I once went to a fight and a hockey game broke out.

I just don't get hockey.

I played a lot of street hockey as a kid, and probably would've done the whole pee wee thing if it weren't so expensive. Seriously...buying all that gear was harder than trying to collect all the state quarters.

But I look at hockey now and I see a facet of gameplay that is truly incredible: the fighting. I mean, you are allowed to pummel a guy on the other team. Split his nose open. Pop out some teeth. And more than just allowing it, it is somehow a part of strategy and team play!

In the last few years it seems like the violence in the NBA has escalated (though Dynasty fans would be quick to point out the brawls our beloved Celts took part in) - well, at least the violence against fans. But for NHL, that violence is and has been just a part of the game (not the "against fans" stuff, savvy?). And what's funny is I never really remember hearing anyone complain about it. You know...the whole "example to our youth" thing. It's just shrugged off as a part of the game. And what's ironic is that the Canadians, the stereotypical jolly northerns who don't lock their doors (if you believe Michael Moore) are amazing at hockey. And fighting, eh?

Here's the other thing: fighting is banned in all other levels of hockey (high school, college. etc). So what happens when Johnny graduates and gets calls up to the majors? He better start taking some boxing lessons (those Tai Chi classes at the Y every Monday night aren't gonna cut it).

Anyway, I won't bore you with a long tirade about the pervasiveness of violence in our country or our (nearly) complete lack of reaction to it. And you're right: it would be less interesting to watch two guys throw sticks and gloves down, circling each other only to..."hug it out".

I'm just saying I don't get the whole thing.

Oh, and you know what else I don't get about hockey? The hat trick thing. I actually love it: a guy scores 3 goals in a game and fans show their appreciation by tossing hats onto the ice. It does look really cool. But my question is: do people get their hats back? Cuz a New Era cap is like 25 bucks and as much as I love (insert unpronounceable french players' name here)...

Cmon.

It's my $25 hat, bro.

Target Aquired

I was in Target today, and not only was it crazy crowded, but it reminded me of something:

Next time you're going to target, make sure you wear a solid red shirt or sweater. Then, just wander the aisles, or better yet stand in one aisle and take a few items off of a shelf and look at them for a few minutes.

I can personally guarantee that some frazzled shopper will come up to you in a huff looking for humidifiers or Glade plug-ins or something. Then you get to politely inform them that you don't work there.

It's funny - I had this happen to me accidentally before. And not just at Target, actually (apparently I have the look of a "sales associate"). Most people act a little embarrassed, but some people actual seem annoyed that you don't work there.

Like it is your fault that you wore your red henley to Target.

Mawage Is What Bwings Us Together Today

Wow. It's been a REALLY long time since I've posted. So let's recap:

Summer. IHOP breakfasts. House Sitting. Scavenger hunt. Jamaica Mission Trip. VBS. Flew to KY for pre-wedding hang-outs with friends and family. Had a blast. Married my amazing, beautiful, hilarious gal pal. Honeymooned in Jamaica (yes, but clearly this trip was different than the first). Drove from KY to MA in 2 days. Moved into our first apartment. Put together (what felt like) hundreds of pieces of furniture, often putting parts on backwards initially. Started back up with all the awesome, cool youth at NPC.

And that pretty much brings us to the present. Ellie and I are seeminly nearing the end of the unpacking/settling process, which really has not been that bad. It's been fun setting up our home together.

It's kind of like those puzzles of someone's face or something, where the pieces are all rearranged. At first, it just looks like bluh and it hurts your eyes to look at it. But then, as you start putting some pieces together, your eyes began to translate what you're looking at and you see...a nose? An ear! Yes, we've got the entire left side of Benjamin Franklin's face put together.

Metaphorically speaking, of course.

So in conclusion, it was a good summer and a great September. God has been so good to us and blessed us with so much, both material things and wonderful people in our lives(who I guess some would argue are material as well?). All I have to say is Jehovah provides.

And He IS good.

Good like apple donuts. Better even, because He made them.

There you go - proof that God is good:

He made apple donuts.

Mmmmm....



(PS Married life is fantastic! I highly recommend it!)

Only a Raspberry

Last night, Ellie and I were out to dinner in the North End. As we made our way back through the city, we walked through the Holocaust Monument in Faneuil Hall. We both silently looked at the towering, glass walls, covered with the i.d. numbers that the Nazis branded the Jews with. We also read the quotes on each wall, which painted horrific snapshots of almost unimaginable conditions and cruelty.

As I observed all this, I tried in my mind to imagine seeing these things - the unspeakable cruelty and total disregard for human life - and I could barely grasp the thought that these things were real and that they happened only 70 years ago or so. It feels like it could have been 100's of years ago, or maybe even on a different world.

But it wasn't. It happened here (well, in Europe) - less than a century ago. That just blows my mind.

There was one quote that especially stuck with me. A woman describes her friend, in the same concentration camp as her, finding a single raspberry. She hides it in her pocket all day long, then presents it on a leaf to her friend that night. The quote on the wall was:

"Imagine a world where your only possession is one slightly bruised raspberry, and you give it to your friend."

Wow...

The Amazing (G)Race

I'm reading this awesome book by Philip Yancey (who is fast becoming a favorite author of mine) called What's So Amazing About Grace? It's really caused me to think a lot about the grace I've experienced in my life, so I thought I'd slip a portion of the book in here. Again, these are not my thoughts, but the Yancinator (thus keeping I am safe from the Plagarism Police):

"We are accustomed to finding a catch in every promise, but
Jesus' stories of extravagant grace include no catch, no loophole disqualifying
us from God's love. Each has at its core an ending too good to be true -
or so good that it must be true...

"From nursery school onward we are taught how to succeed in the
world of ungrace. The early bird gets the worm. No pain, no
gain. There is no such thing as free lunch. Demand your
rights. Get what you pay for. I know these rules well because I live
by them. I work for what I earn; I like to win; I insist on my
rights. I want people to get what they deserve - nothing more, nothing
less.

"Yet if I care to listen, I hear a loud whisper from the gospel
that I did not get what I deserved. I deserved punishment and got
forgiveness. I deserved wrath and got love. I deserved debtor's
prison and got instead a clean credit history. I deserved stern
lectures and crawl-on-your-knees repentance; I got a banquet spread for
me."

A Wiseguy, Huh?

Fuggetaboutit.

Ok, I don't mean that kind of wise guy. I mean like "smarts". Knowing the right course of action in a given situation.

In this area, I am often lacking. When faced with a tough choice, my first instinct is usually "oh crikey! What do I DO?" (that's my inner monologue, by the way. I don't usually say that part out loud). Well, if any of you feel like I do (and that's 90% of the time for me), fear not. There's hope!

One of my favorite verses says this:
"Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him." -James 1:5

That's a promise, broseph. From God to you (and me). Signed, sealed and delivered. That means God is just waiting with a bucket full of wisdom to pour over us, all we need to do is ask.

So...totally confused about what decision to make next? Give a call out to the inventor of wisdom and prepare for a sprinkling of clarity.

Going to the chapel...

So much for faithfully blogging each month...

Maybe that can be a New Year's resolution.

Anyway, all I really want to say this time around is that you (the reader) should really check out my wedding web page for Ellie and I. It's pretty cool, and we're updating it regularly. So check it early and often. But here it is. Enjoi.

http://weddings.theknot.com/pwp/view/co_main.aspx?coupleid=3295502529324314&MsdVisit=1