Luke's Ego

We were driving to Broadway Theater in Pitman, NJ to see the movie Wall-E. Luke noticed that the sun and believed the sun was "following him." When asked why he believed that the sun was following him. He exclaimed, "Daddy, the sun is following me because I am the cutest boy in the world." No problem with this boy's confidence, or this boy's ego. However, I am worried that "his ego will write checks that his body can't cash."

Phillies

Are the Phillies the Statue of Liberty of Major League Baseball? Give us your tired, your weary, and simply your sad. Hey, whoever sucks on your team will take. Jon Lieber, Adam Eaton, and now their latest edition Joe Blanton. He won 14 games last year. What about this year? He is 5-12 with 4.96 ERA. We have an ace with Cole Hamels, and a veteran with Jamie Moyer. We need a second or at least third good pitcher. The Phillies could write the book on how screw up any chance to advance to the playoffs ... forget about the World Series. When I heard the news, I was far from happy. I know that the Phillies have nothing to trade for an actually good player; we have a few players from the bench that we could have traded for someone better. I don't know. I guess that I am frustrated, wishing that Phillies would be more aggressive to gain better pitching.
Phillies, please stop settling for the mediocre!

Vulnerability

The other night I saw a different side of a friend - vulnerability. Guys don't do this easily and he did not do it easily ... but he had to for the sake of himself. How did I respond? Well honestly, I did not know what to say or how to respond. I was speechless. Grateful but speechless. Then Rick talked about Mark 14:32-42. Then he shared this about Jesus, fully God and fully human:

• Jesus needed his friends around him - "They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, 'Sit here while I go and pray.' He took Peter, James, and John with him ... 'Stay here and keep watch with me.'"

• Jesus felt like dying "... he became deeply troubled and distressed. "He told them [Peter, James, and John]My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.'" Here is God wrapped in flesh, struggling emotionally, feeling alone, open with his Father in heaven about what experiencing. Being fully God and fully human. Completely vulnerable.

• Jesus was utterly transparent with God and someone else.

Rick asked the question, "How did Mark know? Who shared the temptation and the Gethsemane experience with Mark and the other gospel writers?" He would have been vulnerable with his disciples after the resurrection. God wrapped in flesh, struggling with his decision, his next step; Jesus asked God the Father (Abba Father) not to go through with the crucifixion. So how did the authors of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John know? Jesus had to share some of those weakest moments; he being God and human became vulnerable. So being vulnerable must mean that we are living in the image of God, being like Jesus.

How would being vulnerable change friendships, bonds within community? Being vulnerable is a gift to every family, friendship, and community.