Ode to Albert Pujols

This is my poem written to the greatest baseball player of all time. I like it, even if none of you do.

Albert, Albert, burning bright,
In the infield, in the night,
What sportswriter, near or far
Could guess thy fearful UZR?

And what feeble outfield mitt
Could catch the quickness of thy hit?
In what manner could he try
To stop your smooth walk-off Big Fly?

And what stat won’t see your skill,
Making you seem over the hill?
Slugging, average, OPS?
Your results are always ridiculous!

Why the sore elbow? Can surgery wait?
In the midst of a season, is it fate?
With hairline receding, why no glee,
With thy above-par goatee?

When next season comes your way
When the Cards prepare to play
What are the heights of your success?
Is it possible to even guess?

Albert, Albert, burning bright
In the infield, in the night,
What sportswriter, near or far
Could guess they fearful UZR?

Zachary Pittman: In His Own Words.

Recently I was watching a cable news channel and a commercial ran for a show called, "Barack Obama: In His Own Words." It was a recap of the presidential campaign and his first year in office to see if he has followed through on what he had promised. As I watched this commercial, I had a variety of thoughts. First, I thought that show should be used for all politicians! How long do you think the average person in office would stay in power if they had shows like that one run about their careers every year?

Then I wondered what would happen if someone made a show like that about my life. How would my actions measure up to my words? That is when I got a little nervous. I realized it is much easier to see the hypocrisy in others than in your own life. Our ability to be self aware is the driving force of integrity. If we aren't willing to own up to our short comings, we won't ever experience the type of growth necessary to become the type of people God uses to change the world.

You may not ever have a nationally televised show dedicated to checking to see if your actions match up to your words, but you can live a life of honor and integrity by matching your deeds to your words.

Our Homes of Honor series is meant to help us do just that. I think everyone wants to be able to say their home reflects their belief in God. This series will equip you with the knowledge to build a home that brings honor to God. I hope you can be there. Class starts on Wednesday night here at the church at 7 pm. I hope to see you there!

The Colt's Night before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the city,
Not a Colt fan was a stirring, it was such a pity
The playoffs were set, with a bye all secure,
Yet the Indy fans felt 16-0's great allure

The DEs were resting, with Peyton on the sidelines
While visions of a 4th MVP just wouldn't fit my rhyme.
The kids in their jerseys and I in my cap
Watched Curtis Painter on the field, taking a crap

Up on the scoreboard, our hopes took a batter
As the 3rd string left Painter in the pocket, to splatter
Away from the game, I clicked like a flash
As my post holiday cheer started to crash

A pall set in on the crest fallen crowd,
As defeat covered the Luke like a burial shroud
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
Santa Jim Caldwell yelling for all to hear!

"On Peyton, on Reggie, on Saturday and Joe!
Off Painter, off Baskett, off, Simpson and Ugoh!"
As dry leaves that before the hurricane must fly,
When met with a deficit, mount to the sky!

Up over the Jet’s defense, the passes they flew
And instead of trailing by 9, it was cut to just two!
Then Freeney arrived with with a bone jarring crack
And left poor young Sanchez, stripped with a sack.

Brackett tumbled toward the ball without tarry,
and scooped it up quick, like a yummy Christmas cherry.
He had a broad face, and a little round belly,
and rumbled for 15 yards like bat out of helly.

The crowd spoke not a word as the offense went to work,
To leave the Jet’s coach crying, that loud mouthed jerk.
As Peyton fit in one more pass to Garcon right on the nose,
Everyone's undefeated hopes at once all arose

He found Clark at the twenty on a pretty slant route
And turned to the ref to burn the last Indy timeout
Stover's kick split the uprights and passed from our sight
It's the 16-0 dream I keeping having, night after night.

How Quickly Things Change

Am I the only one that thinks this Christmas season is flying by? By the time you read this, Christmas will likely be only 2 weeks away. The home stretch of 2009 is here and it seems like I was trying to get a tan (and failing) and scheduling tee times a couple days ago. Of course, in Indiana that is closer to the truth than not, isn't it?

Things change so quickly. The transition from shorts to pants in our city can happen in an afternoon, and if you don't make it your life could be in danger with -15 degree windchill at night! Our lives can change just as suddenly, for better or for worse.

A lot of you have asked me about this Tiger Woods drama that has been going on since many of you know I have been a golfer for quite some time and was a big fan of his. I don't want to add the the contrived outrage coming from many in our society, but I do think there is one important lesson we can learn from Tiger's very public mistake. In some respects, watching what has happened to Tiger recently is enough to send a person into a depression.

I mean, if this guy can't be happy, then who can? Tiger Woods hit every single marker the world sets for happiness and fulfillment. He is the best in the world at what he does, probably the best ever, he is rich beyond belief, he is married and has a beautiful family. To all outside observers, his life was perfect and fulfilled. We now know it wasn't. He was searching for something in his life that his fame and money could not provide, and could never provide.

So when are you going to give up the idea that the things of this world will make you happy? You may end up very successful someday, but I doubt you will bank as much as Tiger has and will. Sorry to disappoint! Success doesn't satisfy. Maybe there is more to fulfillment than what the world tells us. Maybe it is time for you to stop settling for a life of success and move to finding a life of significance. This comes from giving your life away to a cause greater than yourself, and there is no higher calling than the family of God, the church. Service results in significance. This Christmas, if your holiday bonus (or lack of one, in this economy) affects your happiness more than your loved ones or your purpose in life, it's time to reset your priorities.

Live a life of significance today. Because things change so quickly.