Coaching 1

Coaches get a lot of criticism in the world, both good and bad. Think back to the Harbowl where all the media attention, that Ray Lewis wasn't sapping up (that guy would have worn a meat dress to get more camera time if Gaga was stealing the spotlight) , was directly on the two coaches who would be going head to head on sports biggest stage.

One failed, one won, most of the credit whether succeed or fail is given to the coach. I always found this interesting as the coaches aren't on the field actively participating in the game. They are puppeteering their teams allowing the athletes to do what they do best, perform.

I have been teaching English now for 3 out of 4 quarters, I have learned that the thing the makes the biggest difference in whether or not students learn is me. I am coaching them.

The interesting thing about coaching is that everyone is one or learns from one at some point. I coach my students, I get coached by my colleagues and my administration, my administration gets coached by the district, the district by experts, etc. Everyone is a coach or is coached at some point in their lives.

It begs the question, what and who are you coaching, as well as who is coaching you and in what way?

The people by which we surround ourselves have an immediate impact on the people in which we become.

Who is it you are impacting and who are you allowing to impact you?

God has indeed taken care of me in the sense that I have always had a strong community around me. My family and friends are people that indeed coached me throughout my life, they have allowed me to coach them as well. It is a huge responsibility and undertaking to speak truth into the life of another, but as a coach that is what you are doing; constantly teaching, constantly critiquing, constantly correcting with truth and knowledge.

If that is indeed the case, who is it that you are allowing that much say into your life? Truth is, whether you like it or not, someone is indeed coaching you.

Future Viral

My friends and I did a less awesome version of this once, I drove out to play paintball, and they shot my car up... while the windows were down.



Bored? Watch Duck Dynasty's season premiere and read my thoughts on this weeks episodes here --> Camo and Duck Calls

80's Worship

You know that one time that God is awesome?  By awesome I mean it in the same way that Rich Mullins explained it in his hit song in 1988, "When He rolls up His sleeves He ain't just putting on the ritz, our God is an awesome God," I think it is more meaningful that way.

Regardless, His rolled up sleeves have been evident to me lately in the answering of prayer.  I won't go deep into specifics, but I have a friend who has been in the process of getting a job for several months now.  After multiple interviews and red tape he got a call saying he got the job. 

Pretty awesome, and He wasn't just putting on the ritz.

I know this isn't a life or death situation, and I know a lot of people have to worry about worse things than landing a good job, but I am also keenly aware that we matter to God.  Our hopes and fear, desires and purpose were uniquely crafted for each and every one of us by Him, so why is it that He wouldn't care? 

There are indeed times when I know God is not going to say yes to my prayer and other times when he will just ignore them all together.

Prayer closes doors as well.  Sometimes we get so excited about an opportunity only to have a door slammed on our face, thats okay.  Hard, but okay.

Regardless He has thunder in His footsteps and lightning in His fists, our God is an awesome God.

Camo and Duck calls

America, we have an unhealthy obsession.

I like a good reality show as much as the next guy, mostly because I think it's funny how terrible the entertainment industry has gotten at providing quality entertainment. My most recent favorite disaster stars diving, YouTube it, it's terrible.

Our obsession is deeper than stars being too scared to do pencil dives off the high
board though. Our obsession reeks of muddy water and unwashed beards.

Duck Dynasty.

Duck Commander.

Its like staring at an accident on the freeway that you can't see because it is covered in camouflage.

Tonight it returned in all its glory so I thought I'd share my thoughts from the night's show:

Episode 3.1
1. Si was an x-man recruit, his powers are the same as cyclops but he doesn't wine as much.

2. Not showering for 60 days is an accolade.

3. In this home, calling your woman plump pleases her.

4. Beards are for more than decoration, namely; nests and intimidation.

5. Vietnam vets say kick it.

6. Sleeping in a tent v. an RV is the redneck equivalent of "12 Angry Men."

Episode 3.2
1. "His dimples went from his upper cheeks to his lower cheeks." -Jase

2. What is really in Si's iced tea and does he ever wash that cup?

3. Duck Commander is about 3 years late on the shake weight phenomenon.

4. You always have to test trees like you test your dogs.

5. Shorty shorts are required for going to the gym.


It's amazing how a reality show that is so scripted can be so incredibly entertaining. Til next time.

