Book #6 Wrestling Tough by Mike Chapman

Time to get caught up on my books for 2007. My overall reading has not slowed but has diversified greatly. Apart from some articles and such I have been in a terrible form of reading a good portion of a book, starting another, reading some more, and not quite finishing. I'm not sure what the current count of "in progress" books is but I definitely need to institute a no new books rule until I finish a few of these. Anyway, on to the book at hand.

I picked up Wrestling Tough because I love the sport and had not read a good book on it in a long time. I also enjoy the mental part of sports. This is the area that I feel separates the good from the great athletes. No sport requires as much mental toughness as wrestling.
The pleasant surprise that I found in this book is that it is not only a great book for wrestlers, coaches, or parents of wrestlers. The concepts within can be translated to all sports and arenas of life. The authors draw example from many great athletes, nit exclusively wrestlers. This is a must have book if you are a wrestler, coach, or wrestling parent. It is a book you should look into if you want some ideas on mental and physical toughness to get through life. Definitely well worth the time to read. BONUS: It's an easy to read book!

God is the Gospel - Conclusion

I just realized that I failed to post the notes from the final chapter...

• God’s highest act of love is giving us himself to love.
• Oh, how many there are for whom heaven represents merely the absence of
  pain and the presence of eternal happiness! But now comes the absolutely
  decisive question: Is this happiness in God himself or in the
  gifts of heaven?
• the Christian gospel is not merely that Jesus died and rose again; and not merely that these events appease God’s wrath, forgive sin, and justify sinners; and not merely
  that this redemption gets us out of hell and into heaven; but that
  they bring us to the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ as our
  supreme, all-satisfying, and everlasting treasure.
• the power of the gospel to transform us into radically loving
  people lies not only in our being forgiven and our being counted
  righteous, but also in our seeing and savoring the glory of Christ
  in the gospel.
• We will remember that the god of this world wants to blind our minds from seeing
  the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4).

FPU Week 9 -- Caveat Emptor

The Buyer Beware lesson is powerful. Once you realize how things are marketed to you and the mental and physiological responses you have to these presentations, you are empowered to make better consumer choices. Taking away "impulse"purchases is a sure way to help you win financially.

I am proud to see that our group is "getting it". The concepts are hitiing their mark and every week stories are shared of how the tools are being applied to their families' lives. Fininacial freedom allows us to make decisions in the light if what we know we should do rather than always fighting the little financial fires that pop up around us.

4 lessons left in this class, I;m hopeful to offer the course in the fall or winter small group semester again. More finaincially free families in the church = a much healthier body!!!

Game time in Wrigley

I was just listening to the radio and you really know that it's baseball time for the Cubs when you hear this guy singing the National Anthem. Thanks to Wayne Messmer for making it sound like baseball, even if it's cold outside.

Tradition!

I was wondering what some of your Easter traditions are? Corsage for mom? Ham and taters at grandma's? Family egg hunt? Real eggs or plastic candy filled ones? You get the jist. I think that these are great as long as they are a part of the equation. I have really begun to focus that I myself need to lead they way in helping my family collect memories. See the Lion Chasers Manifesto. Creating memories to look back on is important, what they memories point us to is the key. As long as the memories we creatre in the end point us to the One who makes all these things and more possible, I'm in! Thoughts?

Back...

Back in the land of the living, and working CPU's! My laptop is dead and I have limited abilities with my Pocket PC so posting has been nearly impossible. We had a great time, hope to post some pics later this weekend. Hope everyone has a blessed Easter weekend.

FPU -- Week 8

Week 8 (Retirment and college planning) is in the books. We ahd a few missing but those that were in attendance really seemed to connect with the message. Many times the thought of saving for retyirement and college funds is mind boggling when you cant seem to find out there is too much month at the end of your money. The key is HOPE. You must believe that you will not live in the land of perpetual debt and payments forever. I have gone through this lesson 3 times now and it has never resonated more than this one.

Has your hope been stolen by the lie that you will always live with debt/ payments?
Do you systematically save anything monthly for your retirement?
If so, do you understand how those investments work and where they go from your pay?
Do you think that this is too lofty a goal?


Maybe it's time for you to take a serious look at your financial picture and go to Financial Peace University

1 Day does not a season make

I try and tell myself that but after one day of Fantasy baseball my team is down 8-0. Come on guys, thats pitiful. To make matters worse I made ajudgement call on an outfielder and it bombed. The guy I put in sat the pine while the guy onmy bench went 1/3 with a walk and 2 stolen bases. Makes me feel like the accomanying pic. Thats why fantasy is s o fun... or not ... insert grumbling and teeth gnashing here.

Randomness

• being on vacation is kinda weird. I can't remember the last time I was off for a whol;e week and didn't have a specific mission (camp, conference, etc.)
• Living in the midwest is goofy. It's 74 here today. Snow coming Wednesday ...
• I hope everyone shows up for FPU tonight
• I am excited that we are taking a couple days just as a family to get away on Wednesday and Thursday. We are going HERE
• Although I'm not particularly partial to either team I will be rooting for Florida tonight
• The MLB season has begun. Baseball is great; to play, in person, on the radio, on TV, you name it
• Easter seems really early this year. kinda like daylight savings time... don't get me started
• kids will always surprise you will the funniest or coolest things
• don't know how much blogging I'll do this week. My guess is either next to none or a whole bunch. It is supposed to snow.

Baseball prank

Opening Day video #3 -- This is just hilarious, and creative!


Baseball Players - Funny videos are here