Fun on the Surface of the Sun

Hey!
Who wants to go to San Antonio on Friday?
OK, I'll meet you there.
Bring sun screen, I hear it's suppose to be 345 degrees.
Supa dupa

My Favorite Commercial

Tips For Finals

Just in case you wanted any...

Triathlon...check

OK, so this probably wasn't the best way to be introduced to triathlons. This one was crazy! The swim was actually the least of my problems, the bike was another story. The 9 mile course was all hills and not "weeee fun hills", but "are we in The Himalayas?" kind of hills. Same with the 3 mile run but that was not as dangerous because when you fell down a hill your bike was not there to crush you...this only happened twice to me. All in all it was great and I signed up for another triathlon June 25th. This time, no hills.

Ewwwww Doggies!

I did an ocean swim today with my friend Andy in preparation for our triathlon on Sunday and I almost died.
Panic set in a few hundred yards out when I realized the wetsuit I was wearing was not letting me swim and the crappy goggles I bought in Louisiana fogged up so much it was like swimming in pea soup, but different cause it wasn't green and didn't smell funky. The marine talked me through it and got me into shore. I'm so stupid I swam right out through the breakers and started the whole process all over again.
So, the half a mile swim on Sunday will not be in the ocean but in a lake and while there will be no waves there will be 400 + feet and hands swinging wildly around my head. And so help me if I get kicked in the face there will be a can of Jewd opened and as we all know I have the fury of a thousand hurricanes built up in my petite body!

Shut up, it is petite...in certain countries.

Ahh...San Diego

You think puppies are conversation starters, you should see the attention I get when I walk my giraffe!

Southern Charm

I was thrilled to be welcomed to Houston by this sign at the airport...

I wouldn't think I was so Sandra-like if I didn't have so many enablers!

Texas Fishing

Judy likes to fish so much it makes her smile.
Judy doesn't smile all the time, in fact she finds that smiling increases the wrinkles around her eyes.
Unfortunately this is just an on the job hazard when you are a comedian.
Tears of a clown.

Beaten By A Girl In Hoops

Dear Fr. Mark,

I was embarrassed..........no.......... I was shocked that a adult male could be whipped on the court by a girl. When your career choices came down to the priesthood or the NBA I 'm sure you made the right decision.I'm 67 years old and I can beat a little girl on the basketball court.I sure hope word of this does not get out around the Diocese or your chance of ever making Bishop will be gone forever.

When I read your letter on Judy's web site I thought you could have been a little more humble. I'm not sure your letter was in the spirit of the bet.

If you ever get to So. Cal to visit ( and I hope you will ) I'll pump up the round ball and give you a few tips so you will never get embarrassed by a girl on the basketball court again.

Best Regards,
Pat McDonald
(Judy's real dad and coach)

A "Loserness" Letter

The deflation of Moses as he descended Mt. Sinai.
The struggles of Job’s pestilence.
The humiliation of Peter’s denial.

None of these Biblical catastrophes can capture my emotions at this moment.

I feel humbled. I feel weak. I feel bloated – although that’s more from dinner than anything else.

Watching the basketballs leave my hands – shot after shot – blurred into a mountain of orange … a flame of sunkist that was sobered by the neon glow of red that seared the truth I climbed to deny. The truth? Judy McDonald – 50, Fr. Mark – 48.

The truth of Judy’s victory sealed that which I cannot deny – BBJ is more a man than me. I cannot deny it, so I must embrace it.

To all of the readers of this beloved website, I publicly acknowledge that BBJ did indeed beat me in hoops.

However, to her I say this –

Moses led Israel to the promise land.
Job was redeemed.
Peter was the first Pope.

And, Judy, all of them were men – and you’re not.

Fr. Mark

T minus 48 hours

In less than 48 hours I will be leaving South Louisiana and I have learned a few things:
1. The Movie Fletch Lives is not that far off from the truth.
2. There is no need to put the "is" when asking "Where he at?"
3. Crayfish can be eaten for breakfast.
4. While Tony ChaChaCha sauce claims to be "great on everything", it's not so great on ice cream.

Adventure Racing with Jesus

This weekend I competed in a sort of extreme triathlon, they call it an adventure race. Now, since I am down here in South Louisiana the traditional triathlon of biking, swimming and running is out the window. Instead of swimming we canoe here, down on the bayou.
Why you might ask?
Well, it’s because when large amounts of Cajuns get in the water with large amounts of alligators only large amounts of bloodshed is bound to happen. Although it would make a great leading story for a newscast losing a limb is not on many weekend warriors’ agendas. So we canoe and we keep our fingers and toes. Maybe not as glamorous as swimming but safer and sometimes a safe choice is a good choice.

The smallest choices we made in our adventure race had big consequences in the outcome of our race. Choosing to cut through a unmarked path instead of following 12 other teams could shave minutes off of our time or get us hopelessly lost and covered in poison oak. And let me tell you something, poison oak is not as fun as it sounds! Choosing to keep going even though my legs are killing me and the Powerbar I just woofed down wants to come back up with every step I take will either make me a stronger competitor or prove that I am way out of shape.

It was crazy but as I was riding my bike 13 mph down a trail, risking life and limb, I thought to myself, choices have consequences, in adventure races and in life.

As a Catholic, choices are something that I deal with everyday. I choose to say my rosary while driving into work. I choose not to laugh when I see somebody trip and fall into a cow patty. I make a choice to pay attention during mass instead of watching the kid in the row in front of me stick the 8th Cherrio up his nose. I will, as my friend Tom Booth sings, Choose Christ. I choose to honor my God with the little choices I make everyday.

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith