Kidologist.com: Karl Bastian’s Personal Site and Blog
Archive for July, 2007
July 30, 2007 at 12:04 pm · Filed under Family, Luke, Sports, baseball
You may remember when I bragged that my little brother went to the Major Leagues! As an MLB.com beat reporter that is. Well, he was in town this week for the Blue Jays vs. the White Sox series. But the first thing he did when he arrived was the Presentation:
The Presentation of the Frank Thomas Ball
In April I went to visit my brother in Dietroit and got to meet Frank Thomas. The highlight wasn’t meeting this famous ball hitter, it was hearing my little brother (who I taught baseball to) say, “Hey, Frank, I’d like you to meet my brother.” Of course, I wanted an auto-graph, but since we were in the clubhouse, and I was there with a temporary press pass, that is prohibited. So I had to settle for a hand shake. Even my brother, because he is press for Major Leage Baseball is not allowed to ask for autographes. So how did I get this?
My autographed Frank Thomas Ball!
Well, I also got to meet with John Gibbons, the Blue Jays manager, and after I left, he went and asked Frank for an autographed ball, and gave it to my brother and instructed him to give it to me. It must have pained him to hand it over, but he’s a good brother, and he obeyed the manager. He told me about it then, but I had to wait until the next visit to get the ball. So now I have it. Cool, huh?
But auto-graphed ball or not, the highlight is still getting to see my bro! Especially, when he calls in a favor to the White Sox beat reporter and scores me four tickets to Sundays game! I took some friends along and had a great time.
Is that a Cubs shirt with a Sox hat?!?!
I did where all White Sox to the game, but it was very hot, and so I wore my Cubs sleeveless shirt under the warm black WS jersey… which I had to shed until the shade finally covered us. But I promise, I am a Sox fan! Unless I go to that Cubs Game on Thursday. I guess I’m still conflicted. After questioning my Cubs fan status two years ago (when the Sox went all the way) I officially switched so I could cheer on the White Sox as a fan. But in the end, I guess I am a Chicago Fan! I’ll accept free tickets to either team!
Frank a Blue Jay?
It was kinda weird seeing Frank as a Blue Jay hitting against the Sox. But he’s not the first Sox to wear Blue Jays at Celluar Field. I did it at great risk last year!
The “Big Hurt” hurtin’ as he struck out at all at bats.
It was great to see my brother again, it’s never often enough! We even got a visit with Gramma in:
Me, Gram, and Jordan.
and I just have to include a picture of Luke with the shirt and Jordan and Auntie Kelly got him:
Born to be Blogged!
Is that not a perfect shirt for him? He is probably the most blogged boy in history!
Luke and his Great Grandmother, Maggie
(photo by Jordan, edited by Karl)
July 29, 2007 at 8:26 pm · Filed under Blog World, Internet, Technology
Are you addicted to blogging? Take this test and find out just how addicted you are…
Here are my results:
84%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?
Put your results in Comments!
July 26, 2007 at 9:29 am · Filed under Devotional
Today I want to post a FREE SONG from my church’s worship pastor, as well as part of an e-mail he sent out to introduce it.
Worship, Prayer and Healing by Mark Chaffee
Worship is who we are. Worship is what we do. We were MADE to worship. It is not something we can turn on and off like a water faucet, rather it flows from us like an untamable river. The only control we posses is in who or what we choose to worship at any particular time. Scripture abounds with encouragement of only worshipping the one true living God. Romans 1 talks of how people have “…exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.” (v. 25) The same is true of us today. At any given moment we could be worshipping ourselves, our possessions, time, job, money, family, friends, or any other “created” thing. If our focus is not on God, but something else, then in that moment we are placing the created above the creator. Wow, that is tough, isn’t it? In fact, I know of only one person who has ever been able to keep God at the center of his attention at all times, and that was Jesus himself. One of our goals in becoming more Christ-like is to keep working at making God the center of all we do at all times. Does this mean we ignore every other activity in our lives? Certainly not! But what it does mean is that we can make God a part of every activity. Let’s continue to always worship, whether it be in business meetings, washing dishes, changing diapers, moving the lawn, studying for a test, or driving the kids to soccer practice. If we rightfully place God at the head of all we do, then all we do is God directed. Of course, there is the added benefit of it lessening the chance of doing something we shouldn’t when we are constantly aware that He is with us!
