Wild West in Waco

Our New Van...

2009-05-22T07:12:00.000-07:00

As much as we appreciate the services provided by the City of Waco Sanitation department, we're a little frustrated by their driving skills. We've owned the van for less than 6 months and we love it! Not only did we get an amazing deal, it's also turned out to be the most comfortable car we've ever owned. BUT, we've got a $5,000 estimate in damages and a City Insurance company trying to blame Melissa... wouldn't be so bad if we had comprehensive insurance. We have an excellent case, but without our own insurance company fighting for us (to avoid paying for the repairs themselves) we think we're pretty much getting burned. No final decision has been reached as of yet, but we're awfully nervous.
Here's how it went down. Melissa was approaching a stop light where a Garbage truck was waiting in the middle of the road (literally not even in the lane). The intersection is wide enough for two lanes and people always approach it in to the left to go straight and to the right to turn right, in fact there are even sensors (the pressure sensors in the roadway for the stop light) for two lanes, BUT, there is NOT a dedicated turn lane. The truck wasn't signaling in any way and was sitting at the light waiting. Mel pulled up beside the truck to turn right. She came to a complete stop to check for oncoming traffic. As she was glancing to the left the light changed and the garbage truck driver accelerated, turning across her, striking the front of our van and tearing the bumper, headlight, radiator support, fender, etc. to shreds. NOW, here's the crazy part. He took off! He just kept driving. Melissa followed him honking and hollering for two blocks before she pulled over. We called the police and they tracked him down via the sanitation department (Mel had written down the truck number), but amazingly they explained that it "is exceptionally loud in those trucks... he just couldn't hear." The whole fleeing the scene deal didn't even make it in the police report.

We've talked to everyone, given statements to everyone, now we'll just have to wait and see. Your prayers are, as always, more than welcome!

Summer Swiftly Approaching

2009-05-11T21:44:00.000-07:00

Summer is almost here! Yah!!!! Nothing like Waco in June, July, and August... well, maybe Hell is comparable, but I'm not sure it gets that humid there. JUST KIDDING... kinda.

Nevertheless I am excited. For starters summer means more time with my absolutely gorgeous wife and my two beautiful boys. Seriously, life during the school year is a whirlwind of work and school which inevitably leads to stress and general emotional turmoil. Top that off with the pastoral aspect of my job, which is to assist others with their own emotional turmoil, and you've got an almighty mess!

I honestly believe that the challenge produced by such a lifestyle is really a blessing in disguise. I don't know how many times my fundamentalist grandmother has said "Idle hands are the devil's..." and so on and so forth. But, let's be clear, when I am committed to so many fruitful endeavors I cannot help but feel blessed to have the opportunity to serve in so many dramatic ways. A day in my life (as of late) begins with a 7:15 alarm, taking Jackson to preschool by 8:15 (I'm leaving out a solid hour of crying, manipulation, pouting, and potential tantrums... plus all the stuff that Jackson does), by 9 or 10 I'm in a meeting of some sort, grab lunch somewhere around 11:30 (not like I had time for breakfast unless you count my 500 diabetes meds or my adderall), then to the office where there is undoubtedly a report of a leaking roof, a flooding dishwasher, or a frozen ac unit waiting for my expert attention, after that I'll connect with a CL or a resident, might get some homework or email time in, then it's off to class/life group/staff meeting. And yet, when the day is done and I'm sprawled out on the couch I reflect on the things that challenged me in positive ways; the student who shared about a family tragedy, the cl who talked about their goals, the class discussion over the intricasies of grace as manifested in our contemporary literature. In that moment I feel blessed.

SOOOOO, what does summer look like? Well, I am taking an intense summer language course in German (part of the doctoral program requirements) and I am continuing as a Summer Hall Director, but the scope of those endeavors is significantly reduced over the course work and porfessional work with which I am burdened/blessed during the academic year. We're taking 3 weeks of vacation this summer. May 22nd-29th we're off to East Texas (Lake Sam Rayburn) to meet up with the in-laws and ALL of Melissa's siblings and their families for a week of time share condos on the lake! Then in July (7th-20th) we're headed west to show Jackson the coast where Melissa grew up. Hitting up Ponchos Surf Shop (Pismo Beach, CA), Splash Cafe (unbelievable Clam Chowder), and a bonfire on the beach will undoubtedly highlight our summer adeventures.

Soooo, summer here I come. I'm fatter than I'd hoped, will continue to appear clothed in the pool (unless someone else wants to foot the most expensive hair removal bill of all time), and no longer own a pair of flipflops for the sojourn to Cali, but hey, it is what it is and I am who I am.

Summer may be a little less hectic than the rest of my year but I plan on approaching it with the same reckless abandon. Life is what you make of it.

First Mountain Biking Video

2009-05-09T23:17:00.000-07:00

Experiementing with a helmet camera and creating an MTB video. I promise I'll get better at it (and change the angle of the camera).
Embedding it twice from different sources. It's the same video. I'm just experimenting with which video service provides the better in-blog viewer. If you think one better than the other please comment!

Religion & Literature

2009-04-24T23:45:00.000-07:00

For those who don't know, I've been taking a course in Literature and Religion this semester. The course is centered on theodicy. Theodicy is simply the study of evil and why/how it can exist in a God created world. Suffice to say our reading list hasn't been the stuff dreams are made of... unless you're referring to nightmares. Despite the depressing material, this foray into theology and how it's played out in literature has been an eye opening experience for me.

Here's a little taste. In regards to evil people (when thinking about such things from a distance) fall into some patterns: god has a purpose beyond our understanding and works all things to the good, god gave us free will we chose sin (or Adam and Eve did, and subsequently we do too) so we're stuck with it till we are redeemed with Christ, god either doesn't care or is dead, and finally god is some sort of vengeful force toying with humanity. I use little g's because I don't want to attribute any of these personifications to Jehova at this particular moment (not without great explanation and analysis). All of these forms or manifestations of god can be found in the literature of mankind. As a Christian it really puts some of the 'art' with which we engage, in a completely different light. For example, what does The Dark Knight really say about the world in which we live? The Joker is practically a symbolic representation of Satan while Batman is nothing like Christ. We automatically perceive the juxtaposition of good and evil, but in reality what we see is Evil and a lesser evil. Batman is borderlin psychotic, maybe serving split personalities, in a pledge to life-long vengence. This is our hero? Yikes!

I guess you could argue that the fallen nature of man makes these 'anti-heroes' more compelling, more relatable. But something has to be said for aspiring for something greater than the lesser of two evils. I really think it's a reflection of the pessimism that consumes our culture. Between the liberal media and science we'll have killed god before the decade is over (IF he's not dead already, a nod to my Jewish theologians and Woody Allen). I don't mean that in the literal sense, only that it appears that, even in our literature, we seem to be enthralled with the concept that God cannot possibly make sense in a world like ours.

Insane.

Look, I realize that pontificating about the nature of evil isn't going to do jack$*** for someone faced with the tragic loss of a loved one, but I am just stunned that men and women of faith appear to be dumping their belief in exchange for 'best of luck, it's all chaos, and it's all screwed up' view of the world. The secular world believes this will lead to enlightenment. Ask the USSR, I think it leads to Vodka and depression. Seriously though, the ramifications of HOPE versus nihlism seems justification enough for a belief in god, but let's drop that for a minute.

