Let’s face it, I love the World Cup. In some ways I’m thankful it’s only every four years, it makes it something truly special. For one month in the summer, the greatest players in the world converge on one nation to prove their country bleeds the beautiful game. The rivalry, the sportsmanship, the respect, and the spirit of the game is unparalleled in the world of sport. It is a game that unites the world.

Except in America. Today, it seems that the popularity of soccer is greater than any other time in American history, which I love. But for whatever reason, it still hasn’t gained enough momentum to become a prominent American sport. Judging from my office and twitter feed, the national attitude toward soccer still isn’t great. I’m here to convince you otherwise.

This is why I believe soccer is known as the beautiful game, and why Americans need to get on board.

Simplicity
What’s great about soccer is all really need to play is a ball. Basketball needs a ball and a hoop. Football needs a ball and someone else. Hockey needs a stick and a puck, other people and goal is optional. Baseball needs a ball, a bat, a glove, and other people. How is it that soccer is not more prominent?

The rules are relatively simple: get the ball in the net. There’s no complicated infield-fly rules or a smattering of penalties that can be called. The only somewhat tricky rule is offsides, and that rule is pretty understandable. Otherwise you’re just playing a freeflowing game for 45 minutes. No stopping. No timeouts. No commercial breaks.

Athleticism
If you have ever played soccer, you would know it requires you to be in peak physical form. To run regularly for 45 minutes at a time is exhausting. I don’t know if you’ve noticed it too, but I’ve come to realize that baseball is quickly becoming infiltrated by out-of-shape players. Hey, as long as you can hit a home-run and don’t have to run the bases, you can be as chubby as you want. Soccer doesn’t allow for fatties.

Strategy
People say there’s no strategy in soccer. If that’s the case, there’s no strategy in basketball and hockey. The gameplay is similar, you have to constantly evaluate where you are, who’s around you, and where you’re going. Football has an unfair advantage. There’s a team of coaches and playcallers watching from all angles, and the offense gets to stop and decide what they’re going to do before each play. Soccer players must be intelligent and intuitive. You have to have an understanding of tactics and the skill to make a play in a split second.

Constant Gameplay
TV watchers despise commercials. Yet our sporting events stop every 5 minutes for commercial breaks. Much to advertisers chagrin, there’s no stopping for 45 minutes in soccer. Sorry, Budweiser. Keep your Clydesdales. Like I said before, you have to be in excellent physical form to play for 45 minutes straight. I’d like to see a football game without huddles. At any moment, the momentum of the game can shift, and to me that makes a great event to watch.

Skill
A lot of people don’t like soccer because it’s low-scoring or can end in a tie. Since when does the validity of a sport lie in the final score? Is basketball the best sport because teams regularly score over 100 points a game? By the way, when did they stop playing defense in basketball? I remember back in the day when it was an amazing feat when a team scored over 100 points. But I digress. Soccer is low-scoring because it takes incredible skill to break through the defense and put the ball past the goalie. How hockey fans can’t get behind soccer is beyond me. If viewers can look past the score of the game, and look at the skills of the individual and the overall team, I’m sure they will begin to see what a beautiful game soccer is.

That’s about all I can think of at the moment, but I think it’s a pretty good defense of the world’s greatest and most popular sport. So come on America, if we can begin to appreciate the world’s game, maybe we’ll begin developing American players of international caliber.

Plus, commercials like this get me super pumped.

That’s right, it’s officially the Christmas season! First thing Friday morning we turned on the Sufjan Stevens Christmas boxset, wore our pajamas most of the day, watched tv and ate junk. The tree is up. The wreath is mounted. The stockings are hung. It’s officially Christmas.

But was I love most is that Thanksgiving kicks off what should really be our mentality all season: thanksgiving. Sure, the day of Thanksgiving is about pilgrims and native Americans and deer meat and all that good stuff, but it was also a day to thank God for His bountiful harvest. But now we have something else to look forward to,

Yesterday kicked off Advent, a time that seems to be forgotten on most modern churches. Advent means “coming” and is a season of anticipation, both to celebrate the Messiah who has come (a.k.a. Jesus) and the Messiah who is to come (a.k.a. Jesus). And what better way to kick it off than Thanksgiving!

This morning, Katie and I read in our prayer guide about giving thanks to God for all He is, even the stuff that we don’t see or doesn’t necessarily apply to us at this moment. Stop thank God with a self-centeredness and thank God for everything. I think it only appropriate as we anticipate His coming.

A few things to check out this wonderful season of celebrating Emmanuel:

www.adventconspiracy.org

www.rethinkingchristmas.com

www.gfa.org/gift

Katie and I caught the last half hour or so of the wonderfuly crafted film masterpiece “13 Going On 30″ Saturday on the CW. I wanted to throw up.

Honestly, I can’t believe what these kinds of movies are teaching our kids. If you’re unfamiliar with the story, apparently Jennifer Garner wakes up and finds herself 17 years in the future and sees the consequences of her choices, namely Mark Ruffalo marrying some other chick. The climax of the movie is JG going to Ruffies’ house while he’s Bering ready for his wedding, and she begs him to pick her instead of Wendy.

Seriously? That is so far from being okay. And it’s not just this crappy movie, but other movies and tv shows telling us that:

1. Even if someone is committed to another, they’re not really committed until “I do”.
2. Infidelity is okay. Just because you’re married doesn’t mean you love them, and if you don’t love them it’s okay to sleep with someone else.
3. Skinny white girls can do whatever they want.

It’s a historic day in America. The thing is, I don’t really care that our president elect is (kind of) black, or that he won states that democrats haven’t won in decades. In my opinion there’s a much larger story below the surface.

This year, 136.6 million Americans voted. That’s 14.3 million more than in 2004. Pretty amazing considering Obama beat McCain in the popular vote by a little over 7 million. What if those 14.3 million more voters hadn’t turned out?

I really believe the reason we had so many more voters this year than four years ago is not just that the issues are more pressing (sure, we’re losing our houses, 401k’s, jobs, etc.), but Barack Obama rallied a people that wanted to be moved by something. His intitial platform of “change” – though somewhat diluted; full of promise, yet not much substance – gave people who wanted to believe in something, something to believe in. It was bigger than themselves, and they caught the vision.

Just think, how many people called you, knocked on your door, emailed you, perhaps harassed you, on account of trying to gain your support for Obama?

A lot.

Now how many for McCain?

Not nearly as many.

It amazes me how many people gave so much time, money, and energy trying to get your attention and your support of something that will last, at worst not even past November 4, and at best 8 years. Wow.

Now what if we spent as much time, money, and energy on something that mattered so much more than a presidential election? What if we spent as much time researching and arguing the issues of eternal significance as we did researching and arguing the issues of this election?

Love him or hate him, Obama will be gone in 4 – 8 years. We’ll do this whole song and dance again every four years, but does it really matter? I’m telling you (I’m not sure who you are, but I’m telling you) right now, it doesn’t. There is something so much greater, so much more powerful, and One who will actually deliver 100% on His promise.

So who’s stumping for Jesus?

This is everything wrong with our country. I’m voting for whichever candidate supports abolition of High School Musical.

This is Disney’s equivalent of crack cocaine. There, I said it.