As many of you might know I am a big football NFL fan.  I participate in a few fantasy football leagues throughout the season.  I try to schedule a little as possible on Sunday afternoons so I can watch football (I have been very unsuccessful at this recently).

Anyway, tonight one of my favorite games of the year is taking place, The New England Patriots vs The Indianapolis Colts.

As a Patriots fan I can’t help but root for my beloved Patriots — the key of this matchup is the QB of each team….Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

Many sports greats had their all time rival —  Larry Bird had Magic Johnson, Muhammad Ali had Joe Frazier, Jimmy Connors had John McEnroe. In the NFL we now have Brady and Manning.

Brady and Manning, will always be linked with one another because of the high level on intensity they share  on the field and the success both clubs have had over the last 5- 10 years.

This weekend, the Patriots and Colts will face off for the 10th time since 2003. It’s the seventh straight year the clubs have met in the regular season and  I think I read somewhere that 5 out of the last 7 seasons one of the teams is undefeated going into the game.  That is true again this year as the Colts are 8-0.

Manning is playing at an all time high right now and Brady has gotten most if not all the rust shaken out since missing least year with a knee injury, so I have high expectations for this game.

One of the things that I really enjoy about this rival is that both Brady and Manning have a deep respect for one another and they bring everything to the field.  Unlike some sports starts who trash talk all week before the game (cough)Joey Porter (cough) – Manning and Brady have nothing but good things to say about each other and they let their play do the talking.

Recently this game has more hype and high level of play than the Superbowl – I can’t wait.

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For more insight check out:

Peyton Manning (Football Superstars)

Murder at the Superbowl

It is nice to be back in Vermont for awhile.  There is a calmness about Vermont that is unlike anywhere I have been since I left.  People here still have the “east coast attitude” that you need to be going 100 miles an hour but there is a laidbackness to life at the same time.  I don’t know if that makes sense but you can feel it when you are here.

It is fun to see my kids interact with their grandparents and Uncles and cousins.  I feel better knowing that they are getting to know their extended family.  Since my potential call is around 4 hours away I hope we can make it back to Vermont more often- especially during the summer time.  Who wants to drive anywhere in upstate NY or Vermont in the winter?!?!!

I am hoping we have secured a place to live.  We have been working at that since mid May.  I have talked with everyone about house buying vs house rental.  We have checked out many housing units and have decided to rent for awhile.  We want to get to know the area and to save up and have a solid foundation going into owning a home.  This process of first call is drawn out but when you are moving you are moving fast so we want to make sure we do the right thing.

I have not had too much experience in rent to own- but that was an option for one place.  Actually the rental we are hopefully moving into has the exact same layout at the rent to own, but we did not like the terms and so we decided not to move forward with that.

I am still working at the restaurant here in Vermont.  I still do not like going there……. but I did get a new pair of shoes.  They actually really help with my sore feet and aching back.  Physically I am doing better but I still have pain.  I told them that I have a job interview on the 29th and I will let them know if I will continue to work.   Part of me just wants to quit and to concentrate on moving and getting settled once I have my call in hand.  Another part of me thinks I should continue to work.  I guess it depends on when my start date is.  This week they have me working close to 40 hours.  It will be interesting what they put me down for next week since they know I will most likely be leaving soon.

I must say this transition time between graduation and first call has not been easy.  I was told that it would not be — we have done our best to make it as smooth as possible and for the most part it is smooth.  I don’t know what i would of done without my parents help.  It would of been a lot harder without them.  I guess that’s what family is for…..thank God for Vermont.

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The NFL Schedule is out, I wish it was the sole thing that plans my fall but it doesn’t.  However, it certainly gets me excited about the fall and the possibilities of another perfect regular season.

Overall, I think the schedule looks pretty good. I like the match-ups that we have.  However, the Pats are on the road alot to the west coast.  A few times it might make more sense for them to stay out west during the week!

Week One: September 7th – vs Kansas City Chiefs 1:00pm (CBS)
Opening Day at home.  This is not the flashiest match-up for a team who played in the Super bowl last year. But the great mind of Herm Edwards (former Jets coach) vs. the genius of Billicheck

Week Two: September 14th – @ New York Jets 4:15pm (CBS)
Always a good game. Perhaps there may be more Jets fans where I am going than Pats fans (But I think Buffalo will be overwhelming) But Mangini and Company are coming to play and wanting to win.

Week Three: September 21st – vs Miami Dolphins 1:00pm (CBS)
This will be the first of two meetings between Bill Parcells new look Dolphins.  We will see if Bill can get them to win more than one game this year.  Not this one I can tell you that.

Week Four: September 28th – BYE WEEK
I don’t think I have seen this early of a Bye week in a long time. Too bad it was not between their travels out west.

Week Five: October 5th – @ San Francisco 49ers 4:15pm (CBS)
First of the four trips to the west coast.   The 49ers might get a look at what could of been if they kept their 7th pick.

Week Six: October 12th @ San Diego Chargers 8:15pm (Sunday Night NBC Game)
I would of thought this might of been the opening weekend game.  A rematch of the AFC Championship game. Should be a good game but this brings back to back West coast games. Will the Patriots just stay out West all week?

Week Seven: October 20th vs. Denver Broncos 8:30pm (Monday Night ESPN Game)
Should be a good game. Denver gives us a run for our money when we play them. After the two trips to the West the Pats I am sure will be happy to be home.  Plus it is a MONDAY NIGHT GAME!!

Week Eight: October 26th vs St Louis Rams 1:00pm (FOX)
Back to back home games– the Rams are doing good things in the off-season. Should be a good game.

Week Nine: November 2nd @ Indianapolis Colts 8:15pm (Sunday Night NBC Game)
The Super Bowl of the regular season every year.  We will see who comes out on top this year.  Just to note: The Colts will also be coming off a prime time game with the Titans the week before.

Week Ten: November 9th vs Buffalo Bills 1:00pm
I hope my church does not kick me out if the Pats beat the Bills- which I think they will.

Week Eleven: November 13 vs New York Jets 8:15pm (Thursday night NFLN Game)
Short week for the Pats.  They will be facing their old foes on a Thursday night.

Week Twelve: November 23 @ Miami Dolphins 1:00pm (CBS)
Going to see the stadium that Parcells build. Well maybe not but we will see how the Dolphins are doing at this point.

Week Thirteen: November 30 vs Pittsburgh Steelers 4:15pm (CBS)
I wonder if this will be a flex game.  It all depends on how Ben’s arm is doing. I am sure it will be tired when they come to our house.

Week Fourteen: December 7 @ Seattle Seahawks 8:15pm (Sunday Night NBC Game)
Sunday night – Prime Time out West — Glad it is not me :

Week Fifteen: December 12 @ Oakland Raiders 4:15pm (CBS)
Once again, do the Patriots stay out West somewhere in between the Seahawks game and this one?  We will see how Russell holds up against our D

Week Sixteen: December 21 vs Arizona Cardinals 1:00pm (FOX)
Back home for another 1:00pm game.

Week Seventeen: December 28 @ Buffalo Bills 1:00pm (CBS)
Closing out the schedule at Buffalo, the Bill showed improvement last year, could they be vying for a playoff spot here?  Will I be able to see them? Who knows?

I am excited for the season.  I think it will be good. Now we will see how things pan out in the draft.  I am looking forward too it.

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For more insight check out:

Schedules of Reinforcement (B. F. Skinner Reprint Series)

New England White (Vintage Contemporaries)

Yesterday was the Synodical Assignment for Region Seven. There were about 10 candidates that came to Philadelphia (I think every seminary was represented) to be interviewed by the bishops of Region seven and their assistants. It was not really a job interview but a time for them to get to know you and to see if you would be a fit in an opening that they have in their synod.

Now my wife and I wanted to go back to New England.  We both grew up in New England and have lots of connections there including family and friends.  So we were going into the day hoping that was going to happen.
So Sunday morning we had worship around 8:00- it was amazing. Dr. Lathrope preached and presided and I must say that when I am worshiping and he is leading I am just in awe. The Seminarian musician and another student chanted the Passion in a way that I have never heard before and most likely will never hear again. It was beautiful and it brought a whole new light to the passion text.

After worship we had breakfast and it was my first chance to talk with some bishops and kinda relax before the conversations began.

Then the bishops met — this was the first time we had to wait- we did alot of waiting I think, or at least it felt that way. After about 45 min or so we all met and the bishops got to talk about their synod and the cool things that happen in their synod and why we should go there.

After that we went to look at our interview schedule. The way it worked is that the bishops signed up to talk with us. They had first dibs as to who they wanted to talk with and they left open spots so that if there was someone that we wanted to talk with we could sign up.

There was a mad rush to the papers, I think everyone wanted to make sure that they could talk with a certain bishop. It so happened that four of the bishops signed up to talk with me. I was pretty excited about that.  It meant to me that some of the bishops liked me and wanted me to come to their synod.

I won’t go into detail about the day but basically all the interviews went well.

I went in being me and being honest with everyone about what I thought about certain things an about who we were. They asked Katie some questions and she did a real good job at her answers as well. After every interview they were saying that I would be a good fit for their openings and I thanked them and we ended.

Overall each bishop said it would be great to have me in their synod – they also added that most of the bishops wanted me and they knew it was going to be a fight to get me. So that kinda made me feel good, but also nervous.

Then the waiting game happened again. This time about an hour- the bishops were deciding who was going where. We spent alot of that time in conversation with one another and silent prayer.

Then the moment of truth came and the list was read. My name was listed under Upstate New York Synod.

Now don’t get me wrong, Upstate NY is a great Synod. It was not what our plan was.

I know that we will like Upstate NY and I am excited to learn more about the synod and more about how I can be involved. I am excite to learn about their camps and how I can be involved there. I think there will be plenty of opportunities for us.

This is a great lesson for me about how my plan is not always God’s plan – I am accepting of the fact that I knew what I wanted, what my family and friends wanted and I kept telling myself that I am open to what God wants but I think deep down inside I did not believe that. I did not accept that with my whole heart. I am coming around to accept that and to embrace my new call in life and to move on to better things.

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For more insight check out:

Upstate New York, Corridor to Progress

The Algonquin Legends of New England