I just want to try and put on paper (or Liquid Crystal Display) where my own theology rests in regards to suffering. This isn't necessarily right. It may not even be defensible, but as I mature and learn, this is simply where I'm currently residing...

If God made us in His image, how could he not give us autonomy? If God predetermined our choices we would be Pinochio, not Gepetto. God set this creation in motion and we chose to seperate ourselves from God. Trying to see God as existing outside of time and therefore as a manipulator of our choices fails to acknowledge that God created us for a temporal experience over which we have agency and authority. God is willing to help us, through his spirit and his Word, but he's not necessarily going to agree with our wishes, nor is He going to live our lives for us. We are left with a world and a mankind that is without the fullness of God. Such a world is essentially chaotic. But to say that such an existence is without meaning is to completely deny the afterlife and the fullness of God we will receive. WE ARE NOT EVIL, THE WORLD IS NOT EVIL, BUT WE ARE (AND IT IS) INCOMPLETE WITHOUT THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST. So we look forward to the fullness in our redemption, BUT we also have a measure of the presence of God in our lives now. The 'paracleet' or the Holy Spirit is a real and supernatural agent that exists in our world now. The Gospel of John, and everything Paul wrote, pushes us to draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit as we aspire to live like Christ knowing full well such perfection is beyond our grasp. I believe the other 'measure' of Christ we have in the here and now is the Church. NO, not the American Evangelical Movement (also known as the Republican Party). I mean the community of believers. The American church has been blessed with a minor resurgence lately thanks to the Emergent Church movement. Protestants were so desperate to escape Papal authority and the Catholic Church at large that they took the whole 'priesthood of the believer' thing to ridiculous levels. The individualistic nature of our Capitalist society has only reinforced this divorce from community and accountibility. The CHURCH is about COMMUNITY AND ACCOUNTIBILITY. God is manifested, as the Trinity, as community. We are created in God's image and we NEED community. It's not about socialism, marxism, democracy... NONE OF IT. If we are to be true believers we must be CHRISTIANS FIRST, being American, Texan, Black, White, Left-Handed, or Left-Brained... it's all secondary to how we choose to relate to our creator.

SOoOoOo. Evil exists because we are incomplete without the fullness of God. We can experience some measure of joy and fulfillment in this life by living in community and seeking out a relationship with our creator through the working of the Holy Spirit (made possible by Jesus Christ). That joy and fulfillment is a blessing, it is a gift, and when we leave this life, whether in pain or in the midst of sweet dreams, we will enter in to an existence so much more meaningful that I believe the temporary suffering, the terror, the horror, that we may have experienced in this life will only serve to show us the true value of fulfillment in our Heavenly Father.

Life rolls on, sometimes too fast...

2009-03-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

It's been about a century since I last blogged, which is fine I guess. I like the internet, but it can be consuming. Lately I've been too busy being an employee, a husband, a father, and a graduate student to get caught up in reading everything I can find on mountain bikes and Baylor football (my normal vices).

Soooo, what have we been up to? Well, I just completed the hiring process for my Community Leader Staff (student leaders who work with me each year at Baylor) for 09-10. As usual it was a grueling process with so many tremendous applicants that it became emotionally exhausting trying to ascertain who might best serve my community and be best served by developing their leadership skills under my tutelege. In the end I believe I've hired the best staff possible, a group of young men and women who can create an environment conducive to learning, spiritual growth, saftey, and the development of genuine relationships. On the home front we're waging a whole new war with Jackson. Jackson is 2 1/2, nuf' said. Ian cuddles a lot and growls at me in order to get my attention. Love it. On the athletics front I'm checked out till football returns, Baylor Basketball was a disappointment (the men's anyway) and I'm anxious to see how football does in 09.

The most exciting thing recently was my acquisition of a new bike. As most of you know I had my dream bike stolen last summer. In the past 7 months I pieced together another bike via ebay, mtbr.com, craigslist, and our local bike shop (bicycles-outback.com). In the end I had a nice bike but it just didn't fit me very well. Sooo, I sold my bike (and an extra that I'd loaned to young Cork for the past few months), added some dough of my own, and started shopping. Outback offered me an unbelievable deal on a closeout Epic, but it was still outside the budget, so I scoured ebay and craigslist in search of a great bike for a great price. What I found was a 2006 Ellsworth Truth in nearly new condition. For those who don't know Ellsworth is one of the few bike manufacturers who handcraft their bikes right here in the US. Not only that, their entire company utilizes sustainable business practices recycling their excess aluminum and generating their own power via solar panels and wind turbines. On top of all that, the bike is gorgeous and an absolute beast on the trails. The Specs: 2006 Ellsworth Truth, Fox Float 100 RL fork, Rockshox MC 3.3 rear susp., Monkeylite Carbon Bars, Thomson Elite Stem, Mavic 317 wheelset with XT hubs, Hayes 9 hydraulic disc brakes, and an xt/xtr drivetrain. For those who think I was just speaking a foreign language, just enjoy the pictures...

All in all, life is great. Work progresses, as does school, my children keep me from getting too lost in the big picture, and my wife is a beautiful and loving as ever.

Be Blessed. Bless Others. Stoops.

Anxiety, Public Speaking, and a Desire for Relevancy.

2009-01-17T09:50:00.000-08:00

I have always loved public speaking. For those who had me in class when I taught at the high school level, you probably remember it well. I could teach for an hour without taking a breath! I love to engage in dialogue and debate, to inspire young men and women to view the world differently, to expand horizons, create a vision for the future, and connect students to a "love of learning" that would, hopefully, provide motivation for their pursuit of education well beyond their time in my classroom. I wasn't always a good teacher. I was easily distracted, excitable, and prone to long stories that had more to do with laughter than learning. However, my students always scored as well, if not better, than their peers when it came to standardized tests. Obviously I was effective to some degree.

NOW things are different. As most of you are aware I am taking an exciting course in Literature & Religion as part of my graduate work pursuing (eventually) a Ph.D. in Literature & Religion. Since I did not qualify for direct admission to the Ph.D. program (any of you remember my undergraduate G.P.A.??? it wasn't pretty.), I am technically enrolled as a Masters student until I do one of two things (a) receive a battlefield promotion into the Ph.D. program with a 3.5 G.P.A. after the first 15 units (and the endorsement of the professors I've had thus far) OR (b) complete the M.A. with a 3.0+ and receive admission into a shortened Ph.D. program (42 units rather than 66). Either way there is some pressure to perform. OK, back to my point. In my previous life (high school teacher extraordinaire) I was completely comfortable in front of students and/or peers. Now... well, let me tell you a story.

I was the last person admitted to the Religion & Literature Course. There are 9 Ph.D. students in the course (2 of them auditing) and 5 M.A. students including myself. The professor is well known, respected, and admired for his instruction and his significant contribution to the written word as both a non-fiction and fiction author. His interests, unlike many of the other professors in the department, align with mine. His focus is on relevancy. He has studied and written about the connections between contemporary literature, film, popular culture, and religion. How those artistic expressions relate to the world in which I live and the faith I hold dear is significant in my life and drives my efforts to further my formal education! Dr. Greg Garrett is someone I hope to learn from and work with consistently over the next few years. Well, as the last person admitted to the course I had the privilege of teaching a lesson on the "application of the Hermeneutic Circle to the text of John 11 (the raising of Lazarus)" on the very first day.

Issues with this... 1. I didn't know what any of that meant. 2. I was absolutely horrified.

