Paradox Porch: May 2006

Earth...

Caption this 4 ...

WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS!!

Not this year Anaheim!

First off, I may as well get this out of the way: Wooooohhooo [running around my house, pants on my head, home-made Oilers banner flapping in the wind].

Penultimate riots on Whyte Avenue tonight, and I'm sure the mob will raise a few Heritage buildings for good measure, since, afterall, this is the greatest day in modern day Oilers fandom. A Stanley Cup Finals appearance is an indelible marker in history, rarely lost in the murk of a hockey fan's playoff memories, plus... WE WON A BOWL! We're back in the finals where we belong!

The Clarence Campbell bowl is actually one of the finer looking pieces of NHL hardware, but as per tradition, Jason Smith wasn't touching the thing. Four more wins! Four more wins! Four mor-... sorry, this mob thing is easy to fall back on.

More Oil wasabi:

- the "kindly send off Bob Cole on an ice floe" file: Jason Smith was somehow confused with Ryan Smyth for the fourteenth time in the series, despite standing perfectly still at centre ice accepting a trophy, with no other players around him, while wearing a jersey with his name on the back.

- Who do we want next? I hate this parlor game. Carolina has some pylons in the backend, more so than any other team thus far, while Buffalo has some serious injuries to capitalize on. Carolina, however, features Glen Wesley who I fondly remember sucking air as a rookie for Boston the last time we won the Cup. But ah, who am I kidding. I don't really care who it is, Buffalo has Grier (ex-Oil) and Carolina has Weight (ex-Oil), so....bring it!

- First 8th seed in the Stanley Cup Final! (Blogger friends, a query: who was the guy that back in September predicted the Oil to win the Cup, as a throwaway guess; I'm thinking Sports Illustrated but I know it's something else like that)

- Foam Finger Award: the 150 or so Oil fans gathered around the benches, giving Oilers high fives on the way to the dressing room

- Wayne Gretzky was skulking around the building, presumably trying to jinx the Oil or perhaps try to sell the younger players Ford F150s and McDonald's fries before the game. Listen up, Oil

alumni not currently employed by the Oilers: STAY AWAY. All evidence has shown that this glorified 1980s revisited stuff just distracts current Oil trying to do their own thing, SO LEAVE THEM ALONE.
(Love ya Wayne)
Sheesh, I've been saying this for like, how long? Where are all those nay-sayers now? The best team, the best franchise, the best fans, the best city. That's right read it again!!

The best team, the best franchise, the best fans, the best city.

Edmonton Oilers

ONWARD AND UPWARD!

"It's good for the soul of the city"

headed for Whyte!

Wonders

OK, so I go off to Newfoundland to speak, thinking a) I don't know what to expect and b) I will be used to bless & challenge others....

It was a good thing I didn't know what to expect because God overwhelmed me with people full of life and the opportunity to enjoy time with a few deep friends whose hearts beat as mine.
I am overwhelmed with amazement and love.

My experience changed me. My new friends inspire me, remind me of the goodness of God, and motivate me for the day we can be together again.

Words will not do justice to this experience, and as soon as I can find some time I will write more, but for now....

I am without speech

Off to Newfoundland

I'm off to Newfoundland in a few days,

don't know what to expect, but I'm looking forward to it!

speaking at SPRINGFORTH 2006

appreciate your prayers and thoughts

looking forward to what God has in store

And I teach English!!!

aocdrnicg to rsecareh at cmbagrdie Uinervtisy, it denos't mtater waht oredr the ltters in a wrod are in, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe

Uh....is there a problem officer?

Sing-song

Think "Once, Twice, Three Times My Savior" is a reach?

Check out some of the titles from Billboard's Top 20 Christian songs:

Jesus, Take The Wheel

Cry Out To Jesus

How Great Is Our God

I Need You To Love Me

Find Your Wings

Holding Onto You

All That I Am

I wonder if Jesus tires of all this schmaltz?

It's GO time!!!

7:30 am
Sunday May 7
42.2 kilometres

Bring it!

What a blast...

This is the best pace group, period!

Caption this 3...

OK, let's try this again (note # 2 below)...

best caption wins!

Thank God for Vegetarians!

They leave more meat for the rest of us!!

Atta-boygirl

I totally lost my playoff pool but...

The Oilers overcame two crappy periods to beat the most overrated team in the west! Hemsky's game-winner was beautiful!

YES! YES! YES! can you believe that COMEBACK??

WHOOO!!!!!!

And a 4-3 Oilers win? I think this beard is giving me magical powers.

Do I wish I was back home on Whyte Ave right now!

OILERRRRRRRZZZZZ!!!!!!