Out of Order

I hope everyone has a fun New Year's weekend. I'm off today and headed to more basketball games in just a bit. It's a cold and rainy day in Decatur so perfect for staying inside and watching some good ball. We watched a team from Kentucky last night that had a couple of man-children playing. I'm easily entertained.

I'm done blogging until next year. I hope 2007 is a great year for you!

Hellllooooooooooo

With Rick out of town, I'm not sure anyone is out there. If you are, blink twice.

I'm finally coming to the realization that I'm getting older. I played basketball with some of my 5th grade team the other night and felt little pains I'm not used to feeling. I went to the eye doctor and she mentioned that I'm getting closer to needing reading glasses. A few brave folks mention that there is a spot with less hair than there used to be.

I've got a birthday coming up soon and I still am one not to put much stock in birthdays. In my world, they are just another day and I'm only a day older than I was the day before. I prefer to downplay parties and enjoy the few cards I get but don't wish for any more than I have. I'm also not one who dreads the next birthday. 30 came and went, 40 came and went...no big deal because it's just another day for me. It's only when the body begins to be less cooperative that I'm impacted by a birthday and that is starting to happen from time to time. I guess I'll start searching for that fountain of youth.

The good part is now I have some excuses on why I can't do things I used to do like move big boxes, paint, mow and on and on. :)

I'll celebrate my birthday this year like I have the last several spending a few days watching good high school basketball and listening to one of my favorite performers at Bass Hall. Thank you to the people in my life that tolerate my only acknowledgement of the day with these two events.

Was It A Bad Choice?

This morning I asked my son how much he spent on a video game for his new PSP. His response was $40 (of which he had Christmas money to help pay for it) and then asked "do you think I made a bad choice Dad?"

I've given him a bad example in my "betting" with my wife. When we disagree on something minor or inconsequential and I am confident I am right, I'll always say "wanna bet?" and suggest we bet anything from a Diet Coke that's already in the refrigerator to a mythical $100, $1,000 or $1,000,000 when I know she's not going to bet me. My son has bought in and is willing to bet money on things he doesn't know for sure so he got a lecture the other day on the foolishness of it and his lack of respect for the money he is given or sometimes earns. That led to his question this morning of whether I thought he made a bad choice.

I was just curious today. I knew he wanted the game and had the money for the game and he used what he had to get what he wanted. Yet for an instant, he wondered if he had done the right thing. I hope that means he is learning to think about his decisions. Over time he will need to make sure he has answered that question before he spends the money but at least he's asking the question.

Too often I've had to ask myself that question. Was it a bad choice? The sermon we heard this past Sunday was on Paul's question of why he didn't do the things he wanted to and why he did things he didn't want to. It's a question I am too often faced with in my life and one that I hope I can change over time. The Spirit will lead us to the right choice if we focus on God and His will for us. I am usually focused on Jeff and what Jeff thinks is best. That's the bad choice. I need to focus on God and what God thinks is best. If I do, if I live that way, I'll never have to ask if my decision was a bad choice.

Here and Gone

Today is the 26th and Christmas is over. At least that's the way it is at our house. I've always held that all the decorations should stay around until the end of the year. My wife is ready for it to come down today. Since she does it all, I certainly don't belabor the point. How does it work at your house?

This is a busy week for me. We are bringing in a new Store Manager to one of our stores, are short handed in the office and it's the week I love to be gone for a bit and watch some high school basketball. Add to that basketball practices and teaching Wednesday night on Ezra and Nehemiah (I'm not an Ezra/Nehemiah scholar) and it will be busy, busy, busy.

I hope you have a good week and the New Year gets off to a great start for you.

Merry Christmas To All...

Someone asked me recently why the Church of Christ doesn't celebrate Christmas (that's what they had been told anyway). It was a funny question seeing Santa comes to the Mother's Day Out program, the women all wear Christmas sweaters and earrings and everyone is talking about their Christmas plans and flat panel TV's (which may cure more than a coney ever will).

