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So we have all heard of the John Madden curse, right?  You know, whoever makes it on the cover of the Madden football game will get injured or quit or lose bad or something that year.  It just happens.  Like clockwork.  I could list it all out for you, but that would take quite a while.  So if you don’t believe me, go look it up!  

But here’s the point.  Every year for the last 5 – 10 years I have played fantasy football (if you don’t know what that means, you should find out… it’s good times!).  There is something about me that is like Madden… and trust me, I don’t wanna compare myself to him because he drives me insane!  I apparently have a similar curse but it works with my fantasy football teams.  Almost every year in the league that I play in with my college buddies (and a grandparent or two… no really… and she has kicked our butts too) I always end up drafting an awesome QB and then almost always they get hurt.  I have had Michael Vick.  He broke his leg that year… oh and he is in jail.  I have had Donovan McNabb.  I think he broke everything that year.  I have had Chad Pennington (although he may not fall under the awesome QB category) and he got hurt that year.  The list goes on and on.  

Point is, last year Tom Brady had the best year ever.  So of course I should want him as my QB this year.  Well, if you actually made it this far through this post you already know that he made it 15 minutes into this season and torn his ACL and MCL.  He got me 3 points.  Good times.  I mean seriously?  How does that continue to happen?  I don’t get it.  I think I am just destined to always lose in that league.  Maybe for the players sakes I should stop playing fantasy football with the college boys.  My bad Brady.  I guess next year I’m just gonna have to draft like 5 QBs.  

Wish me luck salvaging my fantasy season now.

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Change your mind

Well, my wife informed me today that my blog was boring.  Too much football apparently.  I (personally…or male…ly) don’t see anything boring about it at all!  I like football.  Heaven forbid!  HA.  But I love her.  And she knows that.  So, today, I won’t take up too much of your time, but just wanted to say thanks to all of you that are praying for us.  We really appreciate it all!  Maybe one of these days we will be able to really let you know that, but for now, this may have to do.  Thank you so much!  We love you all!

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Change your mind

Ok so Sneaky Saturday has come and gone.  What will they name next weekend?  Any thoughts on the Top 10 this week?  Notables?

AP Top 10
1. USC
2. Georgia
3. Oklahoma
4. Florida
5. Ohio State
6. Missouri
7. LSU
8. Texas
9. Auburn
10. Wisconsin

USA Today Top 10
1. USC
2. Georgia
3. Oklahoma
4. Florida
5. Ohio State
6. Missouri
7. LSU
8. Texas
9. Auburn
10. Wisconsin

Notables – 12. Texas Tech, 13./11. Kansas, 14./20. East Carolina, 24./N/A Illinois, 25./ 24. West Virginia – Should you still be in the top 25 if you lose one of your first 2 games (not counting huge match ups)?

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Change your mind

I have a lot on my mind as of late and I really covet your prayers.  I am in new and uncharted waters for me and I’m trying to learn how to deal with them.  

Sunday we sang a couple songs that really hit me.  Yes, I picked the songs, but I didn’t realize at the time that it would be exactly what I needed to do.  We sang about surrendering everything to Christ.  Pretty easy to sing and talk about, but not as easy to do.  Maybe that’s just a testament to my faith.  I have had to put a lot of trust and faith in God the past few years through some rough stuff, but He has always come through for me.  You would think that would be example enough for me to keep my mind from being anxious about things, but apparently I’m human.  This morning as I’m trying to lead people in worship through music, I realized that I was not giving everything over to Christ.  I am still trying to do it on my own.  Don’t get me wrong, I still pray about things, but I think I am still not letting go completely.  That’s what I need to do.  Let go.  

This leads me to the other song that really hit me.  The song Everything Glorious.  The whole point of the song is realizing that He is sooooo much bigger than all of this (whatever this may be for you).  When we finally give everything over to Him, He turns it all in to good.  He turns everything into good for the glory of God.  That’s not always an easy subject to grasp considering that we are human and all struggle with some self-centered thoughts now and again (or more often).

I know that He can and will.  I just have to trust Him and give everything over to Him and let Him do it.  I need to hand it off and step out of the way.  Pray for that.

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Change your mind

So, for those of you that know me, I moved into this house here in October of 2006.  And it was a fixer-upper.  Well, we have done so much.  I thought I would give you all an update for those of you that don’t get to be here very often.  Here are some of the things that needed fixing and what we have been able to do to fix them!

• Tiling – When I moved in the kitchen, master bath, second bath, and utility room were either vinyl or carpet.  We have replaced all that with tile!  (thanks to those of you that were amazing help in all of that!) 
• Paint – When I moved in the house was totally builder’s white.  They didn’t do anything at all to the walls.  Good times.  With plenty of help, the walls in every room have been painted!
• Utility Room – Apparently the utility room needs paint too.  I had no idea.  Well my wife has done an incredible job fixing it up!

• Rose bushes – Throughout the yard (front and back) the owners before me had planted rose bushes and they were VERY over grown.  Gross.  So those have all been pulled out and tossed.  A total of at least 18 bushes.  GONE!

• Trees – Yes mom, I have removed 4 trees from the back yard.  One of them was a thorny tree that you basically walked into as you walked out the back into the yard.  Fun.
• Pond – My wonderful predecessors thought it would be an outstanding idea to install a “pond” in the backyard.  Fun.  Oh, and they didn’t take care of it.  The firewood that the placed around the black plastic tub…I mean pond was completely rotten.  The tub was dug down into the ground about 3 feet.  That was difficult by myself.  They even added in what I call the Narnia lamppost.  Thankfully that is aaaaaaaaaaaaall gone!  That was a rough couple days!

• Grass – There were plenty of places in the yard (front and back) that needed some grass.  That’s still a work in progress, but the places that need grass are much smaller and further between!
• Garden – As if the pond wasn’t enough, they wanted to plant a garden.  Yippee!  Well, their garden consisted of a large section of the yard with cement blocks half buried in the ground and with more cement poured over the top.  Yeah.  That took a sledgehammer and several hours.
• Back Porch – There is a back porch that has a “roof” and other things built onto it.  The last couple days my wife and I have spent several hours tearing it apart!  You should see it!  We have a brick wall!

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Change your mind