But since that wasn’t possible, the next best way was to spend it with Albert Pujols, the greatest active player in baseball. And to see him homer in Wrigley Field? Icing on the birthday cake.

The last time I saw the Cards and Cubs play at Wrigley was in August, 1968. (History exam: can you think of anything else happening in Chicago that month?) My grandmother and aunt saw how much I loved the game, so they took me the next night. We got to see Bob Gibson pitch eleven innings, though he didn’t get a decision. That’s the summer he pitched 28 — TWENTY-EIGHT — complete games. Today we celebrate a pitcher who has any complete games. Plus, 13 of those 28 were shut-outs.

Anyway, a couple shots of my buddy. (And thanks, Margaret and Leon for the birthday present. Doubt that I’ll ever get to sit that close again!)

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We were blessed at the Heartbeat retreat to have Mark and Katrina Willis with us. Check out the beautiful, intriguing painting she did for our theme: “New Eyes, New Views.”

As lightning to the children eased
With explanation kind,
The truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind.

- Emily Dickenson

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Here’s an inspiring story about Joe Niekro, whose knuckleball has lived on past his sudden death in 2006. (Thanks, Matt H., for the link!)

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“I’ve heard stories of Catholics being saved from ritualism by becoming Pentecostal, Pentecostals being saved from emotionalism by becoming Presbyterian, Presbyterians being saved from rationalism by becoming Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox being saved from clericalism by becoming Baptist, and Baptists being saved from historical amnesia by becoming Catholic or Orthodox. Simple churches save people from complexity, and complex churches save people from simplicity. Political churches save people from an overly personal religiosity, and personal churches save people from an overly politicized religiosity. Exciting churches save people from boredom, and quiet churches save people from hoopla and hype. Around and around the cycle goes.” – Brian McLaren

This can’t be our rotation, can it? They are leading the AL in (lowest) ERA for the month of May. Plus, the defense has the fewest number of errors. Match that with a line-up that includes Kinsler, Young, and Hamilton . . . well, my friends, this could be the year!

Here’s the ugly truth from Wiki:

“The Rangers are one of the least successful teams in Major League Baseball to date, being one of three teams (the others being the Seattle Mariners and the Washington Nationals) to have never played in a World Series. They are also the only franchise to have never won a playoff series since the franchise’s inception in 1961.”

But this could be the year. A seven game winning streak isn’t a season. But if the pitching will remain decent . . . .

Several of us were planning to drive over to watch Saturday’s game. The winning streak was on, Abilene’s John Lackey was pitching, and it was an afternoon game so we had plenty of time to get back for an early bedtime. (I have a regular Sunday gig.) But we decided — because of weather — not to go. Good call. The game was delayed an hour and a half. Then Lackey was ejected after two pitches.

So we gathered around the HD TV to watch the game on Fox. But they never switched to the Rangers/Angels. It was the Mets/Giants. Who cares?

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“Mother’s Day for the World’s Trafficked Children.”

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There are often chuckles at Stuff Christians Like.

Here’s a sample:

#542. Gospel Gift Bags for First Time Visitors

If you won’t accept the gift of salvation as a first time visitor to our church, the very least we can do is send you home with this lovely parting gift. A loaf of bread? A CD message from the pastor? A mug with our church logo on it, featuring a dove, open Bible, sun rising through the “O” in our name and a lamb lying longingly?

You never know what you’ll find in the Gospel Gift Bag we often give first-time visitors. But what if we put what they really needed in it?

1. “Get out of offering free” cards.
We all do that “apologize to the first-time visitors that happen to have come on the one Sunday a year when you preach on money” thing, so let’s just go all the way. Let’s print up a small stack of little Monopoly-sized cards that say, “I’m just visiting.” That way, when the offering plate comes around, the visitors will have something to throw in without feeling weird.

2. An insider’s church map.
Forget the map that shows you where the bookstore is. Visitors need to know the inside information that normally takes years to learn. Where’s the secret bathroom that’s unmarked, looks like a supply closet from the outside, and is actually the cleanest one in the building? Which Sunday school classroom has a teacher who’s friendly and won’t try to force you to volunteer the minute she sees you? Where’s the free coffee and the donuts that are fresh, not left over from last week? These are the kinds of things you need on a map.

3. A seating chart.
Increase the chances of someone coming back to your church by about 105% by giving them a detailed sanctuary seating chart. Where do the people who sing with their eyes closed sit? Who’s going to give you either an awkward or an awesome frontal hug, depending on your preference, during the meet and greet? Where do the dancers and hand raisers sit? The guy who’s locked down his favorite seat for the last 14 years and is likely to put me in a sleeper hold if I accidentally sit there–where does that guy sit?

When people say, “Jon Acuff is changing his generation and perhaps how church as we know it works,” these are the ideas they’re referring to. You’ll probably become a megachurch and need to build a bigger parking lot if you include these items in your Gospel Gift Bag. But if you do, make sure you include which parking lot attendant is most skilled at getting people home. That information is gold and exactly the kind of thing a visitor really needs to know.

4. Lou Brock
3. Ozzie Smith
2. Albert Pujols
1. Bob Gibson

By “my lifetime” I’m referrring to 1964, the first year I went to a Cardinals World Series (vs. the Yankees) and the first year I remember knowing much about the team. Musial’s last game with the Cardinals was the fall of 1963, so he’s not on the list. Based on a full career of productivity (.331 average, 3630 hits, 470 home runs), you have to figure Stan the Man would be safely #1 for now. Still, Pujols is the best player in the game today.

(And I didn’t go to #5 because then I’d have to deal with whether Mark McGwire belongs on the list or not!)

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Two weeks ago I saw the space that an Abilene church rents. The name of the congregation is the Second Chance Baptist Church. I like that! Perhaps we could change ours to the Mulligan Church of Christ. How about the Do Over Church?

“Do you love me?” Jesus asked someone who’d blow it big time. “Then feed my sheep.”

Michael Scott understands what many Christian leaders don’t: “Everyone deserves a second second chance.”

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Congrats to ACU’s two players who were drafted by the NFL this weekend: Johnny Knox in the 4th round (Bears) and Bernard Scott in the 6th round (Bengals).

He and I have drank so many Diet DPs together over the last seventeen years; we’ve eaten so many “one egg specials” at Towne Crier; we’ve sat side-by-side for so many football and baseball games.

What can I say? He’s got a two-year-old grandson in Austin! Enough said.

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If you didn’t know who Josh Hamilton was before last night, you do now. What an amazing story. (And how about the 71 year old who threw all those pitches. HE is my hero this morning!)

No team in baseball has four hitters this year quite like the Rangers: Kinsler (.337), Young (.302), Bradley (.316), and Hamilton (.310, 95 RBIs).

While you’ve got to figure the AL will win again tonight, how would you like to be pitching to the heart of the NL line-up: Lance Berkman, Albert Pujols (the best player in baseball), and Chipper Jones. They’re batting .347, .350, and .376, respectively.

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Our little beach girl — at the same NC beach where we took her father when he was the same age.

Red Sox over Indians.
Rockies over D’backs.
Red Sox over Rockies.

Take it to the bank.

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Just in case you didn’t know, the Cowboys are 5-0. You know you’re on a roll when your QB throws 5 interceptions and you still win.

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Here was my evening: the Yankees lost . . . the Cowboys won with two seconds left . . . and my granddaughter was in our arms. Now THAT is a good evening.

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In the first 11 games of the playoffs, the four teams I picked to win their series were a perfect 0-11. That’s right. Not one single win. Three of the teams I picked (Cubs, Phillies, Angels) went out in three games. Finally, last night the one team I would have been happy to see swept won a game to keep me from being 0-12.

So . . . I’m sure you’ll be glad for the Yankees/Indians series to end so you can see my next round of predictions and place your bets!

Now . . . you?

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If you haven’t been to Larry James’s blog recently, check out this wonderful piece. Also, for a bit of irony, check this out.

Here are my bosses:

Rodney Ashlock (associate chairman of undergrad Bible)
Glenn Pemberton (chairman of undergrad Bible)
Ken Cukrowski (associate dean of College of Biblical Studies)
Jack Reese (dean of College of Biblical Studies)
Dwayne Van Rheenan (Provost)
Royce Money (President)

I’m sure I’ve missed some others.

