Archive - December, 2007

Dolphins vs Bengals with Dad

December 31, 2007 in Family, Football, Fun stuff with 0 Comments

I just got back from a road trip to Miami with my dad. For Christmas, I bought tickets to the Miami Dolphins’ last home game of the season, and I invited him to go with me to the game.

We drove over on Saturday and stayed until this morning. We got to stay with my Aunt and Uncle who live in West Palm Beach, and on Sunday, we headed out to Dolphin Stadium to watch the Dolphins lose to the Bengals 38-25. Since the Dolphins have been so bad this year, we joked that we would be the only ones in the stadium. We got there early and snapped the picture of Dad in the stands with nobody around. It was a fun day.

The best part was getting to spend time with Dad. Since I live so far away, we hardly get to see each other, and we especially don’t get to do too many things just me and him. I’ll never forget the trip, which is what I was hoping for when I planned it. I guess you could say I gave him this Christmas present with selfish motives.

Flickr Photo set of the game.

Dad and me at the stadium Dad and Dolphins' stadium

links for 2007-12-29

December 29, 2007 in Links with 0 Comments

Miami Dolphins this weekend

December 28, 2007 in Family, Football with 0 Comments

fins.jpgTomorrow, I’m heading out to Miami with my dad for his Christmas present. We’re going to watch our beloved Dolphins play the Bengals in Dolphin Stadium on Sunday. Sure, Miami has lost all but one game this year, but we’re still fans.

Hopefully, we won’t be the only ones in the stadium. Hopefully, Miami will win the game. But even if those things don’t happen, we’ll get to spend some time hanging out, which we haven’t done in a long time.

Wishing you a warm Christmas

December 24, 2007 in Fun stuff with 2 Comments


HD fireplace from Dennis on Vimeo.

Hope

December 24, 2007 in Church, Personal Growth with 1 Comment

During this time of the year, a key word I think about often is “hope.” I can see it in my little boy’s eyes as he talks about what he wants for Christmas. I see it as he looks at Santa. I was taught that the definition of hope is, “confident expectation in the future,” and I can see it in both the secular and sacred aspects of my family’s Christmas celebration.

The Christmas story is about hope. Christianity should be about hope. Not just hope for an eternal future with God in heaven, but hope for this life that is often miserable. We should be about bringing hope to those around us. Jesus brought hope with Him to a world in darkness. Much like today’s world, it was a world wrecked with war, oppression, and injustice.

Christianity should fill the world with hope. We should be the bearers of hope to a world that is, often times, hopeless. I’m thinking about what it looks like for the church to give people hope. I want to be a part of something that is hope-giving to those around me. Not in a “trust Jesus and everything will be swell” kind of way. I’ve come to realize that it’s not always like that. There’s a lot of junk in the world. I believe that people are looking for hope in the middle of all that.

What are our expectations for the church? What do we hope for from those who call themselves the church? I would expect people to offer a confident expectation in the future. I would expect that the church offer hope to the hopeless in a tangible way. I believe that is what Jesus did while He walked the earth. He was the epitome of hope for many who otherwise were living in dire circumstances. When Jesus showed up, hope arrived. I want to offer hope in the same way Jesus did.

Merry Christmas.

What can we do to offer hope in 2008?

links for 2007-12-22

December 22, 2007 in Links with 0 Comments

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (Mexican/Spanglish style)

December 21, 2007 in Culture, Fun stuff, Mexico with 2 Comments

I saw this over at Amy’s blog, and I thought it was pretty funny, especially if you know a little Spanish.

‘Twas the night before Christmas y por toda la casa,
Not a creature was stirring-Caramba! Que pasa?
Los ninos were tucked away in their camas,
Some in long underwear, some in pijamas,
While hanging the medias with mucho ciudado
In hopes that old Santa would feel obligado
To bring all children, both buenos y malos,
A nice batch of dulces y otros regalos.

Outside in the yard there arose such a grito
That I jumped to my pies like a frightened cabrito.
I ran to the window and looked out afuera,
And who in the world do you think that it era?
Saint Nick in a sleigh and a big red sombrero
Came dashing along like a crazy bombero.
And pulling his sleigh instead of venados
Were eight little burros approaching volados.

I watched as they came and this quaint little hombre
Was shouting and whistling and calling by nombre:
“Ay Pancho, ay Pepe, ay Cuco, ay Berto,
Ay Chato, ay Chopo, Macuco, y Nieto!”
Then standing erect with his hands on his pecho
He flew to the top of our very own techo.
With his round little belly like a bowl of jalea,
He struggled to squeeze down our old chiminea,

Then huffing and puffing at last in our sala,
With soot smeared all over his real suit de gala,
He filled all the medias with lovely regalos-
For none of the niños had been very malos.
Then chuckling aloud, seeming muy contento,
He turned like a flash and was gone como viento.
And I heard him exclaim, and this is verdad,

Merry Christmas to all, y Feliz Navidad!

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