Trying To Think

Happy Texas Independence Day!

2009-03-02T11:30:00.000-08:00

Hello,

I just got a text message from my good friend Wade Wilsher wishing (that's amazing aliteration by me) me a happy Texas Independence Day. In recognition of the day, I thought I would repost my rendition of Mount Texmore, which I decided upon and came up with on this very blog several years ago, with the help of input from friends in person and in comments. I distinctly remember the joy it brought me during my time away from this great state. Enjoy!

And, as always, I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon
.....................................................................................

Mount Texmore - the introduction
ESPN Radio's great morning show, "Mike and Mike in the morning" has given me an idea for the next four days of this blog.

They have started a series called "Mount Sportsmore" where they decide which four sports-figures would claim a spot on this mountain...so far, it's Babe Ruth, Mohamed Ali, and Michael Jordan.

Well, I've decided to make my own mountain - Mount Texmore.

Of course, I need to work through some rules: Should I say that it must be pretty well accepted that the person is FROM Texas, as in born there, grew up there, and did not move away until after the childhood upbringing? OR, should I say that any human being (that issue was debated on the morning show when one of the Mikes considered a horse for the mountain) who has made an impact on the state is eligable (i.e. Davy Crocket who was from Tennessee)?

I suppose I'll have to go with the latter - being that Texas isn't so much a state of geographical area as it is a state of mind, I would say that anyone who has influenced the state OR anyone from the state who has influenced the rest of the world may be eligable.

Another rule that I must lay out is this: once I have placed a figure on this mountain, that figure cannot be replaced...he/she is chisled in, and that's final. So then, on day four when I have a million possibilities left, I cannot undo one of the earlier entries.

Also, there can only be four...I am not allowed to ADD mass to the mountain on day four to allow for another head.

So then, on with the heads!
Posted by Landon Smith at 10:41 AM 1 comments Links to this post

Thursday, May 04, 2006
Mount Texmore - Face 1
Before you read this, you might want to look at my first entry for today, "Mount Texmore - the Introduction", found just below this one...Also, please feel free to jump in on this debate.

Deciding on the first face for the mountain is a harder task for me than you may think. The way I see things, for now, is as four available spots on this mountain that I need to decide how to split up. For instance:

There needs to be at least someone from Texas history books who made an impact on the state, making it what it is today and always has been. That person may or may not actually be from there.

But, perhaps there also needs to be at least someone from Texas on this mountain who has made the same sort of political impact on our entire nation.

Furthermore, there needs to be at least someone from Texas on this mountain who has made a significant impact on popular culture, rather it be in music, sports, etc.

I honestly have no idea who the four figures will be. I don't even, at this point in the entry, know who will end up on the mountain by the end of this entry. I'll just have to talk it out here. I'll make one promise to you - I will not cause a nuclear reaction, an implosion of this moutain, by placing George W. Bush and the annoying girl from the Dixie Chicks side by side.

Benny "the clown" Culverhouse, the Children's minister here, has gotten in on this conversation: His vote is for either Hank Hill or Stevie Ray Vaghn. Regarding Hank Hill, this brings up an interesting point - does the face need to be of a non-fictional human being? I don't ask this because of Hank Hill - as much as I love the animated show, he's NOT going on the mountain. Cayce thinks I should put Walker Texas Ranger on the mountain - that, too, is not likely to happen. But, does Pecos Bill not deserve some sort of consideration? In regards to Stevie Ray Vaghn, I think music does indeed need representation here - but, is that going to be Stevie Ray Vaghn? You have to consider the lead singer of ZZ-Top, or Meatloaf, or Mac Davis.

I also got some input from our new secretary, Becky. Her suggestion was Matthew Mconohay - not sure on the spelling there. I would have never suggested him, but many female readers might, and he might deserve some consideration. But, does he really belong on the same list of possibilities with the likes of Sam Houston and Steven F. Austin?

One face - I need one face on this mountain by the end of this paragraph. I want to hold off on deciding what great Texans from the history books belong here until I hear more input from others. So then, we'll go with something pop-culture for now. What great Texan has influenced us as Americans in ways that his/her legacy will carry on far beyond his/her life. Today, I think I'll chisel in the face of a man...
a man who died far too soon...
a man who's influence on the music scene still rings loud...
the true king of rock-and-roll who simply wasn't alive long enough to be known as such...
the man who "American Pie" (the song) is about...
the man who made coke-bottle glasses popular...
the man who Weezer sings about looking like...

Buddy Holly. If his legacy was not living on already, it certainly will now.

I love you all. Your input for tomorrow's face is welcome. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Posted by Landon Smith at 11:21 AM 8 comments Links to this post

Monday, May 08, 2006
Mount Texmore - Face 2
First of all, I appologize for not getting around to this until now - I'm sure you're all dying to know who's next. I had an amazing weekend - but it was busy. There was simply no time to chisel.

I'm just now beginning to realize how little space there is on Mt. Texmore. There's only three spots left, meaning after this entry, there will only be two, meaning that each face I put there will be a bit contraversial. I still, therefore, need a whole lot more prayer and input from you regarding the remaining slots.

I wanted to go with Bobby Layne today - one of the ten best quarterbacks of all time and the inventor of the two minute drill. However, he would make the mountain start to look like Mount Lubbmore (he and Buddy Holly are both from Lubbock) and he was a Detroit Lion which would make it seem biased. All that aside, I would still put him on the mountain other than his horrible character - he was a great football player, but a lousy man. Also, Somebody like Don Merideth or Nolan Ryan or Coach Landry are better known today (not as good, but better known).

Here's my newest struggle with this mountain - I think it might be a chauvinist one. I truly need your input here because I am finding difficulty thinking of deserving females. That doesn't mean there aren't any great females from Texas - only that there aren't many who are as deserving as Buddy Holly. I mean, am I to shove Sam Houston off this mountain in favor of Bonnie Parker from the Bonnie and Clyde crime duo? Probably not. Should Lyndon B. Johnson not make the "cut" in favor of Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay? Absolutely not! Do I leave off "W" in favor of Ninnie Baird, the founder of Mrs. Bairds bread? Hmmmm. So, help is truly needed here.

So then, I was going to go with Lance Armstrong for today. In fact, when I began this entry, I had him in mind. He is a man who, through sport and a defeat of horrible cancer, has given courage to many. I already was considering him when Ben Overby suggested him, giving me more courage to chisel him in. Here's the problem: 100 years from now, I fear that very few people will know the name. We still know Buddy Holly, and always will. Lance Armstrong - his legacy will dwindle in the next decade.

So, I basically chose between two figures today - I won't tell you the losing one because he still has a great chance of being chosen tomorrow or the next day. The new face on Mount Texmore is the man known as the father of Texas: How could he not, then, be on this mountain? He brought hundreds of families into the state due to the poor conditions of the United States at the time. He was responsible for the settlement of more than 1,200 American families in Mexican Texas. Besides all that, he may be the man most responsible for our existance today: following a period of imprisonment in Mexico City, he urged Texans to join federalists in Mexico in revolt against the centralist dictatorship of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. During the Texas Revolution, he briefly commanded Texas volunteers and then went to the United States to gain support for the Texan cause. The rest is history, and beautiful.

Stephen F. Austin: Thanks for everything.

I love you all. Thanks for reading. Your input is valuable.

Landon
Posted by Landon Smith at 9:03 AM 3 comments Links to this post

Friday, May 12, 2006
Mount Texmore - Face 3
Hello,

Again, I apologize for the hiatus. I truly did plan to have this mountain built in four consecutive days - I've learned that in the midst of life's hustle and bustle, it's hard to build a mountain.

Just so you know, the other person in serious consideration for face number two was Sam Houston. He still might go on tomorrow (at least, I think it'll be done tomorrow). But, I ran that by Cayce and she made the point that if Stephen F. Austin is already on the mountain, then does it really NEED Sam Houston? It does seem kind of redundant. Besides that, I remember from Texas history that the two of them did not get along at all, which is why the capital has changed a few times. But, Sam Houston deserves consideration, if for no other reason, for these quotes:

"Texas will again lift its head and stand among the nations. It ought to do so, for no country upon the globe can compare with it in natural advantages"

"All new states are invested, more or less, by a class of noisy, second-rate men who are always in favor of rash and extreme measures, But Texas was absolutely overrun by such men."

"Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppression, come from what source it may."

I think any man who talks like that is a Texan, heart and soul, and deserves consideration on this mountain. But, if I only end up putting either him or Austin, I made the right choice - Austin is, after all, the father of Texas.

So, what about today? There are so many I've considered, and yet can't bring myself to put up there: Willie Nelson...does not compare to the greatness and legacy of Buddy Holly, and music is already represented anyway, and I don't even like him (but am willing to consider him based on his importance). George Bush or George W. Bush...they only would even be considered by today's generation of Texans, but really they have done nothing to compare with what many have done who would be left out, such as Sam Houston for instance, or Lyndon B Johnson. Ross Perot...okay, I never actually considered him.

There's no sports figure yet on this mountain, and Texas has the most of any state in our nation or world to choose from (I found this to be true without a doubt as I have worked on this mountain), so I need to get a sports figure on here. Again, I'd go with Lance Armstrong if he only wasn't a bike rider - that's such an insignificant sport in most peoples' minds that he will be forgotten far too soon. So, let me just throw out some options here: Jack Johnson...the first black man to win the heavyweight boxing championship of the world. Don Meredith...played Quarterback for the local Dallas Cowboys, getting them on the right track of winning, but never getting them that coveted championship (he never could seem to beat those pesky Lions). Richard Petty...known as "the king" with his 200 career wins in the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit. Bill Picket...the most famous legendary cowboy ever. Willie Shoemaker...the most successful jockey in history. Roger Staubach...Won four NFC Championship games and two superbowls as a Dallas Cowboy quarterback. Others include Babe Didrickson, Zack Thomas, Doak Walker, Bobby Layne, and...

Today's face for Mt. Texmore. I will argue with anyone for as long as I live that Sports deserves much of the credit for what we are as a nation - Men getting off work and going in their suits to watch their local baseball team play another city's team brought about unity and family values and camaraderie and teamwork that other nations had not seen and many still have not -- I firmly believe that more than anything we do that we can teach to the people of a nation like Iraq, teaching them our systematic ways of sport would do as much or more good. Please don't hear me as undermining what men did in putting their lives on the line for my freedom - obviously that is more special than a baseball game...but they did that because they believed in something. And what did they believe in? A nation that loved all people, that could fight through any depression, that held family in high regard, that demanded freedom, that owned up to liberty, a nation of people who could follow a major league baseball team. That's the same kind of thing our soldiers today believe in.

Many athletes have squandered that good name of sport for our nation to the point where a true sports fan is seen as an idiot for acknowledging what sports have meant to us all (see my entry on Barry Bonds and ESPN). But, there still remain reasons to cheer. Reasons like this man...

Nolan Ryan. What a great 28 year career in major league baseball. That's right...28 years. He started in 1966 with the New York Mets, and yet I, born in 1981, grew up watching him pitch for the Texas Rangers. I distinctly remember the day he retired in 1993. He played all nine positions during those 28 years, but he'll forever (yeah, forever) be remembered as a pitcher. He is baseball's all time leader in strikeouts with over 5000. He also holds the record for a whopping 7 no hitters. That's hard to imagine today, when home run and hitting records are being bulldozed left and right - that's one no-hitter every 4 years, on average! He won over 300 games.

And yet, those credentials alone would not get Nolan Ryan on this mountain: In addition to his prowess as a pitcher, Nolan Ryan has always maintained the highest reputation as a man of irreproachable character and integrity. In spite of the millions of dollars Ryan has made from both his product endorsements and salary, he has always remained one of the last of the old-time players, oblivious to the big-money contracts, and with an eye only on the well-pitched game.

One face left...your input is welcome.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon
Posted by Landon Smith at 9:10 AM 3 comments Links to this post

Monday, May 15, 2006
Mount Texmore - the final face
Hello

This one was really a no brainer.
I would love to have more room for more famous Texans, or others who have helped to shape and form Texas into what it is today: Davy Crocket, Sam Houston, Red Adair. We have the fastest man in the world - Michael Johnson. We have the most famous child actor star ever - Spanky McFarland. We have Joan Crawford, who would be the female closest to grazing this mountain. The greatest crime duo ever - Bonnie and Clyde. Legends of music - George Jones, ZZ Top, Willie Nelson. Carol Burnett. Howard Hughes. Lyndon Johnson. Dan Rather. That famous guy with the funny name - Rip Torn.
However, I now reiterate: this one really was a no brainer. There is one Texan who has made an impact on this world. A lasting one. Nobody envies the decisions he was faced with - most respect him for facing them with wisdom and dignity. Who better to make decisions that would impact the world for the rest of its existence than a man with the poise, grit, and strength of mind that comes from growing up in Texas - a man with the humility, heart, and depth of soul that comes from being raised there.

Dwight D. Eisenhower. Popularly known as Ike. Military hero during World War II. Amazing president of the United States of America just following World War II. For more, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwight_D._Eisenhower.

Well, there you have it. The completed Mt. Texmore. Thanks for sharing this journey with me.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon
Posted by Landon Smith at 1:37 PM 2 comments Links to this post

I'm devestated

2009-02-26T11:59:00.000-08:00

I'm sad right now.

www.bnlmusic.com

Steven Page, one of Barenaked Ladies' two frontmen, has left the band. Those of you who know me best know what this band is to me, and especially Steve -- his songs were always my favorite.

I'm glad for the 20 years of music, and I'm happy that Steve will continue in solo efforts and that Barenaked Ladies will still exist -- apparently they'll be in the studio soon.

But, it'll never be the same.

Landon

I'm Old

2009-02-24T12:07:00.000-08:00

I feel older all the time -- mainly because I'm a youth minister, and every year there's a little more gap in age between myself and the teenagers. Beyond that, friends of mine are having three and four babies, and I occasionally check the weather channel before I leave the house in the mornings.

Right now, I feel old because last night Cayce and I were watching Wheel of Fortune while she made dinner -- she loves that show, so we turn it on often. Well, they said that Friday is there 10,000th show, and so it would be a special one, and Cayce said, "Oh! We are SO watching that!"

So, of all things for my wife and I to do on a Friday night, we're watching Wheel of Fortune, and it's a planned thing. I'm old.

Landon

Papa Brothers

2009-02-19T14:08:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone. I'm getting the hang of facebook. It's kind of neat to say hi to people I never thought I'd hear from again, and to accept friend requests from people whos names sound vaguely familiar, so what the heck?

Tomorrow night, Cayce and I are going to Papa Brother's steakhouse. We were planning to go last Saturday to celebrate Hallmark (Valentines) Day, but I felt like...hmmmm...say there's a dog that got hit by a car, but remained torturously alive, and then another dog comes and defecates on it...I felt like that. Hey, you asked. Well, I guess you didn't, but oh well. So, we're going tomorrow, and I hear it's like $50 a person at least. They better have really good straws...you know, like the ones that put so much liquid into your mouth you need a refill after a couple of gulps. And, therefore, they better have quick refills. And, the steak better be at least average. But, just don't skimp on the straws for that price.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

I am finally "normal"

2009-02-17T14:12:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,

I finally got a facebook. So, I guess that means I now will know who my friends are -- actually, according to some, it means I will now HAVE friends. Also, my marriage is official. And, I am finally employed as a youth minister. Oh, and I now, officially, went to ACU. So, I exist, from hence forth. Feel free to befriend me...I'll accept.

I've been very sick since Thursday, but today I feel pretty good. It was a rough weekend, physically.

Barry, my rat terrier, has this bell that we hung from the back doorknob, and he has been trained to ring it when he needs to go outside. How very sophisticated, I know. Well, we took it down yesterday because he has realized that the bell is a way to get us to pay attention to him. So, he rings it constantly. I mean that -- constantly -- as in every 30 seconds. So, we tried leaving him outside, but it didn't matter. As soon as we let him back in, if we aren't playing with him, he goes to ring the bell. So, we took it down for our own sanities.

In other news, I think I'll wait another year or two on kids, for those of you who have asked.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Cha Cha, and an email

2008-12-18T10:41:00.000-08:00

Hello readers,

I am hooked on a rediculous tool called "ChaCha". If you were to tell me, "Landon, you can ask me any question and I will give you an answer," I wouldn't care too much. But for some reason, when you say to me, "Landon, you can TEXT me any question, and I'll text you an answer," I just can't get enough.

You can text ANY (and I mean any) question to 242242 (chacha), and they will answer it. It can be factual questions that they'll look up on Google for you, or it can be "What should I name my firstborn son?" or "What should I form my mashed potatos into?" I can't explain the addiction, but it's addicting. You get 20 free questions per month, then you have to pay. They send reminders each time you ask a question when you start getting close to your limit...and I can ask 6 more free questions during the next 20 days.

But, I still have 20 freebies on Cayce's phone!
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I thought you all might enjoy this email I just sent to Woody Paige (the Chalkboard guy on ESPN's Around the Horn). Hopefully something will come of it.

Woody,

First, since I’m emailing you, I suppose I’ll give you a quote:

- You can look, but don’t touch me please (an arrow pointing at yourself would be optional on this one)

And now, could you do me a favor? I shouldn’t even word it like that – I should say, instead, “would you like to be a part of something huge?” Because, really, I’m doing you a favor by letting you in on this.

About six years ago, I was having a conversation with several people, and out of nowhere I said, “That’s straight Kansas!” They all said, “WHAT?” but we decided it was a pretty neat phrase – or, should I say, a pretty straight Kansas phrase. See, since that day six years ago, “straight Kansas” has come to mean cool, awesome, great – because (and, as a writer, you’ll agree) we simply don’t have enough words for that. We NEED one more.

I have taken this phrase to four cities spanning three states (Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas). It has caught on quite well at times – it can be heard in High Schools and Jr. Highs at the goth and the Hollister lunch tables alike – range like that is unmatched except maybe by the word “sucks.” You can hear it at colleges such as Abilene Christian University and Texas Tech. “What’s so great about ACU?” you might be asking. Well, it does have the fourth most all time NCAA national championships, behind UCLA, Stanford, and USC…squeeze that tidbit into ATH and see if Reali can resist not giving points for info like that – and THEY say “That’s straight Kansas!” whenever excitement calls for such an outburst.

I have big dreams for this phrase. I want “Straight Kansas” to appear in the dictionary someday as a slang term. I want a famous rapper to put it into a song: “I’ll blow yo mind in these eight stanzas/ can’t touch these skillz cause I’m straight Kansas.” Something like that. I would love to see it spray painted onto ghetto walls.

All this and more can happen…and it can start with you. If you could just do me the honor (and, really, once again, you’d get to be a part of something huge) of saying the phrase on ATH, it would be a huge start. I would credit you always. When I go onto Letterman, and get a Wikipedia page as the founder of this catch-phrase, I would always announce, “I must thank Woody Paige.”

If you are willing to say these two simple, but profound words, I would appreciate it if you would do so during “The First Word”, as this segment appears online each day for free, and I could thusly link it to literally 1000s of people who would be absolutely FLOORED!

Thanks (but really, You’re very welcome)

Thanksgiving diversity

2008-12-03T12:55:00.000-08:00

I had three thanksgiving meals last week. It doesn't matter how many different ways there are to cook and prepare the same meal, it gets old after three helpings. I was offered a Turkey sandwich Saturday night -- I went to Quiznos.

