Grace

God's grace is really amazing. It's so amazing that a perfect and holy God would desire to have a relationship with a sinful and weak person like myself. Intellectually I understand that grace exists but that concept is really so hard to truly grasp--that I can be forgiven simply because God will forgive me, and there is nothing I can do to earn it. I'm so thankful that God saw fit to give this gift before the creation of the world. I'm so thankful that God will forgive my sins time and time again even though He knows I will turn right back around and do it again. I'm so thankful that He has brought me so far in life and is so patient with me. I'm so thankful for the risen Jesus Christ who takes away the sins of the world. Praise God!

1 Pet 1:3-4 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you..."

I'm Back!!!!

I've successfully neglected my blog again for quite some time. I really wish I were more dedicated to writing but I just don't seem to take the time. Nothing really exciting is going on. I guess since I last wrote I've done a few things. Oh yeah, I did go to the Orange Bowl to witness the Sooners get massacred by the Trojans 55-19. This team just didn't seem to have the toughness it takes to win. It's pretty sad for all the talent we had. I'm finally starting to get over it and to get excited about next season. I'm sure not excited about the basketball team. I'm sick of watching 7 minute stretches of 5 guys standing around and calling that good basketball. Hopefully they'll get it turned around but I think I've decided with the "listen to the games on radio" philosophy so I don't have to watch the terrible mess.

As for things of real importance, I did have a good visit with Mom and Dad. They were here through mid-January and I must say it was odd living in the house with them. I don't think I ever thought I would live back here again, let alone back in my old room with the whole family around. It wasn't bad, just a little freaky.

Oh and Zac moved to Argentina. I think things are going well as I've talked to him on IM a few times. He sounds like he's been traveling a lot. I'm not really sure what else he's been up to. I must say it is a little odd to be the only one of my family to be living in OKC currently but I hadn't really thought about it until Zac asked me on Saturday. I guess it's not really that weird b/c I'm pretty busy but for the sake of the blog I'll mention it.

Other than that, life is pretty much normal. I've been teaching class for the Young Couples' at church. I've really enjoyed it too. They really have a lot of comments which makes it a lot more interesting on my end. I must say it is quite exhausting teaching for 5 out of 6 weeks but it is definitely worth it. I need that in my life. Hopefully as the years go by I will learn to be a much better teacher as well.

I guess Blogadocious can be satisfied now with this mini-biography. I'm sure I'll post again in another couple of months.

Now This is What I Call a Fan!!

Thanks to Adria for forwarding on this great article. I guess I'm not as big of a Sooner Fan as I'd like to believe.

I love my boys too much!

Q: What do you call a midget psychic who breaks out of jail?


A: A small medium at large!

ORANGE BOWL!!

Well it's official. We are headed back to the Orange Bowl to play USC for the (Mythical) National Championship. I had a great trip this weekend to Kansas City to watch the Sooners hammer Colorado for the Big XII crown. I felt very good about the game, but I didn't think we'd dominate to the tune of 498-46 in total yardage and 42-3 on the scoreboard. To top it all off it was a great night weather-wise. It was right around 50 degrees and no wind. I didn't even wear gloves!! That was in stark contrast to last years' freezing debacle that was a 35-7 blowout. I have to send out a special thanks to the parental guidance for not going this year so we could bring home the 'W'.

So now it's on to the Orange Bowl! I am so fired up about playing USC. I can still remember playing them back in 88 and 92 and getting beaten. Now with both programs back on top and undefeated, this game is going to be so exciting. I really like our chances, because for the first time this season, we finally put it all together. SC is stout and I don't by any stretch of the imagination think it will be a blowout one way or the other, but I like our chances to pull it out. I am already nervous about Reggie Bush even touching the ball, but that's what makes the games fun. I'm sure I'll have plenty more about the game in the upcoming weeks.

Oh and if anyone has any Orange Bowl tickets you're looking to give away then let me know and I'll find someone to take them off your hands!!

Exultate and Have a Good Time

I'm writing this from the toilet. Even though I'm used to technology, sometimes I just have those moments when it all hits. If you would've told me 10 years ago I would be able to blog while sitting on my porcelain throne, I would have thought you were talking about something altogether different than what I'm actually accomplishing at this moment. I guess I would've still been half right, but that's what I'm discussing here! ;-) Anyway, technology is just cool.

