Doomed

It was supposed to be a normal early season tournament game.

As normal as an Under 19 Boys game usually is with all the testosterone flowing and the competitiveness.

The game was played on a really crummy field, one of the worst in the area. The goal areas were swamps as was the center of the field. The field slopes from northwest to southeast in an awkward way and there was the usual 20 mph wind blowing steadily from the South down hill. And the two teams were from the eastern side of Missouri and had played each other several times before over the years.

I should have known this was going to be a rough one when the captains came out for the coin toss. The two white team captains were jerks. They didn't really say anything specific, but their body attitude was one of "we don't respect you and we won't." I haven't really had that before.

By the way, one team wore white and the other wore red.

Game got underway and it was obvious from the start that it was going to be a rough one to keep under control. Both teams were physical and aggressive. Red scored on white about midway through the first half.

A red player fell to the ground in the box and kicked the ball to another player who scored. There was no problem with the play. No white players were around him. It is perfectly legal to play the ball on the ground as long as there is no danger to another player.

So according to the white team, I had somehow scored on them. And downhill it went.

Before the game was over I had cautioned the head coach of the white team, dismissed the assistant coach for calling me something that I can't repeat here, cautioned both white captains for dissent, cautioned two other white players for reckless play and cautioned two of the red players for reckless play.

First coach I have tossed in over five years.

According to the white team, I had somehow scored three goals against them and they had lost 3 to 2 because of me.

Normally after a game, good or bad, I reflect on how I did and what I can change to improve. I really like the verse in Romans 12:3 "For by the grace given me I say to everyone of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." I try to apply sober judgment to my refereeing.

I run across a lot of referees that seem to think they are perfect. I don't like working with those guys. I realize that I make mistakes in every game. Could be as simple as missing the direction on a throw in. My next perfect game will be my first one. And I have been looking for a perfect game for over 1072 games.

As I reflected on this game, I came to the realization that about the only thing I could have done differently was to card both white captains at the coin toss for dissent.

This game was doomed from the start...

The Epic Run

After church on Sunday, I went out for a run.

It was almost an Epic Run but not quite. It was foggy and humid. Visibility was about a quarter of a mile. Some of the heaviest fog I've seen in a while.

Had a good, solid run in the fog. I did wear my bright lime green hi-visibility jersey. And it was just cool enough to wear the white gloves and a head band.

Visibility was just enough to take make the run a bit less than Epic. And usually an Epic Run is a bit longer than I went (3.42 miles) on Sunday.

I've had only a few Epic Runs in my life. If I had too many then they wouldn't qualify as Epic. Probably the first one was Grandma's Marathon in 1979 where I blew up and barely finished. My first and only marathon. So far... Most marathons will qualify for Epic Run status.

And then there was the time I went running with a coworker: Dick Beardsley. We worked at a running store together while I was in college. He was recovering from a bit of knee surgery (only way I could keep up with him) and wanted to go for a run. We left from the store in Dinkytown (Minneapolis) and ran down into Saint Paul. We did about 4 or 4 and a half miles. In -40 degree windchill. At night. On ice and snow. I don't remember the actual temp just the wind chill. Still the coldest I've ever run in. But that run instantly made Epic Run status. For me at least, not sure about Dick.

And back on July Fourth last year I went out for a run. It was drizzly and warm. Traffic was very light and no one, absolutely no one was out on the roads and trails. I had the route all to myself. And I flew. I ran the 6 and a half mile course faster than I ever had (at the time). And I took great pride in the fact that I had been out there when no one else was. My running log for the day starts with: Epic Run!

There have been other Epic Runs over the years. If I'm lucky there are one or two a year. Runs that just stand out by virtue of being over. A twenty miler in rain the whole way. Personal bests that come on days when I didn't want to run. Runs in extreme heat or against a north wind at 25 mph. Runs in fresh snow early in the morning on streets and trails unmarked by anything except the rabbits. A race with both of my kids when they were young.

There are two things every one of my Epic Runs have: I run. And I am smiling like a fool when they are over.

There isn't much else in common between the Epic Runs. Some are with other people, some are solo runs. They can come at any time in any season. They can almost never be planned.

An Epic Run is an unexpected valuable gift. They are to be treasured since they are so rare.

And I've found that I can put in a bunch of ordinary runs on a bunch of ordinary days waiting for the next one...

Two Words

And this time I mean it: two words.

Yesterday was a warm day about 65. Bit warm for middle of February. Gray and overcast. Really windy out of the SSE at 25 with gusts up to 40.

I went out for a nice middle length run of 6.5 miles. I have a nice out and back course laid out that runs roughly north south. Going out there is a nice downhill from about mile 2.25 to the turn around point at 3.25 miles. And with the wind from behind you can really fly down the hill.

