Steal a Taco, Feed the Homeless

OK, so I was reading a blog of a guy I know and I thought, this is a fantastic idea!
The basic gist was that Taco Bell’s Steal a Base promo that they had on the World Series could be used for something great. According to the promotion, everyone in America would get a free Taco if any player stole a base during the 2007 World Series. Oregon's own Red Sox rookie center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury did it in game 2 and we all get to “steal a taco” tomorrow!

Here is what Shane said...

"I’m making an appeal for like-hearted individuals to take this promotion a step further. Let’s steal a taco to feed the homeless!

If you live in an urban community like I do, you no doubt run across numerous homeless people on a daily basis. Maybe you pass by a few on your daily commute to work. Maybe you know of a street corner or park in your city where they tend congregate. Why not take advantage of Taco Bell’s free taco offer and use it as an opportunity to bless those in need of a meal?

Get the whole office in on the action and pool your free tacos. Stop at each nearby location on your way home form work. Map out your route and make it a family scavenger hunt to gather up as many free tacos as you can. Then seek out the homeless in your community and donate your plunder!

Steal a Taco. Feed the Homeless. Let’s use this opportunity to bless others. Spread the word!

Think outside the buzz…"

Red Sox New World Champions!

Ok, this will be one of my last Red Sox blogs for a while and back to the regular life stuff.
But this team is amazing! I am soooo pumped! We did it again. Where are the stankees? Hmmm. I bet there will be a brand new crop of Sox haters that come out of the woodwork, because surely that will be the thing to do, like the Stankees of old. They were the team to love because they were the underdogs, but now its all different. People are funny.
Anyhow, Pitching. Rookies. Veterans. It's all there. And they did it again.
It feels good.

I had a soccer game tonight so I paused (dvr) the game and went to play. They had the game on at the soccer center and I asked them to change the channel. After the half they finally did. My teammates were trying to tell me the score. I was ready to kill em. haha. Dud kept yelling it was 104-4. She's funny.

Here are some highlights of game 4. Hope you enjoy.

One more to go.

Tonight we had a bunch of friends over to watch game three. What a night. Lots of noise. Lots of kids. Lots of hits (in the game, that is). Lots of excitement. What a good game is all about.

Still, my boys pulled through and took game three 10-5. Felt good. I will try to post a pic of my art work on my car tomorrow. and also tell u about our fun costume party last night.

that's all.

YES!!! Another Sox update.

Some of you may be sick of my updates on the Red Sox, but this is an exciting time for a Sox fan! My house went nuts tonight as Josh Beckkkkkkkkkkett tore it up and Dustin Pedroia started off with a home run in the first at bat. Leading the Sox to a 13-1 victory of the tired Rockies in game 1 on the World Series. It was a if every player was just on tonight. Thankfully this is not a game that sits on one players shoulders.

Tomorrow some friends will be over for some more Sox action as Curt Schilling attempts to lead the team to victory number 2! This team is on fire and their fans can feel it!

I love that my entire family is into this. Jeanne-Ann makes me laugh, cuz she ordered Sox gear for all of us. (we are apparently a little low). I will toss up some pics when it arrives. Hopefully b4 the series is over.

Most analysts are saying the Sox will take it in 6. It's always nice to be at home when you win, but I will take a World series where ever we take it.

Quest Weekend Video

This really was a great weekend. With so much to do and the weather holding out at the right times, we just had a blast. Of course there were a few little things here and there, like a leaky roof that set off the smoke detector and put out a light (we put those girls in other rooms) and some heavy DDR playing past midnight causing some to not get the beauty sleep they wanted.

I did bust a group of girls who were sneaking around way after lights out Saturday night. I was on the balcony of one of the buildings doing the lights out check and heard some noise below. Turns out a group of about 8 girls were sneaking around in their black clothes and I had a handful of pistachios. Haha. I began to toss them at them and heard "Ow!" and "What was that?" Then I turned a really bright flashlight on them and yelled. Ahhh, to be the guy that catches others. So fun.

Jason Bollback was our speaker. He is the middle school pastor at Coast Hills Community Church outside of L.A. and a friend of mine from years ago when we were both youth pastors down in Georgia. He did a great job hitting the topic of relationships and staying firmly planted in God's Word all weekend long. I love that. Too often speakers hit a topic and then do a small jump on a verse for a moment, because it fit the topic. I don't love that.

Justin Ubel and the band were great as usual. They said they felt like they connected with this group faster than they ever have before.

Paintball, shuffleboard, blob, canoing, paddle boats, giant tire swing, mini golf, disc golf, climbing wall, snacks, night game. So much fun was had. Here is a little inside view into the weekend. Enjoy.

Quest...Blob

This past weekend we were at Lake Retreat for our district middle school retreat. It is the 1st of 2. (struggling to find a camp that is big enough for all of us and offers good options and is a good driving distance for most)

Anyhow, one of the huge highlights at this camp is the blob. So I though I would share with you what that looks like. (more on the camp later)

Headed to the World Series

In January I watch Prison Break and 24 right in a row. It is 2 hours of gut wrenching action. I get out of those 2 hours and am completely wiped out. I love it.

Last night was much of the same, except that I was watching The Red Sox and the Indians play. It was a close race through the 6th inning. Then the Sox began to blow it out!

