tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77858414892080084012024-03-12T19:38:09.817-07:00The Bradford Blograndom thoughts from a red beardBradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-38927118492553046822011-03-24T10:31:00.000-07:002011-03-24T10:35:13.923-07:00#17 Somewhere North...<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0XxXnQ_-w98" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><p><br />So, let me introduce you to one of my main influences as a writer of music. Derek Webb and his deep, heartfelt songs about life pulled me in about 13 years ago and I've never looked back. There has always been a certain honesty to his writing. If he is writing about broken relationships or broken people, he normally hits it right on the head. I might not agree with all of his theology, but as showcased in this song, he will always have my attention.Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-80065370802661019972011-03-23T07:52:00.000-07:002011-03-23T07:55:15.781-07:00Okay, So Maybe This Disney Post is Better...If you've never been to Epcot, here's a great tour and a little taste of the musical atmosphere...<br><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3I9_32B8eQE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><br />Apparently these guys did this entire video in one day...AND it's not actually a video. They took 5,151 separate still photographs and then played them all in order. Pretty amazing stuff!Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-88683365522744686392011-03-22T14:03:00.000-07:002011-03-22T14:16:32.979-07:00If You Love Music......then I assume some part of your past has connected with the legacy that is Disney music. Something about the entire catalog of their music connects with who we are as humans, and our desire to be lifted up and out of the depravity that surrounds us.<br><br />If you know me, then you know my love for Disney cartoons and their history, as well as the modern stories told by Pixar. There is just something about them that speaks to the human condition. Well, I recently stumbled across a video on YouTube of a Pixar animator who is a very gifted singer. He has taken a few select Disney favorites, and proceeded to sing every part of them. Doesn't matter if it's a villian, a hero, or a princess...he hits every single note. I was amazed at his talent, so I just had to share with you!<br><br /><object width="480" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Zp1BYzIVi0U&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Zp1BYzIVi0U&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="480" height="390"></embed></object>Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-89613021177756958822011-03-10T09:15:00.000-08:002011-03-10T09:23:13.423-08:00#18: Luv is a Verb...<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WRfFuhrdGKM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><p><br />Oh man, the memories I have of this song. Junior High camp in the year of 1994, the year that I was introduced to the band called dc Talk. At the time this was the greatest thing I had ever heard in my life. I had never known of this thing called christian music, but I loved it! My affinity for "christian" music has waned over the years, but my love for what dc Talk was doing back in the day hasn't. They were the grandfathers of Christians who are trying to reach culture for the Kingdom of God. I feel like they were the start of driving bands such as Switchfoot, Mute Math, or even Paramore. However, some bands seem to still be stuck in the year 1994 with their approach and message. Love truly is a verb, and at it's core requires us to act! We need to be reaching out to the world around us, spreading love to all who would accept it. We are not called to hold it in for our little subculture, that is countering to Christ and countering to His Great Commission. So, thank you dc Talk. For even at a young age, at a junior high week of camp, you were teaching me about what Love looks like and how it moves.Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-46929832800258433932011-02-24T15:29:00.000-08:002011-02-24T15:47:33.118-08:00Exiting...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfaxjpDOvfkFfmVGALf7ssvwX5e8AW9XyBLhl62zhmO7071WjYZiGTRupYdlFDf2auuq-Hktpke2vPra391NJb9tBiHwXmaOYDaJ2HEHdvZJOkP7rELEkscqdPSv4VdhwDSanT7mXFZrPA/s1600/ExitThroughTheGiftShop_Contest-540x380.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfaxjpDOvfkFfmVGALf7ssvwX5e8AW9XyBLhl62zhmO7071WjYZiGTRupYdlFDf2auuq-Hktpke2vPra391NJb9tBiHwXmaOYDaJ2HEHdvZJOkP7rELEkscqdPSv4VdhwDSanT7mXFZrPA/s320/ExitThroughTheGiftShop_Contest-540x380.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577402771977803026" /></a><p><br />I love having <a href="www.netflix.com">Netflix</a> back in my life.<p><br />The other day (monday), I chose to watch a critically acclaimed movie called "Exit Through the Gift Shop." It is a documentary focusing on the world of Street Art. I'm an artsy kind of guy, so I figured I would like it. Well, I loved it!