football

Confessions of a Thrift-aholic

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

One of my favorite pastimes is going to Goodwill or ThriftSmart. I’m a fan of any kind of thrift stores, but those just so happen to be the closest ones to where I live.

It can be hit or miss. Some days, I won’t find anything remotely interesting. Sometimes, I might pick up one or two items that pique my interests. Today, I came home with an armload of treasures.

I found a book I’d been wanting to read for a while. It’s called Rembrandt Is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art Through the Eyes of Faith by Russ Ramsey. After I brought it home, I discovered it was autographed.

I also picked up a video series on Learning to Love the Psalms by W. Robert Godfrey. I recently took a class at my church on praying through the Psalms, so this will be something beneficial. Plus, it’s put out by Ligonier Ministries, so I’m sure it will be really good.

I found a blu-ray of a movie I’ve been wanting to watch for a while called The Commitments, about a ragtag band in Ireland in the 60s who do 60s soul classics. I remember the language being a bit blue, but I think the music should be fantastic.

I also snagged a Memphis Showboats hat. It’s not the original 80s incarnation, but I do really like the blue and yellow colors, plus I can represent my hometown.

I guess I love thrifting because of what you find in the least likely places. I think God’s grace is a lot like that. It shows up when you least expect it but when you most need it. I read somewhere that God’s nature is always to give above and beyond what we deserve. You might even say that God gives prodigally and lavishly — almost to a wasteful extent because of how little we often appreciate the gifts or give thanks for them.

Above all, I think that thrifting helps me to see value in what the world says is worthless. Those things that show up at a thrift store because someone thought they were trash can end up being someone else’s treasure. So it is for God and God’s people.

So Close

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

I admit I didn’t have a dog in the fight, proverbially speaking. I was sorta kinda hoping that the 49ers could pull off a Super Bowl win, but I wasn’t going to cry myself to sleep if the Chiefs won. I respect and admire both coaches and both teams. Both quarterbacks seem to have a solid faith in God and Jesus.

It turned out to be a Super Bowl for the ages. If you’re a Chiefs fan. I mean how many Super Bowl games go into overtime? Only two that I’m aware of. And it was a battle royale of back and forth to the very end.

My heart goes out to those 49ers. They came so close, so very close. Literally it was a matter of inches. If that extra point is a few inches higher, it doesn’t get blocked and the game possibly has a different outcome. If that player falls on the muffed punt instead of trying to pick it up and run with it, the game might have taken a different trajectory.

Instead, those 49er fans are left with what ifs and what could have beens. As a Titan fan I can relate. I think about that 2000 Super Bowl where Kevin Dyson ended up one yard short of the end zone in their loss to the St. Louis Rams.

I know people will say that in time, it won’t hurt as much. If I want to find out the Super Bowl winners from more than a few years ago, I usually gave to google them. Life goes on and a new day dawns and all that.

But for now, it still stinks. At least for the 49ers team and fans.

Hey, They Can’t All Be Winners, Right?

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

This is what you get when yours truly (me) decides to wait until 12:58 am to write one of these blog posts. Not much.

I had a rather good day, starting off with the first church service for The Church at Avenue South to start off 2017. Then me and a friend headed over to Nissan Stadium to witness the Tennessee Titans pull out a win in their last game of the season.

I had dinner at Local Taco with my amazing new life group. The dinner was great, too. Food always tastes better with good company and good conversation.

At the moment, I’m typing these words while lying in bed with the usual sleepy geriatric feline on the pillow next to mine. I should note that she took it upon herself to start sleeping next to me. I never once prodded or prompted her to sleep there.

That’s all I know at the moment. Plus, I’m thinking of calling it a night myself. Hopefully, I can be a little more disciplined tomorrow (or later on today) and write this thing earlier so it will have actual content in it.

Good night to all my faithful readers– and to those who accidentally wandered onto this post. May your 2017 be better and brighter than ever.

 

Congrats, Peyton Manning

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

Alright, I confess. I was slightly rooting for the Carolina Panthers to win Super Bowl 50. Nothing personal against you. I just felt like they were the better team. Plus, they had the kid from The Blind Side playing for them. It felt like the Christian thing to do.

Still, I also have to confess that I’ve admired you through your entire career, starting out at the University of Tennessee to the Indianapolis Colts and finally to the Denver Broncos.

You always have done everything and carried yourself with utmost class. You always have won the right way– by working hard and playing by the rules. You exemplified your Christian faith without using it as a bully pulpit to shame others.

I don’t know if tonight will go down as your swan song. It’d be nice to see you end your playing career as Super Bowl 50 champion. Still, that is totally your call. You are the only one who knows when it’s the right time to call it a career.

If this is the last rodeo for you, I wanted to be one of the first to thank you for leaving a legacy of class that I hope will be followed by not just future quarterbacks in the NFL, but by all professional athletes in their respective sports.

