So, I'm starting insanity today (Actually yesterday 9/20). Am I crazy? This is going to be the hardest thing I have done since I left the Army... What can I do to keep myself going? What is this going to take? Do I have it in me?
Yes! I can and will do this. I want to be the guy that my future kids look at and want to be like. I want to be able to take my shirt off at the beach and not be ashamed. I will push myself to do what needs to be done to reach this goal.
I will start every day's workout with a prayer of thanks and for protection. I will push myself to perform better than the day before and not give up on any workout, anytime. I will complete this program and continue after with more exercise programs to strengthen myself, mind, body, and soul.
21 September 2010
15 September 2010
Warrior Dash
So it's official, I've signed up to run the Warrior Dash on November 20th down here in Austin. I'm running at 2:30 if anyone wants to join me and do the wild and crazy obstacles to share a beer with me afterwards. I'm running with a few from Crossroads and trying to recruit more.
So now here's the question. I'm planning on running painted up like a Celtic Warrior wearing a kilt. Think of Braveheart but my whole body will be blue. What I'm trying to figure out is how I can be a good steward of God's message while i run this race/challenge/dash/whatever. I could wear the cross necklace I have that's made out of nails, but that could be uncomfortable if it gets cockeyed during the wall climb or the mud crawl... so probably not. Anyone have any ideas that I could use to have fun and show that God's children can have just as much fun as unbelievers without going against his teachings? I figure that this could be a good opportunity to reach out to those that may not get reached out to.
Anyways, for those that want to see me do this, or those who want to join me, check out the Central Texas Warrior dash at warriordash.com
So now here's the question. I'm planning on running painted up like a Celtic Warrior wearing a kilt. Think of Braveheart but my whole body will be blue. What I'm trying to figure out is how I can be a good steward of God's message while i run this race/challenge/dash/whatever. I could wear the cross necklace I have that's made out of nails, but that could be uncomfortable if it gets cockeyed during the wall climb or the mud crawl... so probably not. Anyone have any ideas that I could use to have fun and show that God's children can have just as much fun as unbelievers without going against his teachings? I figure that this could be a good opportunity to reach out to those that may not get reached out to.
Anyways, for those that want to see me do this, or those who want to join me, check out the Central Texas Warrior dash at warriordash.com
23 August 2010
PTSD and the Church
As a sufferer of PTSD I have a unique outlook to see a problem coming before the Church. PTSD is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In the past is was called combat fatigue, shell shock, and many other things; even being mislabeled as readjustment disorder in recent years. In layman’s terms, it is a natural reaction to extreme stress events which cause a physiological shift in how the brain functions. There is much more to it than this, but for this purpose, my definition will suffice.
First I’m going to give a little background about me and my PTSD to give a little understanding to you. I’m a 30 year old Christian man who, despite being raised in the church, came to Christ at the age of 23, about 5 months before deploying to Iraq in February of 2003. After returning in February of 2004, I had a series of bad events that left me back in my parents’ home at the age of 26, broke, and feeling helpless. I had turned away from God, as I could not understand how he allowed friends to die in Iraq, or put me in a position to fire my weapon and another man. How could he let me feel the guilt and pain that riddled me daily?
My parents took me to church with them and took me to the VA. The VA helped me by getting me into counseling for PTSD and getting me on some meds to regulate the chemicals that had gotten out of whack. But Christ gave me so much more. Reading the word again and spending time in prayer showed me that the bad thing I had experienced were not caused by his lack of love, but because he loves us so much that he will not take away our free will. This includes allowing bad things to happen while Satan has dominion of the Earth. In October of 2006 I met an amazing woman. She was attending seminary and opened my eyes up even further. She helped me understand things I had not before, and she gave me love freely, with no expectations. Laura and I were married a year later in November of 2007.
“What does this have to do with the Church?” you ask. Simple, Thousands upon thousands of soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen battle these same issues every day. These are the young, the old, and the in between. From Vietnam to Panama, from Afghanistan to Iraq, these brave men and women have risked their lives for the country we believe in. We are not loved by our country though. In many cases we are hated. The Westboro Baptist Church drives servicemen away from God with every sign held high in protest. Every time a uniform is defaced in protest of the war or a soldier sees his flag burned, he loses a little of his love for the people who would disrespect his sacrifice. We as the Church, the body of Christ, need to change this.