I am thankful for much, and after these three Thanksgiving celebrations I realize that I'm thankful for my unique family (I mean "family" in the extended sense, meaning Cayce's extended family as well as my own). I would guess that nobody had quite as diverse Thanksgiving experiences as I had. Bookending my family's celebration in Lubbock was Cayce's extended family's festivities in Abilene, and her immediate family's celebration in Arlington. The one in Abilene consisted of nameplates at each seat, six tables with food on them and water or tea at each seat, and phrases like "Could you please pass the..." and "pardon me." It is a true blessing to attend each year. Her immediate family had more of the same, but minus the nametag and four of the tables, and they utilized China dishes.

Sandwiched in between was my family: mom, dad, five of their six kids, my sister's two boys, plus my brother's girlfriend (who I met for the first time) and two kids my mom knows, ages 11 and 12. We turned off the TV for the prayer, then turned it back on (the Lions made me wish we hadn't). We sat on two fold out tables covered in tablecloths, because, you know, it's a nice occasion. The food was placed wherever there was room for it, covering the tables and the kitchen cabinets. We drank Sodas. We ate off of paper plates. We only used the phrase "Pardon me" sarcastically after noises we were actually quite proud to have produced.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

McNabb, Broadcastors, MVP, and Rookie of the Year

2008-11-19T22:15:00.000-08:00

Ready for a rant? The reason I'm really passionate about this right now is because of the recent voting debacles of the idiots in the Baseball Writers' Association of America...but I'll go in chronilogical order here, so these debacles will be elaborated on after a few paragraphs about Sunday's NFL debacle.

Have you heard about Donovan McNabb (long-time quarterback of the Philladelphia Eagles) not knowing that NFL games can end in a tie? The Eagles and Bengals played to a tie this week, after a terrible looking overtime (I was watching -- McNabb and Westbrook are on my FF team) in which McNabb and the Eagles showed no sense of urgency. As the clock wound down, I thought, "Not surprising, really. They showed no urgency during the fourth quarter of the Superbowl several years ago. Why would they show some now?" However, after the game, McNabb admitted that he didn't even know NFL games COULD end in a tie. Why am I not surprised? Well, maybe because I watch/ DVR and fastforward through on average about 10 sporting events a week during this time of year (3 Mavs, 3 Stars, 1 Lions, and around 3 other football games including college and NFL), and I'm constantly reminded of how little people IN sports know ABOUT sports.

NFL announcers, coaches, and players are the worst, by far. I almost cannot stand to watch an NFL game with volume because I feel like I'm listening to people sitting in a living room at a party trying to talk about the game that's on just to have something to do with the conversation. They have no idea about what's challengable/ not challengable -- they have no clue about basic rules (for example, most NFL announcers STILL seem to have not been told that as of this season, a hand grazed across a facemask is not a penalty -- or that if a player goes up for a catch and is pushed out of bounds but WOULD have landed in bounds, it's incomplete, as of this season) -- they constantly get the players' names wrong (seriously, they only know the household names...the rest, they just pick a guy on the roster and guess at it) -- and the sad thing is, they have NOTHING to do all week but get ready to broadcast this ONE GAME! I, the fan, who have thought little or none about this game throughout the week, sit down to watch it and constantly correct THEM in their unprepared ignorance. NFL coaches baffle me with trying to decline non-declinable penalties, and challenge non-challengable calls. As McNabb has proven, NFL veterans know almost nothing about the game (they are simply good athletes), and it's these people that become the announcers, commentators, voters, and other authorities.

A quick note here: Ron Jaworski is a marvelous color commentator on MNF, and Mike Tiricco is a great play by play guy (I wish Kornheiser would leave that booth and stick to PTI -- he adds nothing). John Madden is a good color guy, and Al Michaels is an okay play by play guy. Aikman is a pretty good color guy (although, obviously, I could do without his partner, Joe (living off my daddy's name) Buck -- see my coming comment on his world series work). Chris Collinsworth is pretty good on the NFL Network games. Brian Billick is pretty good, especially considering it's his first year. Phil Simms is the one and only quality NFL game commentator on CBS. Other than those I've listed here, I really think I could step in this week and do a better job, and that is without having played professionally, taken classes in broadcasting, or ever been in the booth.

College football is better per person, but there are some pundits. MLB is pretty good -- except for Joe Buck. He does the World Series because it's on Fox. I could go on for a while about this broadcaster who only gets to be one because of his dad, but suffice to say that during the world series each year, he seems to have some idea that there is a round ball and a stick and two teams playing some sport involving these items -- beyond that, he is clueless. Basketball has some of the best and some of the worst (Mark Jackson, Van Gundy: Best/ Bill Walton: Worst). Hockey "people" are almost always great at what they do. They know more about the game than me, the fan, and that's the way it should be. I'm a youth minister -- you get paid to know and discuss sports.

It was announced today that Evan Grant, a sports columnist for the Dallas Morning News who has an AL MVP vote, left Dustin Pedroia off his ballett -- it was "an oversight." He gets to rank his choices for AL MVP 1-10, and he left off the guy that won it! That's quite an oversight! I simply cannot, for the life of me, figure out what could have led to a guy who follows baseball for a living to leave Padroia off his ballett -- except that he went to college as a journalism major thinking sports journalism would be a cool thing to do, but isn't really a fan of the game, so when it comes to him getting to do things like vote for AL MVP he looks stuff up online, or has interns do it for him.

Oh, and how about this dandy, also announced this week: For rookie of the year, Edinson Volquez of the Reds was not a rookie, yet received some votes. Not even just one. Three idiots voted for him to finish second. I have no idea why these ballots were even counted, as they voted for an ineligible player. Rules are rules, and yet we're going to look at the voting results for the 2008 NL Rookie of the Year voting in 20 years and see Volquez in fourth place. Seriously, if you're lucky enough to have a vote on something like this, and you don't deserve it so you have to look up the names of rookies, at least do THAT right. Some members of the Baseball Writer's Association of America (or whatever it is) are awesome (Like Peter Gammons), but too many are the kinds of idiots that make this a true statement: No player (not Babe Ruth, not Lou Gherrig, not Mickey Mantle, not Jackie Robinson, not Nolan Ryan) has ever been a unanimous selection for the baseball Hall of Fame.

It just seems to me that average people who casually follow sports are increasingly smarter in the subject than those who get these jobs because once, many years ago, they ran fast 40s and were 7 feet tall -- or went to broadcasting school and have a good voice -- or got a degree in journalism. People who play Madden know the rules and are better at clock-management than people who can throw the ball in real life. I don't think it's right, and I can't think of another successful business in which that is the case.

I love you all - Thanks for reading.

Landon

Woody Paige Update

2008-11-14T16:37:00.000-08:00

For a reference to see what I'm talking about here, see two entries down...

Woody Paige used three of my quotes today!

- Never play strip ATH with Platsche
- Please don't sue me when I blow your mind
- Shhh! Woody's talking!

So, I'm pretty much a small time celebrity now.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Controversy

2008-11-13T10:47:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a lot about the direction of my ministry lately, and it's been lacking something -- controversy. Yes, it's a scarry thing to realize, as conviction would lead to consequence of some kind. But, I've always been a sucker for it.

For instance, I love the song-writer/ performer Derrek Webb for lyrics like, "I'm turning over tables in my own living room...and I might nail indictments up on every door in town...and I don't care if nobody loves me but You" (from the song "Nobody Loves Me") and "I am a whore, I do confess" (from the song "Wedding Dress"). I just finished Rob Bell's newest book, "Jesus Wants to Save Christians" and I loved it -- and probably the main reason I loved it is because Bell comes across as anything but a good middle-class Republican American, and paints Jesus in anything but that light as well. Controversial. The back of the book claims that Jesus is a savior for a world in which some people fly planes in buildings, while others drive to the grocery store in Hummers. Even when I don't agree, I appreciate the controversy -- I'm a sucker for it. For instance, one thing Bell says is that the USA didn't have to drop the atom bombs during WWII -- Japan had already surrendered. I don't think that's true. But boy do I appreciate his conviction -- conviction strong enough to speak boldly.

One thing I love about my Lord is his controversial approach to his discontent with the status quo -- he is a man who tells stories about Pharisees going to Hell and Tax Collectors going to Heaven -- he is a man who tells stories about rich people going to Hell and poor people going to Heaven -- he is a rebel who tells religious leaders that they make their extremely far and few between converts twice the children of hell that they themselves are -- He is a God who is willing to use an enemy nation, or society, or club against his own kingdom because his convictions for hearing the cries of the oppressed are stronger than his love for "his" people (not so much "his" anymore when they become the oppressors) -- My Lord is a God willing to go to great lengths to prove his virtue to those in need...but a man with nothing to prove, setting aside the power he knows he has and allowing weak men to torture and kill him. Here's the thing I've noticed most recently -- it's hit me like an oncoming train as I stood there on the tracks never considering the dangerous impact of that big, loud machine coming at me -- people in religious temples hated Jesus; people in sinful situations, villiages, and homes embraced him. He was run out of his hometown after interpreting scripture in a temple, he was deemed a sinner and got a man kicked out of God's dwelling (in the mind's of weak men) by men in a temple after healing the man's blindness, he was murdered three days after busting open a can with a whip in Jerusalem's temple...He was loved in Samaria, loved by prostitutes, loved by extortioners he told to stop their extortioning, loved by lepors, and loved by a naked criminal on the cross next to him. Controversial. Not diplomatic -- not correct -- and not a white, middle-class republican in a church filled with white, middle-class republicans.

Controversy has a bad rap, I think. Maybe this is something I'll change my mind on when I'm older and wiser. But, it seems that diplomacy, if not cultural tolerance is considered the way to go. Sometimes it is -- but when conviction clashes head on with status-quo, controversy is more Godly than diplomacy. Boldness is a greater virtue than a willingness to wait things out. I'm not talking about violence...I'm talking about change through bold, controversial revolution.

Bold moves by convicted people bring about change. Not diplomatically waiting things out -- that's never accomplished anything.

Controversy leads to change. The oposite of controversy is content at best, or indifference at worst..."I kind of like things the way they are" at best, or "It's probably not right, but it really doesn't concern me much" at worst.

Someday, then, there will be no controversy. Because, in "The new Heaven and the New Earth", there'll be nothing to change. We'll be rightfully content.

But, for now, I've decided that I shouldn't preach sermons that everyone hearing automatically agrees with, or is comfortable with. I shouldn't teach classes that everyone appreciates. I shouldn't write things that everyone automatically "Amens". Because, if I do that, what's the point really? My public ministry should start conversation that brings about change -- not put a stamp on conversations that everyone (or, at least, those with power) has comfortably resolved.

But, again, it's a scarry thing to realize, as conviction would lead to consequence of some kind. But, I've always been a sucker for it.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Woody Paige's Chalkboard

2008-11-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

Hello readers,

There's this show on ESPN called Around the Horn (or ATH, for short) in which Toni Reali (aka stat boy) sits in front of four satellite screens showing newspaper columnists who debate current sports topics. Reali gives them meaningless points when he thinks they say something insighful, and he mutes them when he thinks they are being ignorant. In the end, one of them -- probably usually determined before the show - "wins" and gets to talk about whatever he wants for about one minute. For a much more detailed description, see Wikipedia.

Well, one of the regular columnists on the show is Woody Paige from the Denver Post. Whenever he's on the show, he has a chalkboard hanging on the wall behind him with some quirky statement written on it -- he changes it during commercials. Here's a consistantly updated record of his quotes from this year.

So, I sent him an email containing several quote ideas...he actually used one (Wanna do something? I'm board.) On Friday October 10th. I swelled with pride. If you refer to the link of his quotes, and compare it to the following list I sent him, you will surely find that my suggestions are generally better than what he actually uses. I can only assume that he's rationing my suggestions so as not to cause unreasonable expectations from his fans.

Here are the suggestions I sent him (if you don't often watch the show, you won't get a few of them):

- Wanna do something? I’m board.

- I fought Chuck Norris, and it was pretty much a tie

- Ecclesiastes 4:11

These next two would go on the same show:

- I used to be Millen’s draft board.

- I used to be Marrioti’s teleprompter.

- More like MariNOTti

- I grew up in the hood; my mom made me wear it on cold days

- Never play strip ATH with Platsche

- I’m running out of chal (this one would fade gradually as it’s written)

- Give me an inch…and I’ll give it back and demand a mile

- To do list:

1) Around the Horn

2) Write column

Mariotti’s to do list:

1) Around the Horn

2) Mumble to self

- Reali heard my 2 cents…and said I was cheap

- Shhhh! Woody’s Talking

- Please don’t sue me when I blow your mind

- Will talk 4 food

- I don’t wish I were an Oscar Meyer Wiener. I don’t wish that at all.

- (hang a pair of pants on the wall under the board for this one) Reali, don’t make me stand up

- “Pokemon” reminds me of a bad experience I once had with a Jamaican

- If I look good, it’s because you’re normal

For a Friday show
- TGIF: Woody, meet Buzz

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

2008-11-02T21:32:00.000-08:00

Hey blog readers,

Cayce and I just walked into our duplex after a weekend away, and the smell was absolutely nasty. It was seriously worse than vomit -- it was like if you vomited and left it there until the vomit began growing mold. Cayce was extremely tired, so I told her to go to bed and I would take care of it. So, first I took out the trash -- of course, I smelled it first. Not bad, really. I mean, I wouldn't want to sleep in the bag with it, but it wasn't any worse than you might expect a bag of trash to smell. So, I decided to do the dishes. Some of them were pretty dirty, but none smelled like molded vomit. So, just as I began to assume it must have been a lethal combination of trash and dirty dish fumes joining forces over a two day period, I turned around and noticed a small tupperware container filled with God (and Cayce) knows what that I assume Cayce had taken to school for lunch a few weeks ago and decided to bring home Friday. As I picked it up, bringing it closer to my aroma sensor, it became clear that I had found the molded vomit equivelant. I should have just thrown it outside -- but I didn't know any better. I removed the lid, and had to leave the kitchen for a few minutes. I eventually got the container into the dishwasher where it is now, hopefully, becoming house-safe.

I'll have to tell her about that tomorrow -- actually, I'll just let her read it here.

I would love to share a recent realization with you. Psalm 1 begins by explaining that people who do not walk, stand, or sit with the wicked are blessed. I dwelt on that this evening like never before -- We often think about what we can do to be blessed, and that's good; God wants us to feed the hungry, and take care of orphans and widows, and lead others to Christ, and I believe he blesses us through our doing. But, I've never really thought about this: God also blesses us simply by making a decision to NOT partner with those who live contrary to his righteousness. When we decide that we will NOT lie, cheat, steal, dissrespect, have sex the way of the wicked, speak the way of the wicked, etc, but instead we will delight in God's law (his way of doing things), then we are blessed.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Therapy

2008-10-30T21:33:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure I should write something, but I'm not sure what. When you stop blogging for an extended period of time, it's hard to figure out how to get back into it at first. I mean, after a month of steady blogging, you can get online and say something like, "I noticed something interesting today concerning the texture of my arm hair..." but if I did that now, it would be like walking up to my kindergarten teacher who I haven't seen in over 15 years, and beginning the encounter with, "Mrs. Taylor, look at my new shoes." It would have been fine to begin a conversation with her like that 15 years ago, and perhaps it could be again 15 years from now, but not today. No, today, "Hello Mrs. Taylor. I'm Landon Smith. Remember me?" would be more appropriate.

I only know that I love to write -- it's not only a hobby, it's therapy...and I'm not right when I'm not writing, whether it be in this blog or in a notebook or onto a Word document or whilst flying a stunt plane leaving one of those trails of smoke behind forming words into the sky, which I've never done, but I suppose it could be therapeutic if I got good enough at it so I didn't have to think too much about not dieing.

So, for tonight, I'll just say hello -- pretty much just to Cayce, unless somebody else just happens to check in to see if, by some small chance, I updated this blog...and if that's the case, hello to you as well. Tomorrow night I'll come back and write again, and hopefully things will get back to normal familiarity around here.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Eli - best ever?

2008-02-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

Hey readers,

I was like most of the nation - glad at the superbowl result. Not because I care one bit about the Giants, but because I didn't want the Patriots to win. But then, last night I was reminded of the travesty of people who only watch one game a year...

During a phone conversation, I was asked "Have you ever seen anyone as good as Eli Manning?" Okay, it was my mom who asked it. God bless her. I was speechless!!! First of all, I was thrilled for Eli - I think he's one of the few athletes who undeservedly has a bad reputation. I was glad he shut a lot of people up. But, I was appalled that there are now people who have watched one football game in the last 52 weeks who think he's in the running for best ever. Those people may never see Palmer, or Rivers, or Brees, or the other 10 or so current quarterbacks who, at least today, are probably better than Eli Manning. And for those of you thinking, "He won a Superbowl...they didn't" I will go ahead and say that I feel that's the most rediculous, overated, underthought, oversimplified argument in sports. Trent Dilfer won a superbowl -- Dan Marino did not. Travis Fisher has won an NBA championship -- not John Stockton. Charles Barkley also never won it all -- but Bill Winnington did. I think I've made my point already, without even touching baseball (Nolan Ryan, for instance). Eli is good, congratulations for winning, and I was impressed and happy for him. As one who has watched about 100 football games this season, I'll leave it at that. If to you, though, he's the best you've ever seen, you're missing out.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

News and a sermon

2008-01-14T09:02:00.000-08:00

Hey readers,

For anyone interested, here is a link to the sermon I preached this Sunday morning. Enjoy it, and let me have feedback.
http://www.ovillachurchofchrist.com/Documents/01132008_AM.wma

In case this concerns you and you aren't yet aware, the Ovilla cc youth group's website is still the same URL (www.ovillayouth.com), but it's now a blog, and much more useful, and updated 5 days a week.

Cayce is sick today, again. She did go to school, though. If she's still sick tomorrow, I'm making her go to the doctor.

I love you all. Thanks for reading/listening.

Landon

Very Random

2008-01-07T12:16:00.000-08:00

Hey readers,

I didn't preach Sunday -- Michael actually had to stay in town and decided he wanted to do it, so I got bumped. I think I'm doing it this week, though. I finished the Philip Yancey book on prayer -- it was extremely long, but well worth it. Now, I'm reading, "Practicing Passion: Youth and the Quest for a Passionate Church" by Kenda Creasy Dean. So far, I like the introduction. I missed NCYM (National Conference on Youth Ministry) for the third straight year for a third seperate reason. That's getting old. It's a priority for next year. It looks like BNL will have two new albums in 2008 -- the first will be a Kids' album, possibly named Addad, and the second will be a..."real" album with singles and such. I'm excited for both. I'm trying to decide on the t-shirt design for our youth retreat later this month...I'll really need to pick one of my three ideas by tomorrow (or come up with a whole new one), and it's kind of driving me crazy.

I guess that's all for now. I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Random Updates

2008-01-02T12:34:00.000-08:00

Hello readers,

The ski trip went very well. I am a pro now.

I'm reading "Prayer: Does it make any difference," the newest book by one of my favorite authors, Phillip Yancey. It's amazing. "The Jesus I Never Knew" is still my favorite, but this one is second I think.

I'm preaching Sunday, and working on a retreat for the end of the month, and putting some other plans into action for the Ovilla youth, so I'm in one of those periods of life only ministers really understand I think, where you really plead God for extra doses of inspiration. I think it's coming.

More to come. Please keep reading.

I love you all.

Landon

Stop

2007-12-20T11:15:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I'll be leaving for Vail, Colorado where I will try to ski for the second time in my life. The first time was two years ago, and I wasn’t very good at it. I can go straight down extremely fast. I can even do it backwards. However, I was not good at going from side to side, and the only way I could stop was to collapse. So then, anytime I was about to nail a small child or an old lady, I would fall down, losing my skis and causing bodily harm to myself.

