Tag Archive - Dallas Cowboys

I’m a Dreamer

March 15, 2011 in Personal with 6 Comments

I’m a dreamer.  I don’t mean it in some creative, “I have a dream” sort of way.  I mean I actually dream.  I can honestly say that I have a dream almost every night.  I will have a dream if I lay down and take a 20 minute nap.  Before I was married, I never knew it was so strange to dream this much.  Others tell me that they never dream at night; and if they do it’s rare.  So why do I dream so much?  Let me tell you about these dreams, and then I’m gonna jump on your shrink couch and let you help me with some dream interpretation.


I dream in color.  I dream with vivid and real-life detail.  Sometimes my dreams involve people I’ve only met once, like a memorable cashier at the grocery store; and sometimes I dream about people that I’ve never seen.  I do dream the most about people I know very well.  The thing is that people behave differently in my dreams than I have to assume they ever would in real life.  You should see yourself in my dreams!

I dream terrible nightmares.  I’m not someone tormented by nightmares, but when I have a bad dream it is hardly forgettable.  I have a couple of doozies that I had when I was much younger, and they still give me chills when I remember them.  Something about my dreams (and unfortunately nightmares) seem terrible realistic to me.  Often times when waking up from a dream, I have to walk around the room and convince myself it was just a dream.  Yes, I walk around and talk to myself.  What of it?

I dream about conflict.  Many of my dreams involve a great conflict that I’m struggling through.  And I’m talking real-life conflict, not fighting aliens.  These dreams involve me trying to decide the best way to fire someone at work, or how I can have a difficult conversation with my wife, or asking someone for money.  And it should be noted that rarely does the conflict actually occur in my dream, the dream itself is all the things leading up to the confrontation.

I dream about things I love.  I’m 35 years old, and I still dream of quarterbacking the Dallas Cowboys or hitting leadoff for the Texas Rangers.  Strange, right?  It should also be noted, that in these dreams I’m as confused as you are as to how I can do these things, but people in my dream tell me I can.  If they believe it, then I have to believe it too…right?

Which leads me to the big one. I have one recurring dream.  The scenario changes from dream to dream but it always includes the same thing.  The dream involves everyone telling me something is right, that I know is wrong.  Sometimes I’m accused in my dream of doing something wrong.  The thing I’m accused of doing I have no memory of doing, but somehow I know I did it.  Then in my dream I’m trying to make it right, but everyone in my dream will tell me it was allright.  For instance, I’m accused of stealing money from someone and I’m working feverishly to turn myself into authorities, but my best friends are telling me not to.  My entire dream will consist of dialague around the topic of me trying to do the right thing.  I also have a variation of this where somebody I know has done something terribly wrong, but I’m the only one that thinks so.

 

So Dr. Frued-like reader…what does it all mean?

Or why don’t you share your most common dream?

You do dream, don’t you?

Google Yourself

April 22, 2009 in Links with 4 Comments

OK, the updates are below! Enjoy!

So now Google wants us to profile ourselves. I don’t know about you, but I’ve longed subscribed to a search through Google that sends me emails if my name shows up somewhere on these Internets. But as I’ve been thinking about what may or may not be said about me online, I thought I’d throw out some bad information and see if we can get that flying around the World Wide Web.

Take a guess at which of these is NOT true:

  • I have no tattoos anywhere on my body. TRUE -I have NO tattoos on any surface of my body. I just can’t justify the pain.
  • As a teenager I was a ballboy for the Dallas Cowboys. TRUE -I did this the summer of 1991, and unbelievably I have NO pictures from the experience.
  • I had a super teeny, tiny part in a movie starring Brad Pitt. FALSE -Seriously people?
  • I played soccer in Brazil. TRUE -I was there on a Mission trip in 2003, and I played with some kids.
  • I’ve seen a triple-play in a Major League Baseball game. TRUE -Watching the A’s and the Rangers in Arlington, TX. I believe it was a 1-5-4-2 play. Kenny Rogers was the pitcher.
  • My wife is the former Ms. Striper City. TRUE -From the Striped Bass Capital of the World!

So let’s throw this stuff out there for the big, bad Google to work with. I’ll reveal which one I’ve NOT done later this evening.

