The Way

Soccer and volleyball are in full swing for our daughters. Volleyball is faring well with Shelbi's team really playing well out of the gate. I realize that I am her dad, but Shelbi is playing really good volleyball right now. She is not a big hitter, but she is blocking really well and when she is hitting, she is putting it in the right place. They had two big wins early in the week and then won yesterday against a team that had very little talent. Soccer is sort of trying to find their way right now. We did get a win over Columbia Academy on Tuesday and lost to FRA last night. FRA is really good and we really did not play to bad against them. Unfortunately, one of our defenders went down with what looks like a torn ACL. I happened to see her go down and it did not look very good. She has been playing really well too. Praying for speedy recovery. She is a great kid. I am planning on playing golf this afternoon with one of my running buddies and another friend from the Y. They are ...

I like this kid. I like people who decide that when something "that can't be done" becomes, "done it" and make it happen. This New Jersey 17-year-old spent about 500 hours and with the help of a few buddies, broke the lock that AT&T had on their monopoly for the iPhone. I even think he did it all legally. I wonder when it is that most people just decide that stuff that can't be done, really can't and just settle for status guo. I have been guilty of that in the past and usually wake up some morning sick because I bought the lie that something was impossible. I turn 44 in a couple of weeks and I guess I am looking back on a few of those "I just settled times" and regret them. I have not done the "just settling" stuff much, but far too many times. I do not have an iPhone because I really can't afford one and my current phone actually still works pretty well. And, I am glad that it does. I do not want to settle for trying to get...

The FOCUS event went great. We had about a hundred student ministers there and it was so good to connect with them, learn about their families, ministries, and just what has been going on in their lives. It was really incredible. I drove the truck home yesterday from the event and . . . well, I wrestled it home really. It was a big Ryder truck that had all of our sound, lighting, stage, etc. stuff in it from the event. It was a different experience for me but one that I really sort of enjoyed. But . . . a little goes a long way for me. Today was a good day at church and then a nice two hour nap. I was pretty exhausted from the weekend but feel good now that I have gotten some coveted nappage this afternoon. It is good to be home and to gear up for the week. Think we have two soccer games and two volleyball matches this week, so the evenings will be busy. Lindsy, the young lady who has been living with us the past 15 months moved out today into the dorm at Trevecca. It has been good to...

Today we start a conference designed to help student ministers in the local church focus on students rather than just trying to build student ministries. We headed to Pigeon Forge this morning and the conference goes from today through Sat. am. You can find out more info. here: www.lifeway.com/focus It has been nice to be home the last three weeks. Catching up on stuff around the house and just getting to be around my wife and the girls has been good. They are all in the throes of school, soccer and volleyball so it is busy, but it is home. Looking forward to a good weekend. Got in 5 miles this morning before we climbed in the car to head down here. Hoping to get 5 each day while I am here.

Odd things happen in the heat. Most people know that one has to be careful not to overdo it in the heat. With Nashville now in the hottest month on record ever in this fair town, it seems the heat is bringing out the best and worst in some. Many people are reaching out to help others by providing fans and window a/c units. Neighbors are checking on one another and most people are handling the heat and their neighbors pretty well. Some, on the other hand, are not handling it very well. There are many people who are hot, tired and angry and their fuses are pretty short. I told my wife the other day that I was hot and had been for a couple of days, so a couple of hours later she hugged me and then said, "Gosh!. You're hot!" Sometimes that is an exciting thing to hear from her after 22 years of marriage, but she was only talking about the heat of my body. (Better luck next time I guess.) I have talked to some friends who have quite a bit of upper respiratory infection due to...

I realized that I had not blogged since last Saturday. Yikes. Not too good for letting those few of you what has been going on. The main thing happening around here in Nashvegas is heat. Over 100 all week and seems to be little cool down in the evenings. We have been to soccer scrimmages, volleyball scrimmages and of course church. While I am on church, ours is good. I am very thankful for our pastor and staff and the people there are definitely not perfect, but they are real and are interested in becoming like Christ. Makes it a great place to be. I have run 10-milers twice this week and 5 on each of the other days. Looking forward to another weekend at home and watching our oldest play some volleyball tomorrow.

We had three day in a row over 100 and now 15 or 16 with it at least 95 degrees or higher. The yard is all but gone (even the bermuda is hanging it up) and no rain in sight. This has been a hot summer. Maybe there is something to that global warming stuff. (Cheap shot I know) I ran 5 this morning and then walked a mile to cool down but I never really cooled down. I did stop to meet one of the killer chihuahua (Taco Bell dog) dogs that lives up the street. He barks and growls and pretends to be a monster, but when I stopped and let him smell my hand he rolled over and let me rub his belly. Made me wonder if most of the people that I know who bark alot really just want someone to rub their belly (okay, well at least show some affection to them.) Rub a belly of one of those mean chihuahua people you know. I am going to give it a try. We will see how it goes.

It is hot in Nashville. And, I mean hot. Close to 100 with the heat index somewhere around 105-110. It was 85 this morning when we wen out to run and I slogged through 5 miles and was glad I did not have to run any more. I tried to play golf late yesterday afternoon and it was terrible. It may be the worst golf I have ever played. The whole realm of my game was really bad. Thankfully, golf is just a game and no one was injured or killed. It is good to be home for awhile now. There are a number of things going on around here but it is good to be here around them. The girls start school tomorrow and Shelbi begins her final year of high school. Hard to believe but we are all excited about it. They both have practice after school with Morgan playing soccer and Shelbi playing volleyball. Soon all of our afternoons will be either on a soccer field or in a gym. I love watching the girls play. It is good for a dad's heart. Looking forward to a great school year at DCA.

I made it home on Monday after a delay out of San Francisco and then DFW. It was interesting in San Francisco that our pilot just did not show and there happened to be a pilot dead heading to DFW so he flew for us. Glad he was on the plane. After arriving at home, my wife wisked me away to the dentist for my 6-month cleaning and check up and then finally home. I was beat. With the race on Sunday, cancelled flight and delays, I was glad to get home. I have run 4-5 miles each day except for Monday and feel pretty good. Not sore at all just tired and not ready to race for sure. Work has been pretty busy and I am glad to be back in the office. Things like expense reports and presentation preparations just keep rolling on. My wife left for Dallas yesterday morning for her annual pilgrimage to the BeautiControl meeting and she always enjoys that time. I am thankful she takes the opportunity to go and hang out with some of her friends. Hoping for a low key weekend. Just looking to catch up o...