Sometimes, the hardest part of life is stopping. You are stressed with social and academic pressures at school, you have families to please, and you have hobbies and talents to practice on and keep up with. Even during this time of holidays, stopping can be hard. I challenge you to take some time this week to just … stop. Sit down, and do nothing. Don’t listen to music, don’t watch TV, don’t talk on the phone, don’t think, don’t sleep, don’t do, just…stop. Because when you stop, even if it’s painful, that’s where God is found. He is in the silences, in the stillness. We serve a God that actually commands that we take time to just…stop. I promise, if you take time to stop, you will meet with God and leave blessed by it.

Be still and know that I am God. – Psalm 46:10

I love you all...I might be able to update from Vail - I'm not sure. Thanks for reading.

Landon

The Golden Compass and its effect on my moral one

2007-12-17T10:03:00.000-08:00

It was a clever entry title, so I went with it - although, actually, it doesn't quite work because, from what I understand, the golden compass is not referring to the thing that tells directions, but rather to the thing that draws perfect circles. I could have focused on the word "golden" instead, but I couldn't think of a good way to do it: The Golden Compass and the reaction towards it in the place where the streets are composed of the same elements. Furthermore, all cleverness the title once held has now dissipated by this synopsis of that title. Oh well.

First, a disclaimer: I've not seen it. Usually, I try to not have very strong opinions about things I haven't made myself very well aware of. I think, to a certain degree, I've held to that rule here. Nevertheless, you should know I have not seen the movie or read the books.

I won't type up an extensive synopsis on The Golden Compass here because you can easily do an internet search, as I have done several times, and get all the information you need. Basically, the author of the books the movie is based on - Philip Pullman - is an outspoken athiest. This would not, obviously, keep me from seeing and enjoying the movie, or even recomending the books for small children. I mean, I have no idea what the religous beliefs are of the people who made the shirt I'm wearing now -- my favorite band's members are jewish (if they're anything) -- I could go on for a while, but you get the idea. What would keep me from participating in some activity or enjoyment, or from purchasing some item or piece of art would be if that activity, enjoyment, item, or piece of art were offensive towards God. You should know, there are men and women who I respect very much, wonderful Christians, who do not feel this way. I, however, cannot bring myself to take part in those things that are offensive towards God.

I'll give you an example: I have a large collection of Detroit Lions propaganda. One thing that would make my collection better would be some of those Fatheads - the large depictions of athletes or decals that stick to the wall. However, I have told Cayce - and, I think, anyone else who would otherwise maybe purchase me one as a gift - that I want nothing to do with them because in one of their commercials, a man acting as the person who makes them says that perhaps he does not have superpowers, but "at least the power to grant everlasting life." That might not keep you from buying a fathead, as it would not keep many whom I love from buying one, but it keeps me from buying one. So then, you should just know that about me up front, as I offer this opinion.

As a Christian who some of you might look toward for advice on things like this, I advise you not to see this movie, but more passionately, I advise you not to take your - or any other - children to this movie. Everything I have researched has told me that Philip Pullman has written this trilogy of books to promote thoughts of atheism to children. Again, you can easily find all you want to know about them: basically they star two children who are under the curse of one who tries to take away their free will, they eventually overthrow him and he is nothing more than a senile idiot, and the story finally ends with the two children eating the fruit in the garden once again, this time victoriously. Intertwined in the story are many jabs at organized religion, specifically Christianity, as the story often refers to Christianity and the church as a well designed mistake or a seducing tragedy of life. Bear in mind, these are children's books. I also want to point out that I am not just looking at what other people have said - I challenge you to look up interviews with Pullman himself....he makes it very clear where he stands and what he hopes to accomplish with these books. In fact, his reason for writing these books in the first place was as a response to C.S. Lewis' trilogy, The Chronicals of Narnia.

Evidently, before the movie was made, the movie makers (smartly) claimed that the religious connotations would not be evident - much to Pullman's vocal dissmay. However, they hoped to complete the trilogy eventually, and Pullman claims to see no way they can do so without them being about religion. Furthermore, the real hope for this movie is that it will inspire parents and children to buy the books. And now that the movie is out, it's been said by many that the religious themes, while probably over a child's head, are extremely prevalent.

Let me make one more distinction before I make some final points: I would - and have - read another religion's book. I would read books about those religions even, like a book by the Donald Miller of mormanism -- although I've never done so. So what's the difference? While I believe it's obvious, it's slightly hard to word, but I'll try: These materials do not exist so as to evangalize people (specifically children) away from Christianity or to make fun of Christianity (they are written to evangelize people toward something that Christians don't believe in). For me, they are educational, and not simply because I learn about another religion - by becoming aware of another religion, I see clearly what Christianity has that it doesn't, and what Christianity conspicuously leaves out that it might amplify. Clearly, these new vantage points make certain things clearer to me about Christianity, bringing some things to light for the very first time. Furthermore, I would not be opposed to studying the writings or other expressions of intelligent athiests, for the same reason. What's the difference? Again, I see it as obvious but hard to word: there are intelligent athiests who have deep, philisophical reasons for believing the way they do (as Pullman probably does), and are able to express these without being evangelical in the manner (especially towards children). I find these disscusions interesting and challenging. There is no way I would have gotten through some of the questions teenagers have asked me about God had I not had sleepless nights at ACU thinking about somewhat atheistic ideas wonderful Christians like Randy Harris or Fred Aquino had brought to my attention in philosophy classes. But a movie designed to, at the very least, garner excitement for a trilogy of children's books written to lead children away from a belief in God - I cannot bring myself to help it capitally, nor do I want to see it for free as it would in no way educate me or lead me towards God...it would just make me sick.

I want to point out, though, that I do not in any way have hatred for Pullman - all the hatred is at Satan. I mean, Pullman has a belief and feels that children need to be taught it -- so did C.S. Lewis. That's called passion. It's like Paul in Philipians, who while speaking of his former self seemed to speak posotively of the zeal he had when he persecuted the church. Satan had used Paul's zeal...and then God took over and used the same zeal. It's Satan we hate -- he's the enemy -- Pullman, we pray for. Jesus said that if anyone were to ever lead a child astray, it would be best that he never had been born -- that his punishment would make him rather he had a giant stone tied to his neck and be thrown into a lake. To that end, I urgently hope Pullman repents...think of the good an imagination like his would do in leading children and adults to Jesus. But then, who could ever imagine an athiest like him turning and believing in Jesus and using his passion, imagination, and talents for that cause? Hmmm - ever heard of C.S. Lewis?

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Sick man, broke car, sad back page, and Golden Compass

2007-12-12T08:22:00.000-08:00

Hello readers

Does anyone know why "Trying to Think" at the top of this blog is covered up, and how to fix it? Thanks.

I've been sick recently. I don't get sick often, and when I do, I'm usually well very quick. This time has been more severe, though. It hit all of a sudden Friday night after Cayce and I ate dinner. Saturday and Sunday were miserable - since then, I've been in and out, wavering between very sick and just not well. Obviously the "refs" game Sunday didn't help much. Yes, I call it the "refs" game because, whereas I know most of my readers are Cowboys "fans" (I use that term loosely for most of you), the Lions actually outplayed them this week and, all things being equal, should have won. This should never be the case, but the X factor was the refs, plain and simple. I don't usually say that, by the way: I can think of only two other times in the last decade where I'd say that regarding the Lions (against the Bucs and the Packers, both in the same season, about 3 or 4 years ago). I know the Lions don't win much - that said, their record against the Cowboys just dropped to something like (because I don't feel like looking it up) 12 - 5 in my lifetime. If I'm off, it's not by much. Even still, I wish they would have won Sunday.

Cayce's truck is broken. I think it needs a new transmission. Last night, in the cold and drizzle, with Cayce's help (cause she's a trooper) and a makeshift funnel, I worked on it a little and, long (not to be understated) story short, it's now parked in a Taco Bueno parking lot needing to be towed somewhere. So now that I'm finally back in the office, I will get that taken care of today.

Rick Reilly has officially left Sports Illistrated. It was bound to happen eventually: ESPN, the Wal Mart of sports, has now hired away all but two of the best sports personalities in the USA - Bob Costas (not for lack of trying...he just won't leave NBC), and myself (completely for lack of trying). I'm not sure what the back page is going to be now - maybe somebody different every week. This week it said, "Point After" at the top and it was an article by Peter King about Brett Favre. I've never really cared for Peter King, so I hope it's somebody different every week. He's just an NFL guy, though, so surely it won't be him every week.

Next time I post (hopefully tomorrow) I will reveal my thoughts on the Golden Compass. Many of you and others have asked me for my opinion, and I have answered with the ever popular, "I'll have to get back with you." Well, now I'm convicted and ready with my answer, and while I don't have the time to write it down today, I wanted you to know that it's coming.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Mall kiosks and a constant yearning

2007-12-06T08:42:00.000-08:00

Seriously, does anybody like a good mall kiosk? Is their anybody out there that walks by the spiked hair covering the head of a skinny young man needing only to wear a "small" t-shirt but opting instead to wear a "youth medium" so that we can see his designer belt and the bottom half of his belly button ring and thinks to yourself, "Yeah, that really is a good sample he just sprayed upon me, getting some of it in my left eye, and more in my right nostrile, while saying 'Hey, would you like to sample this smellin' sauce? It works as a perfume or as popouri for the air in your home.' I guess I could use a spray fragrance in my home for the hollidays." I mean, there must be somebody out there who takes advantage of these things, or else they'd just go away, right? You see, I'm going to have to enter the mall a few more times this holiday season, and these kiosks, combined with the not so flattering self-observation that I'm usually the oldest person I see at any given moment while I'm in there, makes me want to hire somebody to go for me.
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Eight days after Jesus was born he was taken to a temple to be purified according to the law of Moses, and for Mary and Joseph to offer a sacrifice on his behalf. A righteous man, Simeon, was there who had devoted his entire life to meeting this savior, Jesus. When eight day old Jesus was in the temple, Simeon walked in, took Jesus in his arms, and said, “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” In other words, “God, I can die now. I’ve met Jesus.”

Are you that devoted to meeting Jesus? Is it the purpose of your very existence? Is it truly the reason you are alive today? Is it the reason you will wake up tomorrow? If you were in a room with him, would you know it? Would you see and recognize him, and would you say, “This is what I have been living for”?

Honestly, I would answer no to most of that. I could, I guess, convince myself that I could say yes, but honestly, it's probably no. And I'm a youth minister. I read that story this morning, and I pray now that God will make me - and all of you - more like Simeon. Longing more and more for Jesus.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

It's been a while

2007-12-04T13:09:00.000-08:00

Hello,

If you read this post, thanks...I really appreciate it. I will probably get in touch somehow with several of you to let you know that their will be posts here again. Writing is more than a hobby for me, as most of you know -- it's an outlet, it's art (not so much here), it's a way for me to serve the Lord, it's a way for me to make your day better, etc. There's really not one main reason why I haven't done so on the internet lately -- but I really look forward to writing here again now.

I think December is my favorite month, and I can't quite figure out why. As a kid, obviously, I just assumed it was because of Christmas. I don't think that's it now, because I don't get nearly as much for Christmas -- in fact, I'm to a point in my life where I don't even come out even in my give/receive ratio. You might say, "Well, maybe that's why you still like it. It's better to give than to receive." No...that's not it. Whoever said that was trying to come off not looking like such a jerk when everyone in his office got him a present and he had nothing for them. I celebrate my birthday four days after Christmas -- I use the term "celebrate" loosely. It always seemed like sort of an annoyance for everyone to have to make a day of the 2 week Christmas break just about one person. This year, my family "celebrated" it the day after Thanksgiving -- different holiday...same result. My mom bought a cake, my dad lit candles, they sang, I blew, and everyone walked away -- leaving a cake to join the table of uneaten Thanksgiving desserts. So, obviously, it's not the birthday. When Wayne Fontse coached the Lions, I always looked forward to December because they would make a playoff run. Obviously, that great December record has dicipated since then. The stress of a semester used to be lifted, and I could experience the joy of dumping my backpack into the trashcan without caring what was in it. That's gone now, of course. If you're looking for a conclusion, I'm sorry. I have none. I really don't know why I like December -- again, I thought it was Christmas until I recently realized it costs me to celebrate it, and that I still like December, seemingly now in spite of Christmas. Maybe it's because "Long December" by Counting Crows gets increased airplay. So, I don't know why, but I'm glad it's December.

On another note, is there any greater lyric in music history than "Dawn we now our gay apparel. Fa la la la la la la la la"?

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Parents house and a picture

2007-06-02T21:29:00.000-07:00

I'm at my parents house in Lubbock now. I'm excited about the week, teaching teenagers at Encounter. I'm actually in some amazing company as a teacher this year. I saw the list of twenty something classes tonight, and many of them are taught by men I've looked up to for years. On the other hand, I miss Cayce. It might be a long week. She's in bed now at her parents house. She just fell asleep while we were talking on the phone, which she does a lot, and she's still on the phone. I have it sitting on the desk on speaker phone. I have seriously never loved or wanted to be with her more than right now.

Here is a picture that I drew of my parents. I gave it to my mom for mother's day, and it hangs in her office, above the computer I'm typing on now. It was kind of hard to scan because it's in a frame, so it looks better in person, but you kind of get the idea.

Pray for me this week.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

2007-05-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

As you now know, I won't be setting things on fire in my Encounter class next week. But, for you teens that are going, don't worry -- you won't be let down. I am toeing the line, barely staying within the bounds of what is permissable. The last couple of days, I've been hard at work gather things to take. To let your minds run wild, here's the shopping/ gather and bring list I've compiled:

several roles of black plastic tarp
a couple of large rocks, extremely uncomfortable to carry for a muscular teenager.
blindfolds
lots of rope
lots of brownies
a TV and playstation
movies
magazines
a mirror
various makeup
sound proof earmuffs
10 burlap potato sacks
a mattress
a jumprope
dumbells
Sharpes
a sledge hammer
a robe
15 large peices of sheetrock
20 two foot slabs of 2 by 4s

Make sure you bring your release forms. It should be fun.

Landon

Smiths, Polygamy, murder, Chinese Changs, and Andy Rooney. Will anyone read this?

2007-05-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, I *think* I'm back to posting regularly now, so maybe I can get back to having regular readers. I would like to thank the 2 of you who will read this one - so, Cayce and Bob Newhart, thanks and maybe you could help spread the word. I don't know - it was just the most random person I could think of.

Cayce is a Smith now. That makes 3 million and 1 of us now. So, to all you Johnsons, Williams, Jones, and Browns out there, looks like we're going to kick your tails for a 14th straight year. The most common last name in the world is Chang, which I deem unfair because they have two spellings of it, Chang and Zhang, and they consider them the same last name. But, thanks to Cayce, we're gaining on all you Changs out there! And, just a warning to all you blog readers with the last name of Chang -- I don't believe in polygamy, but if the race gets close, like within a person or two, I would consider it. It's a lesser evil than murder, which would be my only other option.

I've decided recently that I love Andy Rooney. I never knew it until about a year ago maybe because Cayce and I would have to record The Amazing Race on Sundays and then watch it on Tuesdays with our Georgia friends, the Kobeks. Well, Andy Rooney always ended 60 minutes, immediately preceding the race, and that became the actual highlight of the tape for Ben Kobek and me. I've decided that my blog entries are a lot like his rants on 60 minutes: no actual topic, no actual point, and when it's over you ask yourself, "Exactly what was that?" So, anyway, he's getting old, you know, so I'm thinking of asking 60 minutes if I can take his place when he dies.

I read this last night and really liked it: "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything." - 1st John 3:18-20

I think we all go through times of our heart's condemning us, in spite of our actions and desires - in other words, even when I know that I am loving God with my actions and life, and eagerly desiring his acceptance, my heart condemns me and tells me it's not enough and that I'm still lost. But God is greater than my heart, so I can set my heart at rest in his presence even when my heart condemns me.

I love you all, thanks for reading.

Landon

Wedding

2007-05-07T13:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long.

I'm getting married Saturday. I am very busy with getting things ready for me to leave town for a week. I will blog more regularly after the honeymoon.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

The Bachelor

2007-04-03T09:13:00.000-07:00

In my mind, this show epitomizes idiotic. If a grown man goes around dating several women at once, "taking his pick" so to speak, and in so doing makes out (to put it lightly, because this is a youth minister's blog) with them all, we'd call him a playa, and not so afectionately. And yet, when it's made a television show, people gather around to watch it, root for their favorites, etc. If it were real life, and you met one of these girls, you'd say, "That guy's no good. Get out of there. It's not worth it. You're better than that, honey." But, when it's a show, it's "Flirt a little more. You're better than that other girl...show him so." This is idiotic. Just thought I'd share.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Comments, and "that awkward, obnoxious guy"

2007-03-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

Well, now...this is an all time blogging low for me - Cayce has left me a sympathy comment. I used to get more comments than anyone I know personally, back when I was on Xanga. The sad thing is, I actually moved to blogger because non-registered users could comment - I stay because I like it better. I've told Cayce that several of you comment to me in person on my latest blog entries, but I fear she doesn't believe me. So, she is now leaving sympathy comments, pretending to actually care about what I have to say. And she doesn't even do that in person.

I don't care if I get comments really - I mean, I read them, and I enjoy them, but I will keep blogging in spite of their absence.

....................................................................

Cayce and I are going on a cruise for our honeymoon in May. I've never been on one, but I hear that the only thing unkown beforehand is regarding the people you sit with each night for dinner -- apparently, on a cruise, they assign you a seat, and you are stuck with those people every night. It can either be a blessing or a curse.

I, then, am trying to convince Cayce to let me take all the guesswork out of the equation, and just be that awkward, obnoxious guy myself. I could make loud, discusting noises, and bring up conversations nobody wants to have at dinner, some of which have to do with Cayce and our honeymoon, etc. I laugh out loud everytime I consider the possibilities.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

The Dallas city council is comprised of idiots

2007-03-22T13:56:00.000-07:00

Here's the deal -- I blatantly shy away from political conversations, mostly because I don't know what on Earth I'm talking about most of the time. My dad will always just jump right in on governmental discussions, and say something like "Yeah, that George Bush should really spend more time pushing the war," so I have purposefully decided to jump in only on conversations concerning things that I am interested enough in to actually follow and know. Therefore, in case you have not noticed, I am pretty much an expert on everything I ever talk about - all I say is pure genius.

But, I started getting really ticked at the government earlier this week, as one of its workers deemed it necessary to issue me a citation for not having my drivers' licence and license plates updated since the move from Georgia. Fine with me, I guess. So, I spent literally - yes, literally - 7 hours Monday jumping through all of the hurdles they found specifically for my individual situations -- then I tried to get a passport, and just gave up after about 15 minutes. None of that is the purpose of this blog entry...I'm just saying, I was frustrated at the government already.

The reason sports fans like sports is because it's a relief from the real world, and from idiotic thoughts and behaviors - two entities (be they individuals or teams) go out onto the playing surface and manipulate, manhandle, and out manuever each other until one of them wins - all the paperwork before hand, all the talk, all the should haves and would haves are out the window at that point. It doesn't come down to a vote, or any other form of popularity or arbritrary settlement. One wins - one loses - only they decide. At its purest anyway.

Every now and again the world of politics takes a jump into that world - our world - the world of those who know and love sports, who's Fox news is ESPN, and who's c-span is ESPN News. At that point, I have every right to dismantle them, and I do know what I'm talking about.