I love the way you’ve exemplified the truth that it really isn’t ultimately about winning or losing but how you play the game and why you play it. You always have played it for the love of the game and it has always showed. You have earned the respect not only of your fellow players and coaches but also of the opposing players and coaches.

No matter the outcome of the game, whether you had won or lost (and I am glad that you won), I would have considered you a winner either way. All this comes from a non-UT fan who grew up in West Tennessee supporting the other state college.

Thanks, and may you one day buy the Titans and run their organization right. I can dream, can’t I?

 

Four Days Left in 2015

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

Note: if you still have unfulfilled resolutions that you haven’t given up on for 2015, now’s the time to get crackin’. You have four days left. That’s all.

Four days.

It seems like it wasn’t that long ago I was bidding a fond farewell to 2014 and wondering what 2015 would look like.

Speedy. 2015 has looked and felt and gone by speedily. Much more so than 2014.

So what are you planning to do in 2016 to improve your life? What are your resolutions and goals for the new year?

After hearing Aaron Bryant’s sermon, I think my goal is the same as the prophetess Anna from Luke 2– to do whatever it takes to get to where I see the Redeemer in my life and that He becomes the focus of my single-minded devotion.

Also, I’d like to see the Tennessee Titans not look like the Bad News Bears of the NFL. It’s gotten embarrassing to watch the games.

I’d like to see people who profess the name of Jesus in Nashville being more visible (and I put myself in that category). A friend of mine posted on Facebook that 95% of the churches in Nashville are declining.

So much for Nashville being the belt buckle of the Bible belt. We have a lot of church buildings, but not nearly as many vibrant, biblical churches that are actively engaging in a Acts 2-type lifestyle of missional living and intentional community.

As I’ve mentioned before, maybe it’s time for most of us (me included) to stop merely going to church and start being the church. The difference is one hour on Sunday and one hour on Wednesday versus 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

So there we are. That’s what I hope to see in 2016. Maybe those Titans might even start being competitive if they can get decent front office leadership and ownership that actually cares about winning.

But that’s another blog for another day.

 

Generic 1,888th Blog Post

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

20140708-094432-35072370

I have Monday brain. That means all higher functions have ceased and my mode of existence is somewhat akin to “Fire bad. Tree pretty.” It’s not pretty.

I started off my post-work afternoon with a salted caramel latte, courtesy of the fine folks at the Starbucks on Franklin Road in Brentwood . I later met my accountability friend at the same Starbucks and we went walking in the lovely pre-fall weather. We toured the usual places– REI, The Fresh Market, the parking lot. We talked about anything and everything– football, life, work, etc.

20 years ago, I would not have foreseen my life turning out like it has. I don’t think anyone could. But I have seen two decades worth of the faithfulness of God in the midst of frustration, disappointment, joy, grief, triumph, and defeat. I have felt God’s smile over me and known that no matter what, my identity as His Beloved is forever secure. Nothing can or will ever change that.

Would I like the big house and the wife and kids? Of course.

Still, I wouldn’t trade my life for anyone’s. I’m on my own journey that belongs to me and to no one else. I don’t know what’s around the corner, but I know God will be there has He has been around every other.

I’ve learned in every way possible that God is enough. It’s something I’m reminded of on a daily basis, because I am that stubborn and slow to believe and also because God is that patient and willing to lead me.

So once again, I slow down and count the moments and relish the blessings. I sit in Starbucks, sipping on my latte and watching Friends on Netflix, taking in my surroundings and the people coming and going all around me.

Life is always good because God is always good.

The end.

PS I still think my blogs would be much improved by me typing them on a Mac Book Pro. Donations accepted in all forms.

 

 

What I Did Today

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

  
When I typed in the title to today’s post, I almost felt like I was getting ready to write on of those essays that we all used to write as sixth graders about what we did last summer. In my case, it wasn’t last summer, but this Sunday.

I started off in usual fashion by greeting the fine folks who came to worship at The Church at Avenue South. It was PERFECT weather, mid-70s, the kind that for me that conjures up every happy childhood memory.

I still can’t believe that I’m a part of what God is doing in the Berry Hill/Melrose area of Nashville (and that we’re literally next door to Athens Family Restaurant, which has some so-good-it-makes-you-wanna-slap-yo-momma Greek food. Plus, they serve breakfast food all day. Win.

From there, I went to the 28th annual Greek Festival at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. Everything was stellar, from the Greek salad to the Greek dancers to the almost ungodly baklava. The church building itself is beautiful, a fine example of a Byzantine cathedral (as I learned in the 30-minute tour provided by the church).

In addition to the perfection that was my Greek salad, I came home with a Greek Orthodox cross and an “Opa!” pin (for whenever I’m in a My Big Fat Greek Wedding mood. Which is often.

Then it was back to Ave South for a church-wide fellowship. They showed the Titans-Bucs game, which turned out really well for the Titans. For the Bucs? Not so much. At least for one week, the Tennessee Titans I root for have a winning record.

I’m truly blessed to know some of the amazing people I got to hang out with today. Plus, it’s hard to feel too depressed when it’s sunny with a high of 75 outside. Yeah, I think I mentioned already how perfect the weather was.

Worry doesn’t add anything to tomorrow, but it does rob today of it’s blessings. It keeps you from seeing what’s in front of you and from fully engaging in the moments as you’re living them.

Generally I’ve found that 9 out of 10 times, those worst-case scenarios you’re obsessing anxiously over never happen. The world doesn’t end and you don’t kick the bucket. Most of the time, you won’t remember what it was that stressed you out so bad to begin with.

You will remember the moments when you chose not to give into worry but instead chose to trust God in the moment. Those turn out to be the best kinds of moments.

 

That Mr. Irrelevant Again

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

I watched some of the NFL draft today. It’s interesting to see who gets picked where and when and by whom. Plus, you get the joy of seeing the experts’ predictions blown up. You see people who stay up late at night worrying about these kinds of things prognosticating on how these players will either be a great pick or a bust.

As always, the very last pick, around number 256, of the very last round of the draft is called Mr. Irrelevant. Usually, players who don’t get picked up until that point don’t make the final roster of the NFL team that picked them.

I love the fact that no one is Mr. (or Mrs.) Irrelevant to God. God loves each person as if he or she were the only person in the whole world to love. And yet He loves every single person that way. I can’t fathom that, yet I’m nowhere close to being infinite. I can’t even love the very few (in comparison) people in my life with anything close to complete and unconditional love.

At times, other people may make you feel irrelevant. It may or may not be intentional, but the hurt is the same either way. You may feel that what you do and who you are don’t matter to anyone and that maybe the world would be better off without you in it. The feelings may not be true, but that doesn’t stop them from feeling real.

Try this. Read John 3:16. Where it says “the world,” insert your name. For me, it would go something like this, “For God so loved Greg, that He gave His one and only Son, that if Greg believes in Him, He shall not perish.”

Remember that Jesus thought you were to die for. You matter to Him immensely. That’s something to remember on those nights when you feel alone and unwanted.

 

The Not-So-Super Bowl

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

XLVIII

Yes, I know. Super Bowl XLVIII was two days ago. Yes, I watched it. Well, most of it.

If you watched it, you probably know that it wasn’t exactly a nailbiter. There was no thrilling finish. In fact, you might say the contest was basically over when the Denver center snapped the ball over Peyton Manning’s head. The Broncos never recovered after that.

To be more specific, I watched the game right up to the point where the Seattle Seahawks scored to make it a 36-0 game. At that point, I turned off the game and watched a couple of episodes of Twin Peaks, which were much more dramatic and suspenseful than the game ever thought about being.

I’ve never seen a team play worse than the Broncos did in that game. I’ve never seen a team so demoralized as those players in orange and blue.

Even the commercials (in my opinion) weren’t all that great. There were a few that I liked, but mostly they were like the game– overhyped and underperforming.

I do think it’s better to watch a game like this with friends or family or a combination of both. It’s good to have a few board games handy in case the game gets out of hand (sorta like this one did).

I’m glad I’m not a Denver Broncos fan. I’d be really depressed right about now. I’m not really a Seahawks fan either. I just wanted the game to be close and for both teams to play well. As it turned out, it appears somebody forgot to tell most of those Denver Broncos there was a game that night.

As I get “mature” (a nice way of saying “older”), I find that I prefer a good movie to a sporting event. I don’t know why. I just do.

I do however hope next year’s Super Bowl is a bit more competitive. At least make the commercials fun to watch.

 

What I Did for Thanksgiving This Year

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

image

What did I get for Thanksgiving this year? Fat. I got fat.

image

Seriously, it was a low-key day, even by Thanksgiving standards.

image

Me and the fam dined at Cracker Barrel, then I went home and finished my top 50 favorite Christmas movie list. If you want to see it, you’ll have to find me on Instagram.

I kicked off my annual holiday movie fest with the 1994 remake of Miracle on 34th Street. There’s the whole Thanksgiving parade tie-in which makes it the appropriate choice for today. And the parade in the movie was way less creepy than the real-life parade I witnessed on TV today.

For once, there was no football of any kind involved. I just didn’t feel like it.

Tomorrow is Black Friday, which I will honor by sleeping in and dreaming of great deals. On a side note, if you see a great deal on the new iPad Air or a MacBook laptop and feel led by the Spirit to buy one for me, I will give you a shout-out on here. Just sayin’.

I’m thankful for tasty turkey, family, friends, chocolate, warm beds, fleece scarfs, and grace. Maybe not in that order but definitely all of the above and then some.

happycat