Time to get back to basics

I'm not sure what else the coach could say or do after a loss like this one. I usually try and think about how I would handle a situation if I were in a coaches shoes. I can think of nothing better than getting them back on the field tomorrow and work. There really is nothing that will be in that game tape that would help the players learn. Will Charlie rally the troops or will the Weis Age begin to thaw????

ND / Michigan in web pictures.

I thought it would be fun to share few pregame thoughts that came to me about the game and attach some pictures to them. In no particular order...

This game doesn't seem to have the same gusto as when these guys were at the helm:

I think that ABC will spend a lot of time focusing on fans of both sides looking a lot like this young lady. It might be no small irony in a few weeks that she is in a Cubs hat but that's another post:

I've seen a lot of questions around the web about whether this guy is actually injured:

This duo will have the most to say about whether ND has improved enough this week to win:

This series has always been won on big plays Manningham last year, the Rocket, Desmond Howard, Woodson, Tim Brown, etc. I for one will be watching in hopes of an ND victory of course but also with an eye to the future as well as the past of this great rivalry. GO IRISH!!!

Book #16 -- The Dip by Seth Godin

I finished this book almost a week ago and I just never wrote my review/ thoughts. I picked it up after seeing several recommendations for it. Most all of Godin's books have been well received and recommended so I thought I would give it a try.

One of the first things that hops out at you and the author points out as important is that the book is short (80 pgs.). Godin states that it is important to make your point quickly and stay with one main message to your audience. A great lesson for teachers in any venue.

The point of this book is to in a simple way provide people with the tools to recognize what type of situation you are in (cliff, cul de sac, or dip) and empower you to know that sometimes keeping at it has great rewards, in other circumstances it is OK to quit; with the idea that you will be better equipped to win at something else. Godin believes if you cant be the best in what you do you should quit and find what it is that you can strive for being #1.

I resonated with the message of this book with where I am in life right now. The cool thing about these principles is that they are not just for professional life they can be applied to all areas of life. The idea of being a "jack of all trades and master of none" just may not be the badge of honor that we seem to bestow it.

The real test comes in being able to recognize (this is actually the easy part) what each challenge is and then having the insight and courage to quit those things that do not make us win in the end. Taking the time to realize that quitting does not make you a loser if you quit the right things for the motive of being able to focus that energy into those things that you want to be t he best at.

So what are they in you life? Do you want to be the best Dad, husband, employee (fill in your occupation here, teacher, Christ follower, leader, minister, kite flyer, or whatever else you might be able to think of. It's a matter of priority. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. Even of you feel that you have a solid handle on the directions life is currently taking you it could be a useful tool.

Prosperity Gospel Praise

I'll leace the comments to you.

Do-it-yourself :)

Made me laugh!!

The Day my world changed -- part 3

I will be continuing to share from the numerous lessons and blessings that have come our way in the wake of my father's death. This one was one of the first, but we would not fully understand it's fullness for several days.
My dad had left the house to run 2 errands that day. He needed to pick up 3 prescriptions (2 for him, 1 for my mom) and then he wanted to pick up carryout for their lunch that day. He had accomplished his stops and was on his way home when the accident happened. As the news reached us and the afternoon unfolded we discovered an amazing thing. The impact of the accident damaged or destroyed most everything in the van; including the prescriptions. Excapt for mom's. The police chaplain was able to get the bottle for my mom who would be needing those medications that evening. One solitary pill in her bottle was broken, the rest were perfect. All of dad's were broken and or contaiminated in the crash. IT has been especially in these "little things" that we have found our solice that even if we do not like it, or understand that situation, God has had it in His control.
It would be easy to check this off as a mere coincidence. The only thing is that there are really no such things as coincidence or luck. Add to that the fact that there ahave been far too many of these "coincidences" in the past 3 weeks to pass them off as such. Romans 8:28 is viewed in many circles as a platitude and has been used in ways that have made it a cliche. The fact is that as stated in my first post on this topic it is TRUTH. Sometimes the truth is obscured by our personal preferences or just the simple fact that we do not want to accept it. As I look at that scripture again I begin to see just how great it is. In fact, taking the next segment of the passage and including it only makes it that much more remarkable and powerful. (read Romans 8:28-39)
Volume upon volume of commentary has been written on these words and I do not suppose that my thoughts would hold a candle to the insight and scholorship that many who have explored this passage have shared. I do see a few keys that stand out to me as I read this with a new perspective of life:

1. we need to remember that we are called according to HIS purpose, not ours. (vs. 28) We so often look at the blessings of God as given just because we as individuals are special. It's not all about us.
2. If God (the real Creator of the Universe) is for us, who can be against us? I can't add much to that thought.
3. Christ is in heaven working on our behalf (vs. 34) That's a pretty high level advocate if I ever heard of one.
4. How much better would we be if we could grasp and apply the fact that we have been called to become MORE than conquerors. We seem to want to settle for the fact that we win. That is true, but as is the norm, God has raised the standard. What would my life look like if I applied this verse alone?
5. Verse 38-39: "For I am convinced that neuther death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

A bottle of medicine seems like such a minor thing in so many ways. But God cares about those things as well.