They finished with a 11-2 victory! And this Wednesday they start the first game of the World Series against the Rockies. from a 3-1 game deficit! They came back and won 3 games straight. So the whole week was much like last night.

What a time!

Red Sox vs. Indians

It's been a while since I have felt this deep pit in my stomach. I came home from work today and sat down with my family for dinner and game 4. All the way till the 5th inning it was 0-0. Then the walls broke down and the Indians got 7 runs in one inning. Ouch. The Sox came back with back-to-back-to-back home runs. The first time ever in the League Championship Series ever. That was exciting, but that was all there was.

I know it's just a game. I just want to see them go all the away again.

I do remember 2004 very well. 3 games down to the Yanks, 2 outs, 9th inning. They came back and went on to win the world series!

They can do it again.

I just don't like how I feel inside at this moment.

Flipside's Got Talent (Wi Ne Ma)

This weekend I tag-teamed with Brian in speaking at our high school ministries' retreat at the coast. We stayed at camp Wi Ne Ma and had absolutely gorgeous weather. There was a cool slide that one of the students waxed up a bit to make it go faster. You really don't need anymore speed. It always takes prisoners and causes skin damage to most who go down.

We looked at spiritual gifts and how we are all given gifts by God and how we can use those gifts. It was a different type of retreat in that we didn't have traditional messages, we spent a lot of time going through questions and then breaking out to share in small groups. It was really cool.

We also built a sweet slip-n-slide down the dune into an oatmeal pit. We flew down that hill. Then a fun run into the ocean. Man this water is cold!!!

We headed up to the Tillamook Cheese Factory and then to run up and down the dune in Pacific City.

A fantastic weekend and 2 more retreats togo in the next month.

Enjoy the vid.

Funny Memory as I get ready for the SOX

Tomorrow night is the first game for the ALCS. Today I had a funny memory as a result of thinking of that. In 1996 I talked my way in to the World Series game in Atlanta where the Braves played the Yankees. It was the last game ever in Fulton County Stadium before they moved to their new stadium.

I had brought a bat in with me that they gave away at a different game, found "my seat" 10 rows behind first base of the Braves and a security guard said he had to take the bat till after the game. He told me it was considered a weapon. After I explained that they had given it to me and that there were several guys about 50 feet from us with the same weapons I gave it up and went to get it afterwards.

When the game was over, dressed in my Braves headgear and face paint, I went down to the dugout area looking for the guard. I never saw him down there, but I did meet Joe Piscipo (TV/Movie star from the 80s and 90s) and got my picture taken and put on the front cover of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution (big newspaper).

As I waled to the security area I saw tons of people grabbing stuff (stealing). Every banner and poster on the wall was gone and anything people could grab. They all knew that this stadium would never be used again. Security just watched until one guy had pushed it way past the limit. There was a guy walking out with a row of EIGHT stadium seats hooked together under his arm. It was one of the funniest things I had ever seen. I started laughing and then 2 security guys went over and grabbed him. I couldn't believe I just witnessed that.

I found the security guard and he said he left it in the room, but it was gone. Grrrr!!!

I'll try to post the pic that was in the paper next week. It's sitting in my office.

Red Sox goin' all the way?!

The Red Sox ended the year with the best record in baseball. They Beat the Angels 3 games straight. The Yankees, or Stankees as I like to call them,got beat up on by the Indians. Mmmm...feels so good. Although I would've loved to see The Sox destroy the Stanks in the ALCS.

This Friday the Red Sox play the Indians for their first round in the 5 out of 7 games.

I am so excited to see these games! I get all wound up with butterflies in my stomach when I think about it.

Go SOX!!!

Did you know? October celebrations...

October has many celebrations.
Did you know that tomorrow is Moldy Cheese Day?
Or that October 19 is Evaluate Your Life Day?
Of course everyone knows the big one, National Chocolate Day on the 28th.

Well, there is one more I want to highlight. National Pastor Appreciation Month! That's right, you didn't miss it. It's the whole month. Imagine your pastor (s) and all the work they do. They work more than one or two days a week. There is sermon prep, hospital visits, home and work and school visits, outings and reterats to prepare for, phone calls to take, tp to clean up out of their yeards, angry parents/students/church members, etc.

There is a lot of tireless, thankless work that goes into the life of a pastor. All of this is done while trying to maintain a healthy family life, social life and time with God.

There is so much more and we need to show our appreciation to our pastors. If there are several at your church, choose the one that you are most connected to or that you serve with or that ministrers directly to you and your family.

Make sure that you aren't leaving anyone out. Get others to do this with you. I am going to toss out several ideas that I think would be great. Some cost money and some are cheap or even free.

IDEA LIST:
Offer to babysit and send them out to a dinner with a gift certificate.
Gift certificates are GREAT. Find out where they like to eat or if they like ice cream, etc. and send them there.
Got a vacation home or time share or something like that? Give them a few days there.
NO PLAQUES. (sorry to those who have given these. they are nice, but give them something they can use and that encourages them to be with their family and get away)
Do you own a landscaping business? Hook em up!
is there some trade or business that you have that your pastors can benefit from?
Maybe it is making a card and adding some home made coupons for something you can do (ie. babysitting, yard work, fence painting, etc.)

ANYTHING you do for your pastors is greatly appreciated! Be sure to send a note as soon as you can.

That's all.