Super Bowl trivia

Taken from Cleveland.com (boo!)

The big game is Sunday: Super Bowl XLIII pits the Arizona Cardinals against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa, Fla. While you’re munching on snacks and enjoying the zany $3 million-per-30-seconds commercials, consider the following facts and trivial items:

1. An unofficial survey estimates 1.4 million people call off sick the day after the game.

2. Antacid sales go up 20 percent the day after the game.

3. The second highest number of credentials to cover a Super Bowl were issued — 4,589 — from a record 633 media organizations.

4. Of the 13 most-watched TV programs, 12 are Super Bowls. (The lone exception at No. 1 is the final episode of M*A*S*H in 1983).

5. Tickets are $1,000, $800 and $500.

6. President Obama reportedly will cheer for the Steelers.

7. The game will be broadcast in 30 languages to 220 countries.

8. Members of the winning team each receive $78,000. The other team’s players take home a paltry $40,000 for a day’s work.

9. The winning team is awarded the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The sterling silver trophy is created by Tiffany & Co. and is valued at more than $25,000.

10. Sales of big-screen TVs go up a reported 500 percent during Super Bowl week.

SOURCES: Associated Press, New York Times News Service, Nielsen, Newsday, Doubleday, St. Petersburg Times

While I'm Waiting

We went and saw the movie, Fireproof, last night. We had heard great things about it, but were still skeptical, as we are with all low-budget Christian films. Yeah, they may have a good message, but the acting is usually horrible, the lines are super cheesy, and worst of all, the "good message" is usually tainted with a lot of moralism. Just pray harder, have more faith, etc. These are not the reasons that good things happen to us and we cannot make God love us more by doing them. When we put too much emphasis on ourselves, we are just going to be disappointed when we can't live up to those expectations. And no matter how hard we try, we will always fail. But God doesn't fail.

Back to the movie... since we had somewhat low expectations, I am very glad we still gave it a chance. We took 8 kids from our youth group to a local church that was showing it. We laughed, I cried - one of our girls yelled out, "Oh no, you didn't!" at one point, and we really laughed! I think they did a really good job at presenting the need for a Savior and tying that in with the covenant of marriage (even though, who's discussions really go like that between a father & son?!?)

But the part that touched my heart the most was a song called, While I'm Waiting. Even though the context was the husband was waiting for his wife to give their marriage another chance, I couldn't help but think of my own life. I heard the words, "While I’m waiting, I will serve You. While I’m waiting, I will worship." and I started to cry. As I keep waiting for the Lord to bless us with a baby, I am going to focus on serving Him and worshipping Him. "I’m waiting on You, Lord. Though it’s not easy. But faithfully, I will wait. Yes, I will wait."

Pittsburgh's Goin to the Superbowl!

I think I'll stay in bed tomorrow

Missed this by 10 minutes

Last night I stayed a little late at work to finish up some projects. Normally I leave at 4:00, yesterday I stayed until 4:50. Normally I go to the post office everyday around 11:00 am, yesterday I went at 4:40. Guess what happened at 5:00?























An entire row of buildings next to the post office (which is 1 1/2 blocks away from the church) caught on fire. I can't believe I drove past these buildings just a fraction of time before they became ablaze.

Since we live about 20 minutes from Carmichaels (where this happened) we didn't hear about it until 8:30 pm. We started making calls and were very relieved to hear that no one, not even all the pets in the groomer, which was on the first floor of the building on fire, were injured. Wow.

Here is Pittsburgh's Channel 4 News story with a video and several photos.

This is what it looks like today.

Epiphany

One thing I have enjoyed greatly about being involved in church administration is learning more about the liturgical calendar. I don't know why I am so fascinated with it frankly, perhaps because it is still so new to me. (liturgical holidays just simply are not celebrated in my former church. and by "former church" I do not mean kirk of the hills; I am talking about my "before-bobby" church.) So anyway... today, January 6th, is Epiphany. Maybe many of you have heard of it, but not sure what it is (like me). In general, the theme of it is Jesus' manifestation of Himself as God. We in the western church celebrate the arrival of the wise men to visit Jesus (Matthew 2:1-8). (so for us that means the 3 wise men get to join the nativity scene on our mantle. prior to today they were over on the computer desk - approximately two years away.) So gather round and let us all sing, "We Three Kings." Or as I just found on You Tube, play it on Guitar Hero. What on earth?!?! (seriously, click on the link, this is crazy.) Well, I guess I will end this post now that I have just ruined the sanctity of the holiday...