The Dallas Cowboys - who you probably know I'm not a fan of - are going to move into a new stadium soon in Arlington. There was a time when they moved to Irving - where they've been for a while now - because the city of Dallas wanted to play hardball, and ended up losing them. Well, now Texas Stadium is a disgrace to professional football - believe me, I've been there - and the Cowboys could not possibly be expected to play in it much longer. Here was Dallas' chance to get the team back. But, they decided to play hardball again - "We want so and so financially from you, and you would owe us this and that bla bla bla..." - at which point Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones realized, "Hey, this other city here, Arlington, would love to have us - they'd bend over backwards for us" so now the Cowboys are moving to Arlington. Make no mistake - Jerry Jones is a master idiot himself. Basically you have here the idiots on the Dallas city council, and the idiot Jerry Jones trying to negotiate, and Jerry Jones was the lesser idiot, and that's saying something.

I don't care -- I couldn't care less about the city of Dallas proper, and I couldn't care less about the Cowboys other than when the Lions wipe the floor with them, like they did last season and usually do throughout my lifetime. It's certainly not something that warrents blogging about in my world.

But now the city of Dallas proper has shown the full extent of their idiotness, and it does concern me, and I'm getting upset. Basically, there are three cities in contention for hosting the 2011 Superbowl - Dallas, Miami, and Indianapolis. For several reasons - the main one being the aforementioned new stadium - the NFL seems all but ready to hand it to Dallas. This is exciting for me - I live there now. As a huge fan of sports, I have never lived in a direct area where these things actually took place...Lubbock has Texas Tech, and Bobby Knite coming to coach there was the closest thing I've experienced. You can believe that I, along with many other overenthused, immature adults would be very or somewhat involved with the festivities of that weekend, were it to materialize. So, Dallas and all its surrounding cities have decided to vote on whether or not to put in a bid to the NFL to host that weekend - all the surrounding cities have done so...Fort Worth, Arlington, Irving, Louisville, etc, and they've all said yes. Unanimously. Dallas has not yet stated a position - the mayor and city council of Dallas - aka the idiots - have now stated that if this area hosts a Superbowl, Dallas city has to host all the events, get all the hotel revenue, etc. and has been quoted as saying, "We're the big 800 pound gorrilla here. Without Dallas, there is no bid."

These guys seriously need to shut up, or hire me to be on their cabinet as the one to ask before saying anything about sports or making any decisions based on sports. Because of this attitude, Dallas has already lost the Cotton Bowl. Now, they're going to soon lose the Texas vs. OU game they historically host every year -- again, as a big sports fan, that's something I would look forward to now that I live here -- and it's gone. They recently lost the Cowboys...AGAIN! They are indeed an 800 pound, overgrown baby who didn't get the bottle they wanted. This is the most childish thing I've ever heard - you don't want it our way, we'll take our ball and go home. Remember when Houston tried to play hardball with their football team and lost them, and then bent over backwards to get another one once they realized what they had done? Dallas should realize, very soon if they're lucky, that without the surrounding cities they deem so insignificant they would have lost the Cowboys long ago, and they would be losing them AGAIN in a year or two. They ought to kiss the proverbial feet of Irving and Arlington, and give them whatever they want if the Superbowl gets to this area.

First of all, Arlington, not Dallas is the 800 pound gorrilla here - if not for the new stadium that Arlington, not Dallas, was willing to build and host, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Second, Dallas ought to realize that they would benifit ANYWAY from having it in this area. I mean, they're Dallas. They will get all or most of the revenue. I'm sure they do realize that, actually, but their feelings are hurt about the Cowboys not sucking up to them, so they're blabbing utter stupidity now. And third, they should realize very soon that college basketball and the NFL are the only two major sports programs in this nation that are run properly -- meaning the NFL doesn't care, and will just say, "Fine, see ya" just like Jerry Jones did, just like the Cotton bowl has, and just like the Texas vs. OU game has/is in the process of doing.

I don't know enough about government stuff to know if all the surrounding areas have what it takes to host the Superbowl without the city of Dallas, but my dream would be that very thing happening and law passed forbidding any media outlet to mention the word "Dallas" the entire time.

For any who don't understand this rant, I'll put it like this: Arlington also has six-flags over Texas. It would be like Dallas saying, okay, if a rock band wants to go to Six flags and host an event, we're fine with it, but most of the money from those coming to see it needs to be spent in Dallas, and they better stay in Dallas hotels. We're the big 800 pound gorrilla here: without us, there is no reason for a concert.

Okay, I'll end the rant.

Thanks for reading. I love you all.

Landon

Things --

2007-03-13T09:24:00.000-07:00

Cayce and I have already had one wedding shower, and we have three more looming. These showers won't make us clean, but we will clean up. ba boom...I got a million of 'em.

I preached Sunday. I think it went well.

Cayce has made a decision: Benny "the clown" Culverhouse is preaching the wedding.

I got a lot more to talk about - look for a good update tomorrow or sometime soon.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

An Old church sign

2007-03-08T11:34:00.000-08:00

The church I work at has some wooded area behind it, which I've discovered the last couple of days is full of treasures few know exist. I can only imagine most of this stuff was distributed there by a bunch of old men long ago who refused to throw anything away, didn't have the means to build a storage unit, and simply decided, "Welp, we've got them woods back in dar."

I am not yet done exploring...I'm rationing my fun, so that I still have something to do on a random Wednesday and Thursday this time next year - for instance, maybe on a week during which I have two scheduled devotionals, preaching on Sunday, etc. Oh well.

Today I found an old church sign...Michael (the preacher) has confirmed that it's older than the building. It was moved here from the last location. It has the old church times (more on this in a moment) and the information that I have paranthetically offered here already that Michael Elrod is the minister. His name, though, is on a seperate piece of metal that has been screwed on over the last preacher's name. Michael has been here 17 years. This sign is probably roughly 35 years old and has not been seen by human eyes in about 10 or 15 years. Amazing.

I'm putting this sign in the youth room, after I clean it up a bit - next to it I should probably install some sort of "give yourself a tetnus shot" device, as I cut myself on it already. I'm very excited about it. I used to steal signs all the time before I repented of those ways - I can't really explain it, but there's just something magic about a good sign.

Now, about the information printed on this sign. Apparantly, the Ovilla church of Christ used to meet on Sunday evenings at 5:45 for DEV & BIBLE STUDY and on Wednesday evenings at 7:30, again for DEV & BIBLE STUDY. These are strange times, that I'm sure led to some problems. Let's look at the Sunday evening time, as I deem it the stranger of the two - I assume they chose 5:45 so they could have a 15 minute DEV and still have an hour of time for classes, aka BIBLE STUDY. The problem with this is, you don't necessarily have to leave a church event at a good, round, even time...nobody cares. But do you really think people showed up here at 5:45? No way! They got started, consistantly at 6:00, I guarantee it! And I'm sure this late start caused them to go over 15 minutes, which would have been fine if it were planned that way, but since it wasn't, I can only imagine it caused a great deal of frustration. I mean, what time would you leave your house to be somewhere at 5:45? Think about that! People leave at 45 after, consistantly, no matter where they're going, to get there on the hour. Nobody wants to do the math and figure being there at 15 till.

These guys seriously needed to have a meeting after the monthly potluck - I'm just sayin'.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Random

2007-03-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

We still don't actually have a preacher for the wedding (May 12th). Cayce is very slow at making important decisions, like whether or not she wants ice cream after dinner, so this has been hard. She finally decided she really wanted Buddy Jones, who is leaving for a foreign country the day after the wedding, and he just cannot make it. There's no way. So then, she chose Ben Kobek - I told him several days ago, and he promptly said, "What?!" Not in an excited kind of way, but like you'd expect if I said, "Hey Ben, you've mean a lot to me, and you've been chosen to give me a thorough rectal examination." He's a lumberjack by trade, but not like a big burley man - he's like 130 pounds and soft as an angel. Okay, enough about that. He's still undecided.

The retreat turned out great. God had it planned out for all eternity, I'm now sure.

I'm preaching Sunday...and again on the last Sunday in April. I told Cayce I was thinking about changing my style to one who yells a lot and breaths heavy and all that, and she got real sad, so I guess I won't.

I'm going to finish my book proposal (for the book I've already written) this week, and start sending it to agents and publishers and whoever else will look at it. Maybe you could pray about that.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Old pictures, and a retreat

2007-02-26T12:04:00.000-08:00

There are youth groupers in my office right now, so I'm deciding to write in my blog, but they have no ideas for me. They're looking through old old old pictures from the youth group...I don't know what to do with them...it's one of those things that I wouldn't just throw away, so they sit on some shelves in my office...and they'll stay sitting there for the next century, no matter who graces this office.

We are having a retreat this weekend...it was going to be in January, and the preacher and his wife were doing it, then they hired me and they were going to do it anyway, and I was just going to go and be there. Then, the ice storms made us postpone it to this next weekend, but the preacher and his wife were still going to do it...but then, they can't go, so they are going to do their's later. Therefore, as of two days ago, I need to get a retreat planned for this weekend. I'm actually kind of excited about it. Our theme is "Reach."

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Random Ranting

2007-02-22T11:49:00.000-08:00

First of all, Barenaked Ladies are performing on Letterman tonight.

You know how sometimes you just get into a mood where it feels really good to rant? Not a bad mood, mind you. I'm in one of those "rant" moods now, and it's a great mood. Just a mood where sarcasm rules the day, and you just want to let everyone know how you feel about random issues. We'll call it the Andy Roony frame of mind. So, here are a few...I guess we'll know how many issues I'll cover when I'm done because I don't yet know - could be one, could be ten.

Here's a dandy to get us started: I wear a hat pretty much every day. Not the same one, but I'm almost daily wearing clothing on my head. Important to note, I take it off when I know that people would not appreciate me wearing it: when I'm eating with non-family, when I'm at church (but not when I'm teaching class), etc. This is NOT a rant against people who think it's rude for me to wear one, because honestly I rarely even deal with that - again, I take it off when it's appropriate. This is a rant against people who actually believe I wear a hat so as to better relate to teenagers. No. That's not why I wear one. I wear one to support my team, show which drink is my favorite, remember places I've been, not have to worry about my hair laying down, keep the sun out of my eyes, but mostly just because I like wearing them. Can that not just be the reason? Can a man not just wear a hat because he enjoys it? Actually, most teenagers don't even wear hats. That is the attitude that causes men with a heart, talent, and calling to youth ministry to not get hired when they go bald, or get fat, or enter their mid-thirties. There are things I will be able to say for the good of God's kingdom when I'm older - I think God is preparing me to say them now. But, now, while I'm young, I can say this one thing that won't hold as much weight when my body holds far more - looking good and hip does not a good youth minister make: People want youth ministers to have tons of experience, but also be young and athletic, and have a family, but also have 24 hour days, and the list of stupid preferences goes on - and everyone who reads this would agree with me, none realizing that it's themselves (you who think I wear a hat to "relate") that cause that attitude. I'm a big proponent of all things to all men, don't get me wrong. But, here's how I think that applies to this hat situation: To those (usually old people) who don't think it's polite or even Godly to wear a hat indoors or at a meal or during worship or wherever else, I become like them, and I take off my hat. And I do that to relate, so that by all possible means, I might help save people. Throughout my ministry to youth, I hope to bring many teens to Christ, and I would guess when you ask them in Heaven what it was about me that helped them meet and love their Lord, they will say something with much more depth than "because he wore a hat" - the closest thing to that you might hear them say would be that I was real (because that's rare), wearing a hat because I enjoyed it, which is the exact opposite of wearing anything to relate.

Rant number 2: Why is it that the last couple of years, and especially this year, fans in every NBA city feels the need to chant "MVP" at the games whenever their star player is at the free throw line or scores in the fourth quarter? It absolutely ruins games for me, having to hear that garbage. For one thing, Chris Bosh, Elton Brand, Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, Ben Gordon, Chauncey Billups, Pau Gasol, and (because, really, need I go on?) Ray Allen are NOT MVP candidates, so get over it. That's first of all. There are really only two or three possiblities for MVP this year (Dirk being one, and he should win, but he's not, shall we say to put it politely, "flashy", but that's a whole other rant), and everyone else is just pretty good at basketball. Secondly, though, even if the guy is an MVP candidate, what do you hope to accomplish? Are you hoping to convince the voters here? Do you really think they are there, or watching at home, and saying to themselves, "Wow, apparantly he deserves to be the MVP. Well, alright, I'll vote for him." And, thirdly, it's just the whole problem of the NBA that Stern (the commisioner) has forged, and fans are buying into it now: it started when Jordan started to get really good, and I must admit, I was a child and I even bought into it - but then I grew up and realized what a travesty it is to team sport. The NBA has become a league that markets individuals, even gets fans of teams rooting for individuals as much as their team, and certainly gets casual fans paying attention only to individual accolades. If it's a close game in the fourth quarter and your star player is at the free throw line, just root for your team to win, not for his MVP chances! My word!

Rant number (what number is this?) the next one: One lane roads (well, two lane...one going each way) are my nemisis. Cayce and anyone else who rides with me much knows this. I hate them because you get behind one car, and then you are at its mercy as to how fast you can go...it's clostrophobic and impossible to be in a hurry. They were all over Columbus, GA...just about all that existed in a congested city of 200,000 people. It was miserable, so now it's a relief to be in a place that offers lane choices. BUT, on my way to "work" everyday, I do have to utilize a one lane road for about half the drive. So, here's the rant. I have seen a ton of cops since I've moved to this Dallas area. I have never seen more of a cop to square mile ratio than in the DeSoto, Ovilla, Cedar hill, Duncanville, Red Oak, etc. district. They often do that thing where they will camp out on the side of the road, hoping to catch a speeder pass by them. Every few days, I'll see one doing that on this one lane road. The thing is, honestly, a lot of days I would LOVE to be going much faster, but I can't because I'm on a one lane road behind a line of cars! I'm now working hard to get my taxes paid - for this!?!? This is what my tax dollars are going toward - cops camped out looking for speeders during a rush hour on the side of a one lane road? Rediculous.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Why I can't light something on fire in a classroom

2007-02-20T11:19:00.000-08:00

I've had an interesting realization today:

I'm teaching a class at LCU's summer camp, Encounter, this summer - I went to Encounter every year when I was in High School, and I loved it. I haven't been back since, so I'm really excited about this opportunity. Encounter is really known for the classes. After having been a regular in church of Christ circles for 25 years now and living in Lubbock, Abilene, and Georgia (where we went to Lipscomb's Impact), I feel I am the most qualified to give this short synopsis to all you readers, so here goes: LCU's summer camp, Encounter, is known for its classes - ACU's summer camp, Kadesh, is known for the small group atmosphere (they have more sessions, with only 200 students at each session, and those are broken into small groups that experience the week together in a powerful way) - and Lipscomb's summer camp, Impact, is known for funny skits and games (if I sound as though I think the other two mentioned camps have more to offer, I simply don't appologize for that). I know little or nothing about the camps at Faulkner, Harding, Pepperdine, or any others.

So, I will be teaching this Encounter class 14 times in five days - three times a day Mon - Thurs, and twice on Friday. The class titles and teachers will be written on poster boards which will be hanging on a wall in a lobby, with tickets to that class paperclipped to the board. Three times a day, at the word "GO", the students will rush into the lobby, and literally play full contact, anything goes ultimate fighting championship to get tickets to the class they would like to go to. One of these poster boards will say "Landon Smith" as the teacher...it will not say "Consuming Fire" as the title of the class.

Not long ago I somehow developed a fascination with the idea that God is a consuming fire, and now I love the scriptures that say that: For instance, Exodus 24 and Hebrews 12. I love the stories in the bible where God literally is a literal fire, like when he lead the Israelites by night as a literal fire. I love the story where he answers Elijah's prayer on Mt. Carmel by sending fire from Heaven that consumes, not just the bull, but the entire alter, the dirt, the rocks, the water in the trench. God is a consuming fire. Well, I think to often, we think of God as the exact opposite, which I think is a cardboard box. A cardboard box has definition, limits, can be manipulated, closed, placed in a certain spot, controlled, etc. So, for Encounter, I had this idea to have a class called "Consuming Fire" and have the students write down deep, intimate prayers, assuring them that nobody else would read them. Then, without a word, I was going to take them up and place them into a cardboard box, close it up, and begin throwing it hard against a wall, spitting on it, stomping on it, yelling at it, etc. I would then tell several stories, teach some scripture, and make points that would make all of this make since to them, and hopefully an impact. Then, I would have lit the box on fire. The walls at an Encounter class are covered in black plastic, by the way, and the lighting is very dim - these aren't written rules, but they are definitely understood, like that unwritten rule that you don't eat human flesh. If you want a good class that the students want to come to, then you cover your walls in black plastic. This would have been very cool, to have the room completely dark, with that box full of prayers flaming. But...

I talked to a couple of people about it this afternoon - my dad, and Benny the Clown. If there is a good way to do it, even if everyone else in the WORLD says no, Benny would be all for it and he would know how to go about it. My dad, on the other hand, would say not to do it for safety's sake even if the whole world thought it would be fine. So, I covered the spectrum. Well, I have been advised by these two men not to go through with this idea. So, I will come up with a different class - yeah, I know I could still teach the class and its concepts, but at an Encounter class, you really pray that you can leave a lasting memory, a Godly difference, a true impact, and saying "Now, imagine if this whole room was dark and we lit this on fire" wouldn't really do it.

It's interesting, though, isn't it? I see this concept in a whole new light today - I cannot light a fire in a room because it's dangerous, and there are smoke and fumes. But God is a consuming fire. In other words, our God is dangerous. If we truly take God with us into certain "rooms", it's a dangerous, maybe life threatening or at least uncomfortable situation what with the fumes and smoke. It's a far cry from taking a cardboard box into a room, a religion that can be grasped, manipulated, controlled, and calling it God. Just something to think about.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Old people playing Deal or no Deal

2007-02-15T10:33:00.000-08:00

I need to write a bulliten article, so I thought I'd write here first, just to get warmed up a bit. This weekend, the youth group is hosting a Valentine's Day banquet for the senior citizens of the church. We will be playing Deal or no Deal. I think if I were one of the old people here, I would only come because Cayce would make me because she'd want to socialize with her old lady friends, one of whom would probably be named Gladys, and she'd be married to a man named Myrle, because those are old people names. But I think the senior citizens of the Ovilla church of Christ are genuinely excited about it - looking forward to it, and therefore, so am I, although I do hate to miss the NBA All Star weekend festivities including a race between Charles Barkly and that really old referee, Dick Beveta. Maybe I'll blog about that tomorrow.

Anyway, I was thinking about this whole Deal or no Deal thing, and I decided that I could probably convince these elderly that it's a sinful ordeal that they shouldn't partake in. I would never do that, but I bet I could. Because old church of Christ members would never play the loterry, and what is Deal or no Deal really but a glorified scratch off ticket? I blogged about game shows once, talking about how much easier they are now than the old ones. This is definitely a case in point: I was watching Jeapordy at Sam's (a great Italian restaraunt) Tuesday, and the answer I saw was something like the sister of some famous author's caretaker, or something like that. Meanwhile, these contestance haven't watched tv recently and realize they can instead go on a show where some washed up comedian just says, "Pick a box." That, I could do...and, in fact, at least once a week I'll witness some brainless, talentless, almost homeless person clank up in what they call a car to a gas station, buy a lottery ticket, and do the same thing. Why would anyone go on Jeapordy today?

There is a big billboard I've seen several times for a show on a Spanish channel called, "Vas o no vas?" I hope to someday see that. The interesting thing about this game, as far as I can imagine, is that I could go on that show, "Vas o no vas" and do just as well as if I were on the English version of the show. It would make little or no difference. Again, why would anyone go on Jeapordy today?