I studied. I read. I consulted theology students. I believe I was exceptionally well prepared. On class day I could hardly breathe. I was sweating so profusely that I pitted out my shirt before we finished doing role! I did my best, but frankly I felt physically limited by my own anxiety. My brain skipped over tons of information, flew through segments I meant to take slowly, and froze in terror stricken moments where I found myself completely lost. Yes, I had notes, but I was trying to do what I've done for years... be that person that I've been as a teacher for the last 8 years (as a junior high teacher, a high school teacher, a missionary teacher, and as a Hall Director and Leadership Lecturer here at BU) which is to be comfortable, relatable, and discussion oriented.

From reading this you would imagine I froze up, vomited on the lecturn, and fled from the room... that course of action did cross my mind from time to time, but I was able to complete the lesson, impart a portion of what I'd learned, and generate a modicum of discussion. Dr. Garrett asked the class to discuss what I had done well and to offer some affirmation and/or constructive criticism. They were universally positive. They indicated I was "persistent in drawing them out in discussion" and "careful to offer examples as I asked questions". In other words, I am undoubtedly my toughest critic. However, I am my toughest critic because I KNOW I am capable of doing so much better.

I know that I am stretched by the academics here at BU, more than I ever was at APU or Cal Baptist. I also know that the relevancy of this information means it is significantly more important to me. Somewhere in there I decided to care SO MUCH about my performance that I began hindering my own ability to communicate and be myself. Seems fairly ridiculous to me.

Anyway, I blather on for no reason other than share. I am an external processor. Writing my way through this and talking about it is my way of reflecting on my emotions and subsequent responses. Hopefully that will lead to better results in the future.

The Obligatory Family Update!

2009-01-02T22:27:00.004-08:00

and then there were 4. Ian Wyatt Stoops joined our family (officially anyway) on October 7th. In comparison to the trials and tribulations of Jackson's arrival, Ian was a breeze (even Melissa says so)! Ian weighed in at 7 lbs. 5 oz. and measured 20 inches long. We are blessed to have two beautiful and healthy boys in our home.

The holiday season is always a time for reflection, some of it is intentional, preparing for and processing interactions with extended family or defining the resolutions we will adhere to (hopefully) in an effort to better ourselves or our existence. The traditional (in our extended family) family update has become a time of relfection for us as well. How will we put into words where we are, what we're doing, the recent joys, the battles we've survived, and the occasional failure? Of course a few words and run-on sentences never seem to do our existence justice, but it always seems simoultaneously selfish. The fact remains that I was raised in community and maintaining those ties with family, friends, and peers is of the utmost importance. Sooo... let the rambling commence (as if we weren't there already).

We are still in Waco, Texas. Every day it becomes more of a home to us. The city is a strange place, an absence of culture in the traditional sense (we miss LoDo in Denver, the live music in Austin and Seattle, the constant sights and sounds that assaulted us in Southern California), but somehow Wacko Waco is authentic and engaging. We hold annual passes to the Zoo (it's amazing) and the Mayborn Musuem. I continue to enjoy Mountain Biking in Cameron Park (though not enough to make any significant strides in the fitness department). We've developed a taste for Texas BBQ and a wonderful pizza place called Double Daves. Then there is Baylor.

Baylor University is still my place of employment but more than that it is the heart of our community here. We have some wonderful friends with whom we have shared the last couple of years and it never ceases to amaze us how blessed we are to be a part of their lives and to have them involved in ours. Of couse we also connected with our church through BU, Antioch Community Church. Though Antioch is significantly more conservative than my own theological perspective, it remains an active community of believers who truly feel that the gospel can make a difference. Through Antioch we joined a life group that has allowed us to expand our circle of friends. The challenges and accountability that the group provides us as individuals, as a couple, and as parents is invaluable.

Ok.... how about some specifics. Youngest to oldest.

Ian is coming up on 3 months out in the world. He is absolutely beautiful and I am constantly amazed that someone so precious would be entrusted to our care! I'm a little more comfortable this time around than I was with Jackson (I was always waiting for him to do something and constantly worried I would do something to him). With Ian time seems to be flying and we're just enjoying the cuddle-bug stage!

Jackson is UNBELIEVABLE! His vocabulary is ridiculously well developed. He's not quite 2 1/2 but he is capable of reciting his ABC's (occasionally we skip to "now I know my ABC's" after G, but only if he's in a hurry to move on to some other activity), and he counts to 13 on his own (though 12 is often offended as he apparently gets left out). Jackson enjoys singing twinkle-twinkle, playing pirates with his nerf swords, doing the "sic'em bears" at Basketball and Football games, and puzzles (I believe we now own 10 floor puzzles, a 4 ft. long fire engine, a 2ft x 3ft ABC puzzle, jungle scenes, farm scenes, and more). He is so much fun to be around. Sometimes he is very intentional and imaginative, explaining how he's pretending to be a "football guy" or a "train conductor" as he traipses about the house all geared up. Other times he just cuts loose and acts like a wild man. He identifies most heavy machinery at first glance (tractors, combines, bulldozers, trash trucks, and even excavators).

I toyed with the idea of having Melissa write her own "annual update" but I know for a fact she wouldn't do herself justice (she's entirely too modest for that). Mel is the most amazing mother I've ever seen. She is attentive, deliberate in her praise and her discipline, slow to anger, and absolutely in love with all three of her boys (I'm the third in case you're confused)! Mel hopes to get back into the classroom at some time in the future and with that in mind she took it upon herself to take all the required Texas Educator Assessments. She studied for less than a week and passed them with flying colors! For the time being Mel stays home and watches Jackson, Ian, and another beautiful baby boy Brooks Correll-Hughes. Brooks is the son of our friends Larry and Christy Correll-Hughes. Mel continues to develop her skills as a photographer though she hasn't had much time to paint or work on other art projects.

Mel's 08 in Pictures...

My own year has been somewhat of a whirlwind adventure. I continue to serve at Baylor University as a Residence Hall Director in the Campus Living & Learning Department, though we have transitioned to a new community. Previously we were living and working in Martin Hall, a traditional freshmen residence. Our apartment was located right off the main lobby. Suffice to say the space was tight and the noise level a little overwhelming at times! So, with the impending arrival of a second little one we decided to move to the Arbors Residential Community, an apartment style complex primarily intended for upperclassmen. For the family it has been a wonderful move. Jackson has a yard of sorts, plenty of sidewalks to patrol on his trike and decorate when his artistic juices are flowing. Mel has a more traditional "home" with a hallway and everything (those who have been to our old place know exactly what I'm talking about)! However, for me the move has been difficult. I was very passionate about working with freshmen men. Their energy level and excitement provided so many opportunities to engage them, to mentor them. With upperclassmen it's not nearly as volatile, not nearly as intense, but I'm learning there is also a depth there that I may not have touched on while in Martin. On the long term front I am continuing to pursue graduate studies in Literature & Religion in the hopes of a Ph.D. somewhere down the road, but it's not an easy path to tread. I battled more academically this past semester than ever before, but I also learned a TON! I eventually escaped my coursework with excellent grades but not before elevating my thinking and writing to entirely new levels (a somewhat painful process)!

The plain and simple truth for this year is that we've been blessed. Mel and I enjoyed a whirlwind get-away to Europe in the spring. We visited Rome, Florence, and Venice in Italy, then explored Luzcern, Switzerland, and concluded with Munich, Germany.