<p><br />ETTGS (as we'll call it) is a story of doing things for the wrong reasons. The movie is centered around a guy name Thierry (pronounced Terry), and his love for filming things. This love drives him into the world of Street Art, and the people and thrill that it brings. Street Art (or graffiti) is currently in somewhat of a grey area legally, and many modern artists are using this medium to express themselves. Our main character, Thierry, ends up falling in love with this community and begins to emulate their craft. Not really having a touch of his own, he begins to pattern himself after the artists he has followed and worked with. In the end, this carries him to a place where he is acting against the message Street Art is supposed to convey.<p><br />As I watched (and fell in love) with this movie, I began to think about the Church and how we do things. We love to borrow from other congregations and leaders, taking what they are doing well and instituting in our own ministries. Will it work? Maybe. It all depends on the kind of people you are working with. However, I really want to look at the bigger picture. Do we do this with Christ? Adopting Him as an ends to a means. That is not what Christ instituted all of this for! His name does not exist to glorify ourselves, but instead, to glorify Him. The scary thing is...I sometimes see Thierry in myself. Using what I have learned, and who has poured into me, to puff myself up. I don't want that, and I don't want to viewed in my community as Thierry is now viewed in his.<p><br />I highly encourage anyone to watch this documentary.Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-79612392662575068122011-02-23T11:40:00.000-08:002011-02-23T11:54:08.649-08:00#19: God Only Knows...<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wxQe3IPvl-E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><p><br />I've always been a fan of the Beach Boys, but something about their music always seems to fall in and out for me. Somedays, I love it! Other days, it's just meh. With that all being said, I love this song! Yes, it's a silly little love song written by some silly little band...but, something about it just has always resonated with me. It's sounds unlike anything else the Beach Boys have ever done, and it's a song about God's all-knowingness. At least, that's what I take from it. You see, God has a bigger plan for us outside of butterflies and moonbeams. He can work through our downfalls and the times that really, really stink. We've all been in those places where we can't imagine life without someone or something, and yet God is truly the only thing we should be concerned about losing. That fact was probably not Brian Wilson's intent here, but it is the Truth that I hear echoing through this song.Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-47594601033311466752011-02-17T13:32:00.000-08:002011-02-17T13:38:06.312-08:00Somtimes, It Gets It Right...So, I was reading a book today and it referenced one of my favorite passages of scripture...<i>1st Corinthians 13:1-3</i>. As I finished the chapter my mind kept going back to Corinthians 13, aka the "love chapter." While focusing on what Paul was saying, I played around a bit with the translations on <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com">Bible Gateway</a>. To my surprise, I really love what <i>The Message</i> had to say and I thought I would share...<p><br /><i>If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.</i>Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-55937585205718865222011-02-14T14:15:00.000-08:002011-02-14T14:24:41.052-08:00The New Countdown...So, a while back I was going to try and countdown my top 100 songs of all time. That was a HUGE challenge, and it was so hard to keep consistent. So, we're gonna focus a little bit better on this one. Welcome to the #20 of my top 20 Favorite All-Time Songs...<br><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SSg8oWBIpI8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><p><br />This is a song written by an artist named Patti Griffin, but covered and brought to my attention by Justin McRoberts. How superficial is our love sometimes? How far are we willing to push the boundaries and actually commit to someone or something? If we are to be "little" Christs, then we have to stick our necks out pretty far sometimes. THIS is not something that is in our Human Nature, but something we have to take on from our Creator. <br><br /><i>He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30</i>Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-15518388952629880672011-02-10T13:56:00.000-08:002011-02-10T15:29:53.355-08:00Abiding in the Word...