Birthdays

I turned 28 today. I think it marks the last time I will feel like I am young. The good news is there are a lot of positives with growing up;

1. Gray hair
2. Leaving your turn signal on and no one caring
3. Naps at 10 am, going to bed at 6 pm

Granted I have a long way to go until any of those dreams of mine are indeed a reality, I am excited about my ascent to sagehood. My whole life I have looked up to men who were older than me who had lived through the beat downs that life had offered. I have always wanted a friend to garner the wisdom that elderly gentlemen seem to exude with every passing day.

Proverbs says this:
"The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old."

I have got to say I am excited to lose my strength and gain some wisdom. To me it is no match, don't get me wrong I have zero desire to get fat and saggy before my time comes but I want to have the wisdom that I have envied for so long.

28 is a far cry from being a sage, but it is the year I want to reap as much wisdom as I can garner through the men God has placed in my life.

Daniel Fast

I don't miss you, coffee.  Coffee, you and I have had a rocky relationship in the past, you assumed I needed you, I denied it, you forced yourself onto me, I partook of the sweet nectar and was cured of my bleary eyes and pounding headache.  Coffee, you no longer control me.  Don't get me wrong, I still want a casual relationship with you, but I think it is time we see other people and reunite only for special occasions, like New Year's eve and dark, frosty mornings.

I know coffee during the Daniel Fast is a source of contention for some churches.  Some say coffee beans are natural and there is nothing wrong with pouring water over beans in order to make an aromatic and mouthwatering form of bean water.  Others say you are not supposed to have stimulants as Daniel wouldn't have had those.  Regardless of where you land, I thought one thing I was turning to rather than disciplining myself was coffee.  I could stay up late without repercussions the next day, but I would assuredly miss my time with God because I needed to garer as much sleep as I could.  I was undisciplined.  Coffee, why must you tempt me so.

The first few days were hard but not terrible, I drowned myself with water so the affects of no coffee were not as bad.  Between that and running, things got better.  But the more I thought about the things I really missed on the Daniel fast the more I realized I didn't truly miss anything.  The times I felt hungry I prayed for guidance and discipline during the day.  This isn't to say I don't look forward to eating whatever I want come Sunday.  Here is my food list:

First thing I will have:  Me 'n Eds pizza.  A perfect combination of the things I couldn't eat (cheese, bread, and meat.)

Second thing:  Cookies for dessert.  No Sugar makes Peter crazy.

Third Thing (Morning after): Coffee, not because I need it, because I miss it.  My plan is to limit it to a cup a day, no afternoon caffeine splurges to pick me up.

This is the verse I am meditating on this week and my hope is I take the knowledge and wisdom I have gained during this fast to aid me in discipling myself when it comes to the bad habits I have formed in life.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7

Hard Relationships

This is the type of person I want in my corner when things get hard and I need someone to carry me:

1. They need to love Jesus

2. They need to love you

3.  They have to be brave enough to call you out

4. They have to be willing to get in trouble with you

5. They have to be committed

What'd I miss?

Baseball is Life

I can remember when I was seven years old I went to a Giants and Dodgers game, I was as close to hell as I ever hope to get, Dodger Stadium.  In that game in 1992 a pitcher named Kevin Gross did the unthinkable to my Giants, he threw what is known in the biz as a no-no.  I was the only person in the stadium crying tears of anger and sadness as I walked out with my Dad who was wearing a Dodgers hat.

That same year on my way home from visiting my aunt and uncle in San Mateo I cried as news broke that the Giants were going to be moved to Tampa Bay.  They ended up staying.

A year later I was at Candlestick park sitting in terrible seats when chants began to ring out, first it was "BEAT LA" then an inning later it turned to, "DODGERS SUCK."

When I was ten I went to a game for my neighbors birthday, I got to run the bases at 3COM park at Candlestick Point.

In 2000 I went with my Dad sat 13 rows behind home plate and watched the fifth game ever played at AT&T Park as Barry Bonds faced off against Randy Johnson.

My Dad slipped into a coma that night he never woke from hours after Bonds broke the all time home run record of 755, he ended with 762.

I took Sarah on our first date to watch the Giants get beat by the Twins.

I took Cooper to his first game at four weeks, and Micah to his first at five weeks, it happened to be game three of the NLCS where Matt Cain shut down the Philadelphia Phillies.

I watched the Giants win their first World Series in 56 year with four generations of fans, the youngest being less than two months old and the oldest being in their 70's.

I watch baseball because I love the game.  I love situations, I love the grass, I love that the game that was invented over 150 years ago has remained largely unchanged, I love that no matter what happens in life, baseball will be there.  The history is rich, the stories have been written since the 1880's.

