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Pittsburgh is Title Town USA!

Congrats to the Pens! Not since 1979 has Pittsburgh had two world champs in the same season. The last time was the Pirates and the Steelers. Take my word for it the cover of next weeks Sports Illustrated will have Ben Roethlisberger and Sidney Crosby on it.

Here is the original Sports illustrated cover from 1979 when we were originally title town.

The Laughing Jesus

Thanks Mark Driscoll for talking about this subject! So if you take yourself too seriously or need a reminder of the fact that Jesus was pretty cool to hang out with, watch this!

All Grown Up?

Tom brokaw the former NBC news anchor and author was addressing the Class of 2005 at Emory University and he said these words:

"You have been hearing all of your life that this occasion is a big step into what is called the real world. What, you may ask, what is that real world all about? What is this new life? Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2005 at Emory, real life is not college; real life is not high school. Here is a secret that no one has told you: Real life is junior high.The world that you’re about to enter is filled with junior high adolescent pettiness, pubescent rivalries, the insecurities of 13-year-olds, and the false bravado of 14-year-olds."

Amen Brother!

Are you Serious?

This is beyond ridiculous. I am not bashing gays in fact I think that there is a lot we can do as Christians to be more loving to those who are gay. This is not a comment about their value and this is certainly not a condemnation of a person, but this is absurd! Now we have guys as Prom queens?

Here is the story,

Sergio Garcia stood in the gymnasium and told the senior class at Fairfax High School not to worry: If he was elected, he wouldn't wear a dress.

"I will be wearing a suit," Garcia said, "but don't be fooled, deep down inside, I am a queen!"

He said it started out as a bit of a stunt and challenge -- he wasn't sure the school would allow it. But his campaign for queen ended up being serious and sparking dialogue about gender roles on campus.

A few days before the dance and election, the contenders gave short speeches on why they deserved the crown.

"At one time, prom may have been a big popularity contest where the best-looking guy or girl were crowned king and queen. Things have changed and it's no longer just about who has the most friends or who wears the coolest clothes," Garcia told the crowd of seniors. "Sure, I'm not your typical prom queen candidate. There's more to me than meets the eye."

The audience erupted in applause after his speech, and a group of his female friends spent the rest of the week wearing pink crowns and campaigning for him.

On Saturday night at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, wearing a charcoal-gray tuxedo and a black bow tie, he was named prom queen.

"I felt invincible," Garcia said.

He's among the first male students in Southern California to take the title usually owned by female high school beauties.

"It just shows how open-minded our class is," said Vanessa Lo, 18, the school's senior class president.

Lo said that she, like many students, had initially been against the idea of Garcia running for prom queen. But she said he "spoke with complete confidence" and carried himself in a way that made students believe he was serious, not a class clown or joker just trying to get attention.

"His speech was great," recalled Unique Payne, 17, a senior who said she voted for Garcia. "I did it because I support the gay community," she said.

Some teachers and students were encouraging, others told him not to "stir things up," he said. But his close friends continued to support him, and after his speech, the campus community seemed to be coming around to the idea.

"I think that indicates where our society is right now. That the young people, they are not involved in this whole argument about gay rights. They think this whole fight is silly. They just accept people for who they are," Uribe said. "Gender-bending is just kind of in," she said.

I do feel bad for the Prom King! 

So what do you all think?

Hanging with Clive

My class for Fuller Seminary this Spring is on Mentoring. I had to select a historical figure that is a mentor to me. I chose C.S. Lewis. I have written about Lewis before on this blog and he has had a profound effect on my life through his writings. One aspect I haven't written about is Lewis' friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien and the group known as the Inklings. 

I am fascinated by this group of friends that met for over 30 years together each week either in Lewis' room or at a pub known as the Eagle and the Child. Their commitment to each other is admirable. Most people don't know that J.R.R Tolkien was instrumental in bringing Lewis to Christ. Below is a quote from Tolkien about Lewis:

“Friendship with Lewis compensates for much, and besides giving constant pleasure and comfort has done me much good from the contact with a man at once honest, brave, intellectual-a scholar, a poet, and a philosopher—and a lover, at least after a long pilgrimage, of Our Lord.” 

This is a quote from Lewis about his friends the Inklings from his perspective:

“Sometimes he wonders what he is doing there among his betters. He is lucky beyond desert to be in such company. Especially when the whole group is together, each bringing out all that is best, wisest, or funniest in all the others.” 

I am sure these guys meet together every day in Heaven, and I am sure Jesus stops by now and then.