Link Dump -- September 12th

Something Light: Best 100 TV shows of all-TIME a good discussion starter...
Are You Willing to Sacrifice?
562 People Baptized at NewSpring Today - um, WOW
de-churched
“Nice” Christian Boys and Girls Make Me Sick…
Why Christians Should Have Nothing To Do With Snowmobiles
Confronted by my own Judgmental Heart
The Land of Dying Dr. Kennedy had the right perspective...
The World’s Shortest International Bridge
Holy Toaster

The Day the world changed - Part 2

I mentioned in a previous post that there were/ have been numerous things that have reminded us that the Father has all of this under His control. One of those was what we found in dad's Bible.
Dad was persistent in doing his Scripture reading and devotions. If for some reason he missed, it became a mission to not only do the next one but to make up the missed reading. When his Bible was opened we knew that he had not done his devotions for Saturday the 25th. His Daily Bread booklet was stuck (as usual) in the pages he last read. In this case it happened to be Psalm 116. You can read the devotional that he read as his last while here on earth HERE.
The gist of all this is that we believe that God had this as a message for us. We also see that this lesson could well have been a preparation for dad. We were reminded quickly that we were not alone in our time of grief.
The obvious question is "If God understands so well why would he allow the painful situation?" All I know is that I have to reminded that His ways are not mine. God does that which will bring Him the greatest glory in the end. I feel like I have been in so many ways reaching for platitudes and cliches. I then have realized that these are actually the truths that I have learned in my personal journey. Truth is much more than a cliche. It is an anchor that we can hold to and be supported by when life crashes over us like a rogue wave (guess Ive seen too many episodes of Lobster Wars and Deadliest Catch :). The distinguishing mark is that truth is truth no matter the situation of circumstances. That is why we can learn so much from Job. That is why we find comfort and resolve to live on in Psalm 116:15:

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

Next: medicine bottles and utility poles...

Link Dump -- September 7th

With the homegoing of my dad 2 weeks ago I have spent little time in the blogosphere. In fact I have largely skimmed and passed over most of the posts that have piled up in my reader. These are a few that caught my attention:
Leonard Sweet talks about the emerging church
Building a replica of Wrigley Field at 1/3 the size of the original
Marry Our Daughter - is this real/ legal????
2007 Fall Season Premiere Schedule
The Key That Would Have Saved The Titanic
Why We Need Each Other…
How to Organize a Personal Library Get a filing system, not just a piling system
Black Believers Debate Prosperity Gospel
SteriPEN looks like a must have item for any overseas trips
What Your ZIP Code Says About Your Weight
Satanism, Masonry and Mormonism
Friendly Christian Interviews Friendly Atheist
Using media and communications effectively: A Media Manifesto
Just Show Up
Staying Happy In Jesus
Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Hot Dogs
belonging w/out believing and believing w/out belonging
We Need More Tour Guides

The day my world changed

Today marks exactly 2 weeks since I last wrote a blog entry. Not that I haven't thought of it. But each time I either wasn't in a place it web access, didn't have time, or just plain did not feel like it. On Saturday August 25th in the early afternoon I received a call that I wish never came and I pray that no one else ever would have to endure.
On the other end of the line was a police officer, I could hear my mother crying uncontrollably in the background, who asked that I come to her house immediately. As I look back I think that I knew what was happening already. The brief conversation in the next few seconds solidified the notion. As I was running out of the house I called to my boys to tell that I had to go. One of my boys had been on the phone with my mom about 10-15 minutes before. He then told me that she said she was a little worried about grandpa (my dad) because he had been gone longer than expected. I sped to their house pleading to the Father that it wasn't what I thought.
The officer met me outside the house and explained to me that my dad had been in an accident and had passed away. The world I know was different in an instant. Everything seemed to speed up and slow down all at once. I went inside to be with my mom. I called my wife and told her, and told her that the boys needed to be told. A couple of hours later I had to tell my daughter as well. So many thoughts, questions, emotions. How? Why? Who?
As we began to gather more information about what had happened we began, and continue to this point to see that God had His hand on all that happened. How can that be? Certainly the Heavenly Father knew that I needed my dad in so many ways; my mom needed her husband; my kids needed their Papo.
There have been so many lessons in the past two weeks. I will be writing much more about them as I process them myself. Let me begin first by saying that I realize that in these situations you come to know and test what you hold as belief. Another point is that I cannot see how people who do not have the "blessed hope" within them or have a strong church and physical family around them cope in times like this. The thoughts, prayers, meals, cards, and hugs have sustained us. We are thankful for each one!
God is sovereign. His ways are not mine, and that is a good thing. I came to realize on the day of the viewing that I should not be as much sad about my dad as I am jealous. He has entered into that which we all aspire to. That leads me to what we found in his Bible...