Having said that, I love teaching there. I love the direction of the university. I love the way there is an openness to a larger Christian world while still valuing the heritage of Churches of Christ. I love the variety of the student body. I love the sense that we are both participating in and calling people to the mission of Jesus.

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In front of a bunch of my buddies, I lost a bet to my friend Chris Flanders. The loser had to make a public confession.

SO . . . let me say this. Flanders was right; I was wrong. Our question was, Who had the most hits in the major leagues in the 1990s. I felt sure I knew. I was wrong. Do you know? Leave your guess here. Don’t google first. Don’t say something like “I know this because I just saw it the other day.” And don’t come back commenting on it. Let’s just see who knows.

What major league player had the most hits in the ’90s?

Even with all the controversy about steriods (he broke into the majors as a speedy leadoff hitter — and at some point underwent major transformation in body type), it’s an amazing accomplishment. But it’s still hard for me to get too excited.

He’s passing Hank. But he’s not Hank. (OK, I’m not quite this much of Hank fan!)

Bonds’s record won’t be around as long as Babe Ruth’s or Hank’s. You can already hear A-Rod heading toward a new mark.

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As I keep working on Galatians, I’m impressed again with the gains in New Testament study from what’s called the “new perspective” on Paul, which I wrote about here.

After winning yesterday, 7-6, we play today for the championship in Waco. The winner will advance to the Southwest Regional tournament in Grand Junction — playing for a chance to go to the World Series.

It was great coming here last year, but we lost two straight games and had to go home. This year we’ve won a couple games. It won’t be easy. We have one loss and Laredo Del Mar has none, so we have to beat them twice.

Someday maybe this blog will return to more substantive material. Like guacamole recipes. But for now, it’s junior league baseball.

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Someone mentioned in the comments from the last post that their favorite part of Leaving Church was the “baptism” scene. It’s also my favorite part. After she resigns from ministry, she’s invited to a pool party when people begin throwing one another in.

“I stood back and watched the mayhem that ensued. All around me, people were grabbing people and wrestling them toward the water. The dark night air was full of pool spray and laughter.”

Some looked at her but decided, in light of her past “position,” to leave her alone. “I still looked waterproof to them,” she remembers.

But then . . .

“Two strong hands grabbed my upper arms from behind, and before I knew it I was in the water, fully immersed and swimming in light. I never found out who my savior was, but when I broke the surface, I looked around at all of those shining people with makeup running down their cheeks, with hair plastered to their heads, and I was so happy to be one of them. If being ordained meant being set apart from them, then I did not want to be ordained anymore. I wanted to be human: I wanted to spit food and let snot run down my chin. I wanted to confess being as lost and found as anyone else without caring that my underwear showed through my wet clothes. Bobbing in that healing pool with all those other flawed beings of light, I looked around and saw them as I had never seen them before, while some of them looked at me the same way. The long wait had come to an end. I was in the water at last.”

Here’s our team:

We won game two against the winner of the Waco district last night, 6-1. Tonight we play the host team from Ft. Worth in the finals of the winners’ bracket. Either late tonight or early tomorrow morning, I’ll hustle back to Abilene to preach. My guess is that the preaching will be a bit blurry-eyed tomorrow. (Note: I’ll just be underscoring the text about how this treasure comes in jars of clay!)

Today: lunch at Pappasito’s. Yes, fajitas, guacamole, and salsa are in my immediate future.

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Is the Pope stealing his speech material from Churches of Christ? (See this article entitled “Pope: Other Denominations Not True Churches.”) Makes a Protestant really miss John Paul 2.

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We won the opening game of Sectionals last night in Ft. Worth, 18-4. The game ended at midnight. One thing that made it slow was that the good folks hosting the tournament didn’t have any baseballs. We had to use a couple good balls the team from Wichita Falls had. (Ours were all beat-up practice balls.) But any time both were fouled off we had to wait until they were brought back. It was one step above street ball. Still, lots of fun.