Thank you!

A few weekends back, my older girls had a tough going in our regular league play.

Ravaged by flu, we went into back-to-back games undermanned against two good teams. On Saturday, we drove 90 minutes to play in Asheville. One of my toughest players, Y, was so sick she could hardly stand. With only 11 other players, I knew it would be tough, and we dropped our first game of the season 3-1 after an understandably dismal second half.

Sunday looked to be bleaker. Y was done, so we had only 11 players. 11! Then, one of my players forgot her cleats. We were three hours away from home, no sports stores close by, and no one had extra cleats.

In youth sports, we talk about going to war, and kicking in the opponent's teeth and more. The news is filled with abominable stories of crazy youth parents, but when it comes down to it, we meet some of the best people around in youth sports.

I am taking my hat off to the players, parents and coaches of Carolina Mountains Soccer Club U-13 Blue G team. Coach Bill and his parents treated us with class. My player was provided a pair of cleats by the mother of one of the CMSC players. Bill inquired into the health of my players, and even offered to let us take breaks during the game to ensure my players did not get dehydrated.

The game ended in a goalless tie. It is memorable to me for many reasons; my ladies showed their grit, but I also have Bill to thank for that, because he did not cheapen the game by holding back. I believe both teams are the better for playing it, and it helped create the deep regard I have for CMSC.

Thank you for showing why we do what we do. It is an honor to have played those ladies of 96G Blue.

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Beauty amidst chaos (week 41=pink)

I am a tough guy.

Till I received this blog link from my dear friend Pam, and found teardrops accumulating in my eyelids.

Cancer is harsh, and even when defeated, the scars -- physical and emotional -- can be overwhelming. As a disease, breast cancer is only rivaled by the pain and despair it can leave in

its wake.

This month, take time to say I love you to ALL the women in your lives. It's perfect practice for the other eleven months.

And, God willing, we'll continue to make a dent.

BTW, if you aren't following Dana Snyder Suggs, you should. Now.

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Grateful to be busy.

It has been a busy Summer and Fall. Two teams to coach (and travel with), running the youth program at East, deciding to help run the YCI program at East Meck, finding the time to do FCA at the same school, and most importantly, a new baby at any time.

Oh Yeah. I. Am. On. Fire. God keeps the doors permanently open.

East has been a fountain of opportunity. Great people, and there is ALWAYS something to do. Our Youth Sunday was successful, and now we are looking to be used by God in other ways.

I also get to work with PJ on our web initiative. Very, very time consuming, but very, very rewarding. I take my hat off to all the REAL web architects out there. Creating a church website is no joke, and for all my assumed computer savvy, it has been a steep learning curve.

So, all in all, it has been one blessed time period.

Gotta run. I have a pregnant woman to attend to, and I want to live to tell y'all some more.

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Letting go...

As a soccer coach, I have learned quite a lot about being charge. Mostly, that "being in charge" is not a call to dictatorship. I have also learned that to be successful with kids, you must be successful with the motivating factor behind those kids.

Yes, I am talking of the "P-word" here: PARENTS!

When I was younger, it was easy to view parents as a necessary evil. You almost always had one that was a a braggart, another who knew the governor, and one whose knowledge of soccer consisted of the drunken periodic scream "Big kick, d*****!" Yet, in everything, those folks are the same people who have the most influence on your players. You learn to value them. Some of my best friends are parents of current and past parents.

Last weekend, I was thrust into the hot seat. My baby girl was playing a game. And I was on the sideline, for the first time in my life, as a parent.

When I watch soccer games, I automatically go into analytical mode. I look at formations, balance, weak side threats and relative speed of attack. It is the goalkeeper in me, honed by years of coaching. Within seconds, I can generally figure out leaks and advantages.

On Saturday, I couldn't do that. My eyes were on #7. My pride knew no bounds, even when she stood rooted to the ground for 5 minutes without going for the ball. This same move would have elicited a growl from me with my older players... but at that moment, to me, it was almost adorable.

