in the process of planting a church in Mancelona. Read that here.

Transitions has a great post on Paul and the Hippy. And you have to check out the 3 installments of his "Watchman Show" here, here, and here.

I'll throw in my post on "Why I Stay with the Church."

Not sure why we have all been going like crazy on these conversations back and forth but it has been a joy for me. Maybe it is no longer summer and we all have more time inside? Maybe we are more comfortable with each other and expressing our beliefs and laying ourselves out there for everyone else?

Whatever it is has been great!

To Corey, Toby, and Gary thanks guys for keeping the dialogue open and putting together some rich conversations. To the others that have also given there input into our conversations I thank you too - Rodmaster, bj, Naten, Boanerges, etc. (I only know screen or "blogger" names to all of you).

Keep it up!

To everyone else, go to the above conversations and add in your thoughts as well, join in all of our spirtual journeys.

At least they made it

Well, at least they are in the playoffs for the first time in 19 years. The Tigers finished the regular season with 5 straight losses to make it as the wild card. All they needed was one win...ONE WIN and they would have won the Central Division. They had been in first place since May 10 and on the last day of the season they lost it. Michele and I were at Friday night's game where they blew a 5-0 lead and lost in the 11th 9-7. They were one strike away in the 9th inning from finishing that game too.

Now it is onto New York for a best of 5 series. Hopefully they can steal a game there as New York's starting pitching has taken a big hit with injuries. I have my playoff tickets and will be at game one at Comerica Park (the actual 3rd game of the series) on Friday night. I do believe the Tigers have a chance to make this a series against New York. Being that they only need 3 wins (and not 4) could make a difference.

We will see.

Go Tigers!!!!

Bless you Boys

Regardless it has been an awesome year!