I joked with someone the other night that "we don't celebrate Jesus' birth at Christmas" and I guess there is some validity to the comment but I know that this weekend, more people will think about Jesus' birth, more people will hear songs about Jesus' birth and more people will go to a church service than maybe any other time during the year. When it comes down to it, whatever day Jesus' was born, there are a lot of people celebrating the fact that He was born, that He did come to earth now more than ever. At our congregation, we celebrate Jesus' life, ministry, sacrifice and resurrection year 'round.

I'm thankful that we do have a time where everyone has some focus on our Savior and pray that it doesn't end after Monday but will be a relationship that begins and lasts all year, every day of every year until they have the chance to be with God. Maybe then we can ask what day Jesus was born but I rather doubt that will be an issue in Heaven.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas and I hope you experience the joy of knowing the gift that God sent us this day and every day.

On Christmas Day...

It will snow 4 inches.
Santa will put a swimming pool in my backyard.
The troops in Iraq will all pack up and come home.
T.O. will catch 3 touchdowns and have 200 yards receiving.

I hope #1 and #3 happen but I'm not betting on any of it.

This is more likely...
The gift opening will be over in minutes in a whirlwind of noise and paper.
Batteries for something will be missing.
Thousands, maybe millions, will call loved ones to say Merry Christmas.
Thousands, maybe millions, wll talk about the diet and exercise program they are starting in a few days.
Thousands, maybe millions, will talk about diet and exercise while eating their 3rd piece of pie/cake/dessert.
Someone will be sad they didn't get what they wanted.
Lots of people will be in a rush to get the flat panel HDTV hooked up before the basketball and football games start.
People will start their shopping plans for returns/sales the next morning.
Dads will want to play with their childrens new toys.
More people will smile and more people will appreciate their life than normal.

I look forward to Christmas Day. It's the culmination of a busy, busy time of year and a time where I can almost always slow down, look around me and see the blessings I have. It's a day where people really do think of others and make a pledge to try and do it more often for the next 364 days. It's a day of hope, a day of peace (albeit a loud peace at times), a day to remember the gifts and THE GIFT.

Merry Christmas!

P.S. There will be no blog on Thursday. I have an eye doctor appointment and then a special appointment with a beautiful young lady to spend the day shopping for fun. It's a special time I have with my daughter and I am elated it will be here soon.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town...

Santa Claus will be here in just a few days to bring gifts and happiness to kids big and little. It's a magical time when you see the excitement in a child's eyes and feel the excitement they have over receiving a gift. While I hear parents complain about what their children expect from Santa with regards to pricing (it seems they could exercise some control over what Santa brings), I think the kids are just excited about getting to open a gift, to receive something with no strings attached and to know they were remembered. Whether I'm right or wrong, that is what I want to believe. I see the excitement in my children's eyes and see pure joy. I want to find the ways to give them that feeling every day with how I treat them, how I raise them and how I teach them to give of themselves to others.

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It seems all the news the past few days has either been about lost mountain climbers or T.O. I feel for the families of the climbers yet am still amazed at the amount of press coverage it generates. In the end, I realize the story is a story of hope until they are all found, a story that maybe something good will come out of something bad. It's a window into our society, that people still hope to find something good amidst all the bad. As long as there is hope, there is a chance that a seed we plant today will grow tomorrow.

Christmas Carols Are In My Head

I'm hearing the Christmas songs so much that they are always in my head now.

I appreciate the gift giving thoughts from the 3 wise guys. The fly rod would definitely top the list.

It seems people would get tired of fighting. I was reading an article yesterday about the fighting and killing in the middle east and the bad blood between the Fatahs and Hammas. One group killed the children of the leader of the other group within the last few days. I cannot fathom someone giving the order to go kill children or the ability to pull the trigger in that situation. It blows my mind that they can kill and kill and kill and never see the insanity of it all.

The other story that won't quit (and shouldn't) is when our troops will come home. One of my son's teachers from last year as endured her husband being in Iraq for many, many months. I'm not sure how long he was there but he came back home recently and the plan and hope is that he will not be redeployed but will begin a training position here for the immediate future. I cannot imagine having a loved one in that area of the world right now. I do hope our leaders will find a way to get those troops back home and back home quickly.