The trip was brief, but we thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to return again soon. Gawking at St. Peters Cathedral, having a candle-lit dinner on the canal in Venice, making snow angels in the Swiss Alps, and greeting random new friends over dinner and drinks at a Munich Biergarten are things everyone should experience at some point in their life! We've cheered on the Baylor Basketball and Football programs with all the dedication and tenacity we could muster, seeing the Men's Basketball team reach the NCAA tournament for the first time in 20 years and seeing the birth of a new era in Bear football under new head coach Art Briles! We've enjoyed countless hours visiting with my folks both here in Waco and up at their Bed and Breakfast in Hillsboro, TX (www.1895TarltonHouse.com). We've been blessed to entertain both of Melissa's folks who made the trek from California to greet Ian.

In summation, 2008 has been all about community for us. We have lived and loved and will aspire to do more of both in 2009! Please feel free to drop us a line and let us know the latest goings on in your own lives!

Jonathan, Melissa, Jackson, & Ian Stoops
jonathan_stoops@baylor.edu
mmstoops@hotmail.com

my birthday approaches...

2009-01-02T19:12:00.000-08:00

I don't want to turn 30 but apparently it's going to happen anyway. I've been informed that the appropriate retaliation to such an unfortunate event is to celebrate it. I know it doesn't make a lot of sense, but hey, anything to get family and friends together! Here's the lowdown... my actual birthday is February 10th (5:48 am if you were wondering). I'm not really into the cut the cake and party hats celebration anymore and it's fairly impossible to get everyone together at the same time anyway so I've identified two special events,one the weekend before my birthday and one after, that we're inviting anyone and everyone to attend! If you can make one, great, both, amazing, neither, you're no longer welcome here! JUST KIDDING!!!

On February 8th (Sunday) the Ft. Worth Stockshow and Rodeo finals will be held at the Amon Carter Arena in Fort Worth. It's the largest indoor rodeo in the U.S. and an all-day carnival experience for the whole family. Jackson loves the rodeo so it's a no-brainer. Our plans involve a day at the grounds, funnel cake and hot dogs, the rodeo finals, and then dinner out in Ft. Worth (location TBD but nothing too fancy).

On Saturday, February 14th (I know it's Valentines Day, but if you're interested in spending some portion of the day with a group, then here ya go!), we'll be doing a big lunch at Rudy's BBQ here in Waco and then attending the Baylor Men's Basketball game versus the loathsome cult known as the Texas A&M Aggies. It's one of the best rivalries Baylor has going and is sure to be exciting (last year was a record breaking 5 overtime nail biter that ended with a Baylor victory!).

Those are the ways I intend to celebrate. If you plan on joining us please drop us a comment or an email indicating your intentions! Any family contemplating making the trip from distant lands like California or Colorado let us know ASAP! It'll be first come, first served, but we can offer reduced (if not free) room rates and free basketball tickets on the 14th. However, space will be limited for both and the sooner I have commitments the sooner we can lock up your beds and/or seats!

The Song & Dance of the Political Machine...

2008-09-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

Maybe I just don't care anymore... I mean seriously, the whole party system that dominates our political system is dysfunctional. I don't think it matters who an individual is or what they really desire for the country... I don't think the intelligence of our fearless leader really matters... it seems as though we're destined to flip flop between the world of big business and the world of big government.

Obama is inspiring, so is Palin. Neither party represents socialism, neither party represents anarchy, they are more alike than they are different (though you would need to be aware of world politics to have the scope to see that). Frankly, I just don't care anymore. My faith in Jesus Christ does not require me to seek a theocracy, in fact when Christ spoke of giving to Caesar what is Caesars, he was not referring to submission to a "Godly government" in ANY way, shape, or form. He believed that government served a purpose and it was not the role of our faith to usurp that purpose. In America we have developed a system of government that allows for us to practice our faith openly. It is the church, the church body, the members of EVERY Christ-centered congregation, that are responsible for loving others, for teaching the love of Christ, for caring for unwed mothers, feeding the hungry, for caring for the infirm, and for encouraging proper choices when facing decisions of moral consequence.

In other words, why do Christians want the Government to enforce morality and why do some Christians and non-Christians want the Government to care for the have-nots of society??? Seems to me the church isn't doing its job. Look inward for solutions before you seek to use legislation to salve the wounds of society.

Blah. Blah. Blah.

Spirituality; The Yin & Yang.

2008-08-05T21:10:00.001-07:00

I was raised in the Assembly of God denomination. The AG is a protestant, evangelical, and charismatic (read: penecostal) Christian denomination. In the grand scheme of things my beliefs are not too far removed (after nearly three decades of life) from what the AG holds to be true. How I choose to live out my faith, though, seems to be considerably different from my AG heritage and from my Baptist brethren around Baylor.

In all reality, I'm not a theologian. Eric and Blake can talk circles around me when it comes to who said what, why, and in what language (and what that all has to do with Jesus, the Calvinists, and the diefication of Mary). I approach my relationship with the Lord from a very real and practical perspective (informed by study and the input of those with more brain cells than myself, i.e. Eric, Blake, C.S. Lewis, etc). What it comes down to, for me, is how we actually live out our Christian lives... Meaning how do our beliefs manifest themselves in our daily existence.

Christ calls us to LOVE, first and foremost. Christ calls us to faith, to belief, respect, and admiration for a creator who gave us life, gave us free will, and provided forgiveness when we used that free will to seperate ourselves from his loving presence (Adam & Eve, original sin, ask if you need more on that one).

My thing is, why do we seem to have a bunch of "emotional" Christians on one side of the room and a bunch of "intellectual" Christians on the other side?

When I subscribe to a belief in a divine creator I'm not going to place him in a box and tell him what he/she can or cannot be/do. I do not believe I am capable of understanding the mystery that is our Heavenly Father. However, I do see us, as humans, as reflections of that Father, flawed yes, but in His image none-the-less. Well, as far as I can tell, we seem to live our lives in three dimensions, the physical, the emotional, and the intellectual. See one missing??? I'm not including "spiritual" because I don't see how you can seperate your spirituality from any of the rest. Faith, true faith in Christ, is a way of life, not just a tradition. When something becomes a "way of life" it permeates your being, it's a part of everything you do! So when I ride my bike, I'm praising the Lord, seeking guidance, reflecting. When I study, I'm doing so with the intention of equipping myself for the future the Lord has for me, so that I will be ready and able as the Lord calls. When I sing, whether it's Jesus Loves Me, the latest from David Crowder, or Bon Jovi in the shower, I'm lifting my God-given voice and I believe the Lord rejoices in me making a joyful noise!

I guess I'm saying that it seems to me that there are a lot of folks out there who seem to be subscribing to an incomplete faith. Let's study the Word, but let's not take it to seriously (those missions folks are wacko!). Let's sing some songs but nothing that invites emotive behavior into the equation (goodness, we wouldn't want those messy emotions involved in our nice clean church). Let's praise Jesus, dance in circles, and bang our tamberines, but let's not challenge the theology... this is church, we don't do intellection here!...yah......you get the idea. If your faith is not being exercised in each facet of your life, why?

I was introduced to a new word today, NEPSIS. Not sure if that's spelled correctly. I believe it's Greek (apparently shows up all over the new testament) and it refers to a manifesting or discipline of the spirit sometimes called mindfullness. It is essentially the process of being self aware, internally aware, applying critical or analytical thought to ones own faith and life.

