Year / 2006

by Greg

Making God In Our Own Image

On a few occasions lately, I have come across a story, or a verse from the Bible that doesn’t seem to match what I know of who God is. From my understanding of him from the whole of the Bible, and from living life with him every day, interacting with him, getting to know him… it doesn’t seem to fit. And yet it’s right there in print… in the most well-documented book ever. So I am then faced with a decision. Do I believe what “I know” about God, or what I am seeing from him right now? That’s not an easy question to answer.

I actually believe it might be a bit of both things. Certainly I can not know everything about God, just as I can’t know everything about any other person… even moreso can I not know the fullness of who God is. However, I can also trust what I do know of him as a way to interpret/understand what I am reading that seems to “contradict” that. From there, I figure I need his help to understand the stuff I don’t understand.

Some examples. Recently I was having an IM conversation with a friend and talking about how I don’t see Jesus living out life as though there are two worlds: the Sacred vs the Secular. It seems to me from all the events I see in Jesus’ life that those two worlds that I think we created were quite intermingled in Jesus’ world. He would hang with the “sinner” as well as the ultra-religiously-pious. My friend however pointed out that Jesus would often remind his disciples to not be “like the world”, or, “like the gentiles”. Seems as though Jesus was making a separation, or a distinction there, no? Still, I can not resolve that with the way Jesus treated everyone. Though there may have been a verbal distinction, all were treated equally by Jesus.

Another comes from reading some of the stories Jesus told in the last week before he was killed. My boys and I are reading through the book of Matthew, and there’s some crazy stuff in the 25th chapter. Mostly stories about “the end times” where there appear to be people who do right, and then opposing people who “do wrong” (or, don’t do right). So… it sure sounds like in story after story that either you “do good” in life, or you’ll be “thrown into the dark where people will cry and grit their teeth in pain.” Does that sound like how Jesus lived? Will he just be different when it’s the “end of the world”?

See, what I end up saying most of the time to the boys is, “I really don’t know.” They usually laugh a little, but I hope they learn from that. I don’t want them to think we have all the answers, and that once they learn them and can pass the Jesus test, that they then know God… end of story. Life is certainly not about knowing the answers. But I do want to know him, and sometimes the things I think I know of him do not match some new stuff (or sometimes, old stuff) I am learning about him. That’s when I stop to consider the fact that some of what I know of him might just be stuff I made up about him.

Confusing, I know.

Perhaps this is too much analysis… but it is what I have been thinking. And all of this makes me want to read my Bible more, and learn from everything I see of Jesus, and even his followers, contained in those pages. I want Jesus to unfold the reality of himself – who he really is – in every part of my life. I love that we don’t have a “church life” as we used to know it, and that Jesus is truly part of our entire lives these days. I only want know him more and more… really know him… not continue to create my own ideas of who he is.

That’s the amazing part about living life with Jesus, and his Spirit in us… it’s dynamic. He’s the same, but our understanding of him can change as we learn what is him, and what we have made up. Fascinating. A little scary, but exhilirating.

How incredible that he wants that relationship with us! We are friends of God! (That’s from Romans 5…) As puzzling as he may be sometimes, I know that I can count on that being true… and so we press on to know the God we could never create.

What a trip!

by Greg

9-0

Buffalo Sabres New LogoMost of you reading this probably know that I am a big enough Buffalo Bills fan to have my own Bills podcast, the Buffalo Bills Review. I even have a page on the Bills website where they let me post my various thoughts on our team. But so far this season, nothing can compare to the show the BUFFALO SABRES are putting on here in WNY!!!

Oh man… this team really looks like they might go 82-0! I know that’s not possible. Somewhere along the line you make enough mistakes that you lose a game, but seriously… this team is like nothing we’ve seen in Buffalo hockey before. And it’s been so long since the Bills were dominant that it’s hard to remember they were this good!