Join me in praying that God will be able to intervene in these world events and that our children can know peace on earth and goodwill to men.

What Do You Want For Christmas?

OK, I've got some folks who keep asking me what I want for Christmas and I don't know what to tell them. There are only a couple of things I want (but certainly don't need) but they are priced out of the normal range for gift giving. So I need help and I need all my faithful bloggers to give me some ideas of gifts to tell someone (no foot long coneys or "My Favorite Sermons" on CD). I'm looking forward to your response.

I'm Blogged Down

I've hit the blogging wall again. No cognizant thoughts are streaming this morning so I'll resort to an email I received yesterday for text.

Egg nog or hot chocolate? I'd have to go with hot chocolate. I'm not sure I've ever had egg nog.

Does Santa wrap presents or leave them unwrapped? Unwrapped. The joy in a youngster's eyes when seeing what Santa left is too good to keep under wraps.

Colored lights on white lights on the house? If it was me choosing it would be colored.

Do you hang mistletoe? No. (I've thought of many comments to add but better leave it alone.)

When do you put up the decorations? It's starts on Thanksgiving around our place. If it was up to me, maybe by the 24th. Thank heavens for my wife.

What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? It has to be the shrimp - a long standing tradition in my family.

What are your favorite holiday memories from childhood? There are too many to write about. My dad's family was always at our house which was always fun. One of the Higginbotham's driving me around while Santa "visited." The hope for snow.

Do you open a present on Christmas Eve? Why wait until Christmas Eve? My family always opened presents on Christmas Eve. Now, we are with my family on Christmas Eve and my wife's family on Christmas Day so we're opening presents on both.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Again, thank heavens for my wife. I would have a 2 footer sitting on an end table. She gets out the big tree and she and the kids put on more decorations than I can imagine will fit. I have a few select decorations I always put up along with the star on top. I truly enjoy watching the kids put up the decorations. It's fun to watch them get excited about an ornament and then put all of them on the same branch.

Snow. Love it or dread it? Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Can you ice skate? Haha...very funny.

What's your favorite holiday dessert? Lemon ice box pie always tops the chart. Other than that, why limit one to be a favorite?

What's the most important thing about the holiday for you? I have always enjoyed how it brings people together. In spite of the commercialism, the small gifts, the smiles, the Merry Christmas wishes we give and receive - it's glimpes of how we should treat each other at all times.

Sadness in Football Land

Boyd lost to Littlefield Saturday night and the Waterboy's career may be over. It was a tough game and Littlefield did have a potent running game that couldn't be stopped that night. It was tough to watch some of the seniors on the team who were emotional afterwards knowing how close they were to a championship game and that it was their last hurrah. They had a good season going further than many thought they would but it still is tough to get that close to the big game and not make it. Better to be close than watching all the playoff games though.

My son was excited about the opportunity to work the sidelines in a state championship game. Unfortunately that won't happen but it was a fun year for him and something I know he will remember for a long, long time.

Our attention turns to basketball now which is my favorite time of the year. Tonight we will catch some 7th and 8th grade girls basketball my daughter wants to see. Tuesday and Thursday is our 5th grade practice. After practice Tuesday we will go watch some varsity action at the new high school and maybe again on Friday. Basketball has always been my favorite sport and I can enjoy watching game after game at the high school and college level.

Is it nap time yet?

Can You Hear Me Now?

Last night our class discussed listening and the need to truly listen to people. Since I am one who prefers to say little, I think listening is a trait I have developed over the years but still struggle with at times. It's so easy to listen through our own filters of experience at times. Too often, I hear what people are saying but not listening for their experience, their feelings, their emotions. I hear it while thinking of my experience, my feelings and my emotions.