<i>So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:31-32 ESV</i><p><br />How much different are we then the Jews during the life of Christ? They always thought they were "getting it right", when in reality that were messing up the simplest of God's instructions. If we are honest with ourselves, I bet we could think of ways we do exactly the same thing. Case in point, I've been having conversations with friends lately about how much we seem to forget the Bible (aka His Word). This is especially prevalent with many "hipster" pastors and movements. We try to point to God, without ever truly using the best tool to identify Him<p><br />Two weekends ago, I challenged our high school students to truly embrace Christ's Great Commission. Going and making disciples of all nations, races, backgrounds, and communities. Since these were some of His last words here on earth, I would guess they are probably important. So, how can we make disciples IF we are not even disciples ourselves...<p><br />The above scripture speaks directly to this dilema. If we FOLLOW God's Word, we are His disciples...If we don't, we are NOT. So, how do we call ourselves Christians if we are not using the Bible to lead our daily walk with God? There are a lot of voices around us that do not lean entirely on scripture and that, to me and to God, is a scary place to go.Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-6108245189092469612011-02-09T15:56:00.000-08:002011-02-09T16:00:45.616-08:00In Case You Missed It...I really really hope you got to see this on Super Bowl Sunday. Might just be the best commercial ever...from a Star Wars fans perspective of course!<p><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/R55e-uHQna0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><p><br />and this might be even funnier....<p><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tM3s37fZZts" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-78636000222390982222011-02-08T08:00:00.000-08:002011-02-08T08:03:19.588-08:00Starting to Ask The Right Questions?Not sure how much I endorse this book, but an interesting conversation to be had on Comedy Central...<p>
<br /><table style='font:11px arial; color:#333; background-color:#f5f5f5' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='360' height='353'><tbody><tr style='background-color:#e5e5e5' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;'><a target='_blank' style='color:#333; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.colbertnation.com'>The Colbert Report</a></td><td style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; text-align:right; font-weight:bold;'>Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c</td></tr><tr style='height:14px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;' colspan='2'<a target='_blank' style='color:#333; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/373139/february-02-2011/sean-dorrance-kelly'>Sean Dorrance Kelly<a></td></tr><tr style='height:14px; background-color:#353535' valign='middle'><td colspan='2' style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; width:360px; overflow:hidden; text-align:right'><a target='_blank' style='color:#96deff; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.colbertnation.com/'>www.colbertnation.com</a></td></tr><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><embed style='display:block' src='http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:373139' width='360' height='301' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' wmode='window' allowFullscreen='true' flashvars='autoPlay=false' allowscriptaccess='always' allownetworking='all' bgcolor='#000000'></embed></td></tr><tr style='height:18px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><table style='margin:0px; text-align:center' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='100%' height='100%'><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.colbertnation.com/full-episodes/'>Colbert Report Full Episodes</a></td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.indecisionforever.com/'>Political Humor & Satire Blog</a></td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.colbertnation.com/video'>Video Archive</a></td></tr></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-37158720007149248572011-02-07T11:41:00.000-08:002011-02-07T11:57:40.185-08:00Oh Super Bowl Halftime Shows...So, did anyone else hear that loud THUD last night during the halftime of the Super Bowl? Yup, it was the sound of another musical act falling flat on it's face and connecting to no one! Was it the singers...maybe? Was it the music...maybe? Was it the lack of substance...I truly think so!<p><br />Looking back over the last 20 years or so, only one band has been universally accepted as a great halftime. What band? U2. Their performance came at a time when our country was still healing from the tragedy of 9/11. So, what did they do? Well, they didn't have people in LED body suits, or flashing TRON-inspired costumes, or even cameo from so-called rock legends. Instead, they brought a message. Until the NFL finds a band to fill our needs beyond consumerism, we will continue to see crappy band after crappy band. And, it's really not the talents fault...it's just the lack of something bigger. <p><br />Case in point...