A Second Opinion

January 5, 2009 in Ministry with 0 Comments

As I head into a 2009 filled with so many new opportunities, I’ve been dwelling on something that I think I need to have more of going forward. I’ve very clearly felt compelled to have more opinions. I know, I know, those that are acquainted with me have just shuttered in horror at any chance of me having more opinions. But I’m speaking to opinions that matter. Opinions that could possibly dictate my actions. Wikipedia defines an opinion as:

a person’s ideas and thoughts towards something which it is either impossible to verify the truth of, or the truth of which is thought unimportant to the person. It is an assertion about something especially if that something lies in the future and its truth or falsity cannot be directly established. An opinion is not a fact, because opinions are either not falsifiable, or the opinion has not been proven or verified. If it later becomes proven or verified, it is no longer an opinion, but a fact.

I love this definition. It’s something that is impossible to verify the truth of. I can have an opinion that the Dallas Cowboys have a truly terrific football team, but that is neither a fact nor is it possible to prove.

But what about the opinions that matter? I’ve been challenged to think about my opinions on the important things related to my family, relationships, and ministry. And am I ready to move these opinions in the direction of facts? Here are the opinions that I’m challenging myself to get in writing, and committing time to really think through how I can move them into the realm of facts.

  • What is my opinion on the best ways to communicate love to a kid? Is it through my words, actions, or both? And what is the best way for each individual kid?
  • What is my opinion on leading a child to Christ? Is there a way that is better than the other ways? Is there a way to lead a child to Christ, where their decision is truly life changing? Is it effective in a large-group environment?
  • What is my opinion on dedicating a child in a church setting?
  • What is my opinion on what makes a strong marriage? Is my opinion on this impossible to prove?
  • What is my opinion on the best way to mentor and raise up new leaders? Is there a more effective way to do it than I’m currently doing it?

Dallas Cowboys Memories

December 19, 2008 in Links with 0 Comments

Why does Texas Stadium have a hole in the roof?

So God can watch his favorite team.


You’ve heard the joke right? Well, Saturday night will mark the last game played in Texas Stadium by the Dallas Cowboys. Over the past few years I have watched as many old faithful sports stadiums have been demolished for newer and better venues (Tiger Stadium, Three Rivers Stadium, RFK Stadium, etc…); but this time it’s personal. I’ve been following the stories at the Dallas Morning News for weeks now, documenting personal stories from the stadium and it has me feeling nostalgic. (There is a great top 10 greatest games list HERE, as well as a memorial site HERE.)

I’m as excited as anyone about something new coming down the road for my Cowboys, but I’m really showing my age when I say that I’m gonna miss the old place. Lots of memories.

I can remember the first time I went to a game there. I’m I was in 11th or 12th grade and the Cowboys were good again. As a teenager I was a Dallas Cowboy ball boy during their training camp in Austin, TX; but had never actually been to Texas Stadium. For Christmas that year my dad had bought my brother and I Dallas Cowboys sweatshirts, and we headed off early on a Sunday Morning from Tulsa to catch the 3pm game at Texas Stadium. I remember that we played the Giants (and we won!), but my funniest memory is of arriving at the stadium about 3 hours before game time and my brother, father and I sitting like a bunch of kindergartners for hours just soaking in all the history. (I know, I know…we’re Cowboy nerds.)

Over the years I would return to see the Cowboys a dozen or so times, happening to catch some big moments. I was there when Emmitt Smith broke Walter Payton’s all-time NFL rushing record. The crowd was super crazy that day. It was unlike any sporting experience I’ve ever been a part of.

I was there when Terrell Owens disgraced the star at mid-field, and George Teague decked him. I remember that moment, because I was trying to explain to my wife the entire time why someone would take offense to that. Still not sure she got it.

When my son was born in late October 2004 we were unable to go back to Tulsa for Thanksgiving, so the family all came to Dallas and the men took in a Cowboy game on Thanksgiving Day. I remember Toby Keith performed at halftime, and the Cowboys got their butts kicked! I was also there for a few Quincy Carter moments, and even saw Vinny Testaverde throw 5 or 6 interceptions in a game. Whoopee!

It’s funny how inanimate objects that have been in and around our lives for decades can become so full of memories for us. So long Texas Stadium. May the wrecking ball come quick and swift for you, and here’s hoping I can afford a ticket to the new stadium at some point in my lifetime.

Super Conundrum

February 3, 2008 in Links with 0 Comments

The Super Bowl presented quite the conundrum. As a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan I hate the New York Giants, and the New England Patriots. I wish terrible diarrhea on both teams during their return flight. Just remember… the Dallas Cowboys beat the Giants in 2 out of their 3 games this year. (Ya, ya, ya… they just didn’t win the biggest most important game.) However, it made me a little joyous to think that the Patriots will be 18-1; and NOT have a Super Bowl title. Why are we always against the ‘perfect’ teams? Do we innately root against those who are good at something, or is it the love of the underdog?

BTW -When does Cowboy Training Camp start up?

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