Right about now Mom and Dad and Zac are somewhere over the Atlantic or Europe on their way home. It will definitely be nice to see them, although I have a lot to do between now and tomorrow. I know it comes as a shock to many, but I haven't done any cleaning since I moved in. At least the shower is clean. It is definitely going to be weird with all 4 of us living in the same house for over a month. I really don't know what to expect. This is one thing that I thought would NEVER happen again, but that's exactly why you should never use the word never. Hopefully it will be a good time and we will all be able to avoid getting on each other's nerves, but something tells me there will be an argument at some point before January 7. At least the shower is clean.

Today I was thinking about how strange the English language really is. While singing the song Celebration by Kool and the Gang, I decided to substitute a different word that rhymes with "celebration" just to spice things up. This is actually one of my favorite pastimes. Today, for some reason, I inserted the word "exultation" into this anthem of the '80s and I actually found it to be a pleasantly enjoyable substitution. But when I happened up on the line "Let's all celebrate and have a good time...." I discovered something that made shudder (ok maybe not shudder but I stopped and thought "Hmm."). Whereas from the word celebration you derive the word celebrate, in the case of exultation there is no such word as exultate! I mean what is going on with our language! How can you have two words which rhyme like celebration and exultation but out of them you get two words that don't sound anything alike. I mean EXULT and CELEBRATE! Come on. Needless to say this didn't stop me from creating a new word for my musical vocabulary. Exultate will forever hold a special place in my heart. I just don't get this language sometimes. But at least the shower is clean.

I'm Not THAT Different

Just thought I'd share this article. I'm not even going to comment on the different reasons for not being married listed in this article (because I obviously disagree with living with someone or engaging in the "benefits" of matrimony outside of the union) BUT I thought I would just show you that statistically speaking, I'm a fairly normal 28 year old guy (in terms of marital status, of course) and I plan on staying that way for the foreseeable future.

Statistical Support

Bloglines

For the few of you who still read my blog, I thought I'd s hare this site with you. In case you aren't familiar with it, Bloglines is a site that allows you to subscribe to many different blogs and other feeds all from one place. It's free so you should check it out if you get a chance. Makes keeping up a lot easier. Click the link below if you're interested in checkingit out.

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - To Be Sick!!

One thing I've always been able to tell about myself is that when I am sick, I feel just that--sick. Well last night I had a very delightful experience beginning at 2:40 AM. Yesterday I'd been feeling pretty achy and decided to come home right after work to sleep, yet I wasn't even sleepy once I got home so I just lay on the couch all night. At 8, I at the Papa John's pizza that had been delivered to me. I finished that off at 8 and continued to lay around until I finally fell asleep at 12:30 AM. Well, little did I know it was all just getting started. The next thing I know I am running through my house at around 2:40 yelling for someone to help me. I'm really not sure what I was needing help from or who I was asking since no one was here except that I seem to recall thinking I was choking. I then began to get that foreboding feeling that I was going to soon begin my favorite pastime of vomiting. It was the most odd feeling though because I didn't completely feel awful--I just felt strange and VERY disoriented. I then proceeded to dry-heave two times which especially caught me off-guard considering that I still felt pretty full from eating before and usually (at least I thought) dry-heaving comes from not having anything in your stomach. Apparently not.

Another interesting thing was how I then tried to go get a glass of water but I couldn't keep the water in the glass due to my hands shaking so badly. It was at this point that I really started to freak out (partly due to feeling bad and partly due to the fact that I was very disoriented and still slightly asleep) and I kind of felt like I may start choking--on what I have no idea, but that's what I thought. So I tried to call Kat and she didn't answer and then I called Thankins and she did. So I guess I got to freak her out pretty good because I think my jabbering was quite incoherent. I'm really not even sure why I called since I didn't really need anything but I was just losing it.

I finally managed to settle down but I couldn't lay down since when I did I felt like I was going to throw up, so I sat on my couch from 4 AM until 9 AM when I decided to lay down. Of course I emailed work early to let them know I wasn't coming in. I don't care how bad I feel, I always feel guilty about calling in sick. I'm not sure what it is. The whole morning I felt so guilty for not going in but when I would stand up I'd then realize why I didn't feel like going in. It was also interesting that even though I'd only slept about 3 hours the whole night, I still didn't manage to fall asleep until after 10 and then slept until 3.

[On a side note I'm about to go crazy from being in my house for over 24 straight hours so I finally got my butt up and just finished putting away the dishes and canned foods that have been sitting in boxes in my kitchen since the end of September. Don't even tell me I don't do things in a timely manner.]

Well I need to see if I can actually get some food down so I'm going to go see about that. You know something must be wrong if I take this long to post on my blog!!!

Thornton Knows Best

Workin on OK: Why Do I....

