A letter to Ted Thompson and the Green Bay Packers...

I've got a three word solution to this entire Brett Favre situation: Take him back.

It’s simple really…..one of the top 5 quarterbacks in NFL history is coming off arguably his best season ever and he wants to throw the ball for another year or so. Take him back. The man had such an incredible season last year that he actually got an MVP vote even with the year that Tom Brady put together and he wants to give it another shot this year. Take him back.

Let’s face reality….without Brett Favre during the last 15 years, the Packers would likely still be mired in meiocrity as they were prior to his emergence as a dominating force in the NFL. Three MVP’s, two Super Bowl appearances, a perennial Pro Bowler, the career leader in every major QB stat…..and he’s still playing at the top of his game! Take him back!

I know it’s tough. Pride’s a rough thing and Favre has gone about trying to get his way in somewhat of an embarrassing manner. He’s all but used the word “liar” to describe you. And while he’s still one of the most likeable individuals to ever don an NFL uniform, he’s been a bit of a drama queen about the whole retirement thing. But in making your decision about this entire situation you should keep one thing in mind…..he’s Brett Favre! Every NFL team would love to have a guy leading their team with the kind of grit, determination, and pure toughness that Favre has displayed season after season and week after week. He’s the closest thing the NFL has to Superman and all you have to do is take him back!

Sure, this Aaron Rogers thing is tough. He’s been on the sidelines for three years (by the way, Steve Young spent 4 years on the sidelines watching Montana) and he’s chomping at the bit to take over this great franchise. Rogers had a great game against Dallas last year. On that particular day he was the better quarterback. He outplayed Favre and went toe-to-toe with Romo….but that was only one game. Other than that, what’s he done? I don’t recall a single preseason game where he’s looked anything other than mediocre. He broke a foot in another regular season appearance and spent the rest of that season on crutches….Favre wouldn’t have used crutches and he would have kept playing. Now I certainly am not saying that Rogers can’t play. Who knows…he might be the next Steve Young. However, he might be the next Ryan Leaf. With Favre you know what you’re going to get: a certified winner.

Listen, you can’t win this battle by any means other than surrender. If you let Favre go things could get real ugly. The only way you win that one is if two things happen: Favre has the worst season he’s ever had and Aaron Rogers leads the Pack to a dominating Super Bowl victory. Now if you are willing to bet the farm on those two things happening….and they both have to happen….then go ahead and send Brett packing. But let’s face it; the notion of Rogers leading the Packers to a Super Bowl victory this season is pretty farfetched. If you let Favre back at the helm this season, you can’t lose – unless of course he has an abysmal year, but that’s not likely to happen given the season he’s coming off of. If you keep Rogers as your starter, every single loss will sting a little bit more. Think about it, what if you go from a 13-3 season that ended with on OT loss in the NFC Championship to a 7-9 season and no appearance in the playoffs? Not likely with Favre at the helm; a possibility with Rogers there.

If you choose not to take Favre back as your starter, I’ll understand. I’ve never responded well to employees dictating terms to me, either. Oh, I’ll mourn a bit if Favre’s wearing a different jersey. I’ll even be cheering for whatever team Favre goes to, but I’ll still support the Pack. And if Favre’s new team meets the Packers this year, you can bet that I’ll be cheering for Woodson and Harris to pick off every pass he throws and for KGB and Hawk to hit him in the mouth a couple of times. But a part of me will be a little sick at the spectacle….Favre needs to be in a Packers uniform this year finishing the job left over from last year. Take him back…….please.

“In Remembrance of Me….”

Note: Our two oldest children both recently – at different times – made professions of faith. We’ve been extremely careful in not forcing the issue with either one of them and we’ve also been quite cautious with our choice of words. We’ve never told them that they were saved and we continue to proceed with a great deal of caution as we watch for some developing fruit. For additional thoughts on children and salvation, please read a post I added some time ago on the subject - it can be found here.

The other night I had one of those first time experiences that I think is a blessing for every Christian father. We were observing the Lord’s Supper at our Sunday evening church service. My wife and youngest son were both at home sick, so it was just Trey, Ashleigh, and me. I spoke to both of them about Communion on the way to church and asked if they wanted to take part….they did. I asked them to pay "extra-close attention" to what our pastor was saying and to let me know if they had any questions at any time. As the elements were being passed to us I took the opportunity to whisper to each of them individually the significance of each element…what it was and wasn’t, as well as the symbolism involved.

I think they understood and approached it all with a measure of gravity. I certainly approached it much differently than in the past. Explaining to them what we were doing and why….walking through the crucifixion story and reflecting on salvation…..all of it caused me to reflect deeper on the sacrifice and love shown to us by the Savior. In all it was one of those experiences that I’ll always treasure!

A few changes.....

You'll notice that my "blogroll" on the left hand side of the page is now in a new format. Rather than an alphabetical listing of my favorite blogs, the roll is now set up in more of a "feed" format. As the 20 or 30 blogs to which I link update, their updates will be listed at the top of the roll.

I've also taken the opportunity to add a couple of links that I enjoy but have never linked to from this site. Take the time to check out some of these places. Most of the blogs and sites to which I link have edified, encouraged, or educated me. Some of the others have made me think, while there are some to which I link simply because they make me laugh!

I've also removed a couple of links.....mainly because, while their site still exists, they've stopped updating (yes Hannah.....I'm talking to you :) ).

Why do foolish men claim to speak for an infinite God?

The first five paragraphs of the following article are preparatory words to get to the main point of the article which starts in paragraph six. I make this statement in hopes that you don’t get bored and leave off reading the article prior to that point!


I’ve spent most of my 35 years of life living in Kansas. During that time I’ve seen several “natural disasters”. Tornadoes, flooding, large hail, ice storms, and damaging winds are simply not all that uncommon in Kansas. Granted, they aren’t an every-day occurrence, but some years bring about more of these types of things than other years. Occasionally you’ll see one part of the state take more of a beating than other parts of the state. Some years back, when we were living in the southern most part of the state, we saw massive flooding and catastrophic hail hit during the same calendar year. One other thing I remember about that year was standing in the parking lot at my job watching a tornado that was hitting the ground about 15 miles to the north…pretty exciting stuff!

Now those of you who do not live in the Midwest might assume that tornadoes are a nearly daily experience around here, but that’s not quite true. Every year that I can remember there have been tornadoes hit somewhere in the state, but most generally they hit in outlying areas and cause little property damage. While Kansas has a goodly number of tornadoes some years, we also have plenty of open land upon which those tornadoes can run amuck without posing any immediate threat to life and property.

I say all that to get to this point: The last 12 months have been unusually volatile as far as the weather is concerned. During that time I’ve seen flooding that nearly had me trapped in town; an ice storm that knocked some outlying areas out of power for weeks and placed my family and I in a Red Cross shelter for a short time; softball-sized hail that destroyed my (under-insured) automobile; and a record high for tornadoes that have touched down. The most uncommon aspect of the tornado season thus far this year is the damage it has brought to many communities and cities. Last week a town that is 10 miles down the road from us was all but leveled and a larger city also saw an incredible amount of damage (including more than 20 million dollars worth of damage to the campus of Kansas State University). Additionally, there 2 people killed and several more hospitalized as the result of the tornadoes that dropped last Wednesday night. This years tornado season has brought about more deaths in a shorter period of time than any other on record.

My Uncle and Aunt’s house was destroyed by a tornado last week. They’ve been in the house for 40 years and their two youngest children were raised there – all four of their children spent at least some portion of their teenage years there. They certainly weren’t the only folks in that town who lost their homes, as some 70% of the city was completely destroyed and another 15% suffered varying levels of damage. It was somewhat heartbreaking the first time I entered town and saw how torn up it was. As I was watching the news that night and reports were coming in of the damage and deaths caused by the tornadic activities, I shed some tears. I called my Uncle as soon as the tornado had left his area and asked if they were OK. “We’re fine”, he said, “but the house is destroyed, the garage is gone, and our cars are smashed.” As I’ve been in town a couple of times now, it’s been difficult to see some of the raw emotions. So many memories lost forever….many folks were still attempting to process it all.

Now to the point of this article…..When it comes down to it, sin is the root cause of all “natural disasters”. Without sin, the earth wouldn’t be behaving like this, I suppose. I doubt seriously that Adam and Eve ever had to climb into a tornado shelter before the Fall, or worry much about outrunning lava from a volcanic eruption…..there’s no doubt about it, sin is the reason behind these sorts of things.

That being said, nothing makes my angrier than wicked men claiming to know God’s “motivation” behind these sorts of disasters. On two different occasions during the last week I’ve heard men claim that this tornado that destroyed Chapman, Kansas last week was simply God dealing with some wickedness (one of these men was a preacher). I’ve heard many people claim that the disaster in New Orleans several years ago (Hurricane Katrina) was God judging a wicked city. One man I heard this week even alluded to the idea that 9/11 was God’s judgment on New York City and he hopes that God takes out San Francisco next. Aside from the shear idiocy and hate-mongering of these ridiculous statements, I am most amazed at the audacity of any man who would brashly assign motivation to a God whose thoughts are beyond ours. How on earth does any man find justification for this sort of thinking and speech? Who are you that you attempt to speak for God? What revelation is this which you claim?

I certainly would never dismiss the idea that God could use this sort of thing as a judgment for sin. The Noaic Flood, the earth opening up to swallow Korah and his cohorts, the fire and brimstone that rained down on Sodom and Gomorrah, not to mention the plethora judgments of Egypt in Exodus are all examples of God using “nature” to judge. But in each of these instances, the “disasters” were exta-ordinary. While many of the weather-related disasters of the last 5 or 6 years have left an extra-ordinary amount of damage and an atypical loss of property and life, they have certainly not been the result of anything that is outside of the natural course of things. Every time I see the results of a weather related disaster, it causes me to marvel at the power of God, but it wouldn’t be proper for me to ever assign motives to God for allowing it to happen. I would be a fool to do so.

The fact is that nobody is surprised when a hurricane leaves a swath of destruction on many coastal cities and states. There has never been surprise when a tornado touches down and causes damage in the Midwest. Earthquakes along fault lines are expected to occur every now and again. The only question about these things is whether or not the damage will be severe and, in the instance of hurricanes and tornadoes, will there be significant property damage and loss of life, or will the damage occur in less populous are open-range areas? The idea that God is arbitrarily taking out certain cities because of their wickedness is a foolish one. If God is going to destroy a place because of sin, why did He allow the tornado to pass right over the top of the adult bookstore outside of town and instead destroy a city that boasts one church for every 300 residents?!

I refuse to leave with the conclusion that God destroyed Chapman last week, or New Orleans 3 years ago, or Greensburg last year as a judgment for the specific sins of the specific people in those specific cities. Could He have? Certainly. Is there precedent for such a thing? Not without warning. Is it OK for a pastor, evangelist, or any other Christian to claim anything else? Absolutely not – those people would serve the cause of Christ better if they kept their mouths shut and committed themselves to studying the Scriptures a bit……

More Hail Storm pictures

FOR SALE: 1 car....slight hail damage.....

A small, destructive storm cell passed directly over my place of employment today. For nearly an hour it was so dark outside that, had I not known better, I would have thought that it was 9:30pm. With the darkness came some rain, tornado sightings, and then some pretty serious hail. As a matter of fact, it hailed nearly non-stop for some 20+ minutes. Some of the hail was larger than baseballs....I've never seen anything like it. When the storm finally subsided, there was significant damage. As a matter of fact, of the 350 or so vehicles in our parking lot, there was only one I saw that didn't have the windows all broken and smashed in. Here's a few pictures of my car.....if you're interested in buying it, just leave me a note here... :)

I think McCain might be a Young Fundamentalist....

I’m sure that somebody has already seen and noted what I’m about to say, but since I’m spending less and less time online these days, I haven’t seen it. Part of this is tongue-in-cheek, but the main point is valid, I think. Enjoy.

I’m beginning to think that Young Fundamentalists everywhere ought to be unanimously rising to our feet in support of Senator John McCain. He is, after all, cut out of the same piece of cloth as most of us…Don't let the necktie and hair style fool you folks....John McCain might just be a Young Fundamentalist! Consider the following key principles about McCain:

Associations. McCain isn’t afraid to associate with people whom those in his particular circles have long shunned. I offer as proof the McCain-Kennedy bill and the McCain-Feingold act. Or how about his association with other "RINO's" (Republican In Name Only) in his infamous "Gang of Twelve"? I mean, there is some discussion brewing that he has considered placing Joe (or is it Joseph?) Lieberman on his ticket as a running mate in November!

Criticisms. McCain is quick to criticize those in his circles, but not so quick to criticize the other side. He has often displayed how quickly he will criticize those who would criticize his more liberal counterparts even if the criticism is justified. What more proof do we need to offer than his recent criticism of the North Carolina GOP? How about last January when he jumped all over Vice-President Dick Cheney for his "terrible mishandling" if the war? Or his statement that Donald "Rumsfeld will go down in history, along with McNamara, as one of the worst secretaries of defense in history"? McCain almost seems eager to defend Obama (having done so on several fronts including Obama's associations and friendship with Jeremiah Wright) yet quickly jumps to conclusions about his own party, often assuming the worst.

Heritage. McCain claims to be cut out of the same mold as a bunch of history’s great “dead guys”. You know, the guys that both sides like to claim as their own….

Personality. McCain is considered a “maverick”. This is a moniker he proudly displays as a badge of honor. With no regard as to the reasons behind some the stances of the party with which he is currently affiliated, McCain is quick to point out all the flaws and foibles from an “insiders” perspective.

The more I observe McCain, the more I’m reminded of myself, I guess. Quick to criticize the group I’m affiliated with, even though I don’t intend to end my affiliation anytime soon; quick to defend and even endorse those who have never been, nor ever will be part of my group because they take the "more practical stances" on some “hot-button” issues; quick to claim my affiliation with a whole bunch of dead guys from my particular “group” while careful not to align myself too closely with a lot of the live ones; proud to wear the badge of an intellectual, practical, relevant, compassionate proponent of truth while careful to let people know that I’m somewhat of a “maverick”…a “non-conformist” when it comes to matters that I deem as “non-essential”.

When I see this behavior displayed in politics, it makes me a little sick. As I watch McCain I begin thinking, “why don’t you just call yourself an ‘independent’ rather than a ‘republican’”? The man’s quickness to jump on his own while giving a free pass to those who are his enemies on the political front (even though they might share some common views) is a tad revolting. Yet every day, I see this same behavior in myself.

Watching politics the last several weeks has been a tad entertaining, but it has also caused me to reevaluate some things spiritually. Asking questions, calling for change, and criticizing some of the lunacy that exists within Fundamentalism are all good things. However, one has to be careful. There is a tendency towards arrogance, bitterness, and a critical spirit that can ultimately put more of a bite to your criticism than you ever set aside to have. McCain has made a career out of doing this sort of thing, and now the criticism and finger-pointing at his own come so naturally that it’s almost comical. So many YF’s seem to be headed towards the same fate, I think. I'm afraid that many of us have become something akin to "Fundamentalist In Name Only".