Hey! Want a free Tony Wolf mp3? Simply sign up this weekend by leaving a comment and I will gift you a copy of my latest CD single release “Eating Siamese” through iTunes following a drawing Monday morning. It’s a song about the dangers of eating Chinese gourmet. Also, be looking on the blog soon for an announcement about my new CD to be released in 2010! Good luck and, in the words of a wise old man, “Always put your trash in the trash can.”

It has now been 10 days since my last meal. I am tired tonight but I don’t think that is fast related. I am sleeping well and my behind and belly are evaporating but the benefit is really in the praying department. I can once again hear God saying things to me that my comfort has taught me to ignore. It is scary. He is putting challenges in front of me and I am walking right through them. The challenges are starting to fit like my Dr. Pepper t-shirt (that hasn’t fit me in 7 years) did yesterday. Yesterday, He reminded me of who I am in Him. Why do I cower under His will for my life so often? Why do I continuously deny who He made me to be? Why am I doing squat to spread His message? What am I doing? Where is the trust? Where is my faith? Why do I sit here content?

He reminded me that I am not a servant of Tony Wolf Productions. I am not a servant of Central Christian Church. I am not a servant of Upward or Compassion or First Baptist Church of wherever I’ll be next week, month or year. I am a servant of the Great I Am. I am a servant of the God of Creation. I am a servant of the Almighty, all-powerful, all-knowing and all things possible God! Whew!!! I am stoked!!! Starving Tony has forced me to deny me and acknowledge and remember who He is … and who I am in Him. I’ll check in again in another week or so. Gotta go juice it!

Onto day six of my fast. I have now fasted twice as long as any other time in my life. I have found it easy with a few exceptions. My wife, Laura, waited until my fasting period to use an old, forgotten slow cooker. She has always done well in the kitchen, (see my portly guttal region) but armed with a new weapon and new recipes, each day this week, I came home to a new gut shaking aroma! Zesty Barbeque Chicken, a crusted Macaroni and Cheese and the worlds nicest smelling Pot Roast in an onion and mushroom sauce. Wow!!! Last night I took the girls to a movie night a suffered through pizza being consumed by several hundred people! And then tonight, Pizza Hut delivered to my door and, more specifically, to my nostrils.

However, I am doing well. My energy is okay. I find myself needing to sit a bit more often than usual but that’s to be expected. I was 246 when I started and stepped on the scales today at 233. I suspect I’ll be down around 200 by the end. 199 was my college graduating weight so that’d be nice. The biggest deal though, that I notice, is my prayer time. I have been into it man. From the father in law (Tom) of one of our staff members who is dying to a friend who today shared his unemployment with me, I have been on it. My church has been getting prayer time like never before as well. As a sad indictment on my normal prayer life, I’d say I am spending 5 times my regular time with God. To say this has been different for me, would be an understatement. I’ve also been listening to Starving Jesus (the book is available in audiobook on iTunes) on my iPod. The book itself is better, but the audio is good too. Also reading the book of Matthew, revisiting Jesus’ life and teachings. It’s been good.

Off to get some juice. If you need prayer for anything, please let me know. I am on it!!!

A friend recommended the book “Starving Jesus” to me a month ago. As I began reading it, I felt so convicted. “BORN AGAIN LAZY” is a phrase the book uses that so applies to me. I took a few minutes and asked myself, “Who have I loved on recently? Who have I shared the Good News with? What stranger have I helped? What have I done for Him lately?” I started thinking of my sin verses my “church persona”. Am I being real? What does God want from me now? I wrote a book a couple years back called “Go Be Jesus” (originally titled “Jesus Never Had His Name On An Office Door”). My goal was to challenge others to do something … anything for Him. “Starving Jesus” has thrown it back on me now. It was a call to action for me. I have to start denying Him and start denying me more often. In short, I must stop starving Jesus. I’d highly recommend this book if you haven’t read it. There are many challenges in the book. The one that I am in the process of is a 40 day fast. I started earlier this week. No food. Just water, fruit juice, prayer and study. I am fasting. Our church is meeting at the end of next month to work on our vision, direction and game plan for reaching our community. I see this retreat as critical to our future. I wondered what I could do and then, this book comes along through a friend who just finished his 40 day challenge. Thanks Rick! So I will fast and I pray and seek God’s wisdom as we head towards the retreat. I will post periodically every 10 days or so to let you know how it is going. Off to get a glass of juice!