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Valentines Day

2007-02-13T13:59:00.000-08:00

Oh, it's the season of love. The season of a naked angel that peirces people in the heart with an arrow, but these people don't mind the nudity or the deadly weapon because it means love. Seriously, I wish I could be like that. I would love to run around naked punching people in the face, but they not care because they know that when I'm naked and punch them in the face they get the most delicious calzone they've ever tasted. Unless they were vegetarian, in which case they would get to fall in love, or something corny like that.

I love you all. I'll write again tomorrow. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Dirk, and Footwashing

2007-02-07T08:47:00.000-08:00

Hello again

Yesterday morning, I attended a bible study that Michael has on Tuesday mornings with a couple of other guys. We discussed the passage of Jesus washing the desciples' feet. A few things stuck out to me here, and I didn't get a chance to bring them up, so I figured I'd do so here. I had never thought about the bible actually saying what prompted Jesus to wash their feet - I mean, I knew it was an act of service, but his reasoning is actually pointed out here - "...so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist." Well, what's before the "so" you ask? Or, maybe you don't, but either way. "Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;" That was his reason. The desciples, you know, always had issues with wanting to be the top desciple, at Jesus' right and left, the vice president if you will. The only dispute they didn't have with each other was that Jesus was number one. They all agreed there - he's who they followed - he's who they wanted to choose between them because he was the one. Jesus knew that too, which we know, but John's gospel here has told us. That is why he decided to wash their feet...in fact, as he told Peter, he couldn't have been that undisputed number one to Peter unless Peter let Jesus wash his feet. Then he told them to do the same. Interesting, really - if I feel like I have some sort of spiritual offering to people, I'm their leader if you will in a spiritual sense (my family, someday, my youth group, etc) then I need to "wash their feet" and if they won't let me do that, if they won't let me serve them even in almost undignified ways, then I have nothing to offer them. And, if I think Jesus is my messiah, the undisputed number one for me, then I better let him offer me a foot washing - I better rely on him rather than media, other people, food, wrist slitting, or whatever to get me through each day, to clean up the parts of me that get dirty just from living. Otherwise, he's not my messiah. I think a lot of relationships, as small as aquaintances and as deep as marriage, are destroyed when we are out to receive foot washings from others rather than out to give them, and then when we finally get our way, we refuse them.

When the all-star reserves were first announced, I was angry along with everyone else in the area of my abode that Dirk Nowitzky was the only Maverick all star. Specifically, angry that Josh Howard was absent from the list. That's not the point of this entry, but hear me out please because it's important. I was angry for the following two reasons: 1) Other players made it who aren't as good as JHo, or Jason Terry or Devin Harris for that matter and 2) more poignantly upseting, I distinctly remember that some people, like Mavs fans for instance, were upset last year about a team in Detroit putting four players in the all star game, thinking it was rediculous, and the answer to those complainers was, "Well, they've played well, and their team has a good record, so they're being rewarded for that." Well, now, as far as I can tell, that's a load of rude bodily functions because the Mavs have the best record in the NBA (after starting 0-4), were in the finals last year, and have not been rewarded. They have one all star, a reserve, Dirk Nowitzky. Josh Howard, apparantly, is not good enough. The Suns (and this is an important point, as you will see), have the second best record and have three all stars. It's a load

...UNLESS...

You go ahead and give Dirk Nowitzky the MVP trophy right now. Basically (not exactly but basically) the same group that votes for the all star reserves votes for the MVP, and they have decided that the team with the best record in the NBA, who went to the finals last year, has one all star, Dirk Nowitzky, and he has a supporting cast not worthy of recognition. Nash, according to these people, has two other all star caliber players around him. Duncan has Parker, acording to these people. There are only so many facts here: the Mavs have the best record in the NBA, and these people have only voted one of them into the all star game...and based on these facts (one of which is a travesty, but a fact nonetheless) I cannot think of a sensible argument against Dirk for MVP. If you can give me one, I will congratulate you.

God bless you. I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Barenaked and overweight

2007-02-06T08:16:00.000-08:00

Hey readers,

First of all, the new Barenaked Ladies album hit shelves this morning, and it's incredible. It's called Barenaked Ladies Are Men. Now, if you go to buy it, and you want this newest album, read carefully because their last album was called Barenaked Ladies Are Me (if you say it out loud, you'll understand), which is just one letter difference. Either way, you'll end up with a great album. In fact, the song this blog is playing now is a live version of one from Barenaked Ladies Are Me.

I weigh a lot, which is weird for me: I realized it first when I stepped onto my mom's scale for fun during the Christmas hollidays. This scale, you must understand, has been epic in the course of my life. I have spent most of my life trying to gain weight. As a child, all the way up through early high school really, when people looked at me they noticed the skinniness, and for those of you who didn't know me back then, I'm not exagerating. People don't understand that that's a hard life for a boy growing up, just as much as obesity would be. I mean, I wanted to be great at sports, and respected by the other boys in fourth, fifth, sixth, even eighth and ninth grade, and that's not easy for a ninth grader weighing under 100 lbs. I mean, people always say that respect is earned, and to a point that's true, but it's a very overrated statement, and when I have kids I'll tell them that: I'll tell them that "respect is earned" is an overrated sentiment, and that some people for reasons outside their control get respect, and others don't, but there is respect that's earned and that's the important kind of respect because it's real and meaningful when you get it, and that's what you should strive for. Anyway, say I was sitting in a chair, and another boy my age wanted that chair - well, he could, and often would, impose his will and have that chair. I respected him, I guess, in the same way that all boys respect all other boys who are bigger and stronger than them, but it's not earned. People would feel just fine, often in Jr. High and High school, and even when I was in college (which, by then I was more normal looking) coming up to me and saying, "You are so skinny!" and they didn't realize that doing that is no more acceptable than going up to a big fat kid and describing his physical preportions to him. So, long story short, I was always the skinniest boy I knew my age who actually tried to live the life of a not so scronny young man (athletics, wanting girls to notice and like me, etc) until college really.

Anyway, back to that scale...it's one of those that has two sliding weights on it, one big one that moves over in 50 pound increments and slides into notches, and one smaller one underneath the big one that slides notchless to the right across the scale to determine the exact weight of the specimine sliding it. I can remember the day I finally could move that big weight to the 100 pound notch without the level dropping - I was fully dressed and beyond (you'd of thought I was dressed to ski), and I was full of water, but to me, it counted. Then, I remember the day, during my freshman year of college, that I actually moved it successfully to the 150 pound mark.

Well, I had weighed 175 for about three years now. I'm just under 6 foot, so that's pretty much normal. I still would always feel skinny, though, just because that's what I'm used to. Well, during the Christmas hollidays, I got on that scale fully expecting to weigh 175...I moved the weight there, and nothing happened to the scale. So I went higher, thinking maybe I had finally reached the 180 plateu. I had. I got to 180, and still no movement. Where would it stop? Slowly, I slid the weight further, and further. 191. That's what I weighed. 191 pounds. Wow. I didn't fully believe it, so I've weighed on a couple of other scales since then, and yeah, I'm consistantly just over 190 pounds.

I hadn't noticed it really until the scales pointed it out, but I have a gut now. Like, love handles. I have actually been running, sort of watching what I eat (not really changing what I eat so much as knowing about it and thinking, maybe I shouldn't eat this), and doing other various excersizes. I actually think I carry 190 really well - I don't look 190 at all. I just want to make sure I don't end up accidentally weighing 215, you know, because I won't carry that so well. Plus, Buddy Jones, the preacher at CVC, told me that he weighs in the 180s now, and he's taller than me, and is finally not overweight....meaning, ipso facto, I'm overweight. But I don't mind - again, I carry it well. It's just weird to think about.

Here's something I know for sure -- I always said that as long as I were still a male, I would rather be obese than to be the equivalent of obese on the skinny end, and people who refuse to understand the lifestyle I've described thought that was absurd. Well, I'm not obese, but I spent my whole life trying to gain weight, stuffing my face when I didn't want anymore, drinking protein shakes, lifting, etc. and it was a miserable undertaking that cause physical pain and diareah and not much else. Now, I'm working to lose/ maintain my weight. Well, as a matter of fact, I prefer my current situation. I would actually much rather run a couple of miles than stuff my face and have diareah. Plus, it's normal for a guy of 25 about to get married to be a little overweight. I don't mind at all.

I'm not sure why I thought you'd care, but really, the point of blogging in general is to pretend people care about things.

Tomorrow I'll blog about foot washing.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Laundry, Ovilla, BNL, football, and God

2007-02-05T11:41:00.001-08:00

Hey guys,

I'm blogging again. I actually kind of regret going so long without doing it because I know now it's going to take a while to build up a base of readers, so if you're reading this, please spread the word; call in to your favorite radio station, call your local news, purchase some billboard space, make a commercial, and set your AIM away messages to let everyone know that Landon's blog has been and will continually be updated. For a while I'll put something here every few days, just to ensure you all of some regularity, kind of like what prune juice does for old people.

If you are a normal, halfway responsible human being, then you will in no way relate to this next sentiment. Today is a great day for many reasons - the weather is as pleasant as I've experienced since the move (more on that in a moment), the Bears did not win the superbowl (more on that also in a moment), and of course in your case, Landon's blog has some new material. Mainly, though, I have a closet full of clean laundry. I haven't really experienced this in a while, so I had forgotten the feeling, but I have gone a while without doing laundry - like over a month. So, needless to say, I was nearing the end of what was permissible by law. I had socks that literally had to be thrown away this weekend. I finally got my washer and dryer hooked up, and let me tell you, there's really no greater feeling than to look into a closet full of clean, hanging laundry for the first time in over a month. Well, maybe the feeling you get when you're choking on a car door handle, moments away from death, and someone successfully disloges it and you can breath again, and fix your car door so that it opens properly - that might be a better feeling than the clean laundry in the closet thing, but that's it.

I'm in the Dallas area now. It's kind of been a few weeks, actually, but I'm just now writing about it because I haven't been blogging, you know. Things are going great. I'm a youth minister at the Ovilla church of Christ, obviously God's way of beginning to answer prayers long before we even know to pray them. Cayce is living in Arlington, at home, and we're looking forward to getting married in May. It's good to be back in Texas. Walker Texas Ranger shot many episodes in Ovilla, and they used the church building for some things (breaks and whatnot I think), and Chuck Norris has actually used the toilets in the mens bathroom on the east wing, as have I. So then, I'm a new man. Word has it, though, that Chuck Norris never actually flushed the toilets - he just blew into them and it all went down.

The new Barenaked Ladies album is released tomorrow. Barenaked Ladies Are Men. I'll probably be awake all night. They'll be on Letterman Feb. 22nd, which will probably have a record number of viewers because it's been promoed on my blog.

I'm very thankful the Colts won the Superbowl. It's not because I like them - I like Peyton, love Dungy, and I think Harrison is in the running for best current wide receiver but the casual fan wouldn't know it because he keeps his mouth shut and quietly goes about his business, unlike myself as, were I good at wide receiver, I would make sure everyone new it via my constant taunting, creative celebrations, and "calling out" opposing corners throughout the week with guarantees of multiple touchdown catches - but actually it's because I hate the Bears. They play the Lions twice a year, and have since the 50s. They won the Superbowl in 85 and we're all still hearing about it...I don't think I could stand to live through the next 20 years hearing about the '06-07 superbowl bears. It's like, if Cayce were to leave me (God forbid) for another man (yes, I'm a man), I would rather it not be my worst enemy - I'd, for lack of a better sentiment, prefer it be someone I don't even know, or care about one way or the other. That's the Colt's, see. It's not the Lions, but it's not the Bears.

Watching the Superbowl actually got me thinking about all the work the players and coaches have put in for an entire year, and really for a lifetime to get there. When you think about it, to get to where the Colts are today, they had to do a lot of physical training - weight lifting, running, etc. - and on top of that they had to gell together throughout several years (Peyton to Harrison is a hook-up for the record books), they had to make running their plays second nature like breathing, they had to take what was missing in years past and try to patch it without losing anything in the process, etc. Watching a team like the Lions falter, or watching a team like the Mavericks contending heavily for the equivelant of Superbowl champions in another sport after falling just short a year ago, really helps me realize how impressive it is to be at that level. It's sad that we don't put that much effort into serving the Lord. Usually, our affiliation with him is nothing more than placing membership at a church somewhere, if that. It's like walking up to the Colt's, asking to "walk on", and then, assuming in this fantasy scenario that they would allow that, never training or working at all. It's sad really - we grow up singing, "I'm in the Lord's army YES SIR!" but when we're grown up, we live more like those guys who stage the civil war every year - it's all a safe act to us. That's something I hope I can work on over the years. "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." - 1st Corinthians 9: 24-27

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

more pictures

2006-10-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

more pictures

2006-10-02T12:57:00.000-07:00

engagement pictures

2006-10-02T12:48:00.000-07:00

2006-09-19T19:29:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone

First of all, thanks so much to whoever sees and reads this entry. It means a lot to me that you would care to stop by even after so few posts the last several months. I will not promise you that I will update more frequently, but I will promise that I have every intention to. Hopefully, this thank you will soon by buried into the depths that are only reached via those links to the right of what you are now reading labeled, "previous posts."

I'm in Abilene right now for lectureship at ACU. I've been in the lonestar since Saturday night and will return to the home of the Little League World Series Champs (just thought I'd throw that in there) Thursday night. I'm sitting in Cayce's grandma's house at the moment. That's weird, having two words right together, each of which are possessive and thusly apostrophized (Yes, I made that word up). Okay, let me try something here: Cayce's grandma's computer's keyboard's lettered keys are being pressed by Robert's son's hands' fingers' tips' callouses and warts. Somebody call the guiness people, cause that's some kind of record.

I mean it - this wart is huge!

The other day Cayce asked if I was happy. She told me that she could tell, in my voice, that I was a happier human being than I had been before coming here. I didn't even realize it myself, but just over the phone hundreds of miles away, Cayce could tell. So, I thought a lot about it. Maybe there are several reasons for that. I'm away from it all, a state (and I don't mean Texas) that all ministers need to approach now and then. I'm back at ACU, a place I learned to love gradually during my time here - maybe it learned to kind of like me too. Something bigger came to me at some point last night: there's a freedom here. A freedom that I had forgotten about. Maybe that conjures up a lot of different thoughts in my readers' minds, perhaps most of which have to do with progressive thoughts on worship (for the adult readers), or walking around dorm rooms naked (for all the others). It's not so much either one of those, although both are definitely prevelant, and though beautiful, sometimes gross. It's more a freedom to believe in God. It's weird, but I realized at some point last night in the midst of all the days lectures, classes, and prayers that it's generally okay on ACUs campus to pray with conviction, to believe in the holy spirit's work, and to converse, live, and act like people not of this world. It may sound weird to you, but it makes since because Cayce understood it when I mentioned it to her, and anyone of you who have had similar places of experience will understand it as well.

And it's a shame that when I leave a secluded area, a college campus, where a true belief in God is generally accepted, it gets so easily snuffed out of me. Whatever happened to "Don't let Satan pffhhh it out"? I'm not saying that ACU makes holiness a given - it's easy to not be a Christian there. I'm just saying, it's accepted. It's considered okay to believe in God and use language and lifestyles that portray that belief. And other places I go, it's not as okay. So, come to think of it, my passion in my belief may not be as strong as it was here - even my language while praying is more subdued, careful, worldly. I praise God, then, that he's not keeping me here. I'm very thankful to be going back to a non-ACU world Thursday night, so that I can be a light not hidden under a bowl. And I pray that by his power, I won't allow satan to blow/spit it out with a pffhhh sound, as every kid who's ever gone to a VBS knows is his technique.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

What is this song about?

2006-08-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

Who rocks the house?
I said Jesus rocks the house
and when Jesus rocks the house
He rocks it all the way down.

I first heard this song during my time interning in Memphis - it was, and I assume still is, a popular song among the teenagers in the White Station Youth Group. When I came to Columbus, I failed to introduce this "song." I'm not sure, really, what I was thinking. How could I call myself a responsible youth minister, and in the same breath not hurry to introduce a song describing that when Jesus takes on the task of rocking the living quarters, he does not do it halfway?

I became reacquainted with this song a few weeks ago in inner-city Huntsville. The middle school students there shout with confidence the observation of Jesus' responsibilities in the area of rocking the house, and his uncanny record of following through until the job is completely done.

I will need your help shortly, but first let me describe this "song" further, for those of you readers who have never heard it. The way this "song" is performed is not so much by singing, but rather by chanting it. (side note: I have found that a sure way to get a laugh is to pronounce this song, not so much in its usual chant, but matter of factly - professor-like almost, as if you have something intellectually stimulating to let everyone in on) You usually kind of sway back in forth, not really in any kind of official rhythm, but certainly overtaken by the atmosphere this song provides. You clap through the chant, until you get to the final line, at which point you hold your arms out in front of you and basically do the twist as you move your hind-quarters nearer and nearer to the ground with each syllable of "He rocks it all the way down". This last line, furthermore, is to be done in more of a bass than the normal speaking voice pitch used to perform the previous lines of information.

After the song has been chanted a couple of times, a leader will then, without breaking rhythm, call out certain groups of people to chant the song themselves: "Just the boys now!" "Just the girls now!" "White shirts now!" "Just the adults!" "_th graders!" "Salad lovers now!"

After each desired sect has proclaimed Jesus' innate talents, the entire group again, one last time, shouts the, I can only assume good news, concerning Jesus' rocking of the house.

Now, Cayce has recently explained to me that there are apparently regions in which teenagers chant extra lines that I had not yet heard. It goes like this:

Who rocks the house?
I said Jesus rocks the house
and when Jesus rocks the house
He rocks it one time
He rocks it two times
He rocks it three times
He rocks it all the way down.

Allow me to recap, if I may, especially in light of this new information I've recently been made aware of:

- It would appear, according to this song, that although I am prone to inquire who I might need to contact if I were to need a good house-rocking, if I thought about it I would remember a time when that question had already been answered to me by the speaker of the song.

- I am not told how long ago it was answered - perhaps it was years ago, or perhaps the speaker just told me seconds ago, and the words were unclear to my listening ear and I am simply asking for clarification.

- The answer: it is indeed Jesus who rocks the house.

- The meaning of the word "the" is not made entirely clear: if taken literally, then we are talking about a specific house.

- Furthermore, while the song does not in great detail describe this verb "rocks", we do know that it entails a physical decline on the part of the house.

- In what seems to be the line of information the speaker/ song writer is most passionate and insistant that we comprehend (the clapping stops, the swaying begins, the voice pitch varies), we are informed that when Jesus performs this rocking of the house, that house is rocked unto the depths - no further down could that house be rocked than what Jesus is capable of and faithful in rocking it.

- Lastly, in this new bit of information known only by certain privileged youth groups (until now, when all 1 million of my blog readers are being made suddenly aware), Jesus persistently performs this action on the same house thrice.

This obviously leaves much unanswered, and that's where you come in. I need some theories here. What does the house represent? What does the rocking entail? Where is all the way down? Why multiple rockings, and does the house get rocked all the way down each of these times, or only on the last attempt which may suggest a fourth rocking of the house? Feel free to offer your suggestions.

This, by the way, is not the most confusing of the songs in the category of "songs that you might begin a worship service with before any kind of serious thought requiring a brain cell begins so that all the adrenaline in the room is honed in on in order to up the participation, excitement, and vast change in atmosphere for later, lyrically stimulating songs with actual melodic value." No, the most confusing is actually one that, apparently, suggests that we say no to drugs, alcohol, and automobiles in favor of Jesus Christ.

In any event, thanks for reading. I love you all. Let me know if you need anything.

Landon

It wouldn't take Jesus to get us all naked up in here...

