Broomball has always been an equalizer sport. Unless you play on a club level or a national level like my friend Paul Thyren, most of us play broomball for fun.

Fun racing around on slippery hockey rink with street shoes or boots wielding awkward brooms; then in a moment of hope you swing the broom hoping to connect with the ball and send it into the opposition’s goal.

Broomball Buddies

Broomball is a great sport to enjoy wintery fun with friends. Here from the winter of 1996 is my dear friend the late Adam Bieringer. Adam passed away in April of 2010 much too young.

I’ve read a couple of Stephen Arterburn books. Since I believe that Healing is a Choice I chose to give tHealing is a Choice a read.

The author explores 10 choices that he believes we need to make if we are to experience genuine and lasting healing.

1. The Choice to Connect your life
Lie – All I need to heal is just God and me.

2. The Choice to Feel your life
Lie – Real Christians should have peace in all circumstances

3. The Choice to Investigate Your Life in Search of Truth
Lie – It does no good to look back or look inside

Black Friday and Black Friday week ads are everywhere. 

I’m not immune to greed.

I want an iPod!  I’ve never had one.
I drive a ’96 minivan.  I want a new car.
I want  Batman: Arkham City.  It looks so fun!
I want Dave Matthews Band Eurpoe 2009 CD/DVD collection.  I love that band!
I want a bottle of Angel cologne.  It makes me smell so good.
I want a Wii to play games with Amy!

While we’re inundated with marketing strategies this week, I was determined not to shop for what I don’t need.  In order to cut my greed I decided to cultivate generosity by remembering what I was thankful for this past year.

I almost never remember my dreams. Yesterday I wrote to my friend Anastasiya, “I wish I had pleasant dreams”. This morning, just before I woke up, I was dreaming of hanging out with musician Dave Matthews after a show.

While there are several reasons not to like Dave Matthews’ music, but I still love most of his songs.  I and Paul Thyren, a friend and fantastic co-worker of mine, love the Dave Matthews Band.   One of our favorites is “Two Step.”  Listening to the extended jam that often accompanies Two Step played live brings me peace in a surreal, mellow, “I’m just glad to be here” kind of way.

Genuineness trumps tension, and shame crumbles too.

Blessed are those who:
1. Quit pretending about their sin.
2. Quit hiding their mistakes.
3. Quit hiding their pain.
4. Are willing to feel and be humbled by their guilt and pain.

Tomorrow night my wife Amy and I will be attending Sara Groves’ CD release concert. As I wrote yesterday I have been a fan since my friend Dan Adler first played us her song Generations.

I am excited to hear her in person, and I’m also anticipating her new album. 

Sara’s last album — Fireflies & Songs — was widely acclaimed, and even won as 2009 album of the year.  Commendably the reviewer added, “Already known for her transparent songwriting, Sara Groves gets even more piercingly honest on this, her ninth album. Whether her relationship with God, marital tension, or a private battle with anxiety, it’s poetically spilled forth…” 1

I love listening to my old music.  I love breaking out a Bruce Springsteen concert or playing Rush’s La Villa Strangiato.

I also love learning about newer artists. 

Recently my son Josh’s girlfriend Taylor introduced me to metalcore bands I hadn’t heard.  Now I listen to Acacia Strain, Asking Alexandria, Dead By April, and Motionless in White.  I admit, they won’t make the daily list, but they will spin in my media player.

By the way, what music are you listening to that I should consider listening to too?

Deep Music

Pain Despite Faith

My friend Brandon, like many people, lives with the pain of migraines.  Brandon has explained, “migraines make me very ill.   They can put me out of action for an entire day or more.  I can feel one coming on and then when full blown I feel horrible, nauseous and need to go to bed. While some people can have a migraine every couple of months or a couple of migraines a week, sometimes my migraines can repeat day after day for a week or more.”

In the past I mentioned my appreciation for singer-songwriter Sara Groves.  This week Amy and I are going to her CD release concert so I’m highlighting some of her great songs.  They inspire and encourage me.  I think that they will do the same for you.

A couple of months ago I mentioned how moved I was by Sara’s compassion churned by the pain and hurt she saw in Rwanda.   I Saw What I Saw expresses that she could never be the same after her trip.

Most people want to relieve or avoid pain, and understandably so. 

I can be focused, self-centered, myopic and ignorant.

I can live contentedly for short periods of time “in my own little world.”

I’m learning that it’s important to look beyond myself and embrace reality.

Embrace My Own Reality

I’m learning not to do stupid things.

I knew I was supposed to do good things, but I didn’t really think about why I should.

Years ago in my Bible I read “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” 1