Problem is: what goes down must come up (when you are running that is).

So yesterday I reached the turn around point and headed for home into the teeth of the wind. Uphill. Wasn't pleasant. It was a struggle. And over the last quarter mile is a 50 foot rise. I wasn't feeling real good as I neared the top.

As I neared the top of the hill there was an older guy out for a walk. He was pushing his granddaughter (at least I think it was his granddaughter, she was dressed in pink) in a stroller. And he had one of those ankle biter rat dogs on a leash. I moved off the path to give him room to get by.

I kind of croaked out my standard greeting to those I pass: "Morning." It was morning after all.

And then he said the two words. It took me a couple of seconds for them to soak through my somewhat addled brain and register.

Those words were: "Looking good".

And they were exactly what I needed to hear. They carried me through the rest of the run home. Finished strong. I am grateful for those words of encouragement even if I am fairly certain the guy is a liar.

I am certain that I would have made the run home without hearing those two words. But they sure helped even if it was to get me off of how crummy I was feeling for a bit and get me back on what I enjoy about running.

As I finished my run I thought of how often as Christians we miss opportunities to encourage each other. Too often we rejoice over other people's discomfort and problems when we should be praying for them and encouraging them. Too often we pass by someone struggling and barely notice them.

The guy on the hill didn't have to say anything. I sure didn't recognize him. He could have just given me that half head nod guys usually give each other.

But he didn't...

Foreclosure Wickedness

Recently, CBS News ran a story about foreclosures. Not really a new topic given the current economic environment.

But reporter John Blackwell took a look at wealthy people in foreclosure. These particular homeowners are people who own million dollar homes and are able to pay the mortgage yet make a "business decision" and choose not to pay what the mortgage holder.

The reporter interviewed a guy who said that his house was worth $400,000 less than what he owed and it didn't make sense for him to sink money into a bad investment even though he could afford the $10,000 monthly mortgage payment. The homeowner said that the bank could take the loss.

Banks are even more reluctant to foreclose on million dollar homes since these homes cost a lot just to keep in sale-able shape. And a foreclosed million dollar plus home brings down the values of the neighborhood. One estimate is that one in twelve homes nationwide is in foreclosure and the rate is one in seven homes valued over a million dollars.

I want to be really clear that I am not talking about the average homeowner facing foreclosure due to job loss or other reasons. And there have been plenty of reports of banks abusing the foreclosure process. A lot of people are in desperate financial situations and foreclosure is the only way out for many people. Again: I am not talking about the average person facing foreclosure today.

But these are the people who are deliberately not paying their mortgages when they are able to pay.

In Psalm 37:21 it says: "The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous is gracious and giving." (Holman Christian Standard Bible). I looked at a whole bunch of translations and I couldn't find a one that was any less clear on this subject.

Borrowing and not repaying when you have the ability to repay is wickedness. There is no out for making a "bad investment". This kind of behavior is not worthy of praise, it is only worthy of condemnation.

And I don't think I would trust someone who I knew pulled this sort of stunt. In anything...

Outside Again

Yesterday the temperature hit 54. A nice day.

I haven't been able to run outside for a couple of weeks. We had a large snow storm the first of February and then last week we had a couple of inches. Large piles of snow blocked a lot of sidewalks and the trails I like to run on were covered with six or seven inches of snow.

So I have been stuck inside for my workouts. And I hate that. I have to get on the treadmill. And I really hate that. The only good part is that I get to see Jeopardy and yell at the contestants.

But there has been some good melting for the last few days and yesterday the streets were finally wide enough for me to feel semi safe running. I was able to wear shorts and get out in the sun.

It was great to get outside and run again even though there were still large piles of snow all over the place. There were a couple of bonehead drivers who cut it kind of close to me. Probably the same people who don't shovel their walks after a snow storm.

But the one thing I noticed is that I was kind of out of shape to run outside. Not out of shape, just off my form and not quite ready to run. A couple of pounds of sludge and crud seemed to have built up. It wasn't really a struggle but it wasn't a lot of fun either.

But today was much better. Felt better and ran faster even though I slept lousy last night (had to get up and talk with God about a couple of things at 135 this morning) and it was a bit colder out.

As I ran today, I realized that my relationship with God is kind of like that. If I am not daily working on that relationship, it gets off. There is kind of a build up of sludge that I have to clean out. I have to deal with those issues (lets call them what they are: my sin) that come between me and God on a daily basis.

But if I don't take the initiative and deal with that sin, it festers and slows me down, seeping into my joints and making me ineffective in my relationship with others. Its way easier to deal with it on a daily basis. The walk with Him is easier even as I grow stronger and take on greater challenges. If I am not daily working on the relationship, it makes it easier to take another day off and pretty soon I am heading in a totally different direction.