2006-08-12T19:58:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

It's a pleasure to be blogging again. The lack of entries during the last several weeks is a combination of being busy, in a wonderfully divine sense, and also, then, not really feeling like writing when I have the time. That's passed -- I'm still busy, but in more of an annoyingly obligatory sense. And, the passion to write has returned. I've always loved to write -- so then, it's a pleasure to be blogging again.

A few weeks ago some teens, Allison Liggin and I went to Hunntsville, AL for a mission trip working with inner-city middle school kids. We built relationships with them through service projects, field trips, teaching, and just good ole' fassion chillin' with a four square ball. It was a wonderful experience...epic, really. It was the first time any group associated with CVC has taken such a trip. The teens never complained about having to prepare beforehand, sleep on a floor, wake up early, stay up late, or wear the same blue shirt everyday. The teens took it all in wonderful stride, working with the energy Christ provided. They carried themselves as though it were the most important thing they'd ever been involved with.

That Wednesday night we went into the youth group class at the Inner-City church of Christ. After hearing an amazing testimony from a girl named Amanda, we got to hear a man named Art talk to us for a few moments. He told us about an old gameshow where the contestant had to question three people each claiming to be someone in particular, after which the contestant would guess which two were lying and which one was the actual fireman or actor or tic-tac-toe champion or whatever it was. He asked us the question, "If a man were in this room claiming to be Jesus, what could you ask him to do or say to prove it?" The answers were fascinating. Bear in mind, these are inner-city middle school kids just learning about who Jesus is themselves: "I'd tell him to walk on the ceiling! I'd tell him to turn Eddie into a fish! I'd ask him to make it rain in this room!" Then, just as I was waiting in anticipation for Art's response, one girl set him up for it perfectly: "I'd tell him to make us all be naked."

Art interogated, "Would somebody really have to be Jesus to make us all get naked?"
A pause of absolute bewilderment followed.
Art continued as he approached his wife, Cynthia, "I mean, if a man walked up to Cynthia with a gun and said, 'take your clothes off or I'll kill you', what would she do?" They answered correctly -- she'd get naked.
Art continued, "If a man came in here and said you all better get naked or I'm going to kill you, would you get naked?" Yeah...

Then Art said something that I think we all need to remember -- I've been pondering this statement for several weeks now...he said

"It wouldn't take Jesus to get us all naked up in here."

Brilliant. He probably doesn't even remember saying it, but I think it's brilliant. He then had us turn to John 9, one of my favorite chapters. We read through it as he marvalled at the stupidity of the Pharisees...Jesus had encountered a grown man who had never seen anything, blind from birth. Jesus had spit on the ground, made mud, rubbed it on the man's eyes, told him to go wash his face in a certain pool...So the man went and washed, and he came home seeing. That's amazing -- please don't let it not be. And yet, the Pharisees (that is, religious leaders) were offended -- Who is this man! What gives him the right to heal like that! Who gives him the authority! The man responds, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."

He did this on the Sabbath! He's a Sinner! You were never blind, you liar! Where are your parents! His parents respond, "We know he is our son, and we know he was born blind. If you want to know how he can see now, what are you asking us for? There he is right over there."

Man, give glory to God! Tell us this man is a sinner! "One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" And he was thrown out, out of the temple...no small thing. But...he could see clearly out there.

Jesus has more to offer those inner-city middle school kids than they could ever imagine. He has more to offer me than I think to ask for. "Hey Jesus, I'm blind. Teach me proper religion. Grant me respect from my peers. Teach me to be spiritually diplomatic. You know, make my blindness not matter much." But, honestly, Jesus isn't really needed for any of that.

So, I'll try to remember to seek Jesus, hear him hack up a loogie and spit in front of me, the same way lots of cruel kids have done before, picking on me as they stood in front of my blindness. I'll strive to hear the shocking gasps of the crowd, used to seeing him so kind to outsiders and loving to everybody, as they watch him bend down and goop that dirty spit into his hands. I'll gladly feel the saliva mud rubbed on my face because, quite honestly, when life is a loogie it's unpleasant, but when it's Jesus' loogie it's holy snot. And then, I'll hear him tell me to go wash my face in the pool. Why isn't he leading me there? He already has -- he's prepared it for me, and now he sends me there to experience the struggle he created for me. And I'll go, and I'll wash, and then I'll go home seeing. At that point, I know...and I'll gladly stand in front of you or anyone else and say, "That was Jesus."

On a related note...the new Barenaked Ladies album will be in stores September 12th - Barenaked Ladies Are Me
If you say it out loud, it's not so puzzling.

Then, in 2007 they're releasing another new album called Barenaked Ladies Are Men.
That they are.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Sorry

2006-08-09T12:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry everyone...it's been a great and hectic summer. A blog update will appear tomorrow, and then quite frequently after that. Thanks for continuing to check in. I still love you all.

Landon

Lockin

2006-07-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

Last night we had a lockin. Watch this...

www.cvcyouth.org/Lockin.wmv

Landon

My age

2006-07-12T12:50:00.000-07:00

17. Seventeen. IIIXX (I think). 9*6/2-10. 17.

Apparently, that's how old I look. Not to the naked eye, albeit that would be shame enough. To a trained professional in uniform putting cotton-stuffed wild animal likenesses on the line, I look like a 17 year old. The CVC youth and I were at six-flags over Georgia all day Monday. I say, "and I" not because I want to disassociate myself from the CVC youth, but to make it clear that I am not, ipso facto, a youth group member - I am the YOUTH MINISTER. I apologize for whatever confusion this may cause.

I saw a booth there containing a scale, several stuffed bears dressed as Superman, and a six-flags employee. I approached the apparatus and asked the lady what I must do to obtain a superbear. "Nothing," I was told. For $5.00 she would guess either my age or my weight, and if she did not guess exactly correctly, I could have the bear. After making mention that I could buy that bear for less than $5 anywhere else in the world, I decided to play. See, I understand that I do not look my age, and that she would therefore guess wrong, and I thought maybe Cayce would like the bear. She stared me down. She looked up close, almost eye to eye. She backed up for a distant overview. She wrote a few notes down. She spent about 2 minutes deliberating in her own mind. "17." Ouch! I was standing next to JT Overby (17) and Paul Hubbuch (13), and she said she looked at them too and thought they must be friends of mine, so I must be about 17. I'm 24. She missed by ALMOST A DECADE! I wanted two bears for such a far-off assumption, but was allowed only one. One bear for all that shame - the same prize as a boy of five and a half would probably be given if she had guessed five. To add salt to the wound, I don't think Cayce liked the bear that much.

I got cussed out last night. I was driving home, and this truck in front of me pulled over to the curb. This wasn't a street that you could just park on, but I assumed he needed to stop for a second or something, so I went around him. As I was pulling beside him, it became clear to me that his window was down and he had something to say, but I did not stop as I did not realize this until I was almost by him. So, I turned onto my street, as did he. I parked in a parallel parking spot by Lakebottom park, as I do nightly, and he stopped right there in the road. As I exited my car, I noticed that he had about five women in the truck - both windows were down, and each of them were yelling obscenities at me. From what I could gather, I had been driving too close behind them for their likings. Without a word, I went around the truck and into my duplex as they yelled and cussed me out the whole way. Being cussed out by random strangers didn't bother me much - I just felt bad for ruining their night. But what did hurt was the critical remark made by one of the ladies. I will paraphrase this for you: "You are young." Actually, she called a particular body-part of mine young - one that the six-flags employee failed to examine. But I assume she meant that I, as a human being, was not too well-advanced in years. I know I shouldn't care, but it was already fresh on my mind after the six-flags incident. If not for that, I would just assume that I was made to look younger than normal by the shocking display of a man my age stepping out of a Bonneville, a vehicle usually employed by the elderly.

Honestly, it doesn't bother me. I'm a good looking young man, and I'm grateful for that. However, I do see my youthful appearance, at this point in my life, as a handicap - one not acknowledged by the government, or pretty much anybody, but one nonetheless. I've complained about it before to people, and usually hear something along the lines of, "You ARE young. Embrace it!" Young, though, is a relative term. I'm 24 young, not 17 young. And, I'm sure, nobody who has ever told me that has had to live life as a 24 year old looking like a 17 year old. Even when people do realize how old you are, you have to go, seemingly, an extra mile to gain respect that comes with adult and professional status without coming across as rude or pompous. Someday I'll appreciate it, but not last night.

As a minister, I'm in love with the pastoral epistles (1st Timothy, 2nd Timothy, and Titus). My favorite verse in them is 1st Timothy 1:12 - "I thank Christ Jesus my Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service." That verse is fixed upon my office door.

Another one I rather enjoy is 1st Timothy 4:12 - "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity." I can relate to that because, not only am I young, I look it, and I am indeed looked down upon for it sometimes by fellow Christians. That may not apply to you, but these words of Paul still do. There is something about you, about the beautiful, wonderful way you are made that might cause others to look down on you - something that might cause them to disregard you as a worker for the Lord. Here's what I've found: A Christlike example in speech, life, love, faith, and purity trump that disadvantage. Let me encourage you to set an example, not in aspects of life you have no control over, but in those that you do control. Force people to see those aspects of you.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Sprite, A finger (or lack-thereof), and a bad album cover

2006-07-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

I'm back on the wagon! Yesterday I again took up drinking...Sprite and other sweet drinks. The summer theme for the CVC youth is Crave - with that in mind, I prayerfully obstained from drinking anything that would be considered a sweet drink for 40 days. I arrived at that undertaking after being strongly advised by my preacher, Buddy, to not fast from food for 40 days during a summer as a youth minister....which, of course, shows his emmense lack of faith in the power of God.

So, at around midnight on Tuesday, July 4th, I downed a Sprite. The sensation was an unnexpected one. I had been told that when you discontinue gustation of favorite food and drink, it then takes a while to begin liking it the same way. That was not necessarily the case for me. Sprite tastes as good as ever, and I do not crave water any more than I did before, and I have not worked my way back into the Sprite as I've had about 12 or so already. But...

When I first took a drink and tasted Sprite - you know, that edge that water lacks...the edge that lets your mouth and body know beyond a doubt that something is penetrating it - I sensed some amount of regret. It was over, and when I first tasted it, I mean at that moment, it was like, "Did I take advantage of it? Did I really crave God enough during that 40 days?" Because, honestly, the taste of Sprite really isn't that good compared to the taste of God. And I've thought that every time I've taken a drink since then. And it's good for me because at first, when I first started drinking water instead, I really felt withdrawel when everyone around me would be drinking the "good" stuff, and I relied heavily on a craving for God. There did come a time, though, toward the end, when that wore off slightly. So now, when I taste Sprite, I crave God all over again.

Also, Sprite makes my stomache hurt. It always has. And yet, it's worth it to me. That says something about the nature of sin, doesn't it? Our taste buds just really don't care about the internal pain. We like that edge going down, so we'll accept the IBS it causes. "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." - 1st Peter 2:2-3
...................
Last week, Cooper Lee Culverhouse, the not quite 2 year-old son of our children's minister, lost a portion of his left index finger - down to joint. Today at lunch, his dad, Benny, said that he thinks we can sort of experience what it's like for God when we turn our back on him when one of our children get's hurt. Because, he would cut off his own finger if he could give it to Cooper Lee. Just a little communion thought for you.

And now, I realize it's been a while....so for you bad album cover groupies, here you go.

wait for it......

WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love you all. As always, thanks for reading.

Landon

Life's joys and dilemmas

2006-06-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I hope you are still checking in now and then to read this. I know it's been two weeks and a day. I'm back in town now after spending all last week at Impact. What a powerful experience for the CVC youth that attended. I loved the nights - just sitting on a cement basketball court with my youth group and talking life over.

So, here's my newest life struggle - I wonder if you might can help me out with this. Last Monday my cell phone stopped working. Long story short, it would not make or receive calls, which pretty much rendered it a clock. I had just gotten to Nashville and knew I would be there for a week. I needed a cell phone, so I found a T-mobile place of business and got a new one. So, here's my struggle. I am now on my third phone in two years. The first one, a flip phone, broke in half at a lock-in. I know why these two phones had such short life spans - because I carried them both in my right pocket, along with my keys, cash, pens, receipts, and really any other miscellaneous item I needed to carry. It's like my Jr. High locker in there. So, I need another place to carry it. I guess the left pocket would be an option, except that I carry my bible there. The phone would still fit there but it looks weird, like I have an upper-thigh tumor, and I really don't want my elders laying hands there. I refuse to get a clip to put on my belt - No offense to you who do that, by the way. But, you probably also where tight blue jeans and big belt buckles. I don't know, it just seems like those go along with a certain look that I don't particularly portray. Plus, as much grief as I've given Ben Overby about his fanny pack, I just can't do it. So, I guess that would leave the cargo pockets, but they are harder to get to in a timely, four ring manor, and not all pants have them. So please, if you have any ideas as to where I can safely carry my cell phone, insuring both its longevity and my maintenance of physical etiquette, I would appreciate it. Thank you.

This was the memory verse for Cayce and I last week that we wrote on her refrigerator: Be joyful always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances. For this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1st Thessalonians 5:16-18

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Orin Lincoln and the Mavericks

2006-06-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

Hello

Every youth group has one...Orin Lincoln is ours. He's that kid that's a laugh a second without even really realizing it, but with a smile and great attitude all the time. Every comment, motion, action, breath, and bodily function is hillarious. On Mondays the CVC youth are doing a thing called Crave and Rave. Last year it was called Prayer and Fullness - we'll probably change the name each year to match up with the summer theme. Basically, we meet at the church at noon with our lunch, and we pray together and keep a record of all our prayer requests for the summer, and then we go do something fun. Orin comes in luie of watching Matlock, which he tapes and watches later in the day. Last week, Orin showed up with a waffle and a bag of marshmallows. Today, for the "Rave" portion of the event, we went to the Goodwill, where Orin bought five cups, a butter melter, and a lettuce cutter. I love that boy.

The Mavericks won game 2 of the NBA finals last night to go up 2-0 in the series. As a die-hard Detroit Lions fan, it's nice to root for a quality organization during basketball season. I think the Spurs, Suns, or Mavs would have blown out the Heat or the Pistons, and that the Lakers, Clippers, or Kings would have had a chance. The Eastern conference is plain weak. I only scored five less points than Shaq in last night's game.

With our summer theme of "Crave", our theme verse for the CVC Youth summer is 1st Peter 2:2-3: Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. Two members of the CVC Youth group, JT and Alex Overby, have started an amazing blog called "What God Feeds Us." http://jtandalex.blogspot.com/
I recommend that blog. I'm proud of them.

I think I'll be updating each day this week, and then not at all next week as I'll be at Lipscomb for Impact. I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Update

2006-06-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

I'll update later today. Sorry for the hiatus.

Landon

H2O

2006-05-31T11:22:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Sorry it's been so long. I have had a great week - I got to drive home (to Lubbock, TX) and back with my brothers - two of them are staying with me for this week. I'm pretty sure they're bored out of their minds. My brother, Tyler, graduated last weekend.

I learned how to embed video -- if you go to www.cvcyouth.org it will start playing an amazing video concerning our summer theme of "Crave." Enjoy that.

Speaking of that summer theme, I announced to the teens last Wednesday that I was going to refrain from drinking anything sweet for 40 days - July 4th is the day I can indulge. So I'm pretty much just drinking water now. Here's what I've decided - God did not make water for us to drink it. Sure, our bodies need it and all, but God loves us beyond that. So, he created drinks like Kool-Aid, Tea, even Sprite that contain water so that our bodies would have it. God also knew that the people he created would prefer that their drinks be frigid, so he made water with the capacity to be frozen and placed into the drinks actually meant for our beverage indulgence. The thing water lacks is the kick - I end up drinking a whole glass or bottle basically in one drink, just waiting for that kick in the back of my throat, and it never gets there. It's just way too smooth going down, you know. It's like I haven't even had a drink of anything when I'm done. And what's really weird to me is when I make my water cold with frozen water - that's like marrying my cousin...I'm not sure why, that's just what it makes me think of.

Actually, it's going great. It's hard, but I'm sure it will end up being a wonderful experience.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. - 1st Peter 2:2-3

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Leap of faith

2006-05-21T19:25:00.000-07:00

I've recently become amazed just thinking about the fact that human beings can jump.

Babies are being born. At CVC in the last couple of months, Belinda Cooper and Leigh Hedges have had babies. Cayce's cousin, Jason, and his wife, Sara recently had a baby girl. Carolyn Kobek, again at CVC, will be next (not in this world - to be sure, many babies will be born before William Kobek. Just wanted to clear that up). Keep these things in mind for just a moment: I've recently become amazed just thinking about the fact that human beings can jump - babies are being born.

Cayce will get to hold her new baby cousin for the first time this weekend when she goes home to behold her sister's graduation - a weekend of monuments. I was just thinking - when Cayce holds this baby, assume she asks her what's been happening in her life: "Maddy, I don't really know you, and seeing as how you are my cousin and all, I was just wondering - what's your story? What are your likes and dislikes? What do plan on doing tomorrow? What are your views on imigration?" What would be Maddy's reply?

Suppose Maddy's parents took her to a psychiatrist - "Doctor, we just don't know what to do. She cries all the time - I think she must be depressed. And she wets herself - isn't that some kind of psychological disorder? She's a horrible communicator, she's terribly dependant, and socially innapropriate." And suppose the Dr. then asks to meet with Maddy alone: "Maddy, I would like to get to the bottom of this. Tell me about your past - let's decipher the heart of this issue." Again, what would be Maddy's reply?

The truth is, babies are pretty much useless, they have no past to draw back on nor would they be capable of utilizing such wisdom, they are socially inept, and they poopy all over themselves often.

Yet, all the while, they...learn. I want to simply focus on one aspect of life learned - that of mobility. We've all seen babies learning to move about - they learn to roll over, to lift themselves, to sit up, to stand utilizing the surrounding furniture, to walk utilizing said furniture, to stumble a few steps into a venture beyond the furniture...it's a sight that would look quite silly if, say, it were adult genuis Bill Gates. Sad really. We'd feel sorry for him. And yet we think it's so cute, so amazing when babies do it. We cut them some slack - when it's them, the relatively insignificant becomes the most important steps being taken in this world.

To me, the pinnacle of human mobility is the jump. Think of it, as I suppose many never have: babies fall down. Gravity leads to lack of balance leads to lack of confidence leads to lack of composure leads to lack of uprightness. Or something like that. And yet there comes a day when not only has this baby learned to walk, he/she has learned to walk fast. He/she runs. And then...there comes a day when this human being proves capable to bend at the knees, and rapidly extend them by pushing down on those feet and rise into the air. To me, just the thought that this process actually works, is amazing. Some have higher verticles than others - it doesn't matter. To be able to lift my entire body off the ground and into the air by utilizing a technique we call the "jump" - that's amazing when you really think about it. And it's things like that, like the jump action, that reveal God to me. Let me explain.

One of my favorite quotes is from Sir Isaac Newton: "In the absence of any other proof, the thumb alone would convince me of God's existance." I've become the same way. I used to believe in God for the huge (or are they) reasons - there's a world, there's humans in it, I don't want to go to hell, etc. As He has expanded my mind, I've seen that it's these "huge" reasons that are easily refutable and sandy for a foundation on which to build faith. More and more, I believe for the smaller (or are they) reasons.

When you see someone cheering a baby for taking a step, you don't say, "What's so special about that? I could do that years ago! And, for safety's sake, we really need to make that baby stop trying. It keeps falling hard!" But, God get's that a lot. "What's so special about this world? It could have been happenstance. An explosion could have done it. And why does he allow such pain?" But, then, in Newton's observation, an explosion couldn't have made a thumb. And an explosion can't take that babies first steps and turn them to actually jumping action years later. That's God.