Last night the Sabres beat the Montreal Canadiens to break the record for best start in franchise history of 8-0. During the course of that game, the announcers reminded us of what happened earlier in the season, when the two teams first met. Montreal had a 4-2 lead with only five minutes left!!! Buffalo came back and won in a shoot out (in overtime)!!! Wow.

So far this year the Sabres have an incredibly potent offense (like scoring 9 goals in one game, or two in the last five minutes as I mentioned before.) Beyond potent, it’s so incredibly spread out. There are 10-12 guys who can regularly put the puck in the net. There is no 1st line, or 2nd line on down, as with most hockey teams. We have FOUR first lines. Add to that the defensemen are relentless… amazing shot blockers, harrassing the opposition, good checking… but then the forwards all do that well, too! Add to that arguably the best goalie in the game, and our backup is great too! Wow. This team is scary.

So, if you’ve never watched hockey before… just catch a Sabres game next time they’re on national TV (which they are a bunch this year). You might become a hockey fan. Really. They’re that good!

Go Buffalo!

by Greg

Six Miles Of Fun

After realizing that life has been going a bit too fast for the Campbells recently, we decided to make sure last weekend was left completely open and free. Me being somewhat subdued by a head cold did help that a bit, but we really did a good job of having nothing scheduled for the entire weekend.

So after sleeping in a bit on Saturday morning, I thought it might be a good day to try something we’d been wanting to do for a long time. We live right near the Erie Canal, and regularly walk to a park about one mile from our house on a path that goes right beside parts of the canal. We call it the waterfall park because there is a man-made waterfall there that is fun and different. And it’s just a fun place to go spend some time playing.

Well, just beyond the waterfall, the trail continues down route 31, right along the canal, toward the next town over, Macedon. Just under 2 miles from the Waterfall Park is our nearest McDonald’s eatery. So, we thought it would be a really fun day to head out one day, via the Waterfall Park all the way to the McDonald’s… about a 3-mile trip one way. Obivously with tiny kids, that takes a looong time… so we just never did make it happen.

Until Saturday.

We left with the notion of just going as far as we could. I didn’t tell Jen my idea because with her it’s sometimes easier to take little steps than to say let’s go walk six miles!! 🙂 I was right. There was a bit of hesitation since (dumb Dad) I forgot the diaper bag with a bottle for the baby. Oops! Well, no worries… we’d figure something out. Julia would be fine.

We had a BLAST! At the very beginning of the trail, there was a guide telling us little facts and history behind the Erie Canal and local plant life and animal life. That was cool. Then, we tosssed the football along the way to the boys as the path widened here and there. We looked at all sorts of different plants and trees… there was some good fall color along the way. We sang songs, we each took a turn saying what we like best about our family… We just had a BLAST!

There are benches along the way, so sometimes we would stop for a quick break. When the path opened up to a BIG grass field… we took a break and played some football. We tossed pebbles in the canal. We met several friendly people (most of them with dogs) along the path. It was GREAT!!!

We splurged at McDonald’s and had a great lunch. Julia got to try their fruit and yogurt cup. She loved it!! All was very well. We were refueled for the trip home.

So, we left somewhere between 10:30 and 11:00am… and didn’t get back home till somewhere around 4pm!!! We were definitely all tired… but it was one of the most fun days we Campbells have had. Can’t wait to do it again!

by Greg

Happy Anniversary!

Today is the day recognized by the state and several hundred in attendance that Jen & I were married. Nine years ago today. We have lived so many amazing adventures together, and it certainly has not dulled any! We’re in the middle of the continuing adventure! Add four kids to that mix and we’ve certainly had an entertaining, life-full 9 years!

We plan to celebrate tonight with a night out – just the two of us – that Jen has planned. That will be nice.

So far, I made waffles for Jen (and the kids) this morning, and I am currently baking a super-special treat for her (being a lover of chocolate): Chocolate-Chip Brownies, with Chocolate Fudge Icing.