There is just enough time in baseball to see tragedy and triumph coming at you like a freight train.
There is enough time in life to have no clue what is going to happen.

Baseball, like any other hobby or sport that people love to revel in and waste time on, is great for enriching your life, but terrible for turning it into your life.  There was a successful t-shirt that said, "Baseball is life" I had one, I wore it with me blue and white striped denim shorts in the early 90's.  That shirt is not only wrong, it's sad.

Life is bigger than that, it is more important than that.  We've been entrusted to pass on a message that is better than tracking a team.  What have you dedicated your life to?

Confrontation Sucks

I hate confrontation.  Not like the kind where Maximus kills Caesar in the final scene of Gladiator, that type of conflict is awesome.  I don't like real conflict.  Real conflict like you see a brother or sister in Christ that needs to be loved back to where God wants them and the only way to do that is by speaking truth into their life, real, nasty, hard to swallow, truth.  These conversations are terrible, no one looks forward to them, but in order to continue growing in faith you have to have hard conversations, you have to do hard things.

Growing up I didn't like to stir the pot, I was often referred to as the voice of reason because I never wanted to rock the boat I never wanted to do anything that was going to get me in trouble, no matter how big the explosion was or how many pieces it blew up into.  I like being safe, I liked being comfortable.  Throughout these least two years I have come to terms with the idea that if you want to be a good man, husband, disciple, and friend you have to have hard conversations.  You have to have conversations that make you uneasy because these conversations are what help people grow, they help us grow.

I am glad I have a group of friends that is more than willing to nail me to the wall if I am acting in a way that is unrepresentative of the body of Christ.  I am glad I have friends who will look me in the eye and tell me I am wrong.  I am glad I have friends that will walk next to me and at times carry me towards righteousness when I have no more strength and a loss of will.

Hard conversations suck.

Confrontation sucks.

You know why people hate lifting weights?  (Other than the fact that it is boring and repetitive (just so I don't offend any really strong people, I lift weights and is may main source of exercise, so back up or I will flex my tricep in your general direction)).  People hate lifting weights because you are literally tearing your muscles in order for them to repair themselves and make the bigger and stronger.  Last time I checked tearing my muscle wasn't on my short list of things that reminded my of puppies and clouds made of cotton candy.

It's the same thing with confrontation.  It sucks, it is literally you telling someone you deeply care about about blind spots in their life. I can't guarantee it will make them a better person, but I can guarantee you will become a stronger version of yourself if you have hard conversations.

Waiting Expectantly

I have had a lot of things get my hopes up in the last few days, the first came on Sunday when I heard for the first time that one of my all time favorite shows 'Arrested Development' is coming back for a fourth season as a prequel to a movie that will be released in 2013.

Today Sarah and I get to put an offer in on a house that we hope will be our home for a very long time.  Yesterday we went to our broker and got pre-qualified for what we are willing to pay for this home and now, we start the wonderfully terrifying journey of purchasing a home.

Today Apple will introduce their iPhone 5.

All of these things have me more excited than the Dodger players getting news that they would still get paid regardless of filing for bankruptcy.  Two of these things I know will go the way I want them to.

Apple will deliver, they always do and I just checked for when I am due for an upgrade, (not
until April unfortunately).  I am pretty sure the new iPhone will do all my work for me, including working out.  Awesome.

Arrested Development will meet my expectations for the simple fact that it has been gone for five years, I have watched the series four times and at this point anything new from the Bluth family is welcome.

The one I am not sure of is this whole house purchasing thing.  The most important financial decision Sarah and I will make in our entire lives is coming to a head in the coming weeks.  This is somethign Sarah and I have soaked in prayer to the best of our ability, God has closed doors on our faces over the past 8 months, we sold a house to buy a specific one only to find out an offer had been accepted the day before we could put an offer in.  We lived with my in-laws, my grandfather-in-law, and now we rent a house waiting and waiting and waiting.

We want our home to be a place of refuge for people when they come over, we want our home to be a way to bless God with what he has given us, we want to make sure we are being good stewards of what we have been entrusted with.

This home could be the home our kids grow up in, get their license in, leave from when they go to college.

Terrifying.

But our home is where we are.  It doesn't matter where we are, we are the Anderson's and where we lay our head at night doesn't change that.

If you have read this far do me a favor and pray for us today, if this isn't where we are supposed to be pray that God would slam the door (gently) and make it evident where he does indeed want us.  Have a good Tuesday waiting expectantly for what God has for you.