Filed under: week-end update
I wasn’t too busy to do this over the weekend but somehow I just never got around to it. I will now. Sorry.
I Like Movies
This Thursday at 11.59pm my friends and I went to the long awaited premier of…. RAMBO. I have only gone to one other opening night primier in my life (3rd LOTR) and let me tell you there was very little hype in the room this time around. Rob, Kevin, about 6 other people, and I tollerated less than 90 minutes of this bloody pic. When people ask me if it was good I say “it was Ramb0″.
Friday afternoon I went to see There Will Be Blood by myself. Jake had seen it and told me it may be his favorite movie EVER so I went in hoping for the best but thinking my expectations may be too high. They were not. It was amazing! Such a great story with even greater characters that parallel each other in such beautiful and challenging ways. I hope it wins lots of awards and that you all go see it.
This Friday Meri and I will go to see another Oscar nominee (we’re not sure which one though, any thoughts?).
TK is Back
I have what could be considered by some a small obsession with PTI’s Tony Kornheiser. While I lived in Iowa (8 years ago) I listened to his ESPNradio show and loved it. He left ESPNradio and ended up back in local radio but takes long breaks to do Monday Night Football. This week he returned and I couldn’t be happier. The show is normally about sports, movies, American Idol, Tony’s problems, and the coming Animal Revolution. I listen via podcast while working out. You should too! (click HERE for more info).
Best Shape Update
After running 8 solid miles this past Friday I weighed in 3 points lighter than last week. That’s 14 pounds so far this year with one more weigh in for the month of January. Not too shabby. Not the best shape of my life yet, but we’re getting there.
I’ll try and get some Links of the Week tomorrow. I’m tired.
To be grateful for the good things that happen in our lives is easy, but to be grateful for all of our lives – the good as well as the bad, the moments of joy as well as the moments of sorrow, the successes as well as the failures, the rewards as well as the rejections – that requires hard spiritual work. Still, we are only grateful people when we can say thank you to all that has brought us to the present moment. As long as we keep dividing our lives between events and people we would like to remember and those we would rather forget, we cannot claim the fullness of our beings as a gift of God to be grateful for. Let’s not be afraid to look at everything that has brought us to where we are now and trust that we will soon see in it the guiding hand of a loving God.
Henri Nouwen
This week we are doing a liturgical exercise for our prayer class. Our professor has introduced us to a website called Sacred Space that gives fresh themed prayers every day. This morning as I was praying through them a piece stood out to me.
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Lord, Your words lead us to the
calmness and greatness of your presence.Lord, may I never take the gift
of freedom for granted. You gave
me the great blessing of freedom of
spirit. Fill my spirit with Your peace and
Your joy.
After praying through this about 3 times I was struck by the idea of freedom. So much of my stress in life comes from the ability to decide what my next move in life is going to be. Should I go here or there? Should I pursue this or that? Should I make this decision or that decision. As I consider them, weigh the options, argue with that imaginary self in my head, and even look for advice from others I am often left stressed and frustrated.
Yet God tells me I can be still.
I can rest.
I can trust that HE is God.
Some may take this to mean that I don’t have to decide any of these things because God is in control, and while that is a nice thought very seldom do our toughest decisions get made for us. Instead I think this encourages me to step into the tension that God has allowed me to walk through confidently and not let it rattle me. They are a gift and I can follow Him through them, no matter how volitile they appear, and know that I can be still, rest, and trust that God is God.
amen.
I dvr’d the Packers v. Giants and watched it when I got home from 707. When none of my favorites play I’m naturally drawn to the underdogs so I was rooting for the Giants to pull it off, but in the closing seconds I felt myself changing sides and it’s hard to know why. Could it be I was actually cheering for Farve?
May it never be so (after all I am a Cowboys fan)!
So I pretty much have resigned myself to the fact that the Pats are going to win the big game but then I saw this pic from ESPN.com
Now I know that you’re probably thinking, “who carries flowers in a box?” What I really want to point out though is the fact that Mr. Brady is wearing a walking cast!
I’m not wishing harm on anyone, but man how crazy would it be if TOM BRADY MISSED THE SUPER BOWL!
Does anyone even know who plays back up in New England?
Go ELI!
Filed under: week-end update
Since the weekend’s almost over I thought I better get to the most popular post of the week here at andrewsikora.com
1. I Wish I Were Rich
This week Apple came out with all sorts of sweet gadgets. If I were rich I would not live an excesive life, I promise, but I would probably buy everything that Apple put out (here’s my list in case you’re rich and want to send me a present:: iPhone, MacBook Air, Time Capsule, and AppleTV).
2. Best Shape Update…
Good news and bad news on this one. The good news is that I lost more weight this week but the bad news is that it was just 2 more pounds. I’ll keep truck’n though. Stegall’s engaged in the challenge as well and he’s dropped over 12 pounds so as you can tell the challenge works!
3. Writers Strike Update
I’ve decided that this will be a regular feature of the Week-End Update. This week I tried to combat the strike by watching American Idol and buying season 1 of 30Rock to watch. It didn’t work. I was reminded that the new season of 24 was supposed to start and Thursday’s just aren’t the same without The Office. Please everyone, come to your senses and think of the children (or me) and settle this pointless strike.
4. Top 5 Blog Posts of the Week
Petey’s Series of Blood Water Mission Posts :: Petey Crowder
Imagining Martin Luther if He Were Starting Today :: Dan Kimball
Reading Christianly (Part Six) :: John Alan Turner
Walkable Urbanism :: The Good City
Huckabee on Amending the Constitution :: Greg Boyd
Often our words and prayers do not have a comparable effect on us because our attention is not focused on God. We violate the commandment “you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” by invoking God’s name frivolously. The ineffectiveness of our words and prayers can be compared to the ineffectiveness of a racing car engine. All drivers know that unless the gears are engaged by moving the gear lever the car will not move, however much they step on the accelerator. The engine will simply whirl around faster. So too with our talking and praying. Unless we are seriously engaged with the reality of God, our words and thoughts are in vain. The do not move us… from distress to joy.
From Spiritual Theology by Diogenes Allen
Filed under: Bible
I have become the laughing-stock of all my people,
the object of their taunt-songs all day long.
15He has filled me with bitterness,
he has glutted me with wormwood.
16He has made my teeth grind on gravel,
and made me cower in ashes;
17my soul is bereft of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness is;
18so I say, ‘Gone is my glory,
and all that I had hoped for from the Lord.’
19The thought of my affliction and my homelessness
is wormwood and gall!
20My soul continually thinks of it
and is bowed down within me.
21But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
22The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
his mercies never come to an end;
23they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,
‘therefore I will hope in him.’
25The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul that seeks him.
26It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
27It is good for one to bear
the yoke in youth,
28to sit alone in silence
when the Lord has imposed it,
29to put one’s mouth to the dust
(there may yet be hope),
30to give one’s cheek to the smiter,
and be filled with insults.
31For the Lord will not
reject for ever.
32Although he causes grief, he will have compassion
according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
33for he does not willingly afflict
or grieve anyone.
Filed under: Bad Idea Jeans
You know that you care a little too much about all the new Apple swag when you read…
on CNN.com and think it’s about Steve Jobs.
I need help.
+ 
All too often I’ll find myself asking “what song is that?” when a new commercial comes on. While watching the playoffs this weekend on FOX they kept running a commercial with the song “RISE” on it that I was familiar with. Turns out it’s from The Robbie Seay band’s latest album (yes, it did appear on my top 7 of ‘07 list) Give Yourself Away.
These guys started as a worship band from Texas and now they’re rock’n it on American Idol. You should help spread the word by buying the record. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
(ps. the lamest thing on TV is when the entire crowd does HUGE thumbs down signs after a gladiator wins on American Gladiator. Tell me where I’m wrong?)