You pray. You study. You worship. Do you practice nepsis? Examine your life.

Politics, gonna make some folks upset...

2008-07-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

Eric dropped these in the comments section and I really enjoyed them both. My position against Obama is softened by the Relevant article, but the WSJ reminds me that it's still a murky picture and empathetic words are not policy.

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life_article.php?id=7591

http://blogs.wsj.com/politicalperceptions/2008/07/15/obama-faces-tough-choice-as-democrats-split-on-abortion/?mod=googlenews_wsj

The rest of my post remains unchanged. I'm back to not being sure where I stand... oh well.

I'm sad. I don't want white, old, and religious. I'd love a breath of fresh air, a political candidate that speaks with conviction, that stands on moral high ground, that is honest and real. Someone with a genuine faith, a fresh outlook on life, and government. A candidate interested in balancing the budget (notice that I didn't say lowering taxes). Sound like Obama to you?

I thought it might be as well, but I've hit a road block I cannot and will not get past. Obama is liberal, he's a democrat, but honestly, I didn't care. I'm done with party politics, I just wanted to see someone with authenticity and conviction. BUT, the whole abortion issue has me dead in my tracks. No, it's not about being pro-choice or pro-life. I actually don't care which side of the fence the government is on in that regard, I'm much more interested in what we as a community, as churches, as friends, and as family members can do to help mothers make wise choices (not legislating the choice for them).

BUT OBAMA VOTED AGAINST THE BAN ON PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTIONS. On top of that he voted against Born Alive Infants Protection Act. I'm not going to delve into the grisly details here... you can do that somewhere else if you want but here's the gist. Partial birth abortions involve the killing of fetuses that, if born at that moment, have an extremely good chance of survival. I cannot support a practice such as that... but he doesn't stop there. The BORN ALIVE INFANTS PROTECTION ACT was a simple piece of legislation that would have provided protection and medical care for babies born alive (accidentally) during an abortion procedure. Hillary Clinton didn't vote against this act, even Mr. Liberal Ted Kennedy didn't vote against it!!! Who did? Obama.

I really don't believe in the right wing desire to legislate morality. I believe it's our responsibility, not the governments, to love on others, to instruct others in living life to the fullest, in making healthy lifestyle choices, and in pursuing a knowledge of and relationship with our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. But the government should provide a basic framework of essential morality... you know, like do not murder, do not steal, etc. Obama's vote indicates this, a baby is born during an abortion, that baby is alive and breathing... it's then ok to KILL IT! Literally, that's what he is voting for... no matter what a mother's intention is, a baby living and breathing is a baby. I happen to believe that is the case for ALL fetuses, and when I have counseled friends in the past I've said exactly that. But I see NO difference in this scenario than the woman who decides she can't handle a baby a week or a month or 5 years into motherhood so she drops the child in a dumpster, suffocates it with a pillow, drowns IT in the tub. Nope. Mr. Obama, that's the sanctioned murder of children. Gloss it over with pretty words if you like, but it remains an abhorrent and disgusting practice.

No way. No thanks. Please feel free to comment!!!!

The Dark Knight a bit dark...

2008-07-18T14:14:00.000-07:00

Soapbox social commentary follows...

Well, we attended Batman: The Dark Knight, at midnight last night. It was a fun evening! My Mother offered to stay the night to watch Jackson so Melissa and I were free to slip out and join my Arbors Summer School Staff at the theater! Suffice to say the movie was a good one... but what does that mean?

I guess I should preface this a little. I am a Heath Ledger fan, no, not because of Brokeback Mountain, but because of A Knight's Tale. As an English major and a movie buff who wouldn't enjoy the light hearted antics, constant anachronisms, not so subtle references to the real Chaucer's tales, and the well acted roles of Will (Ledger) and Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany).

So, unlike most celebirty gossip, the death (possible suicide) of Mr. Ledger after the filming of Batman, where he plays the psychotic Joker, saddened me deeply. Most of the time I am admittedly arrogant in response to the latest Hollywood drama. I mean I don't really care if Lyndsey is headed back to rehab or if Brittany is in a custody battle. The exposed underbelly of a film star's life is drivel to me, they face the same temptations we all face, sometimes on a grander scale due to the size of their purses or bank accounts, but drunk driving doesn't become glamorous just because it was some starlet... not to me anyway. I can forgive them for making a mistake, but I refuse to see them as more important or more victimized than the average person. But with Mr. Ledger I guess I felt different. He had starred in a film that I felt was genuinely inspirational and it allowed me to feel an affinity for him that I had not felt for an actor or actress before.

Soooooo, Ledger plays the Joker. He's a genius. Plain and simple his performance is captivating, terrifying, and downright convincing. I read in the paper that Ledger admitted to struggling with depression and a lack of sleep after his hours portraying the Joker on the movie set, and after seeing his charismatic assumption of the role I can see why. The Joker is really the focus of the film. Batman is just a substory. What the film asks the audience to confront is a man who is not fueled by money, power, or sex, but by chaos itself. The Joker intricately sets people and plans in motion that bring about anarchy, a loss of public trust in government and good, and the twisting of love to hate.

The news is talking Oscars, the audience exiting the theater was echoing that sentiment.

One simple question; What kind of society do we live in that a man can assume a role so evil that it drives him to his own death and we, in our infinite wisdom, will celebrate him for it?

I understand there are other factors, I understand the movie didn't kill him directly, but is there not some sickness here?

Blue Skies & Bar-B-Q

2008-07-16T21:43:00.000-07:00

Blue skies and bar-b-q, a typical summer day in Texas, right? Not when the BBQ involves a jaunt to the airport, hopping in an airplane, and soaring across the state just so we can sample the famous fare at Hard 8 in Stephenville, Texas! It was all made possible by our pilot and friend Barry. Since yesterday was Mel's and my 8th anniversary I had asked if Barry might be able to give us a little sight seeing adventure with a once around town kind of flight. Well, Barry took it to another level. From the beautiful scenery, to the mouth watering brisket and sausage, to the moon filled horizon on the way home, it was an amazing adventure.

We took the flipvideo with us. It's not always easy to tell what's going on, but I think some of the clips are pretty fun and it'll give you perspective on how the trip went...

This first clip features our takeoff from the McGregor Executive Airfield. Listen to that Cessna 172 get after it on the runway! :)

Hard 8 in Stephenville, TX. Some pretty dadgum good bar-b-q if I may say so myself! I thoroughly recommend the sausage, the brisket, and the blackberry cobbler with ice cream. You can see that Jackson was having a blast.

Trouble at the airfield. Soooo... what happens when the airplane wont start? We tried, and tried, and tried... this clip here is attempt number 8.

Waco in all her night-time splendor. The aerial view makes Valley Mills Drive look like the Las Vegas Strip! Seriously though, we circle Baylor twice in this one, you can clearly see the garage-majal, the BSB, Penland and her neighboring tennis courts. From the actual plane you could actually see a lot more, we even caught sight of our home and car!

It was a wonderful adventure that we definitely did not anticipate! It was a joy to see Jackson awestruck by the plane and by flight, even more of a joy to see the happiness that Barry felt in getting to share with us especially with JackJack!

WALL-E

2008-07-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 cups Liberal Tree Hugger
1 cup epic science fiction
3 ounces of "We're victims of our own technological advancement."
1 tbs. of Johnny 5
8 ounces of You Complete Me
and 1 pound of We Are Pixar and we're darn good at what we do.

