They Really Can't Hear You

I have never gotten it. I mean I've tried. The Lord knows I have given it time. My wife has been involved with it since middle school and my in laws are definitely into it. It's getting to be that time of year. It's a Texas high school tradition. Yet here I sit on a sultry August night under the Friday night lights of the local football game, and I still don't get it.

I have tried for years but I still find football to be about the most uninteresting thing going. All the running and throwing and chasing the little ball- I just don't see what all the fuss is about.

But the thing I really don't get are the "talkers.". You know, the people that sit in the stands and talk to the players on the field... Their eyes are fixed on the action and they start saying things like "C'mon defense!" or "Gittem 42!" or "Gawn hold em!"

I really don't get it. For the life of me I can't figure out who they are talking to. It's not the rest of the crowd because they are right there watching the game. It can't be the players can it? Maybe if I yelled at the players I'd like football more. Still, I can't help but wonder if the "talkers" know that they really can't hear you...

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Great Quote: Multitasking

"Multitasking is the art of distracting yourself from two things you’d rather not be doing by doing them simultaneously."

I found this very funny, but not ha-ha funny. This is a great quote that I grabbed from a post on 43 Folders, my new favorite blog.

Song of the Week: "Promise" by Spoken

God speaks to me through music. If that sounds freaky to you, then God probably doesn't speak to you in music. If He does, then you know exactly what I'm talking about.

It has been a VERY difficult week for me with all the typical duties of a husband and father of three plus the added stress of getting ready to start a new school year. This song came on the radio at one of my lowest points this week. I know God is trying to cheer me up and wants me to lay my worries on Him. These lyrics have definitely been speaking to me:

Yet another day seems like it’s wasted
You don’t feel you’re any closer to the prize
A dead end job where there’s no future
Praying that tomorrow things won’t be this way

Things will get better this I promise you
And I know that you won’t feel this way forever
Things will get better this I promise you
And I know loneliness won’t last forever

Yet another day, another tired morning
You’re catching up to your intentions
You’re thinking life has to be easier than this
Maybe tomorrow things won’t be this way

Things will get better this I promise you
and I know it wont feel this way forever
Things will get better this I promise you
and I know we can find a way to make it better
things will get better this I promise you
And I know loneliness won't last forever

I got a chance to go see these guys about two years ago with a good friend of mine. The stage presence and energy these guys have live is astounding. Check them out on PureVolume. "Promise" is the last song on their playlist. They also have the video on their MySpace page.

Meeting Ron Clark

Wow! All I have is one word for this guy: PASSIONATE!

Our beginning of the school year kickoff featured award winning educator Ron Clark as the keynote speaker. What a treat. I was definitely not feeling school this year. In fact, I remember just telling Nell that this was the most unenthusiastic I have ever been about starting school. That is definitely not the case anymore. This was exactly what I needed.

Ron has been a personal teaching hero of mine for years and it was a pleasure to hear him talk. His passion for teaching is a marvel. The guy is a dynamo. And although he did not talk much abut it, he is a believer in balance, which is so important to me. He is also the "real deal" as he continues to teach and spend his time in front of a classroom full of kids each year. This gives him incredible street cred as a presenter. I feel very privileged to have met him and definitely feel ready to roll for this year!

You can check him out here at the Ron Clark Academy.

Messed Up by Grace

I started listening to some sermons from Perry Noble at NewSpring Chruch in Anderson, South Carolina. I saw him at C3 this year and loved his controversial no-nonsense presentation style. His latest series is answering the top questions that were voted on by people online. The one I just listened to is called "Can I Loose My Salvation?"

Anytime I hear and really think about stuff like this, it really messes me up. It is just hard to accept because the performance plan makes us feel better- "At least I'm better than that guy..." We want to feel like we are actually doing something to contribute to our salvation, or at least the keeping of it. I think it gives us a sense of control and pride. The bible says that "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." (John 3:36) But once we cross over that line of faith, it is humbling to know that nothing we do can make God love us any more or any less. We do absolutely nothing and Jesus does absolutely everything.

Check out the message (it starts about 30 min. into it) and let me know what you think.