<br><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Zqtkik7nTik" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-42826061866151574792011-02-03T12:07:00.000-08:002011-02-03T12:39:38.009-08:00I Finally Have a Motive...<i>The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night the display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.<br><br /> ~ Psalm 19:1-4</i><p><br />So, it's been awhile (sorry Matt) but I think I finally have found my motive for maintaining a weblog. If you know me, then you know how much I seek out God in my love for all things artistic. I love watching movies, tv shows, listening to music, or reading to find God's fingerprint all of over the place! Many times the author is not focused on glorifying God, but somehow Truth manages to shine through. God is the Original Creator (OC), and everyone else just robs from Him!<p><br />Each day of the work week, I will be posting an article focused around my passions...<p><br />Mondays - Music<br><br />Tuesdays - Television (Current Events)<br><br />Wednesday - Literature<br><br />Thursday - Theology<br><br />Fridays - Film<p><br />I will do my best to keep up on this. I want to make it something that I am passionate about, and a part of my ministry. See you Monday!!!Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-3838585229355038142010-12-16T10:46:00.001-08:002010-12-16T10:46:57.721-08:00The Greatest Cleveland Athlete of All Time...<object width="384" height="216" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" id="ESPN_VIDEO" data="http://espn.go.com/videohub/player/embed.swf" allowScriptAccess="always" allowNetworking="all"><param name="movie" value="http://espn.go.com/videohub/player/embed.swf" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="wmode" value="opaque"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="flashVars" value="id=5925095"/></object><br /><br />...nuff said.Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-29772456870436479922010-11-10T07:07:00.000-08:002010-11-10T07:15:09.895-08:00Nailed It...<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BC2ZRmhQS48?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BC2ZRmhQS48?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><br><br />So, last night I experienced a major milestone in my love for things music related. I saw Needtobreathe at the House of Blues in Cleveland, and I must say that it gave a run for the #1 spot on my all-time list! Now if you know me, that is a huge thing to say as I am quite the stingy music snob sometimes. From the very first song ALL the way to the last, the energy (and sometimes worship) never stopped. I believe the one singular thing that might make it #1 was something that (randomly) I predicted...BECAUSE it was so out of the realm of any possibility. As they finished their first set, and we were waiting for the curtains to open back up for their encore...I leaned over to Luke Williams and said, "I so want to see a full acoustic set right now!" Less than a minute later I was treated to something like the video shown above...wow. Because of this silly blog, I can now share the musical things that make me so very, very happy. :)Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-22392929285723279462010-10-27T07:21:00.001-07:002010-10-27T07:45:07.275-07:00Our Own Worst EnemyI just got done reading an article by <a href="http://www.stuffchristianslike.net">Jon Acuff</a> on CNN's website. The blog was good, but the comment board is where it got interesting. I read many people of different beliefs hash it out over a simple article, and of course, there was Christianity being represented by a bunch of accusing, finger pointers. As I type this, I am watching a 30 seconds to mars video on VH1 where they claim to be a cult. Where a girl says, "My god is the music, and my prayer is turning on the radio." Not once did I ever question their honesty...because, I know that many of them have never seen anything real. Yes, I'm looking at you...looking at us...looking at myself in the mirror. For once, can we get out of the way and let what God is calling us to change us? I read things, like I did this morning, and it slaps me square in the face. Am I responding to world in a way where I am TRULY reflecting who God is? Or am I purely making him who I want him to be? The world is searching for Him...but they can't find anything because we are standing in front of God blocking their view. Get out of the way!!!<br><br /><i><br />Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.<br><br />"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.<br><br />Acts 17:22-24 (NIV)</i>Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-10021000554977305052010-09-22T09:29:00.000-07:002010-09-22T09:30:46.592-07:00Happy Anniversary!!<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/s96iG2lwam4?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s96iG2lwam4?