Fine Young Man

I’m sitting here watching a re-run of the first week of the Biggest Loser. I had heard Sean Algaier was on this season so I wanted to watch. Sean is the youth & worship minister for the Jenks Church of Christ in Tulsa. He sings with Watershed Worship and I think he had a stint with Acappella too.
Obviously I am interested because he is part of my religious heritage. But, it’s more than that. I am cheering for Sean and have huge expectations for him. Here’s why. Sean is a follower of Christ on a huge stage with millions watching. I know how vicious this reality stuff can be. What an awesome place to reveal the Spirit of Christ to a watching world! I’m gonna be cheering for Sean. But more-I’ll be praying for him. I pray for him and his family and for his improved health. I’ll also be praying that the world sees the beauty and love of Christ. Go Sean!

I have witnessed a couple of heated Facebook discussions lately that made me proud. They were about politics of course. I’m no good at discussions like this because I become too emotionally involved. If you reject my views I feel that you have rejected me. I’m also so set on winning so I won’t float my opinion unless I’m confident enough to flaunt it. So you might imagine the angst I felt as I read through comments weighing in on the issues. As I read I felt that some were becoming extremely angry. That’s not what made me proud. What made me proud was at the end of the spirited discussion, those who I thought were the angriest became friendly and thankful – apologizing if offense was taken and grateful for good discussion. Frankness, good dialogue and civility are still alive and that is good news for us all.

It’s been a while since I posted mainly because of busyness. My youngest brother, Caul, had his toughest game of the season this past Friday night with a win over Lafayette County. I had meant to post about the season opener at home.

My high school just completed a new stadium, the first one it hasn’t shared with the local community college. Caul began his senior year of football at the new stadium. He and his two cousins were team captains for the night (he’s #55), which was a great honor. From what I hear it was a spectacle to behold! The field was in great shape. The lights went out with a laser show around the smoking teepee at the locker room (we are the Indians). The guys ran through a tunnel that went under the home bleachers and comes out at the 50 yard line. The stadium was full. What a night! They trounced Amory for the opener.

I’m very happy for Caul. He has been to the state playoffs every year. They have a serious chance of going all the way this year, and I hope they do. Those will be some great memories that neither John (my younger brother) or I ever had. My teams went 6-24 in high school. I just hope Caul realizes what a wonderful thing he is experiencing and savors every moment. I proud of him and for him.

Hopefully, I can post in the future about a state champion!

I don’t want to be a marketing rep.

Drew’s birthday is tomorrow. We plan to go to Chuck E. Cheese for a while and then back home for cake and gifts.

Whatever you thought of MJ, this is what I remember about when I first learned about him and his music.

Man, I really learned something today. We had access to a party barge and an awesome jet ski. I pulled the tube with the party barge for a while as a friend drove his two sons on the jet ski. They looked like they were really having a great time. I hope so. I got my turn on the jet ski, taking Holley for a few trips back and forth across the lake. Later on, Kristy and I dragged Drew on for a quick ride. I dropped them off at the boat and took off by myself. I opened the thing up across the lake, veering into coves to check it out. I went around in circles and wove back and forth, and then realized that I was jut plain bored. What? On a jet ski on a beautiful day on a great lake! Why am I bored?

The only thing I can think of is this: I can’t handle journeys that are going nowhere and moments that aren’t necessarily spent accomplishing anything. And yet, I want too. I want to enjoy the journey and I want to enjoy moments of simply “being”. I don’t know where this thought will lead, but it is an interesting thing to learn on a jet ski.

Today at Holley’s last softball game, I told Kristy that I needed to run to the restroom. I left Drew with her while I went. I was doing what you do at the restroom, not thinking that Drew was anywhere around. Then, I heard the voice.

“Daddy…daddy…daddy…,” came the voice. It was coming from the sidewalk outside the concrete building and it was coming closer. I knew his voice instantly. It was the voice of my son. I don’t know why but I was amazed that the voice was so familiar to me that I could recognize it above all the other noises of the ballpark. I suppose the familiarity comes out of hours of relationship that have been built up over the last 4 years.

I felt close to Father in that moment. Surely, if I could recognize my son’s voice, He can recognize mine! I bet He feels the way I felt, too, in a way that blows me away!