The toughest thing was letting go. I had always shied away from pushing Mimi towards soccer. I never wanted to become the crazy father, forcing her to practice juggling till 1 AM daily. So seeing her pick it up and play herself was humbling, and it was weird seeing Coach Thad bringing her along.

I take my hat off, again, to all the guys and gals who coach youth soccer at the grassroots level. You know... the folks who have not been jaded by advanced coaching courses, and who probably never heard of the game till they found out their kids would not have a season if they did not step up. Thanks for all you do, for creating the individual masterpieces that we get later on in the journey.

Thanks to all the rec coaches, like Coach Thad, who work hard, a lot of times for free, and help ensure that I can switch from Coach Tre to the one title in the world cooler than that:

Daddy.

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Oh boy(s)...

So...

I happened to catch some of Tyra Bank's show the other day, and was it heart-wrenching. Tyra had a bunch of teens, one as young as thirteen (13) who confessed to having numerous sexual partners. The discussions, which included most of the girls talking about sexual activities in public, their parents bed, without contraceptives and even multiple partners, included commentary from shocked mothers and pep talks from the host.

Interestingly, the mothers generally knew their daughters were sexually active. It was the sheer amount that seemed to scare the daylights out of them.

But one thing stood out to me. The script was not too far off the beaten path. Some of the girls seemed nonplussed, all the mothers were mortified and the studio audience feigned shock and indignation.

As always, load the ladies on stage, force them to confront their self-destructive behavior, and, if you are able to make them look stupid enough (and their parents overly naive), television ratings will follow.

One question: where are the boys?

Now, forgive me for donning the naive hat myself for a qucik second. Yes, I have heard all the arguments that state that society has conferred the duty of being the gatekeepers of sexual morality at the feet of the Softer sex. Still, until we begin to confront the issue in our boys and young men, it will always be a problem.

The high-five culture has to stop. Promiscuity in boys should not be celebrated or, even worse, ignored. When do we start reminding our boys to treat women like rubies? I propose you put the boys up on stage, and show them the insecurity and devastation their actions cause, and superimpose the images of the girls they treat shabbily with pictures of their mothers and sisters. Then, tell the studio audience to look at them with the same type of uncomprehending shame.

Till then, these shock shows will be blips on the radar, and the problem continues: we are raising boys who are not learning how to esteem women.

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Hanging out at East Meck.

I want to give a quick shout-out to Rick Parker, fellow Tarheel and principal at East Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, NC. Mr Parker was kind enough to take the time to meet with me, even with last minute schedule changes on my part.

I have a couple of his wards in my youth group, and is the first principal I have ever known to be loved by all the kids in the group. It's always nice to have your local principal pledge support.

I look forward to getting involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. It is a blessing to share boundaries with a high school in this biz.

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Light the Night

This is from my dear friend Pam. I admit she is loony, but she does have a heart made of gold, and because this cause is important to her, it is important to me.


Dear friends and family:

Most of you know that I don't normally send out solicitations, and I apologize if you've made it onto this list and would rather not be there.

Unfortunately, this is one that is near and dear to my heart. One of those that is closest to me is living with this disease and I have seen first-hand what it can do.

Fortunately, Carey is in remission - her ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY is TODAY!! - but for those with Myelogenous Leukemia, remission means a pill every day, not a cure. A chemo pill. With some pretty nasty side effects. Still, the side effects are better than the alternative, which is not surviving the diagnosis.

Last year, our team raised over $2000 for this cause. I am hoping that this year, we can shatter that record and help even more people fight this disease. I'm raising money for a very important cause: finding better treatments and cures for blood cancers so patients can live better, longer lives through The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light The Night Walk. I'm asking you to help by making a contribution! Please use the link in this email to donate online quickly & securely. You will receive an email confirmation of your donation as soon as it is made. I thank you in advance for your support which will make a difference in the lives of thousands of patients battling blood cancers.

I really appreciate your generosity!!

http://pages.lightthenight.org/nc/Charlnc09/waalien

Thanks, Pam

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YouVersion Live

Just got this from the good people at LC.tv:

Hey YouVersion friends,

We've got some really exciting news and we want you to be the first to know! Soon, you’ll be able to use YouVersion in a whole new way...

Introducing YouVersion Live!

Beginning in October, you'll be able to interact with live events on your mobile device using YouVersion Live.

During church services, conferences, Bible studies, small groups, and more, you can:

• Follow along with message outlines and take notes
• Read related Bible verses and click through to the expanded passage
• Vote on a poll and see the results live
• Respond to questions anonymously
• Request prayer
• Take it all home with you on your phone

Anyone with a web-enabled mobile phone will be able to take part, along with iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android users. And if you’ve got a laptop or computer with an internet connection nearby, you’ll be able to join in too.

YouVersion Live gives you a simple, free way to participate, contribute, and get involved in the conversation.

Check out http://youversion.com/live and sign up for email updates to stay in the loop!

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By all means, watch how you cut your meat!!!

In this article retrieved from Yahoo! Hotjobs, Maria Hanson details tricks that employers are using in an ever-tight job market. There was an interesting point about watching the candidates eat, and how one company passed on a candidate based on the way he cut his meat.

On the surface, nothing new here. Employers do go to extreme lengths to ensure they invest the right type of human capital. They go to FaceBook, Myspace and Twitter. Meat cutting was bound to be the next frontier.

Of course, a standardized chart of demerits is in order. Here's one that churches can use:

Different sock color: 3 demerits (color blindness won't fly in ministry).

Shirt unbuttoned to navel with unsightly chest hair: 5 demerits (denotes habitual errors in judgment)

Shirt unbuttoned to navel without unsightly chest hair: 7 demerits (no chest hair? Then why are you doing it?).

Lack of knowledge of John 3:16: PEIN***

Any use of the terms "outside-the-box," "donuts" or "urban": 10 demerits. (if "urban" is used 3 or more times, PEIN; candidate has been watching too much BET).

Plays with light switch when left alone: 5 demerits. (I refuse to budge on this, so don't ask).

Long, dangling Jesus faux bling hanging from neck: PEIN

Saying the word "bling" at any point during the interview: 30 demerits. (Hip-hop auditions are across town, doofus).

Sir Mix-a-Lot ringtone: 30 demerits and immediate prayer

Maranatha Singers ringtone: PEIN. (Same as bringing Jesus, in person, to the interview. Simply too good to be true).

Gang signs shown by reflex: 0 demerits (what? For all I know, you'll blame me for the non-offer, and then I get hunted. Figure it out).

Cutting meat in the wrong fashion: 10 demerits plus counseling by elder board on the off chance you are hired (look, I know this is supposed to be really bad, but I figure it could be much worse).

Lewd comments: PEIN (and call 911).

I am sure the meat cutting can be applied to a host of different situations. Now, instead of scouting games, I could simply trail an opposing coach secretly to watch him/her eat at his favorite steak house for insight into his/her game plan. Or, predict how my wife is feeling by how she wields a fork and knife... wait a second... scratch that. Why give her a knife?




***PEIN denotes "Please end interview NOW!"

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Saving lions

So, it was one of those headlines that grabbed at me...

Two Men Live With Lions To Attract Attention To Saving Them.

Come again?

Now, without getting into the meat of the article, it was clear to me that this is not something I am called to do. I am one of those weirdos that buy into conserving the planet, but living with an animal that can eat me -- in order to save it -- is just not something I can wrap my mind around.

I can do puppies... may even bunny rabbits. I can see myself going wild and living with teddy bears. But lions, cheetahs, tigers and the like... well...

Seriously, the headlines would be shameless: youth pastor/coach decides to live with lions to save them... and does so till the end.

Modern day lion-whisperer gets inside lion's head (and eventually, its stomach).

Youth worker gives his all to furry friendly felines he adored.

Humans show a unique aptitude for being able to sacrifice for the things we care about. We'll go to unique lengths to ensure we meet the ethical standards we place for ourselves. It defines are humanity.

This is why missions are extremely important. Old-school methods in a fast-moving world. Humans loving humans will never grow old, and even the Lord showed how important social responsibility is. Sometimes, the neediest people are not across the globe; they can be in the house down the street.

Some food for thought...

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Accept my sympathies. LOL.

IMO...

This is an interesting write-up on the proliferation of text abbreviation in everyday life. We've all seen the phone commercials that make light of the phenomenon, usually with an unhip parent, and laughed.

Truth is, every generation seems to develop a unique means of conveying thoughts. Mobile technology provides an easy platform in ours. All of a sudden, shorter seems to better... and I cannot say that it is a bad thing. Now, every major news network has a "text chat" feature for their top shows, presidential candidates tweet, you can choose your American Idol with a few keystrokes and even bully high school kids in under 160 characters.

Now, I'd love to claim that I have been down with this form of mobile communication, but I admit that I generally avoided it. After all, I reasoned, it is much easier to just call than start banging away on a minute keypad that probably doesn't have a QWERTY display anyway.

Ever since I started blogging on my BlackBerry, I have gravitated towards texting a bit more myself, and have discovered it is a very effective means of keeping in touch with my wards. Many have told me if they had to pick between a million minutes or an unlimited texting plan, they'd pick the latter without hesitation.

Texting used to be the exclusive plaything of teens, but that isn't the case anymore. Churches even run services based of text interactions, and it ain't only aimed at youth. Simply put, if it something your children or youth are into (and, if they have a cell phone, they most likely are), it is something parents and youth workers should understand, if not embrace. Do you know what "sexting" is? I bet my bottom dollar that your kids do.

In any case, ETATILT (enjoy the article that I linked to). Yeah, I made that up. And?

Picture courtesy of Alton via Wikimedia Commons

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Politicians, knives and Twitter.

Politicians, including our favorite, Ahnold, are finding that the Twitter sword cuts both ways.

Ah... the joys of social networking. The whole "140 characters or less" concept was supposed to help communication, not muddle it up even further.

A note for church workers who tweet: what's bad for the goose is much worse for the church gander.

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iPhone apps? Whatever...

So many of my christian brothers and sisters own iPhones. Anyone who casually reads this blog knows that I feel real christians use BlackBerry devices... but I feel that I must soften my stance a bit. Now, I simply see iPhones users as misguided. It will still be a struggle to fellowship with them, but someone's got to do it. Especially since LifeChurch has created additional strife by streaming services to iPhones, as in iPhones only (for now, I hope).

Whatever. Thanks a lot, Brandon! Now BJ, Ron, Amanda, Danny and Pamela Edwards all have bragging rights.

Ron is one of these misguided people. Still, if anyone can use his iPhone as a ministry tool, it's Ron. And despite my misgivings, I caught myself enjoying an article about another iPhone bible. As if there not enough compelling reasons as to why the iPhone can be a powerful ministry companion.

It goes to show: the gospel can be propagated. Even on the iPhone. I still will throw rocks at Ron and BJ.

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Furniture, Race and Music

Twitter/FaceBook buddy Pastor Ben Cotten always finds these gems...

Wow. I guess High Point is a melting pot. At least, as far as furniture is concerned.

One somewhat unrelated thought was the fact that one thing that does surely help one overcome prejudice (or at least shields it for a season) is money. Don't read too much into my ramblings here... this really has nothing to do with the ad. However, I do believe that nothing strips away the facade of tolerance than some hard times.

Ah... let us bask in the musical stylings of the crew at the The Red House...

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Hate to wait...

I am not big on waiting. I was a preemie at birth, and ever since then, patience has never been my strong suit.

That is why this simple, short blog post from Amanda Sims speaks to me. It's also a reason she has made my "People I dislike..." shortlist. Stay tuned for that...

Thanks, A!

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Why?

It's the beautiful game... and I love to coach it.

Growing up, my dad couldn't wield the pigskin, or dribble a basketball, and he was probably more acquainted with cricket than baseball... but he knew how to play football -- real football. My earliest memories consist of him showing me the basics outside our home in Minnesota.