This is metaphorical, kind of, in case you aren't reading it that way. Shawn McDonald sings a song called gravity in which he states, "I don't want to fall away from you, but gravity keeps pulling me on down." And that's how our lives are...we struggle, we fall, we fail, and we make slow progress if any. Gravity leads to lack of balance leads to yadda yadda yadda ouch thank God for soft Huggies. Only, we don't congratulate each other for our simple steps - we ridicule each other for the shortcomings, and blame or deny God: How could a loving God allow gravity (or whatever we don't like for him to allow)? And yet, we know that gravity is valuable to our well-beings. With all the known benifits of gravity, I consider this one: without gravity, we could not jump. Don't hate each other and God for the gravity - instead, clap for the steps, and stand amazed at the eventual jump.

Pharisees believed in God - I guess maybe they were amazed at the creation of the world...They weren't so amazed at "smaller" things, so when Jesus hacked a loogie into the dirt and rubbed the mud onto a man's eyes, causing him to see for the first time in his life, the Pharisees were offended. "Who is this man?" they asked. "What gives him the right to make this man see?" they asked. "From what source is his power?" as if any miracle so "small" as eyesight could come from any source than from God. The healed man's response was beautiful and faithful: "I don't know much about anything. You are the educated ones. All I know is that I was blind and now I can see. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find this man so that I can serve him." (John 9 - paraphrased)

Throughout history, I observe that whenever God wants to send his blessings, one way he does it is by sending babies. As he asks them for a leap of faith, he teaches them to jump.

Hopefully that made since.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Mount Texmore - the final face

2006-05-15T13:37:00.000-07:00

Hello

This one was really a no brainer.
I would love to have more room for more famous Texans, or others who have helped to shape and form Texas into what it is today: Davy Crocket, Sam Houston, Red Adair. We have the fastest man in the world - Michael Johnson. We have the most famous child actor star ever - Spanky McFarland. We have Joan Crawford, who would be the female closest to grazing this mountain. The greatest crime duo ever - Bonnie and Clyde. Legends of music - George Jones, ZZ Top, Willie Nelson. Carol Burnett. Howard Hughes. Lyndon Johnson. Dan Rather. That famous guy with the funny name - Rip Torn.
However, I now reiterate: this one really was a no brainer. There is one Texan who has made an impact on this world. A lasting one. Nobody envies the decisions he was faced with - most respect him for facing them with wisdom and dignity. Who better to make decisions that would impact the world for the rest of its existence than a man with the poise, grit, and strength of mind that comes from growing up in Texas - a man with the humility, heart, and depth of soul that comes from being raised there.

Dwight D. Eisenhower. Popularly known as Ike. Military hero during World War II. Amazing president of the United States of America just following World War II. For more, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwight_D._Eisenhower.

Well, there you have it. The completed Mt. Texmore. Thanks for sharing this journey with me.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Mount Texmore - Face 3

2006-05-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Again, I apologize for the hiatus. I truly did plan to have this mountain built in four consecutive days - I've learned that in the midst of life's hustle and bustle, it's hard to build a mountain.

Just so you know, the other person in serious consideration for face number two was Sam Houston. He still might go on tomorrow (at least, I think it'll be done tomorrow). But, I ran that by Cayce and she made the point that if Stephen F. Austin is already on the mountain, then does it really NEED Sam Houston? It does seem kind of redundant. Besides that, I remember from Texas history that the two of them did not get along at all, which is why the capital has changed a few times. But, Sam Houston deserves consideration, if for no other reason, for these quotes:

"Texas will again lift its head and stand among the nations. It ought to do so, for no country upon the globe can compare with it in natural advantages"

"All new states are invested, more or less, by a class of noisy, second-rate men who are always in favor of rash and extreme measures, But Texas was absolutely overrun by such men."

"Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppression, come from what source it may."

I think any man who talks like that is a Texan, heart and soul, and deserves consideration on this mountain. But, if I only end up putting either him or Austin, I made the right choice - Austin is, after all, the father of Texas.

So, what about today? There are so many I've considered, and yet can't bring myself to put up there: Willie Nelson...does not compare to the greatness and legacy of Buddy Holly, and music is already represented anyway, and I don't even like him (but am willing to consider him based on his importance). George Bush or George W. Bush...they only would even be considered by today's generation of Texans, but really they have done nothing to compare with what many have done who would be left out, such as Sam Houston for instance, or Lyndon B Johnson. Ross Perot...okay, I never actually considered him.

There's no sports figure yet on this mountain, and Texas has the most of any state in our nation or world to choose from (I found this to be true without a doubt as I have worked on this mountain), so I need to get a sports figure on here. Again, I'd go with Lance Armstrong if he only wasn't a bike rider - that's such an insignificant sport in most peoples' minds that he will be forgotten far too soon. So, let me just throw out some options here: Jack Johnson...the first black man to win the heavyweight boxing championship of the world. Don Meredith...played Quarterback for the local Dallas Cowboys, getting them on the right track of winning, but never getting them that coveted championship (he never could seem to beat those pesky Lions). Richard Petty...known as "the king" with his 200 career wins in the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit. Bill Picket...the most famous legendary cowboy ever. Willie Shoemaker...the most successful jockey in history. Roger Staubach...Won four NFC Championship games and two superbowls as a Dallas Cowboy quarterback. Others include Babe Didrickson, Zack Thomas, Doak Walker, Bobby Layne, and...

Today's face for Mt. Texmore. I will argue with anyone for as long as I live that Sports deserves much of the credit for what we are as a nation - Men getting off work and going in their suits to watch their local baseball team play another city's team brought about unity and family values and camaraderie and teamwork that other nations had not seen and many still have not -- I firmly believe that more than anything we do that we can teach to the people of a nation like Iraq, teaching them our systematic ways of sport would do as much or more good. Please don't hear me as undermining what men did in putting their lives on the line for my freedom - obviously that is more special than a baseball game...but they did that because they believed in something. And what did they believe in? A nation that loved all people, that could fight through any depression, that held family in high regard, that demanded freedom, that owned up to liberty, a nation of people who could follow a major league baseball team. That's the same kind of thing our soldiers today believe in.

Many athletes have squandered that good name of sport for our nation to the point where a true sports fan is seen as an idiot for acknowledging what sports have meant to us all (see my entry on Barry Bonds and ESPN). But, there still remain reasons to cheer. Reasons like this man...

Nolan Ryan. What a great 28 year career in major league baseball. That's right...28 years. He started in 1966 with the New York Mets, and yet I, born in 1981, grew up watching him pitch for the Texas Rangers. I distinctly remember the day he retired in 1993. He played all nine positions during those 28 years, but he'll forever (yeah, forever) be remembered as a pitcher. He is baseball's all time leader in strikeouts with over 5000. He also holds the record for a whopping 7 no hitters. That's hard to imagine today, when home run and hitting records are being bulldozed left and right - that's one no-hitter every 4 years, on average! He won over 300 games.

And yet, those credentials alone would not get Nolan Ryan on this mountain: In addition to his prowess as a pitcher, Nolan Ryan has always maintained the highest reputation as a man of irreproachable character and integrity. In spite of the millions of dollars Ryan has made from both his product endorsements and salary, he has always remained one of the last of the old-time players, oblivious to the big-money contracts, and with an eye only on the well-pitched game.

One face left...your input is welcome.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Mount Texmore - Face 2

2006-05-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

First of all, I appologize for not getting around to this until now - I'm sure you're all dying to know who's next. I had an amazing weekend - but it was busy. There was simply no time to chisel.

I'm just now beginning to realize how little space there is on Mt. Texmore. There's only three spots left, meaning after this entry, there will only be two, meaning that each face I put there will be a bit contraversial. I still, therefore, need a whole lot more prayer and input from you regarding the remaining slots.

I wanted to go with Bobby Layne today - one of the ten best quarterbacks of all time and the inventor of the two minute drill. However, he would make the mountain start to look like Mount Lubbmore (he and Buddy Holly are both from Lubbock) and he was a Detroit Lion which would make it seem biased. All that aside, I would still put him on the mountain other than his horrible character - he was a great football player, but a lousy man. Also, Somebody like Don Merideth or Nolan Ryan or Coach Landry are better known today (not as good, but better known).

Here's my newest struggle with this mountain - I think it might be a chauvinist one. I truly need your input here because I am finding difficulty thinking of deserving females. That doesn't mean there aren't any great females from Texas - only that there aren't many who are as deserving as Buddy Holly. I mean, am I to shove Sam Houston off this mountain in favor of Bonnie Parker from the Bonnie and Clyde crime duo? Probably not. Should Lyndon B. Johnson not make the "cut" in favor of Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay? Absolutely not! Do I leave off "W" in favor of Ninnie Baird, the founder of Mrs. Bairds bread? Hmmmm. So, help is truly needed here.

So then, I was going to go with Lance Armstrong for today. In fact, when I began this entry, I had him in mind. He is a man who, through sport and a defeat of horrible cancer, has given courage to many. I already was considering him when Ben Overby suggested him, giving me more courage to chisel him in. Here's the problem: 100 years from now, I fear that very few people will know the name. We still know Buddy Holly, and always will. Lance Armstrong - his legacy will dwindle in the next decade.

So, I basically chose between two figures today - I won't tell you the losing one because he still has a great chance of being chosen tomorrow or the next day. The new face on Mount Texmore is the man known as the father of Texas: How could he not, then, be on this mountain? He brought hundreds of families into the state due to the poor conditions of the United States at the time. He was responsible for the settlement of more than 1,200 American families in Mexican Texas. Besides all that, he may be the man most responsible for our existance today: following a period of imprisonment in Mexico City, he urged Texans to join federalists in Mexico in revolt against the centralist dictatorship of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. During the Texas Revolution, he briefly commanded Texas volunteers and then went to the United States to gain support for the Texan cause. The rest is history, and beautiful.

Stephen F. Austin: Thanks for everything.

I love you all. Thanks for reading. Your input is valuable.

Landon

Mount Texmore - Face 1

2006-05-04T11:21:00.000-07:00

Before you read this, you might want to look at my first entry for today, "Mount Texmore - the Introduction", found just below this one...Also, please feel free to jump in on this debate.

Deciding on the first face for the mountain is a harder task for me than you may think. The way I see things, for now, is as four available spots on this mountain that I need to decide how to split up. For instance:

There needs to be at least someone from Texas history books who made an impact on the state, making it what it is today and always has been. That person may or may not actually be from there.

But, perhaps there also needs to be at least someone from Texas on this mountain who has made the same sort of political impact on our entire nation.

Furthermore, there needs to be at least someone from Texas on this mountain who has made a significant impact on popular culture, rather it be in music, sports, etc.

I honestly have no idea who the four figures will be. I don't even, at this point in the entry, know who will end up on the mountain by the end of this entry. I'll just have to talk it out here. I'll make one promise to you - I will not cause a nuclear reaction, an implosion of this moutain, by placing George W. Bush and the annoying girl from the Dixie Chicks side by side.

Benny "the clown" Culverhouse, the Children's minister here, has gotten in on this conversation: His vote is for either Hank Hill or Stevie Ray Vaghn. Regarding Hank Hill, this brings up an interesting point - does the face need to be of a non-fictional human being? I don't ask this because of Hank Hill - as much as I love the animated show, he's NOT going on the mountain. Cayce thinks I should put Walker Texas Ranger on the mountain - that, too, is not likely to happen. But, does Pecos Bill not deserve some sort of consideration? In regards to Stevie Ray Vaghn, I think music does indeed need representation here - but, is that going to be Stevie Ray Vaghn? You have to consider the lead singer of ZZ-Top, or Meatloaf, or Mac Davis.

I also got some input from our new secretary, Becky. Her suggestion was Matthew Mconohay - not sure on the spelling there. I would have never suggested him, but many female readers might, and he might deserve some consideration. But, does he really belong on the same list of possibilities with the likes of Sam Houston and Steven F. Austin?

One face - I need one face on this mountain by the end of this paragraph. I want to hold off on deciding what great Texans from the history books belong here until I hear more input from others. So then, we'll go with something pop-culture for now. What great Texan has influenced us as Americans in ways that his/her legacy will carry on far beyond his/her life. Today, I think I'll chisel in the face of a man...
a man who died far too soon...
a man who's influence on the music scene still rings loud...
the true king of rock-and-roll who simply wasn't alive long enough to be known as such...
the man who "American Pie" (the song) is about...
the man who made coke-bottle glasses popular...
the man who Weezer sings about looking like...

Buddy Holly. If his legacy was not living on already, it certainly will now.

I love you all. Your input for tomorrow's face is welcome. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Mount Texmore - the introduction

2006-05-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

ESPN Radio's great morning show, "Mike and Mike in the morning" has given me an idea for the next four days of this blog.

They have started a series called "Mount Sportsmore" where they decide which four sports-figures would claim a spot on this mountain...so far, it's Babe Ruth, Mohamed Ali, and Michael Jordan.

Well, I've decided to make my own mountain - Mount Texmore.

Of course, I need to work through some rules: Should I say that it must be pretty well accepted that the person is FROM Texas, as in born there, grew up there, and did not move away until after the childhood upbringing? OR, should I say that any human being (that issue was debated on the morning show when one of the Mikes considered a horse for the mountain) who has made an impact on the state is eligable (i.e. Davy Crocket who was from Tennessee)?

I suppose I'll have to go with the latter - being that Texas isn't so much a state of geographical area as it is a state of mind, I would say that anyone who has influenced the state OR anyone from the state who has influenced the rest of the world may be eligable.

Another rule that I must lay out is this: once I have placed a figure on this mountain, that figure cannot be replaced...he/she is chisled in, and that's final. So then, on day four when I have a million possibilities left, I cannot undo one of the earlier entries.

Also, there can only be four...I am not allowed to ADD mass to the mountain on day four to allow for another head.

So then, on with the heads!

A non sports related entry for the female audience

2006-05-01T07:34:00.000-07:00

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This one is for whoever posed as my dear sister, Brittany, in commenting on my last entry. I know it couldn't have possibly actually been her, the feminist that she is. Why would this future doctor, who has previously on her very own online blog of the Xanga variety described the utterly tragic event of a fellow female at the hospital telling her that she is in a male's world, now make a comment like: "okay, you owe us a non-sports-related entry now. Humor your female audience."? She wouldn't have. Surely not. So, Brittany, I would like to apologize to you for the way this blog has been used to tarnish your good, feminist name.

So anyway, about the ballet - on May 2nd the Russian National Ballet will be in Columbus, GA performing Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty. I, for one, am overcome by dissatisfaction. Sure, we're acquiring some culture here in Columbus. Is that all we're striving for here - some novelty act for amateur entertainment seekers such as Garrett Brannon, who will be attending by the way, to glutton for just after doing the same for a greasy, void of napkin value meal at the local KFC, drinking soda from celephane? I, for one, desire a bit more. If we're going to bring the ballet to Columbus, how about a little sophistication, or however you spell it? What - was L'Oiseau de feu not available? Is Petrushka a bit too Risqué? Until we show a bit of class, I'll remain an ashamed citizen.

That is all. Thank you.

Landon

With the number 9 pick in the NFL draft, the Detroit Lions select.....a guaranteed concussion

2006-04-29T10:52:00.001-07:00

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Ernie Sims. He is this year's Detroit Lions first round pick -- number 9 overall.

He will be no better than the third best Linebacker on the team (Boss Bailey, Teddy Lehman), but the Lions can't seem to find a good fit at Middle Linebacker, so maybe this will be that guy. I must say, I'm not eccstatic - I wanted Micheal Huff, but he was gone. So, if a worthwhile tradedown offer was not available, I would have gone with Jimmy Williams. We'll see how it goes.

Here is my assessment of the good and the bad...

The Bad:

- Again, he'll be the third best linebacker on the Lions (although, probably their best Middle Linebacker)

- He's had five concussions in 2 years

- The Lions top two linebackers (Boss Bailey and Teddy Lehman) are already injury prone. All three starters will be now!

- He's been arrested on a domestic battery charge

The Good:

- He can probably play the middle spot - something that Lehman wasn't good at last year, and Boss is limited greatly by doing. If he can stay healthy on the field, and fill that void at MLB, he's more than worth this pick

- He'll probably automatically be the best hitter on the Defense (Kennoy Kenedy can lay wood as well). When that doesn't lead to a personally inflicted headache, it will be fun to watch

- He's not a wide receiver

- He's not Matt Leinhert

- First time since the mid- 90s that the Lions have drafted defense in the first round

- The new Lions head coach, Rod Marinelli, is a respected defensive guru. I trust him

- The last injury prone player the Lions reached for in the draft is now the best Defensive tackle in the NFL (Shawn Rogers)

I'm just not convinced he'll ever play a full NFL season - or even more than half of one all at once. I hope he does, but I'm not convinced.

Landon - looking forward to round 2 and the Mavs game tonight

Coach of the year, and why I'm not a rockstar

2006-04-26T21:43:00.000-07:00

First of all, as the true Dallas Mavericks follower and fan that I am, I must use the most public and appropriate medium I lay claim to, this blog, to congratulate Avery Johnson. This has been his first full season as an NBA head coach - the Mavericks record this year under his tutelage was 60-12. Tonight, before routing the Memphis Grizzly's for the second straight game to take a 2-0 lead in the best of 7 playoffs series, coach Avery Johnson received his trophy awarding him NBA coach of the year. Congratulations, Avery. Hopefully he'll soon raise a bigger trophy - the NBA championship trophy the Mavs are striving for now.

I used to dream of being a coach. I have been a head coach - for kids in a YMCA league that didn't officially keep score. My team name was the Sandwhiches. Honestly, if not for youth ministry, I'd be a basketball coach on some level. Successful or not (just like in youth ministry or whatever job one chooses), that's what I'd be doing. Someday I hope to coach kids of my own. Until then, I'll admire the "little general" for his leadership and character. Truly - most of you probably don't know much about the guy, but while the Mavericks are in for an amazing future with him, the kingdom of God is being advanced because of him.

I would not have been a rockstar if not for youth ministry -- because I just love youth ministry too much to not be in it. But, also, for two far more embarrasing reasons: 1) I become a rockstar daily anyway as I'm alone in my car screaming with my ipod, and 2) this daily mobil fantasy makes my throat hurt. My throat is itchy right now because on the way over here, in front of millions of fake fans, I became Bon Jovi singing "I'll be there for you", screaming out the words: "I PRAY TO GOD YOU'LL GIVE ME ONE MORE CHANCE GIRL!"

Other lines that make my throat hurt are...

Turn yourself around and come on home during the last chorus of "Bright Lights" by Matchbox 20
Yeah, yeah, yeeeeeeaaaaah and wI don't WANNA FAAAALL asleep!!! in "Don't want to miss a thing" by Aerosmith
Girl it's outta my hands, I'm shameless, cause I don't have the power now... and the rest of the song from there on out in "Shameless" by Garth Brooks
Any bridge by Bryan Adams
and of course...
I'm highest bidder yeeeeaaah towards the end of "Ebay" (to the tune of the Backstreet Boys' hit "I want it that way") by Weird Al Yankovic

There are others, but you get the idea.

Contrary to popular belief, my throat feels fine after the last chorus of "My heart will go on" by Celine Dionne.

I love this paragraph that I read a couple of hours ago:
The people all said to Samuel, "Pray to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king."
"Do not be afraid," Samuel replied. "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away." - 1st Samuel 12:19-25

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Retreat and Video

2006-04-24T10:22:00.000-07:00

Hey

I'm back from our Spring retreat. The theme was "Desperate." I praise God for the power he displayed this weekend -- it was all amazing. The Spirit filled talks by David Fraze, the video, the games, the participation...my heartfelt thanks to all who were involved.