And I have to take that initiative. God is patient and waits for me to come back and confess my sins. No on else can do it for me.

Kind of like my runs...

Tourists in Egypt

As I write this the situation in Egypt is still up in the air.

Mubarak is still in power and the protests continue although there seems to be signs of protest fatigue after two weeks of protests. The protesters are growing tired.

I have watched as much of the news as I can handle. I have read as much of the newspapers and blogs coming out as I can stomach.

One image has stood out to me. About a week ago, I was watching the NBC Nightly News. The report was about how many museums and tourist attractions were closed.

Two tourists were standing outside of the pyramids. I am not sure whether or not they were Americans. I thought they spoke English with a slight accent that I couldn't quite place.

They were told that the pyramids were closed and that they should be open tomorrow. the couple expressed disappointment and said "What can you do? I guess we'll just have to come back tomorrow."

My thought as to what you can do: Get out! The country is crumbling around you and you want to see the pyramids? I realize that this could be a once in a lifetime trip, but you do not want it to be the last of your lifetime.

I guess the thing that irked me the most was that they seemed totally clueless as to what is going on around them.

And I hope that I am never that clueless...

Running in the Snow

Today I went out for a run after work.

It was the first time I have gone running outside since the snow storm a week ago.
By the way, I hate running on the treadmill. This was confirmed several times in the last week.

Anyway, I went out for a run on the route I usually take when I do a short run. Part of the route is on city property along the creek. The city doesn't plow the trail. So it was covered with about four inches of snow. And this was the part with the biggest hill.

Running up the hill was like running up a sand dune.

I have run up sand dunes in the past.

I don't like running up sand dunes.

But I sure like running outside a lot better than I like running on snow...

Coyotes

I've seen coyotes around here over the years.

There was one that came up out of a creek a few miles north of here.
I've seen them in various fields as we've driven on country roads usually skulking along a tree or brush line.

And I've seen them on the road as roadkill.

A couple of years ago we were camping up in Nebraska and I heard a pack howling at night. It was awesome to hear them calling. I asked at the campground office the next day and the staff said that there were two packs in and near the park.

The other night I was having some trouble sleeping. And around 123o in the morning, I heard the distinctive sound of a coyote howling. It was quickly joined by another and then another. In the end there were at least four all howling.

It sounded like it was right behind us but I know it was further away. My wife slept through it. The dog slept through it.

And I was blessed to hear the call. It was a reminder that the wild is not very far away, even though I may try to push it away.

And I slept well after that...

You Can Be Everything God Wants You to Be

You Can Be Everything God Wants You to Be is by Max Lucado.

This is a short easy read suitable for a gift especially for graduation. The various passages in the book are taken from his 2005 book: Cure for the Common Life. I haven't read that book but I enjoyed this one.

The book itself is very quick and easy to read. It encourages us to find our uniqueness in life and to live out that uniqueness in all that we do.

We are created as individuals. As a unique individual. And there are things that only each of us can do in our unique way in our unique situation and time and place. It may be something great or it may be something small but it is one-of-a-kind for each of us.

The book also goes to great lengths to point out that you can not be anything you want to be. This is contrary to many of the contemporary books out there. But it is a very refreshing point of view.

I recommend this book especially as a gift for a graduate.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Snow

Snowing today. Pretty much snowed all day.

Five to seven inches.

School canceled all over the place.

Crummy roads.

I love it.

So far I have utterly destroyed the neighbors in the annual "Keeping the Driveway and Sidewalk Clean" contest. Problem is that I don't think that the neighbors know there is a contest.

Anyway, so far I have shoveled four times and have at least one more time to go tonight (another inch or so on the way).

I believe in the shovel early, shovel often method of snow shoveling rather than the more common (in Kansas at least) of shovel once no matter how much snow we get method.

Must be a hold over from my Dad getting me up early (and at least once late at night) to shovel during the Minnesota blizzards we had during the evening.

Kind of a scary thought.

Better go shovel again.

I need to keep a firm lead in the this contest...

A Week and a Day

Over the past seventeen years or so, I have read through the entire Bible twelve or thirteen times and the New Testament about 15 or 16 times. I have followed a plan that I found in a long forgotten book. I started at Genesis, Job and Matthew and read a chapter or two a day out of the Old Testament books and one a day out of the New Testament ones. When I finished one section I went back and started again.

So I ended up reading a lot of different books together over the years.

Over the years this has served me well. I began to see how the Bible is a whole, how the Old Testament ties into the New Testament, how much prophecy there is, how God uses really flawed people.