Result= Wall-e

It's awesome. I'm not much of a conservation guru, but the message is a good one and the artistry with which it is portrayed is inspirational! The story ranges from cute to gripping to down-right moving. Seriously, it's a cartoon, but it's one of the best that Pixar has done and that's saying something.

Vomit on Blog.

2008-07-13T07:51:00.000-07:00

I feel a rush of madness coming on like a Route 35 semi who seems unable to read the speed limit signs.

How far have I strayed from my strict evangelical roots? I'm not really sure as it appears the older I get the more liberal (theologically speaking) many others profess to be (and yet I had no clue). Back in the day I attended an Assembly of God church and not just any AG church but a small button down kind that fueded with the Baptists, believed speaking in tongues was necessary for salvation (and obviously Billy Graham must do so in the confines of his closet), that Catholics had nothing to do with Christianity (never had, never will, just a bunch of overindulgent irish folk), and that despite all the scripture about love and faith the real expression of rebirth in Christ was to confront friend and foe alike, to do battle for the forces of good passing judgment at random, and only joking about those church approved subjects such as homosexuality, etc.

Where am I now? I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins. I believe it was a literal sacrifice for the symbolic representation of mankind's sin. I believe that Christ spoke to the world and continues to speak through scripture, however I do not believe in the infallibility of all scripture (you know, the books assembled and edited by the MEN at the Nicean Council (sp?)). I believe in Christ as my savior because His greatest commandment is love, because His impact in the world is healing and helping (it's mankind who can twist ANYTHING including God or Religion into a reason for murder, war, and destruction), and I believe in Christ because the power of prayer and of God in my life is evident! I know love, I know compassion, and I have seen and continue to see the Lord move in my life as I seek Him.

If you are a Christian in this day and age do you start your day with prayer? Do you read the bible? Do you give, not only to your church, but in compassion for others in need? I HAVE A CHALLENGE FOR ANYONE OUT THERE WHO ATTENDS CHURCH, CALLS THEMSELVES A CHRISTIAN, BUT IS STRUGGLING OR OFFENDED BY WHAT I'VE SAID...

Read "Velvet Elvis" by Rob Bell and "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. No I'm not using alternative texts in place of scripture, but I'm NOT putting God in a box and my brain on a pedastal. I believe that our understanding of God is miniscule and that I can and should learn from others. I read with an open mind but a discerning heart, you should do the same.

For any who've been hurt and hurt deeply, read "The Shack" by William P. Young and "Where is God When It Hurts" by Phillip Yancy.

God is Love. Paul said that the Lord is evident in His creation all around us. Christ is in the healing and helping of the poor and infirmed. I don't think our neighbors are as far from believing as we think they are, we've just moved "salvation" a little farther out of their reach. If we are to reach the lost as Christ did we should do it through the demonstration of Love without reservation or restriction. Christ's love was NOT intended for those willing to believe, it was FOR EVERYONE.

May the Lord use me as he sees fit. I am lost without Him. He is my Rock, my Salvation, my Comforter, and my Father. He challenges me and guides me.

Jackson Davis Stoops

2008-07-12T10:02:00.000-07:00

How cute is this kid?!?

Expanding Vocabulary

Jam Session

Cuz when baby cousins hold hands it's ADORABLE!

How Jackson eats an Oreo...

Lord Save Us from Your Followers???

2008-06-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

I recently attended a conference in Ohio for the Association of Christians in Student Development (ACSD). While there I saw a film by writer and former advising guru Dan Merchant entitled Lord Save Us From Your Followers.

The premise is simply that the Gospel, how it is portrayed, or the people who claim it are dividing America. Right versus Left, Red versus Blue, Christian versus Non-Christian, and so on and so forth. The documentary paints a powerful and often villifying picture of what the "church" has done here in America juxtaposed with the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. For me, it was powerful. I don't consider myself a close minded Christian, a right-winger, etc. In fact my beliefs likely place me on the "liberal side" of many social issues while my views on economics is considerably more "conservative". Be that as it may, I was challenged on my inaction and inability to love my fellow mankind.

Christ reprimanded the pharisees, he chastised the self proclaimed righteous men of the day, he LOVED on those who were poor, weak, infirmed, and lost. He did so without requiring a response! When was the last time you LOVED on an alcoholic, someone who was homeless, someone with an alternative lifestyle, AND DID SO WITHOUT EXPECTATION OR JUDGEMENT?!?!?!?!?!

Please watch the film! Share it with your friends and family!

http://www.lordsaveusthemovie.com/home.html

WATCH the free preview.

two wheeled reflections...

2008-06-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

You know that rush you got when you were a kid pounding your bike around the cul-de-sac or flying down that trail down the street? Well apparently you can still feel that way! My mountain biking addiction continues!

I wonder about the world in which we live. A world where technological advancements are eliminating our need to exert physical effort, where watching others play sports is replacing childhood participation in said sports. A world, well a nation anyway, suffering from an obesity epidemic. I don't think I'm interested in seeing my children battle diabetes (as I am doing) or struggle to sort out their self confidence issues as go through school on the heavy end. I'm not about to put my kids through boot camp either, but I fully intend to teach AND model, a healthy and active lifestyle.

Today I joined 3 students (two former residents, 1 of my former student leaders) for a ride. For those who know Cameron we rode from campus to the park, river trail to powerline, kite and slinky, down vortex, up baseball, down halebop, up act of faith, around shyst, down speedrun, up dead river, and out California 56. I don't think I could have ridden all of that 3 months ago, not fitness wise or skill wise. I love the adrenaline rush, I love the sense of accomplishment when I improve, and I love trying to keep up with 19 and 20 year olds who know No fear.

$4/gallon and an obesity epidemic. Get on a bike and ride!

Stoops

Battling Addictions...

2008-06-21T13:45:00.000-07:00

I feel the need to ventilate a little. I'm tired of being the big guy and I'm tired of trying to change, succeeding a little, falling off the wagon, hit rewind, start again. My weight over the past 4 years; 255 down to 197, up to 243 down to 220, up to 245, down to 218, up to 250, down to my current weight of 235.

Seriously?

I have come to the conclusion that over-eating and living an unhealthy lifestyle is an addiction. I happen to have walked a similar road recently that may provide some insight.

I KNOW that I CAN change. Today is my 151st day without chewing tobacco. I chewed off and on (mostly on) from the time I was 19 (10 years for those who are counting). I became a "can-a-day" dipper. I was fully addicted, no desire to quit, and a fear that even if I wanted to, I would NOT be able to give it up. I dipped before breakfast, on the golf course, in the bathroom, but I hid it as well. I didn't chew in class (as a student or as a teacher). And yet, there isn't an assignment or paper (not a major one anyway) that I didn't throw in a dip before completing. I wanted to give it up for myself, didn't happen. I tried to do it for my wife, failed. I desperately wanted to give it up for my Son! I continued to chew. Then almost 5 months ago I decided it was time. I quit cold turkey and I'm not looking back.

Was it hard? Hell yes.

Is it still difficult? From time to time.

To an extent I can say "I have succeeded", however there isn't a point in this lifetime where I can say that this addiction is no longer a part of me. I have to choose victory over my desire for nicotine every day. For those facing addiction, I have a couple of pointers.