(Yes, that treat deserved every word being capitalized…)

Should be a nice day of celebrating our union and life partnership. I am blessed by God to call her my wife. I hope I get to live many years here with her as her husband, and together we can share lots of great chocolate desserts. 🙂

I love you, Jen. Happy anniversary. 🙂

by Greg

They

I was privy to a conversation recently where a very benign little pronoun grabbed my attention.

They. Simple enough. Harmless enough. But something about the way it was being used was bothering me. The context of the situation was quite harmless itself. The conversation had turned to a young college graduate who was embarking on a new career helping people who are deaf to learn sign language and other ways to communicate and function despite a loss or lack of hearing. When asking questions regarding the people she would be working with, a few curious inquirers employed the pronoun “they” to refer to anyone who was deaf. A simple, time-saving allowance the English language offers us. Or, any language for that matter. A routine application of such a term, with absolutely no other implications. All that was being done was simplification of the conversation by using the word “they”.

But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if it was completely harmless.

As I listened, it seemed that though completely accurate, and appropriate, the term “they” acted as a separator. A segregator. Obviously, that is its purpose. They is the pronoun referring to a specific grouping of people. But somehow, as it was being used, the “they” seemed not a temporary application, but a more overarching, permanent sort of separation. They did not replace the words “the people you are working with who can not hear”, but rather, it assigned to them their value. They were “they”, and nothing would change that. And “they” implicitly implies a “we”, creating a more drastic level of separation than if the pronoun were applied as a temporary way to make the sentence more efficient.

Though in this instance, no malice or negative thinking or perceptions were held or intended, the thoughts that followed in my head dealt with what I perceived to be the root of the issue: classifications.

We are so good at classifying. We are good at looking at other people and saying, “They” are (fill in the blank). “They” could be people who are deaf, or it could be people of a different religion, or denomination, or other spiritual distinction. Or, it could be homosexuals, democrats, republicans, right-wing, left-wing, Elvis impersonators or Apple Computer users. It is also applied to ethnic groups.

“They” is the great separator of “Us”.

I realize this is pretty deep into semantics right here. But I think it’s more than that. The conversation I was listening in on does not merit such scrutiny, but the greater underlying principle is the real issue. We really tend not only to group people and assign them labels, but then we have to treat them according to our pre-affixed labels. We have already taken a step backward in treating all people equally when we already have a classification (or two?) for them.

I am certainly not immune to this, but it was another moment of seeing life from a different perspective. For a moment, I think I felt what it would be like to be the “they” that a small group of friends were discussing. Where my whole being was lumped in with a larger group of beings because of some external trait I exhibit. Why must we classify? Why must we organize?

I suppose for the expedience of the situation, “they” was the proper word to use. Perhaps I would have not condensed the people to “they” or added “deaf” to their description as often as was added. Perhaps I would not have used the plural, and just spoken of one person, and individual, that the college grad would be assisting. Not sure what sat so wrong in my heart that night. But whatever it was, it was a good reminder that we are all unique and individual people who deserve such treatment.

You are you, not a they.

by Greg

Motivated

I’m sitting on my front porch right now, with a cup of Chai, and my PowerBook, getting ready to write a basic enews and do a few updates to the basic website, and I am currently being entertained by the elementary kids trying to run a mile around the track that is across the street from our house. It’s hilarious. There’s a girl who is probably younger than me (didn’t you always think your teachers were way old? Guess they weren’t…) shouting out encouragements as they kids go at varying speeds down the track.

As I watched them, I noticed several stragglers… the walkers. The encouraging girl would shout out, “No walking! Keep it up! Let’s go!” and the kids would give half-hearted effort to go just slightly faster than a walk. And I am sitting here thinking, “Dude, if it was me, I’d be out there pushing myself to do my best!” There are a few people out there doing that, but certainly the majority do not seem to share that inner motivation.

Why is that? Am I so different from the majority of the population? Is motivation a rare commodity?