There is a new video from this retreat...I think it's the best one the CVCyouth has had, at least since I've been here.
The Desperate Quest for Bread

Enjoy.

It was such a blessing to spend time with David. Seeing him in action again was great, but on top of that, the driving to and from Atlanta, the time spent alone at Pine Eden talking, eating meals together -- it was all very uplifting. I have learned as a minister that emotions will be up and down, no matter how stable I would like to be. Right now they're up. I know what I'm doing, and I'm confident in my decisions, and I thank David for a good bit of that. Also, it was good to see the CVC youth guys haze someone else at night on a retreat for a change...they tried for hours to "cuddle" with him.

I'll let the video be your inspirational message for this entry.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

A couple more bad album covers, two unlucky cows, retreat, and comments

2006-04-20T09:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, first of all, time for some more bad album covers. For a suspense effect, I'm going to make you scroll down.

Can I come?

Check out the front guys face!

How's this for some comedic entertainment? I've been reading 1st Samuel recently, and besides it being deeply spiritual, the narrative is compelling and often hilarious. First, you've got Samuel's mom, Hannah, praying for a child because she's barren, and as she does so the priest, Eli, gets on to her for drinking too much because she's down on the ground franticly moving her lips but with no words. So she explains that she's praying. Now I know how to react if one of my elders ever catches me drunk. "Honest, Tony, I'm barren and was praying to get pregnant!"

Then, Samuel is born and goes to live with Eli, and while he's there one night God calls out to him -- now, apparently God's voice is very similar to Eli's because Samuel got up and asked Eli what he wanted. This happened three times before they figured out what was going on here. God must be extremely patient in calling us I guess.

Then, Eli's two sons died and the ark of the covenant was captured in a battle against the Philistines - a messenger went to tell Eli about it, and Eli was so old and feeble that the news startled him so that he fell back in his chair -- his poor old feeble body couldn't handle the impact -- dead. THEN, his daughter in law died moments later due to labor pains.

Just when I thought the hilarity had reached its peak, I read on last night. It turns out that the ark was such a distress on the Philistines that they decided to return it to Israel. They called in some of their own priests to ask how to return it - the priests said they should send it back with a guilt offering: five golden objects shaped like the tumors they had been getting in their groins and five golden rats to represent their five leaders and cities that had been afflicted and overcome by rats.

Again, I thought it couldn't get any funnier than that, and then: the priests told them to send it back to Israel with the gold rats and tumors on a cart pulled by two cows that had never been yoked to a cart before -- they should follow the cows, and see where they go: if they go to Beth Shemesh which is where the ark belonged then the Philistines would know that God had done these plagues to them...but if the cows go to the left or right, then these things had happened to them by chance. Well, the cows went straight to Beth Shemesh -- the people there were so overjoyed at the sight of the ark, that they set it and the golden tumors and rats on a rock, and "chopped up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord." Now...what a day in the life of a cow! Here you are in the Philistines minding your own business when suddenly they grab you and a friend, strap you to a cart and put a heavy box on it, and tell you to walk -- then they follow you until you get to this camp of people you don't know at which point they run away. These new, strange people rejoice at seeing you...they begin to tear apart this awful cart you've been pulling. You're starting to like them. Just as you're feeling good about this situation, they sacrifice you on the wood you pulled to them!

This weekend the CVC youth will have our annual Spring Retreat. David Fraze is coming to speak on our theme of "desperate." We hope to become desperate to receive our God - to hone all of our desperation in on him, longing to be fulfilled in him. We hope to understand God's desperation for us, like a widowed woman looking for a coin equal to one tenth of her livelihood, and after finding it, throws a party. We long to become desperate on behalf of those we love, that they too can become desperate for him. Please pray for all who are going, for David, and for those in Columbus who will be effected later by those going.

Lastly, I just want to remind you all that you don't have to be registered to comment. It's cool if there is not much or any commenting -- I'll keep posting. I know that since yesterday the video I linked has been viewed almost 40 times, so somebody is reading.

This is probably my last post until Monday -- but you never know.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

New Video

2006-04-19T02:59:00.000-07:00

Hello readers

Paul Hubbuch had a math project where he has to make 20 dollars by selling something at school -- he decided to make a video and sell DVDs of it, and asked me to help him with it. So, last night I got the editing done, and for a limited time I'll have it online so you can see it. I think he'll do fine -- I would have paid $3 or whatever for it back then, or today probably for that matter.

www.cvcyouth.org/TheMathProject.wmv

And that leads me to this thought: after recently seeing some great video editing software owned by Columbus friends like Benny Culverhouse and Aaron Sparks, and Memphis friends like Eddy Efaw and KB Richardson, I've realized that I'm in the stone ages here with my basic Windows Movie Maker -- I seriously did not know it before. I've also realized, all things considered, that I do an amazing job (the all things to consider = the software, and most of the camera work being done by Jr. High kids). But, if anyone wants to really make a lifelong impression of love upon me by getting me some of the good stuff, I would say thank you and really mean it. The good stuff = a program where I could easily spend two all-nighters at roughly an hour of work per video minute for a good retreat video, effects galore, clean presentation with great shifts, etc. etc. etc. After doing so much with Windows Movie Maker, I could be downright dangerous with the good stuff. So, just keep that in mind.

Please pray for our retreat this weekend, especially if you're attending. More on that later in the week.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

Drawing

2006-04-15T23:12:00.000-07:00

I just finished drawing this picture (pencil). It's Cayce's Easter present. My misplaced nose is actually symbolic -- it symbolizes my lack of artistic greatness. As for my chin...well...it just actually happens to be that big.

Good Friday

2006-04-14T13:05:00.000-07:00

I meant to write this entry much sooner in the day, but not getting around to it until now is actually good, as I can reflect on the thought processes of the day rather than preview them.

So often when I think of Jesus and his cross, I forget that he literally died there. I don't mean I forget it academically - I forget it spiritually, though. The cross of my Lord becomes something opportunistic for me, convenient, a metaphor that makes everything work out for the good of Landon Smith. It becomes nothing more than the likes of good Greek mythology - it represents so much of mankind and my own life, and that's all.

So, today I've really focused on seeing Jesus there on the cross. God and man, suffering, dying. Dead. Hanging there...dead. Jesus died. He really died. Today I've strived to see him...a man dying for me - a God becoming what I could not. Furthermore, I see him dying for those I love and care for. Further still, I see him dying there, dead, for those I don't like, wouldn't care to talk to, am bitter toward. And as I see him dying there, human and divine, my eyes are opened anew to the glory I behold, and I say with the centurion, "Surely, this man is the son of God."

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon

More bad album covers

2006-04-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

By popular demand (the bad album covers on my Xanga was one of the most talked about entries)...

I've decided to start a segment on this blog called Bad Album Covers. This way, I'll just post one at a time, so there's never a shortage, and it won't take forever to load onto your computer.

So..............

Wait for it.................

You might want to wait thirty minutes after eating.................

In Honor of Easter

Barry Bonds and ESPN

2006-04-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is an entry regarding sports - I realize that only about 25% of my readers care about popular sports other than maybe college football, but I think the thrust of this post can be appreciated and opinionated by all. And, yes it's fairly long...but I'm passionate about this and so it had to be. I PROMISE I'll keep them short for the next several days.

I usually like to finish my day with a little ESPN. Whatever time I lay down, after a day of worship, relationships, obligations, and goat taming, almost regardless of how tired or awake I may be, I watch whatever is on ESPN until I have seen an episode of Sportscenter in its entirety. Monday night I caught a show kind of like Dateline or 20/20 but for sports called Outside the Lines. I usually really like this show - they cover contraversial issues in kind of a night news format. I was appalled at it on Monday night - they were comparing the ridicule and abuse toward Barry Bonds as he chases Hank Aaron's home run record to the ridicule and abuse toward Hank Aaron as he chased Babe Ruth's home run record.

For those of you not in the know, this would be like somebody walking onto a crowded bus today, throwing a helpless woman out of her seat so they could sit down, and then being compared to Rosa Parks. Henry Hank Aaron was a black man, and our nation owes much to that fact and to his very existance. We owe little to the existance of Barry Bonds.

Hank Aaron: chased and caught up to Babe Ruth's record for most home runs in a carreer. Babe Ruth was a national hero. Hank Aaron was a negro, ridiculed for even playing baseball, much less playing it on a national level, much less setting and breaking a record, much less that record belonging to the Babe. He received death threats daily, especially as the record was more and more closely approached. He literally risked his life to go to games. All the while, he kept a smile, and a love for the things he believed in. He represented all that you hope your kids could look to as a role-model. Through trials and tribulations not faced by professional athletes at any other point in history, he broke what most thought to be an unnaproachable record. He was black, and he owns that record, and largely because of these two things African-Americans such as Barry Bonds are welcomed into professional sports with open arms and large paychecks. On the same stage as Rosa Parks and MLK Jr. should stand Hank Aaron as one responsible for us having African American doctors, teachers, voters, and true citizens in this nation.

Barry Bonds: now six homeruns from catching Babe Ruth, and will probably catch Hank Aaron by the end of the season, and that makes me and a lot of other true sports fans sick. True sports fans as in, fans because we believe in the purity and comeraderee and competativism of sports, and what it does for us as a people and as a nation. Fans who give the game of baseball its true credit for doing more than entertaining me while the Rangers are still not mathematically eliminated from contention for the next week or two, but for bringing this nation together and having a very underated part through some of our roughest points in our patriotism and freedom, some of which, such as 9/11, all of us were alive to see. Others of which we're alive because of. Barry Bonds, for most of his carreer, has been on steroids. The worst of it all - the whole world knows it, the proof is evident, and he won't admit it. And now, because people don't like the fact that he's going to be allowed to own a record that's sacred not just to baseball but to our nation, he's being compared to Hank Aaron on ESPN. Barry, by his own choice, has not been likable his entire carreer. Not to the media. Not to the fans. Now he's whining everyday about how he's being treated, and rather than saying, "Who cares? Shut up." We compare him to one of the great men in the game's and nation's history. It's a travesty.

The irony is too vast to list - besides, of course, for the obvious fact that Barry Bonds is a black man chasing a black man's record. There is no comparison. Again, it would like somebody walking onto a crowded bus today, throwing a helpless woman out of her seat so they could sit down, and then being compared to Rosa Parks.

If Barry Bonds gets this record, I will forever root for its being broken - for the good of baseball and its future fans. It might never be broken - I don't even know who to begin rooting for to get it now - Jim Thome maybe? If only Ken Griffy Jr. hadn't been so injury prone, he might have Bond's single season homerun record (the one that McGuire had for a time before also being found out to have been on steroids) and the carreer one Bonds will steal soon. But that's why they are such unnaproachable records - either the stars, or as in Bonds' and McGuire's case, the needles, must allign.

I blame Bud Selig for allowing this and other travesties to go on under his watch for his entire tenure. He's the worst commisioner in any sport in history. I blame teams like the Giants who allow this to go on for years under their watch, more concerned with meaningless stats than with the purity of a game. I blame players like Bonds for selfishly ruining what others created for them, others like Hank Aaron and Jackee Robinson who should be their heroes. And now, I must say, after Monday night, I blame ESPN.

ESPN, you're the best sports coverage in this universe. You go out and hire the best of the best away from other networks (other than Bob Costas, who you can't seem to pry from NBC). Your informative shows are impecable and your opinionated shows entertaining. And now, may some of your heads of professional and sport integrity like Dan Patrick, Stuart Scott, Kenny Maine, Chris Thurman, Peter Gammons, and Harold Reynolds not sell out with you but make this a secluded occasion.

All that being said, this has been one of the most entertaining starts to the baseball season in my lifetime - but, that's all stuff that most of you wouldn't care about. Trust me, it's been entertaining so far.

Landon

P.S. If ESPN ever decides to hire me to write columns for them at my own convenience, all will be forgiven.

A beautiful picture and the nature of God

2006-04-11T07:51:00.000-07:00

This entry will be long...the others for the rest of the week will not. Enjoy, the few of you who like long entries.

This is now my favorite picture, taken in my car on March 29th - a special day.

On Wednesday nights the teens at Chattahoochee Valley Church have been studying the Holy Spirit - a lot of the organization and ideas for this series come from a book by Jim McGuiggan, Where the Spirit of the Lord is... My friend and mentor, Tommy Drinnen, gave it to me.

I have thouroghly enjoyed reading this man's insight into God's Spiritual nature. However, I'm wary of this comment, and comments like it that I often read and hear:

Say he's a friend, say he loves us, say he doesn't rejoice in our misery, say he wants us joyful, say, even, that he cares about our happiness - but say he's Lord! Say he's good to us, say he's kind, say he's gracious, say he heals our diseases and mends our broken hearts, say he guides and delivers us daily from our sin and shame, say he assures us in the face of threatening world powers, personal suffering, and death; but for pity's sake-in light of who he is and in light of the world's mounting miseries-don't say-choke before you dare say-something like "Jesus got me a hairdresser who does my hair just right" or "He got me a parking spot when I was pressed for time"!

And I just wonder, why? I appreciate the sentiment actually - McGuiggan here is in the process of reprimanding those who speak to and about God like he's a "good pal" and nothing holier. I agree that that's insulting, especially when it comes from ministers. But I'm tired of being told that God does not have a hand in certain gifts of life - I am confident that God does not act as a broker, personal car-parking attendant, or divine yellow pages. But God is working for the good of an everlasting kingdom, and I can only imagine that a lot of detail goes into that work. So, if something good happens in my life today, why can't I thank God for it, assuming that maybe he blessed me with it for the good of his kingdom. Don't get me wrong thinking that's selfish - I know that I'm an overpriveleged, white American male. But if something extremely inconvenient happens today, I can thank God for that too for the same reason (perhaps, for the sake of his kingdom, he had a hand in it, or at least will USE it), assuming that God is working in ALL things for the good of those who love him (Romans 8).

It's odd that in a book containing some of the best writing on the Holy Spirit I've read in my short life, I'm warned not to give God credit for little gifts. Ironic actually. Of course God's works in scripture were gigantic -- he raised Christ, he parted a sea, he killed firstborn with angels, he healed blindness, and he fed 5000 people with a couple of fish and loaves. But consider these "little" miracles as well -- when Jesus needed a colt in Jerusalem, he had one. When a place was needed for Jesus and the desciples to take the last supper, there was a room provided for them. There was a coin for taxes in the fish's mouth. He made Abraham rich. He fed one widow and her son with very little provision. He set up husbands and wives to meet each other for the first time. All for the sake of his kingdom.

I'm not saying there's more treasure that we should pray for than the body and blood of Christ - I hate the prayer of Jabez movement as much as anyone. But for God to save as many people with the blood of Christ as possible, for him to spread that one true, greatest treasure to his creation, maybe he had a hand in setting me up with Cayce and bringing me specifically to Columbus, and maybe he had a hand in some or all of the painful moments of my life, and at least he's willing to USE every bit of it for the good of his kingdom and those who love him...so I don't mind thanking him for it all, great and small, good and bad.

I hear a lot of people say that Jeremiah 29:11 is misinterpreted. Actually, I heard it a lot at ACU - you know, that liberal organization. "For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future." I think some people say it's misinterpreted because they think it makes them sound cool (you know, they've heard other, more educated people say it), but the more convicted and less ignorant people that say that have a point...God is talking about a nation here, assuring that even though they're in exile, he's not lost his grasp on them and he will carry out his will for them, of which this exile is a part. He is not, then, saying that he has a plan for each individual Israelite, and certainly not each individual 21st century American. Or is he? I'll gratify the camp that says it's misconstrued - I'll put it into context: God commands that now, while in this exile, they "build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters." etc. These are the means to the end that is the leading out of exile we know verse 11 is about. But, could it not also be about these means...would it not have to be? Why do you suppose God commanded these things?

I'm a church of Christ youth minister willing to claim a belief that God has a plan containing a lot of detail for every human being in this world. I'm not a calvanist - I think we all fall short of this planning, and when we don't live out that plan (which I don't believe we have the power to do accidentally), this is sin. And God is powerful enough to work through, around, in spite of, and even in that sin for the sake of his kingdom. So, rather than judging if something I've experienced is profound enough to credit it to God, I'm willing to thank him for anything, just in case.

I think that for the good of his kingdom, so that as many people as potentially possible would come to know Jesus as their Lord, God set up some marriages and divined some decisions the exiled Israelites made, and I think he does the same today. I'm not scarred to say that God is involved and sovereign in, not just my overall life, but in my everyday life. I'm scarred not too.

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:10

I love you all. Thanks for reading. Your opinions would be welcome.

Landon

P.S. I was thinking about this being the subject of today's entry, and then out of nowhere, Cayce described these same sentiments to me yesterday, unprodded. So, she agrees, just so you know.

Spiffy rims on an el camino

2006-04-10T13:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's been a while since I've posted a blog entry online anywhere, and there is something that I must get off my chest soon or I am going to explode. Rims. I know that I'm not the first to question the validity of a nice set of rims, and maybe the topic has been exhausted, but I have never joined in the conversations, so I'm starting one now. This morning on my way in to work, I came to the four-way stop at Williams and Fortson.

As I was about to turn right, I noticed that the other car at the stop, perpendicular to me, was an el camino in, as all el caminos are these days, less than mint condition. (For those of you who are not fluent in espanol, el camino is spanish for the camino) I mean, who knows what the color of this car used to be? It's a brownish, greenish, grayish metalic substance today, rust colored if there is such a crayon. In the back was a lazy boy recliner, which I can only imagine used to be comfortable. Today it looked more like a chore than a relief to sit in the thing and prop your feet up - what else would you expect from a lazy boy in the back of an el camino, right? So, as a smile came to my face at the sight I was beholding, my mind quickly wandered what it must be doing to those back tires. I glanced down, and did not so much notice the tires as the shiny, spinning rims. Bill Gates would be too frugal to purchase the rims I saw on this car this morning.

I'm not meaning to scoff at the underprivaleged - I am probably of that group. But if you are driving around in a rust colored el camino with the remains of one of lazy boys first line of reclyners in the back and your rims are spinning, it needs to be because they have been recently disloged from the wheel and are rolling into a ditch. NOT because you have more than doubled the value of your car by installing them. I am now convinced there are people in this world who would put rims on their grandma's nursing home wheel chair. Or their toaster. Or their child's bicycle. Okay, that might be kind of cool.

After watching them in San Antonio last week I'm now more convinced than ever -- this is the Mavericks year. The rangers are only 3 games out of first place, so for about another week, they're still worth following.

Like water that has been spilled on the ground and cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life. Instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him. - 2 Samuel 14:14

I love you all. Thanks for reading

Landon

Welcome

2006-04-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

I'll post my newest observations on life in general shortly, but...

First of all, welcome to my new blog. If you are a frequent reader of my musings, I would appreciate for you to not so much think of this as a brand new blog, but as a continuation of the Xanga you're used to seeing. Just in a different place. We'll get used to it eventually. It'll be the same kind of writing you've grown used to, but with far more updates. In fact, I will probably post most days. That way they can range from funny to spiritual to profound - maybe not so much of the latter, but I may surprise you once a year.

Second of all, if anyone knows how to put background music on a blogspot, please fill me in.

Thirdly, the main reason I've switched and the main reason most ministers, as far as I can see, choose blogspot - you are free to comment. I have allowed comments from any reader, registered or not. So, feel free to say hi, and join in the discussions.

I love you all. Thanks for reading.

Landon