Enriched Affections

I don't remember when I first came across this song. It was probably one of those suggested songs that Spotify played once my playlist was over. I'm so glad it came on. It has become a regular listen and a consistent encouragement. "River of Grace" has one of those melodies that gets stuck in my head... way better than Baby Shark or that awful Selfie song (both of which were gifted to me from my daughters and took a solid week to clear out of my head... thanks girls). Anyway, this song comes from an album of "Lullabies for the Beloved", so don't read anything unintended into the baby reference. When I first heard it, I needed the comfort of a lullaby. We all bear burdens, some which we place on ourselves; some which are forced upon us. Everyone's burden is different, but no less important or difficult. I texted with my brother a bit about that today, and I think it may be helpful for me to put a few of my thoughts down regarding these burdens ...

I really enjoy the movie "Miracle" which chronicles the 1980 US hockey team's journey through the Winter Olympics. One of the most moving portions is the speech Herb Brooks gives to motivate his team to play the  undefeated Russians. A good friend sent me this link of a 4-yr-old giving the same speech. Enjoy! Here is the original speech from the movie if you care to compare and contrast:

I don't often do this, but I want to repost something from a blog I follow. It's from Kevin DeYoung's post today about our national pastime, baseball. I love baseball. The strategy, the stories... there's just something about it that is magical to me. Whether you like it or not, Kevin's post is worth the read. He is an excellent writer and puts many of my own thoughts into eloquent prose I could never reproduce. Here is a sample: " I have always been a big sports fan. I got that from my dad, saw it in my grandfathers, and found it in all my friends. Now I’m passing it on to my sons. Chicago-born, I’ve been a lifelong Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, and Sox fan. The rest of the extended DeYoung clan roots for the Cubs, but my dad had the good sense to switch loyalties with the Go-Go Sox of ’59, and now I’ll be a Sox fan for life... I know the many knocks on baseball: The games are too slow. The season is too long. The contracts are too big. I know about steroids...

We are having a Super Bowl party this weekend. Maybe you are too. If so, pay close attention to these helpful tips to make your weekend more enjoyable.

It is so easy to pass judgment on someone else, especially when they deserve it. Each of us loves to serve out justice on our fellow man. Lance Armstrong is one of those who many feel should be judged. After all, he cheated to win bike races and lied about it all these years, only to finally come clean. Is he really sorry, or just trying to gain sympathy? Ray Lewis is another name in the news recently. He is retiring from the NFL after this season and now has a chance to win a Super Bowl championship. However, many find it hard to root for him because of a murder trial he was involved with over a decade ago. He was never found guilty, but it was still pretty suspicious stuff. Is all his good work on and off the field just a cover-up for guilty feelings? What I find very interesting about both of the situations is that most people don't know either of the men involved, yet we are so quick to speak about them, even slander them publicly, without ever speaking directly to them. ...

I'm a big Chicago sports fan, but even if you aren't, surely you remember Harry Carey, or better yet, Will Ferrell's impression of him. Enjoy this bit of fun to get you started through the rest of your week. You'll have to click on the link inside the box to watch since they don't want it posted elsewhere. I hope you learn a lot.

The following conversation took place today on ESPN.  It addresses ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith's response to Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall's conversion to evangelical Christianity. I applaud Brandon Marshall's use of scripture and his desire to apply his belief's and convictions to all of life. Stephen seems to want to compartmentalize his beliefs and keep them in church on Sunday. I think this is an excellent example of the wide range of "Christianity" in our culture. Whether you like the Bears or think Marshall's conversion is genuine or not, it is evident that he is trying to apply scripture to all aspects of his life, letting scripture govern his decisions. I think that is an example we all should follow, as well as knowing from scripture why we should live as Christ called us to live. So, what did you think? Were they both right? Was Smith correct in saying that new believers should keep the preaching to themselves for a while? Was Mars...