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><p><br /><br />Happy Anniversary Lost! Can't believe it's been six great years!!!! :pBradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-19543376918339272632010-09-16T09:25:00.000-07:002010-09-16T09:30:14.366-07:00song 82 - Don't Look Back in Anger<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/r8OipmKFDeM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/r8OipmKFDeM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><p><br /><br />I remember when I bought my first Oasis album. I was working for my dad, dusting parts shelves at Montrose Ford in Fairlawn. I bought it (What's the Story Morning Glory?) at the Acme across the street one day at lunch...and I wore that tape out! I think I listened to it everyday while working, at least twice. So...fast forward to my Senior year of soccer at Barberton, and you could catch the entire Varsity team singing this for pre-game in the locker room. Just thinking about it makes me laugh...fake British accents and all! I have no idea how or why it became a pre-game ritual, but it did, and it still takes me back there every time I hear it.Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-16461508872274923452010-09-14T20:32:00.000-07:002010-09-14T20:43:27.379-07:00song 83 - Me and Mrs Jones<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/INH0N83ztg0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/INH0N83ztg0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><p><br />If you know me, then you know that I LOVE big band/rat pack music. NO specific personal reason that I really like the song, which is quite weird for me. I normally over analyze just about everything, so for me to just basically "enjoy" something is quite the feat! My favorite part of the song would just be the boombasticness (ohhhh yeah) of all of it...and I will probably enjoy just about anything that Michael Buble records. Enjoy!Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-4706853409220860512010-09-13T19:01:00.000-07:002010-09-13T19:46:34.777-07:00Deep Thoughts on O.H.I.OSo, this past weekend was a weekend of highs and lows in the local sports world. As always with the massive swings in fandom, local talk shows light up with people who are so anxious to cut themselves off from any possible future disappointment. Disappointment, of course, is something that any fan of Northeast Ohio team is quite used to...BUT does it go deeper than that? This guys thinks it does, and I want to lay down on a couch and talk about.<br /><br />Let's start with our beloved Browns. Now, the Browns have always been the team that many were ready to support despite any lack of talent or...scoring. Yet, I believe our inadequacies have finally caught up with us. One single game has run people to the edge of the cliff, but why? Abandonment. To this point in time, our "new" Browns have never been able to live up to what we once had...the "old" Browns. Somewhere deep down, we still have not gotten over the fact that OUR team is running around wearing purple and black, winning games, and sitting annually atop the standings of the AFC North Division.<br /><br />Up next? The Cleveland Indians. One day, in the not-so-distant past, they were our new hope...Cleveland's Luke Skywalker. They got close, so close, and yet nothing. Then, at the top of our love affair with the Tribe, they began to abandon us one by one. Belle, Manny, Thome, and then our own team starting shipping them off for the "hope" of a brighter tomorrow. Yet, here we sit...still waiting for promises made.<br /><br />And then...LeBron. This is where we all got snookered...he was supposed to be one of us, someone who understood our pain. However, in the end, he just up and left too...<br /><br />So...you're probably thinking...what is he getting at? Well, you know who never leaves us? Who can never uproot itself or turn it's back on us? Ohio State! The Scarlet and Gray are firmly planted in our state's capital, and every year some lucky few make the pilgrimage to the good ole Shoe. Our hope and dreams can be realized by watching a few musical coeds spell out our favorite four letters (OHIO) and dot our expectations with a high stepping sousaphonist. Our Buckeyes come and go with each class, but that is okay because we are cheering for the name on the FRONT of the jersey and not the back. No abandonment, no disappointment. THAT is why we love our Buckeyes, THAT is why other people find OSU fans obnoxious! Because of our history, we have only one thing we can count on...and THAT is the Scarlet and Gray. In them we have no fears, in them we have seen that they CAN win.