1. Embrace the Quit. The quit is painful, it causes headaches, it causes moodswings, sometimes it causes holes in the wall (well, not directly, but you get it). There's a concept described in the book Good to Great by Jim Collins known as the Stockdale Theory. It's a great sub-story and I would encourage you to read it (I'm not going to share it here). The MORAL of the story is that we have to EMBRACE the BRUTAL facts WITHOUT ACCEPTING FAILURE or defeat.

2. Scare yourself a little. Memorize the WORST that your addiction could do to you. You know those pictures your Junior High Health teacher always wanted to show you, the ones of some kid who chewed and now he doesnt have a lip or a jaw? I hated those, even before I was a chewer. Well, I studied them. I made myself nauseated looking at pics of cancerous mouth sores because I wanted to train my mind to drag out those images every time I was tempted to purchase a can of dip. On top of that, I made a list of everyone and everything I would miss in this life if I were gone. I know, dark right? But it was effective.

3. Find Support. I enlisted a bunch of people around me and joined a group online (dippers go to http://www.qs.org/). I asked them to ask me about it all the time, to pray for me often, and to forgive me as I battled through the coming weeks. Part of the support piece is accountability. If you can find support from someone who's been through what you're going through, they can be invaluable. One other piece on support... I COULD NOT HAVE SUCCEEDED WITHOUT PRAYER. I had some very intense conversations with our Heavenly Father, but I am certain that my desire to rely on the Lord and to seek Him in my greatest weekness was crucial to my success.

4. Avoid Triggers & Plan for 3 minutes of hell. Avoiding triggers is pretty self explanatory. Avoid temptation. I didn't go inside a gas station to pay for my gas for atleast a month. Seeing the dip was a trigger. I didn't play golf for 3 MONTHS! The 3 mins of hell bit??? A crave lasts between 30 seconds and 3 minutes. Provide yourself with things to do that will take you at least that long. Things you'll pick up on short notice. A couple things worked really well for me; reading and exercise. Initially all the reading I did was about nicotine addiction and motivational stories from folks who had succeeded. Later I moved on to grabbing a novel, the newspaper, or the latest blog bytes from my friends.

5. One final step. Celebrate success. It feels GREAT to succeed, make a big deal out of it. 1 day, 1 month, 1 year... celebrate! Just don't EVER deceive yourself with the I did so well I'd like to celebrate with a (insert your addiction here).

Soooooooooooo. All that to say, food/fat isn't necessarily any different. I have some goals and I'm devising a plan (with the help of a trainer and a nutritionist). I just thought it might be helpful for me to "talk" through my one life changing experience before I throw everything I've got behind this next endeavor. I'll post the plan, etc., sometime in the next couple of days.

Blessings friends!

Any questions about addiction or if you're looking for a resource of some type, let me know and I'll see what I can find.

STOOPS

Comprehensive STOOPS update...

2008-06-18T09:22:00.000-07:00

The family update...

Jonathan has transitioned over to the Arbors Residential Complex (apartments). He is both excited and nervous. He'll be working with a lot of the athletes, which he enjoys, but it's also difficult on the facilities management side of things. Jonathan is also prepping for his pursuit of a Ph.D. in English!

Melissa is PREGNANT! For those who haven't heard we are pregnant with Number 2. We're due October 7th and it's another Boy! Please place name suggestions in the comment area, we're struggling a little. Mel is currently in California visiting family with Jackson. Mel's plans involve raising two boys and hopefully getting back into the classroom in a couple of years (at least part time anyway).

Jackson. almost 2 and going on 7. Seriously, this kid is so verbal it's ridiculous! Jackson does all the things a boy should from riding his trike to skinning his knee to trying to eat bugs, etc. He is the most amazing blessing and an absolutely beautiful child! At 22 months Jackson is in about the 15th percentile in weight (he's SKINNY) but 50 percentile in height and head circumference. He has an enormous vocabulary (most colors, mail truck, combine, tractor, all the characters in Nemo, Backyardigans, and Cars, and a WHOLE LOT MORE).

That's all I have for now. More to come later. Email us at MMSTOOPS@HOTMAIL.COM

WHERE DID ALL THESE POSTS COME FROM!

2008-06-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

READ THIS ONE.

OK. This is a NEW, but old Blog. I set up this blog last year then never used it. I've decided that since I no longer will be using my Martin blog (I just took over the Arbors Apartment Complex), and since I hate Myspace and can barely stand Facebook, that I will scratch my latest rants, raves, and psuedo-intellectual musings right here. The posts I moved over are from all kinds of random dates over the last year, so keep that in mind as you read them. I just didn't want to lose all my posts when transitioning over.

From Here On (meaning everything above this post) will correlate to the actual posting date. Everything BELOW here is OLD even though it says it came from yesterday and today.

StOOpS

Ph.D. in English???

2008-06-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

So how does Dr. Stoops sound?

Well, it appears I have a chance to pursue a PhD here at Baylor despite the normal limitations placed on such an endeavor for full time staffers. See, my undergrad is in English, my Masters in Education. I love working in higher education, I hate studying it (not normal right?). My desire for furthered education revolves around understanding the human condition. I don't really know where the Lord is calling me, only that I love working with college students and that should I climb the ladder in Student Life I will only move further and further from the actual students. Sooo, English. I love to be psychoanalytical, to delve into emotional reasoning, abstract logic, tragedy, and triumph, all to understand how a person came to be who they are. As an RHD it's great. I love my residents, I want to know their stories and I want to help them write a brilliant continuation and conclusion down the road. I don't really see a distinction between literature and life except that bad writers tend to jumble it up so it's unrecognizable, too dark, too cheery, too perverse, too pristine. hmmm, interesting theory I just threw out there. Don't know if I agree with it or not. I like writers who see the whole picture but can paint the intimate details as well... utilizing words that collide and connect to bring a man to life, conflict so real it resonates with our soul, tragedy whether absurd or common-place that it pierces and pains, and triumph whether in consolation, desperation or domination, that it overwhelms us with joy.

Am I capable of passing classes in a doctoral program? My job is difficult but I believe I am good at it. Can I balance work, family, and school and give them all my very best?

So I got sidetracked, here's the loophole I was referring to earlier. See, staffers can take classes up through the Masters level for free, but not the Ph.D. However, the English program has a deal where IF you have Masters degree, but cannot meet the entrance requirements of the Ph.D. you may enroll in the M.A. program with the intention of petitioning for promotion to the Ph.D. after your first 15 units. The catch, you have to maintain a 3.5 gpa and, in general, impress the mess out of everyone. Pressure anyone? Sooooo, my plan is to take classes part time for the next couple of years, take them slowly and give my very best. Accumulate knowledge for the sake of wisdom and see what grade shows up on the roster at the end of each term. If I can knock out those first 15 units at a 3.5 and about 12 units of foreign language, part time, over the next 2 to 3 years, then I will petition for promotion, apply for an assistantship, let my wife bring home the bacon, and finish the program full time.

I start in the fall with a Research and Writing class with Dr. Barcus. Here goes everything.

