Ra'a

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Losing...

It hurts.

I feel like I just got dumped.

Jermain lost. I'm sad.

A rematch clause existed in the contract. I'm confident JT will come back and regain his title.

Until then...*tear

Saturday, September 29, 2007

GO JT!!!



Tonight: Jermain Taylor v. Kelly Pavlik


Taylor: Quick hands, powerful jab, knockout power, big for a middleweight. 27-0-1 (17 ko's)

Pavlik: Big and tall, powerful knockout punch, great conditioning. 31-0 (28 ko's).

Here's why I think Jermain will win: Pavlik has an excellent record, but not against anyone notable, minus Edison Miranda. Taylor's last 2 victories have been ugly, but against the #2 and #6 ranked fighters in the jr. middleweight division. They weren't guys who anyone could expect to beat fashionably. Pavlik will likely come out swinging, while JT will probably throw his jab a lot in the first 3 rounds to keep some distance between them. Eventually, Pavlik will find a way through the jab, which will cause Jermain to start throwing more power shots. I see Jermain able to withstand Pavlik's power longer than Pavlik can sustain his. Therefore, I predict a bloody fight that finds Taylor winning by knockout in round 6.

We'll see tonight starting at 9:15 central on HBO.

P.S. Don't miss the undercard fight. Andre Berto is a little Tyson replica from 1990.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

There is more.

I began following Christ when I was 6 years old. At age 8, I started going to a class for new Christians at my church. This class followed a small group teaching-style format. My group was obviously made up of kids around my age. To entice (or bribe) us into keeping up with the weekly assignments from our "New Christian" workbooks, my small group teacher (Mrs. Seabaugh)promised us she'd take us out for a McDonald's Ice Cream Sundae at the end of the six week class.

On our last meeting, Mrs. Seabaugh led us to believe that she would not be taking us to McDonald's. Though I understand now that she didn't want other groups to be jealous of our group as we walked away from the rest of the class, sticking out our tongues and bragging about our awaiting ice cream treat, at the time we were angry and confused. We had read. We had done our part. We didn't think she was being fair, but we didn't put up that much of a fight. Afterall, we were new Christians. We were told to play nice, especially while at church :)

Then something wonderful happened. About a half hour before class was over, Mrs. Seabaugh asked us to follow her out in the hallway. So the 5 of us got up and followed her into the hallway, down the stairs, and into the parking lot.

"Where are we going?" I finally asked her.

"We're going to McDonald's!" she joyfully replied.

Immediately, a group of tenor voices shrieked with glee. She had tricked us, and done a good job of it. After we settled down and the cheering had stopped, my friend Barry still had one problem.

"But Mrs. Seabaugh," he said, "you lied."

The small group I go to on Thursday mornings (called Man's Group) is currently reading through Job. Its hard to read through this book and watch God allow his loyal servant go through so much suffering. My first response as I read this, much like Job's ultimate question, is "Why does God do this to someone who has done all that he has been asked to do?"

Why God allowed Job to suffer really isn't as important as the fact that God ultimately provided him with blessing and purpose unlike any he previously had. Whether you read this book as allegorical fiction or historical fact, the point of the story is the same:

amidst all calamity and pain, God still loves and God still provides.

So until we are able to stop focusing on the wrong part of our story, let us not forget God's proven goodness and all-knowing provision for every aspect of our lives. When we don't understand, when we are uncertain, when we are confused, when we are hurt, when we are troubled, when we are in doubt, when we are afraid, when we suffer, THERE IS MORE TO THE STORY.

God is not finished. He continues to work, he continues to reveal, he continues to guide. He continues.

There is more.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Let it be so."
-Ephesians 3:20-21

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Top o' the Morning




It's 6:00 a.m. and I'm ready to finish a paper! Never have I been so happy to live a mile from a starbucks (I think probably all of us live a mile from a starbucks).

The joys of full time work and school. Hang in there, Grant and Nathan.

Saturday, September 01, 2007

There Once Was a Man...


There once was a man who bought a house.

He wanted his house to be perfect. He wanted all who walked outside it or came within to feel as if it was the greatest house ever.

He didn't want anyone to worry about coming inside and getting rained on. So he added a new roof, and in fact, the roof did add to its integrity and appearance.

Then he painted it, inside and out. He wanted the house to be the best looking house on the block. And the paint gave the house better curb appeal.

He wanted no one to worry about sitting down on or walking over below-surface dirt. He decided to take action. And he took out the carpet and added hardwood floors. He bought modern area rugs to compliment every table, and the house looked better inside than it had before.

He worried that people would look up toward his ceiling and be unimpressed. So he added crown molding, and his eyes were pleased.

He wondered if everyone would be cool enough inside during the summer. So he bought a new air conditioner to ensure people would be comfortable.

Then the Fall came. And the leaves began to change and fall to the ground. Cool breezes began to sweep through the night air. But the man did not even go outside to notice. He was too busy, searching around his house to find the next improvement project to do. And he found that some light fixtures could be updated.

Then the Winter came and a beautiful snowfall covered his yard and the new bushes he had recently planted. Children were outside building snowmen, making snow angels. Their mothers were outside gathering the whitest powder to make snow ice cream. But this, too, the man didn't see. Instead, he noticed some fans that could be changed. He thought the new fans complemented his light fixtures better.

Then came Spring, and the sun began to shine a little longer. April showers preceded tulips and geraniums in full bloom. The scent of honeysuckle was prevelant from any section of his yard. But the man paid no attention. He began to worry that his shutters weren't the right color. He had also thought about staining his front deck. He was for sure this would increase the property value.

Then came Summer, bringing along barbecues, swimming parties, and baseball games. But the man stayed indoors. Afterall, his house was nice and cool because of the air conditioner he had put in. Well, maybe it could've been cooler. He'd bring out an inspector the next day. Maybe he could adjust the unit to make the house even more comfortable.

Where do you need improvements? Are you as obsessed as this guy? Do your efforts to bring about change for the better keep you inside, unaware of what's going on around you? As good as it is to make things better, sometimes doing so means we miss out on some pretty amazing changes occuring outside of ourselves. Yes, even with improvements that are needed, its easy to become pretty self-involved. My prayer for you is that this goofy story reminds you to get outside of yourself. You probably need some improvements, as do I. But not at the expense of missing how God is working around us. He might just use those times to make the improvements on you Himself.