These are the words of a well-known sports commentator and analyst in California whose podcast I was listening to awhile back when I heard that statement. It stunned me for a minute, but that’s becoming more of the rule than the exception in society today.

My first year of college, I was in a Humanities class with several other Christian freshmen. We started studying world religions, and when we got to the section on Judeo-Christianity, the professor and the material started attacking God, the Bible, Judaism, and Christianity. Pretty relentlessly, I may add. These attacks and other “higher educational thought and theory” led to a falling-away from the faith for a few of these students that had previously hung onto their faith in the midst of adversity.

In their song, “Evil Unseen,” Becoming the Archetype proclaims,

“Compromise your faith and doom your generation. The cancer of mind-worship will leave your spirit to decay.”

Being back in the field of college education, I realize again how important it is to grow in your faith as you grow in earthly knowledge, and mostly how the two are connected. As Christians, we need to grow and develop our minds, but alongside our faith. For us, the two are not separate entities, and they need to mature together. Grow in education, so you can reasonably discuss issues with the world, but also grow in your faith, so that you can stand firm when “higher theory and thought” try to use intellect to tear you down.

And I think it’s really a reflection on our society more than anything.

We live in such a fast-food, high-speed, wireless, drive-thru world that we feel like we need to formulate immediate opinions at the drop of a hat. As fast as you can type 140 characters, that’s as fast as you need an opinion. It’s rare that we sit back and let things sink in and really formulate our opinions with some thought.

Forget the fact that Manning had a great first game back in the NFL after 20 months against Pittsburgh. Forget the fact that it was his first road game in 20 months, and the Georgia Dome is LOUD.
Forget the fact that Manning himself has said he’s not 100% yet.
Forget the fact that his arm speed was checked on radar and he’s only lost 2mph from 2010.
Forget the fact that he’s human.
Forget the fact that he had three quarters of great play after that first quarter in Atlanta.

Manning obviously isn’t good anymore because he threw three interceptions. (Dripping sarcasm added at no cost to you, reader.)

Let’s stop and think about our opinions before we say them.

I can’t even keep a consistent “Music Monday” or “Fan Friday” series going for longer than week or two. Admittedly, I’m not the most consistent blogger you’ve ever read.

I suppose these things just take a sense of discipline. That’s what I’ve read from consistent bloggers anyway.

How do you discipline yourself to be consistent?

There’s a lot of things that I do probably wrong, and things that I do backwards, I’m sure. And right now, we have a pretty hectic, crazy schedule that really doesn’t allow us a lot of quality time together. It doesn’t help when we take on one more thing, or when I agree to work another day one week, especially when it’s the day that Alyssa and I get to spend the most time together.

When Work and Family Collide by Andy Stanley was a Godsend book for this time in our life. Stanley talks about how everything in our life – especially work and family – are constantly vying for all of our time. Time is the measurement to both family and co-workers of how much you seem to care. So when family has to give up time because of work, they feel cheated. And vice-versa. The ultimate thesis that Stanley proposes in this book is, “You must choose to cheat at work rather than at home.”

While I wish I would have read this book before marriage, I’m thankful that I’ve had the opportunity to read it before life gets even busier, before demands at work increase, and before I have a career that I genuinely am passionate about. The importance of keeping family in focus, Stanley’s reminder to “do work” and “love family,”and being mindful of priorities are pillars to build a healthy family foundation.

I recommend this book to anyone who is already in a marriage, has kids, or is heading in that direction. It’s a quick read (I read it in 90 minutes) and it’s well worth the time!

- More Info
- Read Chapter One
- Author Bio

¹ep·ic

adj \ˈe-pik\

We drove just down the road to Webster Lake, ate a hot lunch and laughed at the people screaming as the geese stampeded them to get to their lunch. And we saw a duck/goose hybrid, which was pretty incredible. And I thoroughly enjoyed that half hour that Alyssa and I spent together.

Tonight, we’re heading out to La Fondue as part of Denver’s 5280 week. I’ve never had fondue, so I’m looking forward to it. Melted cheese + a night out with Alyssa = Good. Times. Even without the melted cheese part, quality time with Alyssa always makes my day/week/month/year.

What’s your favorite time together with your spouse?

The principles that Malloch presents aren’t new, groundbreaking ideas by any means, but they are ideas that need to be kept in mind. Normally at business conferences and seminars, you don’t hear any mention of business ethics. Malloch sets out to change that, one business at a time.

Somewhat of a dry read, this book obviously isn’t for everyone. But if you’re involved in business at any level, at least browse through it and glean the principles to keep you on a virtuous path in the workplace.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The inside of the house, however, was thrashed.

I’m talking thrashed like, it wouldn’t surprise me if I saw this house on Hoarders at some point in the future. The near future. It looked like the carpet hadn’t been vacuumed in months, boxes were piled high in every room, and some in the hallways, toys were strewn all over, pictures and posters were cluttered together on every wall in no particular fashion or order. Dis-as-ter.

It made me sincerely grateful for a wife that loves a clean, orderly, and well-decorated house.

And it’s funny to me how often people, and especially I myself, do the same thing with our lives. On the outside, we can look picture-perfect. But on the inside, we’re cluttered, messy, and have some serious spring-cleaning to attend to. Like hoarders, we’re afraid or ashamed to let people see what’s on the inside of our home, what we’re like really. Because they’ll probably be taken back, maybe a little offended, and most likely grossed out by the smell.

But when we can be real with others, that’s when the healing begins to happen, the spring-cleaning starts, renovations get underway, old furniture gets replaced, new carpet gets installed, and you find that being real is much easier, more relaxing, and smells a whole lot better than a cluttered, locked-up home.

I like your Christ, but I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.

Recently, for work, I went to a recording studio just outside of  Denver. Upon arrival, we realized it was a recording studio for yoga and meditation music and ambiance, as well as audio/video recorded lessons on getting in touch with your inner peace and striving for nirvana. A statue of Buddha smiled chubbily at me in almost every room I walked into.

The one thing that stood out to me more than anything in that studio, though, were the employees. Every single one of them was calm, cool, and collected, and each friendlier than the next. It could be that they’re just really friendly to guests, or maybe it has something to do with the dispensary down the road (although I doubt it.) The employees did make the whole “inner peace” thing sound and look pretty effective and appealing.

In his book, Flickering Pixels, Shane Hipps writes that the medium is the message. Whatever you’re trying to say, it’s how you say it that really conveys the message.

I really can’t believe I’m referencing this, but if you’ve seen the Mormon episode of South Park, you’ll know what I’m talking about. The Mormon family doesn’t win over their neighbors’ hearts and minds with their Joseph Smith nonsense, but instead with hospitality, caring, and love.

You’ve probably heard someone at some point reject Christianity because of Christians, whether they live double lives, or are self-righteous, Pharisaical, whatever. And you, like me, have either heard or given the response, “Don’t pay attention to Christians. We’re messed up just like everyone else. Instead, just pay attention to Jesus and read the Bible.”

What a cop-out.

As the Church, we are to be Jesus to the world, not to just point the world to a page number and pat ourselves on the back for memorizing book-chapter-verse.

The medium is the message. How did you portray Jesus to the world today?