Sunday Faith Building: Be Still

I wonder if those ducks in my picture yesterday could sit still like that in a church pew?

◄◄◄There is a church renovation going on in our neighbourhood.

◄ Talk about a room with a view!

◄ If you build it, they will come. The line in the baseball movie "Field Of Dreams" in 1989 was "If you build it, he will come."

• A work in progress is a good way to describe God's church and its people. We are not perfect - but we are forgiven.
• Remember the childhood rhyme: “Here’s the church. Here’s the steeple. Look inside and see all the people.” I googled it and found it on the "Getting Down With Jesus" blog. "Church is people," says the author, Jennifer. "And Hope is the cord that ties the people. Hope is the thread that weaves through souls to make one Body. I’m part of this now — this one Body."

Her latest post is: Stand Still And See. We were also encouraged today at our church by Pastor Phil to be still this summer and listen for God's voice and His teaching.

Finally, congratulations today to Scott Stallings for winning his first PGA event! He quoted Philippians 3: 13-14 after his playoff victory against Bill Haas (close but no cigar in spelling to my last name) and Bob Estes.

A picture is worth a thousand QUACKS

This was taken earlier this month at the family cabin. Let me give you five possible captions as I wrap up a third straight month with five posts:

a) The Duck$ stop here.

b) "(Sittin' On) The Duck of the Bay."

c) Got all your ducks in a row? There is a song by a band named Goonies never say Die called "Get All Your Ducks In a Row" while James Taylor's "Sun On The Moon" starts off with "In line, in line, it's all in line

My ducks are all in a row"

d) Summer White and the Seven Ducks

 

e) Don't worry. I've got your back. (A dog's eye view is here).

Canadian flavor at Cooperstown!

Two of the most famous Toronto Blue Jays ever were inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame today. Congratulations Roberto Alomar and Pat Gillick!

Alomar also became the third Puerto Rico native to be inducted, following Orlando Cepeda and Roberto Clemente. Pat Gillick became the 32nd executive to be elected to the Hall of Fame and first general manager since George Weiss in 1971.

Meanwhile, former Montreal Expos announcer Dave Van Horne was inducted into the Hall of Fame yesterday.

Baseball sure has an international appeal! Today, pitcher Bert Blyleven became the first Dutchman in the Hall. Canada played a part in his youth after his family immigrated from Holland. They spent time in Montreal and Saskatchewan. Upon entry to Canada, the family name was changed from ‘Bljleven’ to ‘Blyleven,’ which Bert said meant ‘happy life’ in Dutch. Rather ironic that right now in the Canadian Football League, Montreal and Saskatchewan are playing. They have met for the Grey Cup title the last two years with Montreal prevailing as champs both times.

Poker Player or Hockey Ref?

I just finished up some lines for a mobile game development studio and a poker game they have coming out. Looking at the lines, it struck me that they could have been used by a hockey referee over the course of a game too. Have a listen here.

My on-hold script didn't sound quite right today:
For Corporate relations, please press 3; For Human Relations, please press 4.
That brought to mind President Bill Clinton's infamous quote from 1998:
"I did not have sexual relations with that woman."
It was number two on TIME magazine's list of the Top 10 Unfortunate Political One-Liners.

Dynamite Yankees! Cano and Jeter

Damn Dynamite Yankees! Robinson Cano hit 32 home runs tonight to win the Home Run Derby at the All-Star game in Phoenix. His dad was pitching them to him.

◄◄◄My sons and I saw Cano hit a home run in this 2-0 win in Seattle. What a pitching matchup! Randy Johnson vs Felix Hernandez.



◄◄◄The next day (and new month) saw Seattle win 5-1.

In those two games, leadoff hitters Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki didn't give us our money's worth. Jeter was 0-6 and Ichiro was 0-8.

Ichiro  got his 3,000th career professional hit (in Japan and the US) in the summer of 2008. He currently has 2, 345 hits with the Mariners so 655 are needed before he accomplishes this just in North America. Only 28 players have ever done this - including Derek Jeter, who got his historic 3, 000th hit this past Saturday. To say it was dramatic would be putting it mildly...


Nice work Derek! You've got your ticket to Cooperstown...

Yankee Doodle Dandy!

This is my 44th post of the year...so Happy July 4th or 44th!? 

Number 44, BC's Jason Bay, helped the New York Mets beat the Yankees, 3-2, in extra innings today - spoiling the 44th birthday of Yankees GM, Brian Cashman. One year ago on July 4th, I paid tribute to the Yankees on my blog: Happy July 4th! Classic Steinbrenner on "Seinfeld." 

The most famous number 44 in Yankees' history? Of course, Reggie Jackson. His number was retired in 1993. This list includes all the players who have had their numbers retired by the Yankees.

Seven time NHL All-Star Paul Kariya announced his retirement the other day. I paid tribute to Paul on my blog in early 2008: Fine 4444orm!

Now, in fine form with the title of today's blog post: