Thursday Thanks (1-5)

fiveBeginning today, I’ll use this space each Thursday to list five things (items, experiences, people, whatever) for which I’ve been recently grateful. Consider it my “blessings count”. Ann Voskamp’s famous challenge to list 1000 gifts seemed daunting — I’m committing to 500, a two-year venture here on the blog. Better get at it!

1) Muscles
Last weekend was our church hockey league’s wind-up tournament. Playing three games in a day in an annual reminder that I am twice as old as I should be to be undertaking such challenges. But the stiffness that night was one of those feelings that confirms that you’re alive, and feeling alive is always a good thing!

2) March Madness
Today marks the beginning of the high point on this sports-lover’s calendar. While I watch a lot less of it than I used to, this three-week event never fails to provide some of the drama and energy that are unique to College basketball’s tournament format.

3) Toy Trains
My daughters’ Christmas gift was a wooden train set. We’ve since added a few more pieces to the set to up the “creativity factor”. My inner child finds pleasure in working with my two oldest girls to lay out new routes, while working together to protect our handiwork against the baby’s best Godzilla impersonation.

4) Kindle
My experimental, second-hand purchase of this unnecessary item has been a success. I love the bargains that can be found on great books (in electronic formats), and I’m enjoying a particularly pleasurable read about the Holy Spirit these days.

5) Spring
It’s not here yet, but it’s flirting with us. And after weeks of way-below-zero temperatures, that is some mighty fine flirting. The citizens of the Canadian prairies are in the mood for some such flirting!

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  • Did any of this week’s list especially strike a chord with you?
  • What’s one thing you’re particularly grateful for this week?

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MJ Dunks on Mutombo

Every NBA fan who watched through the “Jordan era” will enjoy this brief little piece of backroom history.

 

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  • What classic hoops memory sticks out in your mind?
  • Which past player would you love to see playing in the NBA of today?

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Gift

A Singapore film-maker released this short piece, and it’s getting a lot of attention.

 

leaveacommentYOUR TURN: Your input makes this post better!

  • What’s one “gift” you received from your parents?
  • What’s one “gift” you’re trying to give your kids?

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March Madness 2014

This year’s bracket was released yesterday — no, I have not looked at it yet. But I will. And then I will fill one out with my most hair-brained guesses. Why? For the pride attached to trying to defeat all the other blindly-guessing folks in my circle of friends.

And a better reason? For a shot at $1 000 000, courtesy of Warren Buffet. Consolation prizes are $100 000 each — I know I’d be consoled!

Yes, the odds of filling out a perfect bracket are statistically slimmer than being struck by lighting a dozen times or finding a Malaysian airliner in your fridge, but as an old friend once observed:

Billions or not, if the energy and drama of March Madness is more than sufficient for you, perhaps this compilation of buzzer beaters will serve to get your blood pumping ahead of Tuesday’s warm-up and Thursday’s real action!

Six-Pack (59)

After being away last weekend, let’s get back to sharing another edition of the aims-to-be weekly Six-Pack.

This week’s collection features the usual mix of ministry, faith, and anything else that piqued interest.

If six ever feels overwhelming, start with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move out from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) Is Peace Possible (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
The conflict in the Holy Land has been painted as an unsolvable religious dispute. But is there more to the story? Oh, almost certainly!

2) Unplug SF
If you have an issue with your cell phone — an issue of over-attentiveness — perhaps you should visit San Francisco.

3) Why I Park the Furthest from the Church
This brief post explains how Derwin Gray choose his parking spot each day.

4) Precious Memories (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Why do we love sports? Beyond the action and the athleticism, some theorize it’s actually deeper: More about connection. This ESPN piece on UNC legend Dean Smith and his battle with dementia will stir both sports fans and others.

5) The Right Culture for Community
Most churches emphasize the term “community”, as in the nature of the relationships being built between people. Ed Stetzer has some thoughts on what it takes to build a culture capable of creating and nurturing legitimate community.

6) Supernormal Stimuli
“Is Your Brain Truly Ready for Junk Food, Porn, or the Internet?” That’s the title on this fascinating article, from Gregory Ciotti. While the evolution-based assumptions aren’t mine, there is a lot of sound observation in here about how (and why) people operate within the world of today.

May your week ahead be filled with life, as you seek the One from whom it flows!

leaveacommentYOUR TURN: Your input makes this post better!

  • Which link above was today’s best-of-the-best?
  • Why that one?

Direct others to the best of the bunch with a quick comment.

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