Sunday Nite Speak!

* Packed weekend... glad it's over!

* If you haven't heard by now, the last couple of weeks I've given the devotional for the Univ. of MD's football team meeting on the night before their game. So, they called me this past week and asked if I could travel with them to Boston for their game against Boston College... WHAT!! Definitely a grand experience... awesome!

* There were so many takeaways for 1st Impressions on my Boston trip: overall, the team made it a very pleasurable and non-stressful trip for me (and other guests). The entire trip - from driving to the campus, getting on the bus, driving to the airport, getting my boarding pass, going through security, walking through the airport to the gate, getting on the plane, flying to Boston, leaving the airport en route to the hotel, getting my luggage and room key, and getting into my room - ALL OF THAT took just a little over 4 hours!! Unbelievable! But their system to get where they have to go is seamless... and void of stress... totally awesome!

* The football team and coaches were much more receptive this weekend than last weekend. Last weekend, they didn't know me from Adam... this weekend was different, and I got alot of feedback. Seems like the message struck a chord with several of the guys. Unfortunately, they didn't win the game... DOH!

* Tonight's gathering attendance was LOW, baby! Guess people were still away... or the rain KEPT them away! ;-) But it was a great service, regardless. My buddy, Ed Plater, let the worship... he rocked the house, as he always does! ;-) He's a great worship leader, with the heart of a pastor... two combinations that - to me - are very rare!

* Talked about The Gratitude Attitude tonight, from this passage... gratitude is something that I struggle with at times. Sometimes, I'm so FORWARD-FOCUSED that I fail to remember that there are many people who help me do what I do.

* I forgot to mention, though, about a common characteristic found in ungrateful people: they're usually either arrogant OR critical OR... BOTH!! Arrogant people think everything centers around them, and whatever is done for them is OWED TO them... and critical people always are pointing the finger, finding things that are wrong with others (although they usually gloss over the things about themselves that are not so attractive). And ungrateful people are difficult to be around. :-/

* We're starting our Just Walk Across the Room message series next Sunday... CAN'T WAIT! Gonna be a great time... looking forward to seeing how God is gonna use our people to share their story within the Christmas story!

* Well, the Skins lost today (ho-hum), so that leaves the Cowboys in second place in their division. Still need some help from other teams to make the playoffs... NFL in December, baby... football at it's finest! ;-)