<br /><br />You see...we all share this common fear. It's not just some "curse" upon one city or another, but instead the very things that worry us deep down. We watch sports to escape the fact that we have something missing on the inside. That hole that can only be filled by one thing...GOD. Thousands of fans spending hundreds of dollars each week to try and feel better by hoping that their team can come through...but in the end it's bigger than that. Bigger than a loss, or a winBradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-72650255696980079202010-09-10T13:59:00.000-07:002010-11-10T07:19:52.114-08:00Francis Chan = The Man<center><object width="400" height="225"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=14452343&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=14452343&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="225"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/14452343">What's Next for Francis Chan? A Conversation with Mark Driscoll and Joshua Harris</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user819899">Ben Peays</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</center></p><br />Okay, so it's not every day that you get to see three men whom you consider to be loud speakers of Truth sit down and talk to one another. If you've never heard of these guys, they are Francis Chan, Marc Driscoll, and Joshua Harris. Three men who through their teaching have helped me grow in the Word, and in my leadership. If you don't know them...google them...and get with it! :pBradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-30399179212743304142010-09-09T10:49:00.000-07:002010-09-09T10:52:10.782-07:00How Have I Never Thought of This....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qfrflLWEVyJhB5DJar8QDZFmgOXpHakjnIQA8hwkHXHmSOvJuUtoGvol4DSQGT-w7oPWozFyAy8vy84BoT2GUxY3Y_bbdsdbwg6Wx8ZRhX9jRmmKa-4Kx0Plh-0XomyKc-FZOsQ-baO6/s1600/DharmaImpact.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qfrflLWEVyJhB5DJar8QDZFmgOXpHakjnIQA8hwkHXHmSOvJuUtoGvol4DSQGT-w7oPWozFyAy8vy84BoT2GUxY3Y_bbdsdbwg6Wx8ZRhX9jRmmKa-4Kx0Plh-0XomyKc-FZOsQ-baO6/s400/DharmaImpact.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514972936939371858" /></a><br />Pretty sweet, right?Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-91406104747777748902010-09-08T20:42:00.000-07:002010-09-08T20:56:19.133-07:00Just Wired That Way...Tonight I was sitting here in my living room watching tv and I felt something missing. I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something there, in the pit of my stomach. I had felt this before, and it normally happens when I spend time with people...and then don't spend time with people. However, this normally comes out of some period where I am at summer camp, or go to Disney World to see my bff (no...not Mickey), or take a weekend away with our youth group, but today there was nothing special.<p><br />It's then that I asked myself, was today special? By normally means not really, no different from any other day when xbox, or surfing the internet, or even LOST can't quite fit the bill for what I am craving. But, what am I craving?<p><br />It's the hunger for relationship! It's those times when you can sit down with someone and they just GET you. Not in the "relationship" kind of way, but in the we really get what each other is about way. You see, just like Adam needed Eve (again...not going down the relational road), just like Jesus needed his disciples, just like Paul needed someone to travel with, and exactly like everyone on LOST needed everyone else...we are called to be in community!<p><br />I love community (not the tv show...never watched it), and I bet you do too. You might not know that you love it...but some night while you're watching tv and you feel like nothing can keep you from being bored, that's when you realize....Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-28682517396570476942010-09-07T11:40:00.001-07:002010-09-07T11:43:30.214-07:00Ahem, ahem...is this thing on?Okay...so, by now your probably getting pretty tired of me always saying that "I'm starting to do my blog again"! However, this time it's for reals! I have a sticky note (currently sticking to my wall...if you don't believe me, ask Sean or Carina) that is going to prompt me to post something every day. Now, this post might not always be something mind-blowing, but I will at least try to make it entertaining for all of you out there in the "blogospehere". So...here we go again. Check back tomorrow...I WILL be here!Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785841489208008401.post-7081127763989766792010-04-24T06:43:00.000-07:002010-04-24T06:49:30.862-07:00song 84 - save tonight<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Nntd2fgMUYw&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Nntd2fgMUYw&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Eagle Eye Cherry...I always just really liked that name...hahahahaha. I have always loved this song, it's just something about the feeling of importance in the moment. I think that often in our lives, we don't truly take time and thank God for what we are experiencing. We might thank him down the road, but very rarely at that very moment...whatever it is that happens! This is something that I have been trying to focus more and more on in my life...falling to my knees (sometimes literally) and thanking God for what is happening...good or bad. I have also come to realize that it normally means that we pretty much always experience a little bit of both...and God is just trying to grow us. Oh, by the way, enjoy the song!!!Bradfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07606347967664411084noreply@blogger.com0