As I sit here on Sunday afternoon, I've really been in a funk lately. My life has been so empty and my walk with God has just sucked, to be frank. I go through these stupid ruts so often it seems like and it is just so frustrating. I don't even have the words to describe it....and then I came across Eric's blog which seemed to express what I've been feeling in a lot of ways. Granted I didn't go to a retreat and didn't speak to a group of adolescents but you get my meaning hopefully. Thanks Eric for sharing your thoughts....

Back off!!

Bats!!

Well I've been neglecting my blogadociously blodadocious blog but I thought I should unmute my thoughts and share with you this lovely picture of bats. I had the fortune last week of taking a tour of the Alabster Caverns in northwest Oklahoma. If you've never had the opportunity to visit the caverns you are definitely missing out, especially this time of year because of all the bats that take up residence to hibernate. I almost had one bat smash into my face, but due to his echolocation he noticed my noggin and darted away. It was so awesome. I had never almost been hit in the head by a bat.




I took the tour with a mother and son from Stillwater, Ann and Jim (pictured left), and it turned out to be really nice b/c our tour guide Kim (pictured right) was really laid back and we didn't have to fight with a lot of crowds--just bats. Have I mentioned I almost got hit in the face by a bat? Well if you get a chance to check out the caverns I'd hightly recommend it. I'd also hightly recommend my bed. I'm headed there now.

Red River Rivalry

Adrian Peterson

Well I've successfully neglected my blog for quite some time so I think I shall take this opportunity to re-aquaint myself with it. The reason I have the time right now is 1) because I finally got my internet turned on at my new (old) place and 2) because I'm waiting on my brother to get here so we can drive to Texas.

I guess that brings me to my two interesting bits of news. I MOVED!!! I am officially back in the structure of my youth. I'm am now the sole resident of my parents' house in Midwest City. I must admit it is quite strange to be back here--especially since I'm the only one living here. It is rather odd to even be in here but now that I've been moved in for a week it's becoming a bit more normal. I'll have to elaborate more on the interesting tihngs that will come with this move later.

The second newsworthy thought is where I'm headed!!!! OU-texas!!! I must say that I owe a big debt of gratitude to my cousin Julie for procuring me and Zac some tickets for the big game. It's been 5 years since I was last blessed to attend the game. I must say that it has been a LONG week this week just waiting for the game to get here. I have so many thoughts about it that I'm just ready for the teams to take the field so I don't have to analyze it anymore.

Really all of the talk leading up to the game is about how we have texas' number but how improved they are this year with their new defensive coordinators and the new emphasis on the run with Benson and Young. I admit, it's just like every year and I'm nervous because they are the one team I absolutely DO NOT want to lose to. Even with all the talk, the closer I get and the more nervous I get, I suddenly rememberd today that we have A.D., Clayton, White, et. al. It's funny how people seem to forget to mention that. I admit, I am concerned about our defensive tackles. I was even before Dvoracek's dismissal but now I'm very worried. Despite that, we will have to really be flat to not score a lot of points on texas. I guess overall I don't know how the score will turn out but I must say I will be very dissappointed if we don't win.

Ok my fingers are tired. I really have a lot more to write about the game but I'm too digitally out of shape to record it. Hopefully my next post will have some good news!! OU 38 - texas 17

Holiday Cheer

The Christmas Song

By Court-knee and Marmot Boy

Chestnuts roasting on open fires,

Jack frost nipping at status quos,

Yuletide carols being flung by choirs,

And folks dressed up apropos.

Everybody's nose, Some turkey has a middle toe,

That helps to bring the season's blight.

Tater tots made out of cookie dough,

Will find a farty sleep tonight.

Paul know's that marmot's on his way,

He's loaded pots and pans and cooties on his sleigh.

And Paul's mother's child is going to fry,

And flee the reindeer who ate all the pie.

And so, he's offering this entrails' phase,

To kids who cannibalized not a few,

Although they've been fed mini-guys many ways,

Some fried crustaceans will do.

Boomer Sooner

Lance Mitchell

There is very little sweeter on this earth than fall afternoons in Norman, OK when the Sooners take the field at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. So tomorrow it isn't exactly fall yet and the game won't quite start in the afternoon but I must say that I can hardly contain myself right now.

It's a good thing that the season is starting as I am very tired of hearing all the speculation from everyone as to what will happen this season. As I've grown older I've learned to be cautiously optimistic about the seasons, because very little in life is guaranteed. I must say though that this season could be a special one. It is really a great time to be a Sooner fan. It makes all those years under Schnelly and Blake worthwhile. Even when last season ended with the collapse, it is still so nice to be that good. I've learned to appreciate the losses because it makes me value the wins so much more.