EPIC Ride

2008-06-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

Well... I went through an experience that made me feel like crap and totally blessed simoultaneously. For those of you who know, I've taken to this mountain biking thing pretty seriously. As is often the case I have consumed vast amounts of information about the sport, the equipment, techniques, where to ride, etc. During the course of my information assimilation (my Input strength at work), I decided to build a bike just to develop a better understanding of bikes. To make a long story short I built a bike, sold it, and proceeded to buy my "dream frame" (the one in my budget anyway) and start again. I took said frame to the shop to have a new headset installed (headsets require a press and special tools and knowledge I do not have, hence the trip to the shop). While at the shop my bike was accidentally damaged. Not fun for anyone involved. I just dropped $350 on a used bike frame and now what? Well, the guy at the shop replaced it with a $900 used bike frame. Ummm, wow?!?! I went from feeling entitled but guilty for feeling entitled to feeling blessed and like I owed him something. You guys know how I am, I wouldn't send food back unless it was absolutely disgusting.

As I type I'm discovering something. My desire for approval from the bike shop guys is pretty pronounced. That's funny, I mean I have great friends, an amazing family, a fantastic job, and yet because I love mountain biking so much I really want the guys at the shop to like me. The WOO strikes again (refernce to Winning Others Over, from the Gallup Strengths Finder Assessment). I know a lot of local shops are pretty adamant that anything bicycle oriented should be purchased through them, you know "support the local guys" kind of mantra. That's fine and all, but I make jack squat. For me to build a higher end bike it's going to be one piece at a time, purchased via ebay or mail order at some ridiculous discount. The shop shouldn't be offended by that should they? Who's going to service my bike, make repairs, teach me more about the sport and help me upgrade down the way? They've got plenty of opportunities to make money off of me. If their concern is my noobish efforts to do what they do for a living, shouldn't they be excited to see someone falling in love with their sport?

ANYWAY, I'm now in the process of assembling a new (to me anyway) Specialized Epic S-Works Mountain Bike. Just the frame retailed for ~$1800 back in '04 when it was new. It should be a great fit for me as the whole reason for buying and building another bike was to get a dual suspension bike that would allow me to develop a little more confidence on some of the trickier descents in Cameron Park (and be a little softer on my joints).

Anyway, Ian, if you ever happen onto this blog, I'm sorry man, but thanks for the bike. I love it and promise to ride the crap out of it (12 pounds lost, 44 more to go).

Stock photo of the my new bike frame below. I'll get pics up when I get it assembled!

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Reflections on Baylor Football

2008-06-18T06:26:00.000-07:00

As most of you know I take Baylor Football pretty seriously (I know, fairly sadistic right?). Well, we've got a new coach, Art Briles, and with him a whole new staff. They've been around for several months now so I've had a chance to hear a LOT from the guys (meaning players) with whom I interact on a regular basis. The general consensus; he's amazing.

Briles and crew are a breath of fresh air. They've got the whole team on overdrive. The strength coach is a beast who is redefining how these young men think about the concept of athletics and self improvement. Briles himself is all over the field doing hands on instruction. He sets the tone for his staff and they are apparently following suit.

So how does this all translate come fall? Maybe not in wins (you've seen the schedle). But undoubtedly in competitiveness. To be honest I think we may win some games that folks wont see coming (UCONN, WSU, TTU, and more). We may even go bowling. No Lie. The fact is, we're going to be competitive straight out of the gate. We have PLENTY of talent on this team (what's that, you heard differently?). YES, we need more to beat the likes of UT and A&M on a consistent basis. But, we've got as much talent in the stables as Kansas did during their meteoric ride last season. Now we have a coach who appears to have the talent and charisma to put it all together.

I know some of you will think I'm pumping sunshine, but it's for a real. My ONLY concern is that Briles doesn't grasp that this is Baylor, not UH. This isn't some commuter school in the ghetto. There are a lot of political factors that he needs to be aware of in order to succeed. Beyond that I have issues with the isolation of our players from the regular student body. Baylor is about tradition and college football is about buying in and playing for your teammates, your coach, and the name on the Front of your jersey. No one is buying into "Baylor" on the football field right now, but if we're going to get better that's where we'll have to be. Don't underestimate ownership in the program and school pride.

Our trip to Europe...

2008-06-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

well, we scratched the surface. Too tired to write too much right now, but I did post a fun little photo album on my Facebook page. See, we took Elmo to Europe with us instead of Jackson (you're worried, right?). Well, we wanted to pull an Amelei (spelling? French movie, the gnome thing... r u confused?), but instead of using a gnome, we'd use Elmo and send pics back to Jackson while we were there.

This is the end result.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2173941&id=9222009

MTB-a new found addiction

2008-06-17T15:17:00.000-07:00

I LOVE MOUNTAIN BIKING.

I've lived in Colorado, Seattle, and Southern California. Did I ever mountain bike in those places...? no. Do heavy-set (meaning obese) guys ride bikes? no. Does Wacko Texas have any mountains???? NO! Then what the heck am I talking about?

Waco is home to Cameron Park, the 2nd largest municipal park in the nation (behind Central Park in NY). Cameron Park is shady (ahhh, the double entendre)... anyway. The Park is my new respite. Miles of single track bike trails meander up and down hill sides and shale cliffs amongst a veritable jungle. The trails are so good that cameron park played host to the 2004 Mountain Biking National Championships, and was a HIT! Can you imagine being the MTB Professional from Durango or Moab... Nationals coming up in... Texas? They do know we ride MOUNTAIN bikes right? But, as I said, the park is unreal.

I'm NOT a good mountain biker, not by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm learning. The park trails are laid out like ski runs, Green for beginner trails, Blue for Intermediate, Black for Advanced, and Double Black for Suicidal. I can ride most, if not all, of the blues now and a couple blacks.

Maybe I've finally found a habit that will help me shed a few pounds!
Stoops

Fatherhood

2008-06-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

Unreal. My Son, Jackson, is unreal. How can someone so small own my heart so fully. I am blessed with an amazing Wife and a truly remarkable child.

Random Leadership Musings

2008-06-17T15:06:00.000-07:00

I tend to be self depricating, probably out of selfishness or fear, but sometimes out of legitimate humility. Others see that as a weakness. I suppose that it is in a way but I also feel that someone who intends to lead others must understand his/her own humanity. John Wooden once said "If you're not failing then you're not doing. Doers will often fail."

A couple years back I read a book titled "Christian Reflections on the Leadership Challenge" by Posner and Kouzes. One of the things they stressed was that it's unlikely you're leading if you're not apologizing. Leaders are authentic, they're connected, and they don't fear failure as much as they embrace adversity (including their own shortcomings, "the brutal facts" for you Collins readers out there).

BUT... there must be a balance. A soft spoken, spineless, overly apologetic leader isn't likely to attract a following. Where's the formula? Assert yourself when it's right, challenge folks around you, support the men and women around you, but be real with them as well.

Jackson Davis Stoops

2007-02-27T14:50:00.000-08:00

The pics, as promised...

Welcome!

2007-02-27T14:45:00.000-08:00

Well, in an effort to stop utilizing Myspace to keep in touch with so many of you, I've decided to start a blog where I'll post my ramblings and, more importantly, pictures of the family!

For those of you who don't know, Melissa and I had a baby boy on August 18th, 2006. Jackson Davis Stoops is the most amazing gift from the Lord and we are so blessed to have him in our lives. We currently live in Waco, TX where I serve as a Residence Hall Director for over 300 freshmen at Baylor University. My position is basically 1/2 School Principal and 1/2 Live-In Pastor. It's a wonderful experience that we are definitely enjoying.

Jonathan, Melissa, & Jackson Stoops
jonathan_stoops@baylor.edu
mmstoops@hotmail.com