For the most part I have not been dogmatic about reading every day and have long stretches where I have not been very faithful at daily reading.

Recently, we started going to a church where they have developed a plan to take the whole church through the Bible in a year. It is called OWNit365 and can be found at OWNit365.com.

This plan starts at Genesis and Job and you read a couple of chapters a day. You get to take Sunday off or use it as a catch up day. You are reading from the Old Testament and from either the Wisdom books (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, etc) or the New Testament each day.

The sermons are based on readings for the week, the Sunday school lessons are based on the readings for the week, small group curriculum is based on the readings. There are tip sheets and pod casts and there a tremendous amount of work has gone into the program.

So Loralie and I have decided to do the program.

I have been at it for a week and a day. Started on 1 January.

What I have found so far: I love this plan.

I am taking more notes on each days reading and going deeper into each passage than I have at other times. I am learning more. And I am praying more.

Those are good things by the way.

But I have had to add in a chapter from the New Testament each day. I ended last year at Colossians 3 so I started this year reading from Colossians 4 along with the daily readings from the plan. I just couldn't abandon what I have been doing for the past seventeen or so years. I'll modify my reading so that I can stay on track with the plan as we go through this.

It will be very interesting to see how this all plays out through the year. The idea of taking a whole (semi-large) church through the Bible in year is pretty incredible.

There are several thousand people from around the world taking part in this. I will be interested in seeing how many are in this at the end of the year.

By the way, as I was talking with Loralie this morning, I told her: "I have to go get my Bible reading done for the day so i don't have to read the Bible on the Sabbath"

Gotta admit: that sounded a bit strange even to me...

Surrender

Surrender is not in my nature. Part of the reason may be my history as a marine officer. Part of the reason may be that I just don't like to lose. And surrender seems a lot like losing.

But lately, I've been reminded that I just have to surrender to God. And by doing so I can be a winner.

For the past two years we've been looking for a church home. The reasons are not important, lets just say that we've been looking. And we've visited a lot of churches.

We thought that we had found a church home. We (my wife and I) were both serving in roles that we were used to and good at doing. But then it all turned south.

My wife found herself shut out of her ministry. Friends and prayer partners told her that she absolutely should be using her gifts in the local church. But here she was shut out with her talents and gifts not being utilized while I was being used a lot.

One morning, very early, I was out running and I heard God tell me: find a new church. It was very distinct. A few weeks later we met with the pastor and the Director of Education (DCE) to talk about the situation. The pastor asked us what was on our minds with regards to the church so I told him what God had told me.

It kind of stopped the conversation for a while

But the conversation just confirmed to me that it was time to go.

We were both deeply wounded by events and people at our past two churches. It took a while for me to realize that I was also wounded. I am a little slow sometimes. We are not blameless in how we have handled things but we have attempted to resolve things in a biblical manner.

It is interesting though. As we quit beating our heads against the door of the local church God has opened up doors outside the church for my wife to use her gifts in ministry to others. Some of these have been in church settings and some of these have been in secular settings.

You see it is the surrender to God's will that made the difference.

So now we are in attending a non denominational church where there is no chance (right now) of my wife using her gifts. But we are being fed God's Word in huge, heaping spoonfuls.

And that is OK.

Because God is still opening doors and showing us where to use the gifts He gives us. Sometimes the way is clear and sometimes it is just the next step that is clear and sometimes it is pretty dark and cloudy and we just have to trust that there is a stepping stone in the fog.

And that is way better than butting our heads against institutions and religion and closed doors.

And way more exciting too...

Numbers

It is common at the end of a year to reflect back on what has happened over the course of the year. I came up with a bunch of numbers.

One is 1000. I reffed my 1000th career soccer match last year. I also reffed 127 matches. Lot of time spent on the pitch.

I also ran 544.14 miles last year. It took 80 hours 52 minutes and 16 seconds of running time. This is in addition to the time spent in soccer matches.

Then there is 3.375. We refinanced the house and got that interest rate late in the year. That number truly boggles my mind.

And there is 87, the number of Insanity workouts that I did early in the year.

Four came up as the number of times I donated blood. One was the time rejected for being too healthy.

Oh, and three wrestling meets with a total of 120 matches reffed.

47 Bible studies were led on Tuesday mornings at Denny's for CBMC. Missed five for various reasons.

My Dad turned 80 this year, a true milestone. Fun to celebrate at Mahoney State Park in Nebraska.

Speaking of Nebraska, the number one comes to mind, since both kids survived a one car rollover on the way to Mahoney on Father's Day. The One True God was certainly in evidence that day.

These are the numbers that came easily to mind (or to hand from the computer). Truly mind boggling.

Looking forward to 2011...