So why do I mention this? Because we need to constantly remind ourselves that before anything, worship is our foundation. Again, it is what we were made to do, and the more we are able to keep our focus on God Himself, the more freely His blessing will flow to us. God speaks to us in Exodus 25:23 saying, “Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you.” Before anything else, we worship. Then He blesses us and heals us.
FREE SONG HERE: Please Forgive Me (MP3 7.7mb)
ABOUT THE SONG:
“Please Forgive Me” pretty much came all at once to me. A quick and overwhelming flood of emotion from my soul. I have always had a very difficult time repenting. I don’t know if it is my embarrassment to admit that I am wrong, or knowing that if I come clean with God it will mean that I have to turn away from a sin that maybe I just don’t want to give up yet. Perhaps it is a little of both. Regardless, I have always found it to be a very painful process to get to the point of repentance, even though my experience with God has dictated that He is merciful and full of grace, and repenting is so freeing! Not exhausting at all! Yet, I continue to hem and haw about it, am slow to ask for His forgiveness, and am fearful in doing it. Go figure.
The song begins with the chorus, which is the central point to my dilemma: “I want to fall upon my knees / but the pain’s excruciating / I want to beg your forgiveness / but please forgive me, I’m afraid.” Resolution starts at the bridge as I bleed out the words David cried to God in Psalm 51:1, “Have mercy on me, O God / according to your steadfast love / According to your great compassion / eradicate my transgressions.” The final chorus paraphrases more of Psalm 51, “Wash away all my iniquity / and cleanse me from my sin / Wash me whiter than the snow, and then / recreate me once again.” If any of you have ever had a difficult time asking for forgiveness from God, or anyone else, I hope that this song can be an encouragement in the smallest of ways. I would also recommend taking some time with God, absorbing Psalm 51 in it’s entirety. It is some really powerful stuff!
karl: I hope you enjoy this song – there is nothing more deeply satisfying to the soul than to experience what it feels like to be forgiven, and to forgive. Living in forgiveness is like a refreshing fountain gushing out of your very soul. Try it, you’ll like it!
July 23, 2007 at 10:34 am · Filed under Family, KarlTube, Luke
It’s hard to believe it is true, but Baby Luke is now a year and a half old! Mom missed it because she was off becoming a Woman of Faith and I was watching a friend’s kids for the day, so after a trip to the Dollar Store for party stuff, we had a short but fun birthday party for Lukie.
It’s Party Time!
Notice one and a half cakes with one and a half candles!
Though help was needed blowing out the candles. The party was so exciting, here is Luke yawning as his candles are blown out!
The best part of the party for Luke, of course, was not the dollar store presents, it was getting to EAT CAKE, as you can see in this video:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUKE!
July 23, 2007 at 8:56 am · Filed under Humor
My dad sent me this, and I thought it was too funny to not pass on. Home owners will appreciate this the most….
YOUR HOUSE, AS SEEN BY:
YOU
YOUR BUYER
YOUR LENDER
YOUR APPRAISER
YOUR TAX ASSESSOR
July 19, 2007 at 8:22 am · Filed under just cool
This is just too cool, I had to post it. It shows how amazing, and how crazy the brain is!
CHECK OUT THIS PICTURE:
1) If you follow the moving pink dot with your eye, it will stay pink.
2) If you focus on the center cross, you will see a green dot moving around the pink ones.
3) If you keep concentrating on the cross all the pink dots will disappear and there will be only a moving green dot.