Steven Covey in his 7 Habits book says one of the habits of highly effective people is to first understand and then be understood. If we can't understand the other person and only try to make them understand us communication will never be effective. Covey does a great job of teaching about listening, listening deeply and intently to what others are telling you so you can understand where they are. In the end, if you don't know where someone else is how can you truly help them if they are seeking help or compromise with them if they are seeking compromise or advocate your position if looking at alternatives to an issue? You can't help the lost if you don't know where they are and you can't battle the enemy of you don't know where they are and you can't find love and peace and mercy and grace and salvation if you don't know where it is.

I need to listen to my wife, my family and friends and associates at work better. Even more, I need to listen to God better. I need to hear what He is telling me without subjecting His thoughts to my desires. I need to hear Him clearly and to understand Him because He already understands me.

Confusion and Wandering

I taught my 5th grade team our base offense last night at practice. I made them walk through it slowly to make sure they saw the options and knew where their teammates would be. We spent time talking about it, discussing options and problems that might present themselves during a game. Then we scrimmaged another team that was practicing on the other half of the court. There guards put pressure on our guards and all of the sudden, my players couldn't remember anything we were supposed to do. It was confusion and chaos driven by pressure applied by an outside force. I got so frustrated but I understand because I too often lead my life the same way. I know what I need to do but outside forces put pressure on me and I lose focus and things quickly become chaotic.

The easiest way for my basketball team to overcome the confusion and chaos is to have someone they can focus on that will help them do what they are supposed to do. On my team, the point guard needs to help them get in the right position, to get them focused on where they should be and what they should do. Of course, he can't make them do it right because the game doesn't stop. I don't intend this to be a "God is your point guard" analogy but the ideas are parallel. God will help us get in the proper place mentally, emotionally and physically if we will let Him help, if we will focus on Him and listen to His words.

I have as much trouble doing that as my 5th graders do getting setup in a formation but I know it's something I can work on and pray that my focus and my the actions of my life will improve with time.

Giving

Yesterday was a day to contemplate giving for me. The sermon at church was about Annanias and Sapphira (I'm trying to spell from memory) and last night I spoke about our mission efforts at church. As one "friend" told me, I'm no Rick Ross when it comes to speaking but our messages had some parallels, namely that we need to have a desire to give and a heart to share all that we have. I've been guilty in the past of thinking that if I gave 10% that I should be content. I now think of giving differently because I've seen what having nothing and still being joyful really is. I now examine my heart and wonder if I could really give all that I have and remain joyful. I examine my heart and look to see how much selfishness still exists, how much pride still exists, how much of ME and how little of God exists. I examine myself and think of what would happen if I was in Annanias' shoes and know they probably would have been carrying me out to bury me also.

I want to change my life and my motivations and my heart. I want to be able to examine my heart and only see God, to know that all I have I would part with for a deeper relationship with Him, that my desires come from His desires. That is my prayer today.
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Weekend Update: Boyd won another fun game and will be playing Littlefield in Abilene this weekend. Fortunately, our basketball team has a bye so we don't have an issue this weekend for the waterboy. His basketball team won 30-7 which was awesome to hear about. It sounds like they hustled their way to a victory.

Decisons,..Decisions

Tomorrow is our first basketball game for the 5th grade group. There's also a Boyd Yellowjackets playoff game scheduled. My son who has been a waterboy for Boyd (and was listed as a manager on the playoff t-shirts) had to make a decision; play basketball or deliver the water. He has to do "his job" and be at the Boyd game on Saturday.

It's been interesting to see his thought process grow regarding responsibility this year. He considers being a waterboy a "job", something he needs to do. He has come to think of this job as something that people are depending on him to do. He feels like he is part of the team too. It's been fun to watch him grow this year and find something that he feels is important. We've even gone from getting to the game on time to needing to be there at least 30 minutes up to an hour early.

I'm glad he has had this opportunity because I am confident it has begun a building process of things he will learn over the years and this job has been a positive experience. I appreciate Coach Ritchey for giving him the opportunity and I appreciate Ian and Braden making him feel welcome and wanted over the past couple of years. It's building memories that will last a lifetime and, maybe more, it's building a foundation that will last a lifetime.