Beckett recently posted it’s top 50 NFL QB’s of all-time. With a few exceptions, it’s a pretty good list. How could anyone argue against Joe Montana being #1? I would have had Aikman, Young and Staubach ahead of Favre (yes, I would put Favre in my top 20, at 13 actually). Joe Namath at #15 is a mind boggler!!! Broadway Joe had a great season in 1969. He also threw more INT’s than TD’s during his career. So Namath better than Baugh, Griese, Fouts, Moon, Stabler? Laughable. I’d have Joe Namath around #30 or so (based mostly on his fame and Super Bowl III legend). As for my favorite QB, Marino at 8 is fair and close to where I’d have him, give or take a spot or two. Anyways, I liked the list. What do you guys think? Here it is;

1. Joe Montana
2. Johnny Unitas
3. John Elway
4. Terry Bradshaw
5. Bart Starr
6. Tom Brady
7. Peyton Manning
8. Dan Marino
9. Otto Graham
10. Brett Favre
11. Troy Aikman
12. Steve Young
13. Roger Staubach
14. Fran Tarkenton
15. Joe Namath
16. Sammy Baugh
17. Bobby Layne
18. Dan Fouts
19. Bob Griese
20. Jim Kelly
21. Len Dawson
22. Sonny Jurgensen
23. Y.A. Tittle
24. Warren Moon
25. Sid Luckman
26. Kenny Stabler
27. Donovan McNabb
28. Ben Roethlisberger
29. Bob Waterfield
30. Norm Van Brocklin
31. Drew Bledsoe
32. Boomer Esiason
33. Kurt Warner
34. Joe Theismann
35. John Hadl
36. Roman Gabriel
37. Ken Anderson
38. Randall Cunningham
39. John Brodie
40. George Blanda
41. Kerry Collins
42. Phil Simms
43. Jack Kemp
44. Steve McNair
45. Benny Friedman
46. Eli Manning
47. Jim Plunkett
48. Don Meredith
49. Jim Hart
50. Dave Krieg

What is the deal? NFL.com senior columnist Thomas George reported Monday that people close to Brett Favre (pictured) believed the retired quarterback would decide by Friday whether or not he would play for the Vikings next season. But the Vikings now might have to wait longer, George reported Thursday, because Favre likely needs more time to make a decision. COME ON!!! Do we really need to see 25 or so more interceptions? Do we need to see a hundred more bad decisions every Sunday again this season? John Madden used to always burp out “That’s just Brett Favre being Brett Favre,” every time Favre would throw some kind of under hand behind-the-back knuckleball into the hands of an unsuspecting linebacker or referee … and for the last four or five years now, he’s been right. “That’s just Brett Favre being Brett Favre,” in English means, “That’s just Brett Favre being a subpar player.”

To be fair, Favre has had a great career. The numbers don’t lie. But those same impressive career numbers are being tainted by his decision to play too long. He certainly deserves respect and the right to continue to play as long as someone wants him. So did Joe Namath when he was sitting disoreinted in the dirt in a Rams helmet. Did anyone outside of Missouri really want to see Joe Montana in a Chiefs uniform? Brett’s last play in a Jets uniform saw him throw a pick and then get CRUSHED by a Miami Dolphin defender. Personally I really don’t need to see more.

Minnesota might do well to consider what happened to the New York Jets last year. When the Jets got Favre every idiot Jet fan and a large portion of the Favre loving media was ready to have the Jets in the Super Bowl. Now, after a third place AFC East finish, the Jets had to draft a QB (Sanchez was actually a great pick for NY) and are without an experienced leader. Vikings beware … the only place you are going with Favre this season is into a ticked off Lambeau Field. Enjoy that.

I’m so tired of the tears and decisions and doctors and this team and that team and I’m playing and I’m retired and I, me, mine, and I’ll show the Packers, and I’m bigger than the game and boo hoo hoo, waaa waaa waaa. Pleeeeeease retire Brett Favre!!!

Someone who loves him needs to say, “Brett, you were an amazing athlete. Retire. Go home and enjoy your family and your life.”

Jude had a ton of visitors in the last 24 hours; The Steiners, a couple of Backers, the Zanders, the Clark’s (and Ethan) and Pistol Pete Howard … plus three big sisters who brought a ton of lovin’ for baby bro! Thank you to the Russell’s and Richard’s for taking care of the girls during this weekend and to Ben Backer for filling in on worship for me tomorrow. Also thank you all for the (literally) hundreds of emails, Facebook messages and phone calls from all of our friends and families!!! You are wonderful!!!

11:45 – I left to get Tylenol; the staff thought I was queasy over the epidural.

12:00 – Epidural is in!

12:20 – Laura is at 7 centimeters!

12:35 – Laura is at 10 + 1; It’s show time!!!

1:03 – JUDE AARON WOLF IS BORN 8 lb 1 oz, 21 inches @ 1:03

JUDE’S TIMELINE

6:09 – Laura woke me up and was showered, beautiful and ready to go!

6:45 – We left the house and went to Dunkin Donuts to get bagels.

7:20 – We checked in to Clarion North. Laura and I sat and talked in the lobby.

8:35 – We were told to go home because of a staff shortage.

8:50 – We were told there was another patient named Laura Wolf and that we would be staying – we checked into room 3.

9:45 – The nurse asked me “Would you like a circumcision?” I said, “I already had one, thanks.” CLASSIC!

10:20 – They broke Laura’s water.

*** Laura will be blogging this weekend at - http://www.lauralwolf.blogspot.com/