The other day I was playing basketball with a friend, just one on one, and it was very evenly matched. I was shooting pretty well, even hitting my underneath stuff, and he was dominating on the boards. He’s a good 6’4″ I think, so rebounds and defending the underneath stuff are quite a challenge to be sure.

Well, in the third game, he had it all going. I was actually playing quite well, but I just couldn’t do it. Even my best stuff was not enough. That can be frustrating.

But that’s when I noticed a difference between me and my son Alex.

Alex LOVES to play. Sports, games, video games, anything. So when we’re playing football (one on one with older brother, Ian, with Dad as the all-time QB) he does well, but usually not well enough to beat Ian. At some point when he realizes his best is not good enough to emerge victorious… he just cries. He breaks down and says through tears, “I really wanted to… [insert goal to achieve here]” And I tell him over and over, “Alex, just get up and go again. Give it another try. You get to try again!”

My mind can not understand just giving up. I mean… I just keep going. I keep trying. I am super motivated to do the best I can do. Sometimes you have to take a break from that, but in general… I just get up and try again.

What is it that makes the difference? What is it inside us that, instead of giving up, pushes us to get up and try again? Sometimes it’s external “motivation” (like, the Encouraging Girl across the street yelling at her students). But when does the motivation come from within?

I was talking with Jen about it last night as we played a board game together. We were just having fun chatting, but you know… we were playing a game. Why play a game if you’re not trying to compete. So, when something would not go my way, I’d give a short “Grrrr!” and then, just move on. Try again. She thinks she is not competitive at all (which I would disagree with… 😉 so when she sees the momentary “grrrr” she thinks I am mad, done, it’s over. I am not. I think there’s room for a momentary frustration, but that motivates you to get up and try again?

Doesn’t it?

I actually have no idea. I’m not sure why self-motivation seems so obvious and perhaps “easy” to me. And, why does it seem to be missing in many others? If y’all reading this have any thoughts, I’d love to read them. Just post a comment below.

What does it take to just “roll with the punches” and be motivated enough to give your best at everything you do, just because you want to do your best?

I look forward to reading your responses.

by Greg

Apple News

I have been doing so much with the Bills show, and my web business and many other things that I have not taken much time to update my Apple website lately. Today I posted a couple things to the blog on that site re: the latest Get A Mac ads (with those two guys who say, “Hello, I’m a Mac” and “Hello, I’m a PC”. Hilarious!) and also some great deals on the latest iMacs (like $1699 for the new 24″ model!!)

Actually, another reason I haven’t posted new stuff there… I’ve been out helping people set up their new Apple computers! Lots of people taking the plunge! It’s not a flawless transition process, but so far no one has ever wanted to go back!

If you’re interested, stop by the ol’ Apple website and check it out.
www.GregsApples.com

(I’d love to chat with you about switching to Mac, or getting a new iPod… I really do enjoy hooking people up with all the great stuff Apple offers!)

(PS… Heent… no need to comment on this post…) 😉

by Greg

Being A Buffalo Sports Fan

Sabres defeat Ottawa Senators
Right now, that’s a good thing. Yes, I know… our football team lost 40-7 in Chicago last week, but really, they’re a lot better than that – for the first time in a long time. They really could very easily be (by the way they have played) 4-1 right now. That’s perty good.

But even with as much promise as our Buffalo Bills are showing… right now the real team to watch in Buffalo is the Sabres!

Not sure what I think about the new logo and color scheme for the Sabes, but man are they an amazing team. So far this year they are 3-0 (yes I know there are 80 games left still) and they have beaten some great teams. The two games we got to see you could just tell that they were the better team on the ice.

We’ve never had “the best team in the league” in Buffalo, but perhaps this year we do?

The Bills that went to four straight Super Bowls might come close to that, but most would argue that since they never won the SB, they can’t be called “the best” team in the league.

Well, regardless… it’s a pretty fun time to be a Buffalo sports fan!

If you’re interested, check out my Bills Blog when you get a chance. It’s the page I keep on the BuffaloBills.com site.