BUT! There is NO GREEN DOT! Ever. And the pink dots DO NOT disappear.
Just just illustrates how what we think we see is not always accurate. It could also illustrate how if we focus on the Cross the little things of life will fade and we will begin to see God move in ways that others can not see!
Thanks to my Uncle John for sending me this!
July 18, 2007 at 9:36 am · Filed under KarlTube, Kidology, Sport Stacking, Sports
This isn’t the first time I’ve blogged about a giant stack of Speed Stacks falling down, but sometimes it is the simple things in life that bring the greatest joy.
Had some employee kids hangin’ out in the office today. (No, I don’t employ children, I mean children of an employee!) The Kidology Headquarters is filled with a LOT of toys and props, but playing with Speed Stacks is often the favorite pass time of kids doomed to hang out while mom works. Their favorite thing is building giant towers to… uh, knock over, and build again.
But this time I got into it when they couldn’t reach the top of their tower, and I couldn’t stand to have seven extra cups unused, so I made a single tower and placed it on top.
Here are the proud architects of this Tower of Stacks. Unfortunately, for the cups, they didn’t get to stay stacked for long, as you’ll see in this video:
Luckily for me, clean up time is just as fun!
July 17, 2007 at 12:18 am · Filed under Devotional, Internet, Spiritual Growth
My dad sends links like my grandma used to send newspaper clippings. Today he sent me a link to a short article and interview with Brian Doerksen. He is asked why he isn’t well known when he has been involved with over 25 worship albums, and his answer is: ‘When I first felt called to do this more than 20 years ago, I wanted to perform music on big stages. But God quickly called me to be all about worship, which is really, “Notice God, don’t notice me.” ‘ While I love his attitude, he rips a little on well-known worship leaders. The reality is, we, as a culture, can only “know” so many people, and we get saturated. Plus, he’s in Canada! (j/k) I just hope he isn’t assuming those who are well known are less spiritual just because they are well known. Being well known isn’t a sin. Godly people can be well known, and they aren’t less godly just because lots of people appreciate them or their ministry. What matters is the heart either way. I am very thankful for Jeremy Riddle, Jeramy Camp, Lincoln Brewster, Mercy Me, and even the Newsboys, and I worship deeply through their music. Where their “heart is” is between them and God, but I thank God for them, and I am glad they are well known, or I might have missed out on many of my favorite worship songs!
My favorite quote in the article is: “I hear people say, ‘My goal is to write a song that the whole world will sing.’ I look at them sideways and ask, ‘Why don’t you try and write a song you want to sing in your prayers to God? Or a song that your local church wants to sing, where you’re serving, where you’re known and loved?’ Let God worry about the rest of the world.”
I wholeheartedly agree with that! So I went to iTunes and ordered his latest CD and am enjoying it very much. ($5 less on iTunes than where he links) This is my attempt to help him get a little more well known! (I somehow think he’ll handle the fame generated by my blog ok)
July 16, 2007 at 12:42 pm · Filed under Children's Ministry, KarlTube, Puppets
I visited I-Fest last week for a couple of days and had a lot of fun. (so did my car) I already posted my first impressions, so today I wanted to post some of the pictures of the different puppet teams, as well as a flash video of one of the interviews I did while I was there!
It was so cool to see these groups of young people having a great time at an event that is training them for ministry!
These guys are obviously having fun!
And how can you miss this group?
Even in a classroom they stand out!
Here is the back of their shirts with their name.
So many of them had a biblical source for their name too.
This dude is just too cool! And has “glory fingers”
And the HUG Puppets stand for:
I’ve heard of teams called “Uplifted Hands” and saw one that said “Talk to the Hand”
These shirts aren’t from a team, they were for sale, and I was going to buy one and forgot! DOH!
What would name a puppet team? Does your team have a name? Leave a comment here, or if you are a Kidology member, comment in the discussion there!
Here is the puppet I bought interviewing a seven week old baby! ENJOY!
Next entries »