People don't understand the immense honor and privilege it is to have the opportunity to coach and teach young people. Coaching youth sports is the ultimate elixir; it makes you a better person.

You see both sides of the coin. When you do right, there is no losing. You might come up on the wrong side of a result, but there are a million potential victories in every loss. Sometimes, it's hard to find them... but that's why finding them is so much sweeter.

I thought playing the game was great. After I got hurt, I missed the action. To this day, I can't walk by a set of goals without a sense of hunger.

But nothing compares to the look of a 12 yr-old who looks up at you with complete trust. In that instant, you are humbled by the sheer weight of the situation. Hey Coach: you are it. In that space of time, practice or game, you are influencing a young person's life. You are teaching them. And, if you are blessed enough to recognize the opportunity, you also teach yourself.

You see, long after the whistle, long after the cupcakes and ice cream, it is so much more than the leather sphere, boots and gloves. It's about fellowship, family and sharing love for the beautiful game.

That's why I do it.



Sent via BlackBerry

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485ing it.

How reassuring the sound of a bird chirping is.

Against the background of speeding vehicles, it is downright heavenly.

Where am I? On I-485, the branching interstate that flanks the parent I-85 in Charlotte. I had just experienced a tire blowing out, and it wasn't fun.

I was (still am, hopefully) headed to watch a soccer game with my U-13 Girls team as the first leg of an evening of practice and team-building. So, naturally, I am disappointed sitting here waiting for AAA to get here and tow me to a tire shop.

In any case, now that my pulse has returned to normal, I feel somewhat let down. When I heard the pop, I had the weird sensation that someone had shot at me.

I figured I had to be making mighty moves for the kingdom, and someone was trying to take me out. Or, with the BET Awards at hand, someone had mistaken me for a musician driving a Honda and decided to take that diss record I made a decade ago personal. Or, a local youth pastor warning me about innocently poaching some of his youth.

Or, it could be a blown tire.

In any case, I am safe, and grateful for the prayer tweets coming in (along with the suggestions to look for stale fries and lemon-crusted squirrel from Pam and Karen).

Plus, I finally have tan lines, and that, my friends, is no small feat.

Picture courtesy of Wiki Commons.


Sent via BlackBerry

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God hates Twitter

I'll leave the commentary to y'all. I mean that. I won't utter a word.

Okay, just one word. Really?!

Keep in mind that this is not a denominational issue...

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/142309

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*Space reserved*

... for future testimony...

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Sheep thieves and saints

Years ago, I read an interesting story.

Two young men, friends upon a wayward path, decided to steal a sheep. Unfortunately for them, they were caught and sent before the elders of the clan.

Justice was swift and brutal.

That evening, before the entire village, the two men were tied up, set on their knees, and each had the initials "ST" branded on their respective foreheads, denoting Sheep Thief. For the rest of their lives, there would be a permanent reminder of their transgression for the whole world to see, and a deterrent to other would-be criminals.

The one youth became despondent. He moved to the edge of the town and morphed into a grumpy recluse noted for his mean disposition. He lived out the rest of his years in shame and self-imposed solitude.

The second boy was different. After a brief period of shame and regret, he slowly began to dedicate his life to serving others. There wasn't a person in need he didn't try to help; he became renown for his kind works and his Godly ways. Eventually, he was looked upon as an example of virtuous living, and people strove to be in his company.

One day, when the second was an old man, a visitor to the land asked his host what the ST on the man's forehead stood for.

"Don't really remember," said his host, scratching his head, " but I am fairly positive it means "'Saint'."

This story isn't mine, and I wish I knew the author to ask forgiveness for butchering it, but it has always resonated with me.

Redemption takes time, but it can and does happen. The concept of having the slate cleaned is priceless. And every believer knows we deal with a salvation that is freely given and unearned. I am not trying to discount the consequences attached to our actions, but there is something inherently fascinating about the Good News.

Errors happen, but they are not the end.

Sent via BlackBerry

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