I guess as I look to this season, the things I'm most looking forward to are as follows:

1) Will AD turn out to be as good as advertised?

Overall the running game should be improved over last season. The big question though is if Peterson will turn out to be as dominating as the number 1 recruit in the country should. If so then this could be an amazing season. Even if he doesn't, we should be much improved with just the fact that Kejuan is older and D.J. Wolfe looks to be a special back as well. I'm excited to see the answer.

2) Will Lance Mitchell be back at 100%?

Lance was such a dominating player two years ago and I really believe we missed him badly at the end of last year. He is one of the best tacklers I've seen and is such a presence. If he is fully recovered then our defense once again has a chance to be special.

3) Will we run more 4-3 this year?

Two players I have been excited about for some time are Clint Ingram and Demario Pleasant. We haven't had a dominating SAM linebacker in quite sometime and therefore have run so much nickel the last few years. I've always been a big Ingram fan and I hope he comes to play this year and allows us to keep 3 linebackers on the field much more of the time.

4) Will we be more mentally tough this year?

This one may not be answered for some time as we don't figure to be tested too much until the Texas and K-state games, but last year we really collapsed when facing adversity for the first time at the end of the year. I know the Colorado game was tight and so was Alabama but we didn't play from behind in either of those contests and when finally getting down, especially against K-state in the Big XII championship, we really didn't respond well. I know it was White's first full year as a starter so hopefully the experience will make a difference this year. Of course I'd prefer if we never trailed at all this year, but what fun would that really be?

Well I really have many more questions but it's approaching 2 AM and I don't want to be too tired for the game. I can't wait to see the band take the field!! Hopefully I'll feel as good after the game as I do now!

Thursday, Thursday

Well I have nothing really exciting to share today--but maybe I do. I guess I'm just a little tired and having a hard time thinking clearly. I would really like to share my thoughs on the value of "sports" like gymnastics but I'll save that one until I have a little more energy. It deserves a solid effort from me.

One great bit of news is that I've been studying the Bible with a friend who's been coming to church some recently. We met once last week and then now have met twice this week. It's so exciting to see her desire to know God's Word and read many of the stories for the first time. It is just so refreshing to see someone who realizes that she NEEDS to know more about God and realizes she doesn't have all the answers. So many people in this world try to do it all themselves and I can't help but think how sad life must be for them. Please pray for us as we continue our study.

Psalm 119:97-104
Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are ever with me.
I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts.
I have kept my feet from every evil path
so that I might obey your word.
I have not departed from your laws,
for you yourself have taught me.
How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.

TBD (To Be Deceased)

My life is now complete, and it's a good thing as it's almost over. I have officially had my first death threat. Literally. I don't think I would have quite planned it like this though as I don't even have any witnesses that I know. I'm actually quite disappointed. Well, here is the story....

So tonight I decide to have a little Matt time and go to see the remake of The Manchurian Candidate at 7:35 PM CDT at the Theater 3 in AMC Quail Springs 24 . Well I get there quite early and I'm just sitting there by myself. Some other people come and fill in the row where I'm sitting but there is still 1 empty seat on my left and 2 on my right. I begin to worry that I'm going to have to sit by some wide-legging, late-coming, 50 year old man and sure enough right as the previews finish, my fears are realized.

Needless to say, this wide-legger forced me re-evaluate the position of my lower appendages as I was using the right leg cross on the knee maneuver at the time. (I might add that I was quite comfortable.) I forced myself to hold fast in this position for at least a couple of more minutes but then decided to reverse my position as to achieve maximum comfort level for this film. I stayed in this position for quite a while. I wasn't really thinking about my positioning any longer, but then I made my one fatal mistake. Apparently I unconsciously decided to again reverse back to my original position when I suddenly heard something coming from the row directly in front of me.

I looked down to discover the chap in the row below me and one seat over looking back in my direction. He was a black male approximately age 19 or 20 and maybe 5'9" 160 lbs. I'm just going to call him Reggie (in honor of Reggie Jackson) b/c he had a NY Yankees hat on (and it was crooked to the left, I might add). So I see Reg looking back at me and I lean down close enough to hear what he's saying. Here is the exchange:

Reg: (In a rather belligerent tone with pretty high volume) "Stop kicking her seat!!"
Matt: (In a regular, slightly irritated voice) "What?"
Reg: "Stop kicking her seat!!"
Matt: "I didn't know I was kicking her seat."
Reg: "Just stop!"
Matt: "Have you ever thought of asking nicely? I would respond much better to you if you were polite!"
Reg: "Don't do it again!"
Matt: (As I'm sitting back in my chair) "Whatever."
Reg: (Trailing off) "Don't do it again or I'm going to kill you...."

