Videos of Interest

John Piper encouraging President Obama to be courageous on the issue of abortion

Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill recently featured on ABC's Nightline. Thorns makes a good point on this interview

And finally, have you ever seen a coach in hockey try and sit in the penalty box? Well at UND last weekend it seemed that the Denver University coach was trying to do just that.

Celebrating Life and Death

Yesterday was an interesting day for our family. We had the opportunity to celebrate physical life and physical death on the same day.

Aunika turns 2
Two years ago Shannon and I welcomed an undeserved blessing into our lives. We celebrated this day with forgetting the rules, buying a $9 balloon (that actually was about 5 balloons attached together - hence the price), going to Culvers and eating burgers, fries, ice cream, and allowing her to drink caffeine. We finished the night with allowing Aunika to stay up until 10 watching her Pooh DVD, and then to bed where I read her 3 books compared to the normal 1. We concluded our day with prayer - thanking the Lord for Aunika's life and praying for her someday to make a commitment to Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.

Shannon's Grandmother Passes
At 11 a.m. (Pacific Time) - Shannon's grandmother Jackie Ellingburg passed away in Las Vegas, NV. Jackie had been battling cancer that was recently discovered in the fall. We celebrate because Jackie was a daughter of the Lord Most High. She was a women that was following Jesus and we are joyful that today she is with Jesus. Shannon had the opporunity to be with her in December and had the priviledge of caring for her as well as special times of reading her Scripture. The words of Chris Tomlin and the song I Will Rise are especially true and near to my heart and mind today

There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise I will rise

Through the power of the resurrection - Jackie did rise

We Are Freaks

My Grandfather: My family and my friend Pt. 2

Proverbs 22:6 commands parents to: "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." My grandfather, Oscar Moser (a.k.a. Ozzie), trained my father, Larry to raise me a certain way, to teach me, to put up with me and to ultimately love me despite my faults, disobedience, and times of disrespect growing up.

I had the privilege recently of interviewing my Grandpa over the Christmas holiday. Enjoy.

Saved From Wrath (Brett): "I've noticed over the years that when we play cards - you often slam cards down on the table. What do you wish to accomplish with this tactic? What do you want to communicate to your opponents?"

Grandpa Moser: "I hope that it throws my opponents off base. I hope it keeps them in check. Sometimes I do it as a sign of frustration - and sometimes I do it as a sign of joy."

SFW: "I've heard this legendary story of you shooting a bunch of ducks with three shots - tell me that story"

GM: "One day Bob, Carl, and I went up to hunt by Chase Lake and there was a barley field that the ducks were feeding in. There was a NW wind so we went against the wind and came from the SE side. The ducks were on a side hill and there was going to be some crawling involved. Bob and Carl said, 'Na you can't do that'. I crawled down in a ravine and then belly crawled for a while until I got right on top of 'em. I finally got in position where I was right there. I stood up and yelled 'HEY' and shot three times. I ended up with 18 Drakes and 3 Hens for a total of 21."

SFW: "Didn't you get fined for shooting oh 16 more than the legal daily limit?"

GM: "I couldn't get fined cause at that time there was no limit."

SFW: "Your favorite sport is softball - you've played for over 40 years and you are now over 80 - do you plan to continue playing?"

GM: "It really depends on my ankle...but if my ankle is healthy I'll go, but I might have to have surgery for that ankle to go - but if I can't I will most definetely be managing as long as I can."

SFW: "Does it bother you that opposing teams bring the outfield in for your at-bats during softball games?"

GM: "Not really....actually I like it cause then I can hit it over their heads...ha...ha..ha!"

SFW: "You drove school bus for 40 years as well - what is one thing from that experience that you can share with me?"

GM: "I had to be firm with the kids. They needed to obey the rules or they were expelled from the bus."

SFW: "What is one of the mischievous moments from when you were young that you could share with me?"

GM: "Well one day we were hunting gophers with our sling-shots and rocks and we couldn't get this one so we decided that we were going to 'smoke him out' - We went and got some grass and matches and proceeded to try and 'smoke him out' - we had 3 different holes that we lit some grass on fire.......We ended up leaving and sometime later - we realized that we had burned down the pasture....there was a digger and plow that came so the fire wouldn't spread."

SFW: "Aside from knowing Jesus Christ what is your biggest accomplishment in life?"

GM: "Getting married and having 9 children."

SFW: "What was the best part of having 9 kids and what was the most challenging part?"

GM: "The best part was loving them all - and that they were all healthy. The most challenging part was startin' out with 2 daughters and then I went for the boys."

I am proud of my Grandfather because he is my family and he is my friend - along w/being one of the most joyful people I know. He laughs more than most - and lights matches more than most - as that's his version of an air freshener. He closed our interview with this, "Anytime you want to interview me again - just come on around!"

