There are a few times in life where you do something totally innocent… that turns out to hurt someone else or mess up someone else’s efforts.  I hate the fact that I’ve done that.  Back last fall I wrote a post called “Top five things I love about fall” and listed my top five along with some pictures.  One of my top five things was walleye fishing.  I went to google images and picked an awesome looking picture of a walleye.  I wasn’t looking to make any kind of money off the picture or even to use it to drive traffic to my site, I just wanted to use a legit picture of the fish.  I usually get my like 10 readers (all people I know) so this didn’t seem like a big deal, but for whatever reason that post blew up and I was getting hits left and right.  What I didn’t realize was the fact that the picture of the walleye I used was a copyrighted picture by Jon Q Wright.  Apparently this artwork is how he makes his living.  Being a little bit of an artist myself, I knew that this was a big NO-NO.  Upon finding this out, I have permanently removed the picture from my site because I would in no way ever want to take credit for someone else’s art or steal someone else’s way of making a living.  I also wanted to use this post to publicly apologize to him.  It was an innocent mistake that I will never do again.  I’m sorry.   On another note,  Jon Wright’s artwork is amazing, that’s probably why I liked it so much.  You should check it out.  His websites are www.jqoutdoors.com and www.jqgreetings.com.  

Jon, I’m sorry.

Sam

so I’m going to go ahead and say it… I’m a HUGE FAN of how the cleveland cavaliers are playing basketball this year.  This year in the NBA reminds me of the days of the early to mid 90’s for NBA basketball.  It’s going to be a great playoffs.  Which begs the question… Who do you think will win?

I was talking with a friend the other week about “embracing the process” in his life.  I think too often that we view the “process” we are going though as something to be endured.  That maybe the process is just a season that will lead to bigger and better things, so the process really has little to no value; it will one day go away.  I have seen the exact opposite in my life though.  It is usually in the “process” that I find the most progress.  Whether it is a season of looking for a job, or interviewing, or internship, or pregnancy (my wife), or whatever it is, there is validity in the process; there is reason to embrace the process.  Process brings progress.  My prayer for you is that you would learn that whatever “process” you find yourself in, that you embrace it.

Here are some pictures that Morgan took at OSM last week.  I wasn’t there because of my week off with the new baby.  My friend Derek Weed spoke.  It was an awesome night.  Enjoy the pics:

Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that those who are great leaders didn’t accidentally evolve into that?  Every great leader that I know or have read about has apprenticed with a great leader.  Behind every great leader is another great leader.  I have had the privilege of hanging around some really good leaders in my life, and the one thing that I have learned is that they have had great leaders that they have hung around.  My prayer is that I would lead well because I have been led well, and that one day my sons would lead well because they have been led well.

So this past weekend was one of the most eventful weekends ever. My wife Sarah went into labor 1 week early last Thursday night and by 8:30 Friday morning, baby Jonathon Matthew Burke was here.  He was 7lbs. 15 oz. and 31 in. long.  So now I am a dad of two.  I am really proud of my wife.  She did an excellent job in labor and delivery.  In an age where drugs are the way most people go, she did the whole thing naturally.  I was/am way impressed.  She is way stronger than me, that is for sure.  I would have stubbed my toe on the hospital bed and said “epidural please!”  anyway… we are the parents of two healthy little boys… just in time for march madness!

so in OSM in April & May we are doing a series called “Don’t be stupid!”  This series is one of those ones where I lived it so I have a lot of resource to pull from.  I was trying to think of what Bible character/story I could use to sum up one of my first talks “stupid choices = stupid consequences” and it dawned on me: SAMSON.  So I started to re-read his story in Judges 13-16.  I get almost to the end of his story when I came across this little gem that I had never seen before (or wasn’t thinking enough like a middle schooler to appreciate.): “So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.”  Samson answered her, “If anyone ties me with seven fresh THONGS that HAVE NOT BEEN DRIED, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”  I can just imagine the giggling… the laughter… the 7th grader with the bright red face.  this is going to be student ministry at its best.  I’m probably going to have to explain it… of course, but you have to admit… it’s hilarious.  just thought I would share that.

I picked up a 40 day journaling book by David Nasser called “A call to die.”  It’s a challenge to live out what it means to be a Christ follower.  I was reading matthew 16:24-27 this morning: “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.  What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?  Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.”  As I was reading these verses and reading Day 1 in the book… a question stuck out to me:  “IS MY COMMITMENT TO OBEY GOD GREATER THAN MY DESIRE FOR PERSONAL COMFORT AND APPROVAL?”  

Following Jesus is a daily call to give up my life, my dreams, and my pursuits and follow His.

that is my prayer today!

honestly… does anyone actually watch the play-in game besides sports analysts, the university student section, and the players parents?  I always feel sorry for these teams because they know that, even if they win this game, they have little to no shot at going anywhere in the tournament because they are fed to the lions {in this case… the cardinals} right out of the gate.  So here’s to you Moorehead State and Alabama State… at least one of you will be able to say you got 1 win in the tournament.

okay people… it’s time to put it all on the line and give my final four picks and my national champion pick.  So my absolutely favorite team probably won’t make it past the 2nd round… {Sorry UCLA… I still love you} but I picked based upon my observations of the entire ncaa basketball season.  So… here they are: Louisville, UConn, Duke, & UNC.  I have Louisville beating Uconn and UNC beating Duke.  And after a long debate… and watching both the Big East and ACC tournaments… and weighing all options… I don’t think UNC has the depth to handle Louisville.  Green and Ellington have been slumping for a while… and I don’t think Lawson will be 100%.  if he is even 80% he’s better than most point guards… but they’ll need him 100% to beat Louisville.  Hansbrough CANNOT carry the load of the whole team to a national championship.  He’s good, but not that good.  Louisville is deep, strong, can shoot outside and have a a big inside presence in Clark, and they played in, what could have arguably been the TOUGHEST conference in the NCAA.  That is why I think Louisville will be the national champ.  What are your picks?