Needless to say, I wasn't too worried about dying although it was slightly annoying. To top it all off the wide-legger didn't even budge during the whole exchange!!! I guess you really have to be oblivious to be a wide-legger. At the end of the film, I was obviously curious as to how Reggie was going to react. As he got up, he straightened...err, un-straightened his cap and slightly glanced back, but not far enough to make eye contact with me. I just looked straight ahead and was hoping he'd make eye contact but of course he didn't, even as he wound around under the stairs and was facing back in my direction. I guess he just had to show off for his woman while in the heat of the moment. I feel so accomplished now that I stood up to a teenage "thug." :-)

It's a good thing that just this morning I was teaching our Singles' class on Ephesians 5:21-6:9 on the concept of submission, because I really wanted to get mad at that fellow tonight but I was really able to think about what I was doing and to think how God would want me to be submissive in that situation. Funny how God's Word can really change me when I need it. It was definitely a memorable experience....at least for tonight!!

"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." Ephesians 5:21

Jungle Jon and the Appendix of Terror

This is my friend Jon. He is now appendix free. The sad thing is that the next time we're together I can't use the word "appendices" in referring to our collective vestigial organs as he no longer possesses his. Now the word "rupture" can and will continue to be used, count on it. [Update: Ok I discovered that the actual medical term for the plural of appendix is appendixes rather than appendices so this paragraph is pointless, but I'm leaving it in anyway to prove to eveyone that I'm not as perfect as you think I am!! :-)]

Oh and Jon is a big Oklahoma State fan. (Actually he is really a pretty average sized Oklahoma State fan as he is nothing resembling obese or a giant.) But don't hold that against him. I think he was just hit on the head as a child or something. And for all the ladies out there--he is single and can be reached at Mercy Hospital. But don't get any ideas: despite his sedation, he still won't fall for the "You need a sponge bath Mr. Haire" routine so don't even try it.

Neglect - That's (Not) My Name So Don't Wear It Out

Ok so I've been neglecting Blogadocious recently. I'm sorry to all my loyal readers for neglecting this great forum. I know you are all worse for it.

Well the last week or so I have stayed pretty busy with who knows what. I've been teaching class on Sunday mornings all month so that's kept me pretty busy. I guess I've just reallyl been on an anti-computer kick the last week or so. I usually have mine on but I never seem to want to sit down and really use it much--except to look up for OU football info. I think a lot of this feeling is due to the fact that I'm just ready for summer to be over and the football season to get here. I know, all those non-football fans probably think I'm crazy for being this way but when something has been a part of your life every year since you were born, it really means a lot. Of course I'm not going to live or die by the outcome of the games, but it is a lot of fun to follow and if you've never been to a game at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium then you're really missing out. There is very little better than a beautiful autumn day in Section 10 Row 65 Seat 9. I'm sure I'll have more thoughts on this subject as the season gets here but honestly, right now I'm pretty much braindead.

Oh one thing of interest (to me) occurred tonight at Chili's after church. I used the word "likewise" when ordering my Bacon burger and it really stuck everyone funny. I mean, come on! The word "likewise" is an awesome and much under-utilized word in our times. I feel strongly about this and likewise about the word "ubiquitous."

Ok I'm braindead and I'm going to bed.

Busy Weekend

I haven't posted since before my foray into the art of cleaning last Thursday. Man was that an adventure. I'm happy to report that my apartment is as spotless as is Matt-ily possible. Clint didn't even know what he got into. I was so good that he didn't realize that he was the recipient of one clean apartment that many thought was impossible. Well it only seems that way.

It was good to have Clint down. We hadn't hung out in over two years which is amazing when I think about it. Even though he beat me 4 times in NCAA football 2005 on PS2, at least I got him twice. I really need to work on my game though so that next time I can do my Sooners proud.

Well today started the fall practice for the Sooner Football team. Oh it's been so long. I went out to practice after work and even though they were only in shorts and no pads, it was still good to know that the season is not far away. I have so many things I'm looking forward to seeing this year. I'll reserve those for a later post when I'm not so sleepy. I really just wanted to make sure I don't negelct my blog! I really have enjoyed writing in it and don't want to get out of the habit. So I've done the duty for tonight. Hopefully tomorrow I will have some more enlightening thoughts.