10 Questions for 2009

I asked 10 questions as I opened my sermon on Sunday morning as I challenged our people to "Consider our ways" - based off of Haggai 1:5. These questions are from Don Whitney and an expanded list can be found here.

1. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve your family life this year?
2. In which Spiritual Discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?
3. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?
4. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?
5. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?
6. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?
7. What's the single most important thing you do to improve the quality of your work life this year for the glory of God.
8. In what area of your life do you most need growth, and what will you do about it this year?
9. What's one thing you could do throughout this year to enrich the spiritual legacy you will leave to your children and grandchildren?
10. To what need or ministry will you try to give an unprecedented amount of time and energy to this year?
    

Vikings: One and Done

I quit reviewing Vikings games after the Jacksonvile game and the Vikings proceeded to go on a season long run, winning the NFC North on the last day of the regular season. This will serve as a review of the playoff game w/the Eagles as well as a season in review.

Eagles 26 Vikings 14

Chris Berman summed it up like this on NFL primetime last night, "The Vikings are just goofy". Boomer was referring to their punt coverage, Matt Birk's snap to the feet of Jackson, and Brad Childress's wonderful clock managment at the end of the first half.

Simply put the Vikings didn't win this game due to I believe three reasons

1. Eagles had McNabb - Vikings had T Jack - any football fan could see the superiority and calmness in McNabb's play on Sunday contrasted with Jackson's play that overall was shaky/and up and down. Both QB's threw interceptions - McNabb's gave the Vikes the ball deep in Eagles territory, while Jackson's interception was the pick 6 version.
2. Coaching - Schematically the Eagles dominated the Vikings. There was a 3rd and 1 in the 3rd quarter where Pederson and Tahi lined up in a Twins formation in the backfield. The Vikings have ran this play each of the last two weeks and ran Pederson off the right side for 2-3 yard gains. There was a couple of problems running this on Sunday. First, an amateur football mind could identify this play on TV...you'd think a team that watched tons of film on a team would be ready for this - and they were and forced the Vikes to punt on a drive where it looked like the Vikes could take a lead as the score was still 16-14. The second problem would be that the right side isn't exactly our best running side with Ryan Cook and Anthony Herrara. Also, Jim Johnson's blitzes dominated the Vikings and they virtually had no answer aside from a beautifully designed screen to Jim Kleinsasser. Now only if Jimmy's name was changed to Brian Westbrook - that play could've been bigger. The Vikings just weren't creative enough on offense to combat an Eagles blitz that was actually fun to watch - man they are so aggressive. And finally, I would've like to see more Chestor Taylor on Sunday. AP had one significant play, couldn't pick up the blitz, and dances behind the line of scrimmage way too much for me against a fast defense. That is a coaching move that Chilly failed to make.
   
3. Too many Benny Sapp and Tyrell Johnson Tackles - when Benny Sapp is making plays and I'm hearing his name called more than linebackers or Antoine Winfield - things aren't going to go well for the Vikings, eventually a big play will happen, which it did. Johnson was forced to play as Darren Sharper left with an injury to his ankle. Excuses due to injury are pretty lame, but it is worth noting that the Vikings D was without 4 starters on Sunday - Pat Williams, Ray Edwards, Darren Sharper, and E.J. Henderson. Although the D held up and I thought kept us in the game (practicing their bend but don't break philosophy well in the first half) - the D with these 4 starters in is noticeabely different.
4. I know I said only three - but Chris Kluwe (our punter) trying to tackle Deshawn Jackson (4.4 40) in the open field is never good.

Looking Ahead/Season Review

The Vikings enter the offseason again with doubts at the quarterback position. My thought is draft a QB in the first or second round and then let Jackson and the rookie battle it out in camp. We've seen this year what Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan could do as QB's surrounded by solid players and veterans.

Significant strides were made this year on D. Yes the Vikings led the NFL against the run again- but the big improvement comes in the area of pass D. We went from dead last (32nd) in the league last year in 2007 to 18th in the league in 2008. I attribute this to 1- Jared Allen. We've longed for a consistent pass rush for years and we finally got it in 2008. 2 - Madeue Williams was a significant upgrade at SS compared to something known as Dwight Smith.

Offensively this team's identity still is in running the football. I believe AP and Chestor are a great 1-2 punch, although AP's fumble issues need to be dealt with. The passing game had several big plays as Bernard Berrian, Bobby Wade, and V Schiancoe all had productive seasons. I think we need more out of Sidney Rice next year.

The Vikings hadn't been to the playoffs since 2004 and it was actually fun looking down on the Bears and Packers at the end of the year. Under Chilly the Vikings have made improvement 6-10, to 8-8, to 10-6 (0-1 in the playoffs)....we need to continue that trend and go 11-5 or 12-4 next year and at least to the NFC championship game for me to see vast improvement. Minnesota Vikings 2008 - DEAD!