Another thing we (PTSD sufferers) face is a feeling of despair brought on by the chemical imbalances. This becomes more manageable with treatment, but it still comes at times. While not as severe as back in the early days after returning from the war, I still have periods where I want nothing to do with anyone or anything, not even God. I have Laura to help me, but many soldiers don’t have anyone. The leading preventable cause of death in the military today is suicide. One major cause of this is the feeling of immense despair I am talking about. Think about this in a different way, if you are sure that you are worthless and a failure, that God doesn’t love you or doesn’t exist, and that all the world has to offer you is suffering; what reason do you have to continue living? I am definitely not trying to justify these thoughts, only trying to help you understand, and I can only do that because I have not felt these feelings in many years. With treatment, these feelings do go away, and with support they can be completely avoided. That’s where the Church comes in.
The Church is Christ’s tool on Earth. It is his hands and arms. By welcoming one in, we help that body to grow and we help one more to know His love. Sound good so far? But what does it take to do this? Investment. You have to go forth and invest your life in those around you. I can almost guarantee that everyone reading this knows at least one soldier, though you may not know much about him or her. Try starting with a dinner, servicemen love to eat, trust me on that one, and once you get food in us we talk more (might not be good to feed me much, since I already talk too much, but most others you’re safe on). Pay attention to what they are talking about. Above all, do not bring up the war. If we want to talk about it, we do. If we don’t, we still respect you enough to answer questions (it’s in our training). So leave that off for now. (By the way , a huge number of soldiers do not have PTSD to any degree, and even fewer have truly debilitating PTSD, but even so, bringing one more into the Church is a good thing, right?) Learn about us and then build on what we say with stories of your own. Share pieces of Jesus’ teaching when you can, but don’t preach. Basically, be our friends. It does not matter if you served. It does not matter what you think of the war (though if you are against it, you still need to show us that you are thankful for our willingness to die for you if we are called to). It doesn’t even matter if we’re the same age or demographic. Some of the people I am closest to are people I have met since returning from Iraq, and they simply stepped up and showed me His love. I have friends twice my age because of this, and I have many differences with them, but they showed me his love and that earned them a spot in my heart forever.
The other thing we have to do is accept. PTSD can lead to short tempers, to apathy, to depression, and to emotional outbursts with mood swings. We have to expect and accept these. They are part of the person now.With treatment, the sufferer will learn to control these things, but it's going to take time. Remember, they are having to relearn things since their brain works a little differently now.
Oh, and PTSD is not limited to combat veterans. Often, we see PTSD symptoms in rape, assault, and sexual abuse patients. Any psychologically traumatic event can cause PTSD.
First I’m going to give a little background about me and my PTSD to give a little understanding to you. I’m a 30 year old Christian man who, despite being raised in the church, came to Christ at the age of 23, about 5 months before deploying to Iraq in February of 2003. After returning in February of 2004, I had a series of bad events that left me back in my parents’ home at the age of 26, broke, and feeling helpless. I had turned away from God, as I could not understand how he allowed friends to die in Iraq, or put me in a position to fire my weapon and another man. How could he let me feel the guilt and pain that riddled me daily?
My parents took me to church with them and took me to the VA. The VA helped me by getting me into counseling for PTSD and getting me on some meds to regulate the chemicals that had gotten out of whack. But Christ gave me so much more. Reading the word again and spending time in prayer showed me that the bad thing I had experienced were not caused by his lack of love, but because he loves us so much that he will not take away our free will. This includes allowing bad things to happen while Satan has dominion of the Earth. In October of 2006 I met an amazing woman. She was attending seminary and opened my eyes up even further. She helped me understand things I had not before, and she gave me love freely, with no expectations. Laura and I were married a year later in November of 2007.
“What does this have to do with the Church?” you ask. Simple, Thousands upon thousands of soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen battle these same issues every day. These are the young, the old, and the in between. From Vietnam to Panama, from Afghanistan to Iraq, these brave men and women have risked their lives for the country we believe in. We are not loved by our country though. In many cases we are hated. The Westboro Baptist Church drives servicemen away from God with every sign held high in protest. Every time a uniform is defaced in protest of the war or a soldier sees his flag burned, he loses a little of his love for the people who would disrespect his sacrifice. We as the Church, the body of Christ, need to change this.
Another thing we (PTSD sufferers) face is a feeling of despair brought on by the chemical imbalances. This becomes more manageable with treatment, but it still comes at times. While not as severe as back in the early days after returning from the war, I still have periods where I want nothing to do with anyone or anything, not even God. I have Laura to help me, but many soldiers don’t have anyone. The leading preventable cause of death in the military today is suicide. One major cause of this is the feeling of immense despair I am talking about. Think about this in a different way, if you are sure that you are worthless and a failure, that God doesn’t love you or doesn’t exist, and that all the world has to offer you is suffering; what reason do you have to continue living? I am definitely not trying to justify these thoughts, only trying to help you understand, and I can only do that because I have not felt these feelings in many years. With treatment, these feelings do go away, and with support they can be completely avoided. That’s where the Church comes in.
The Church is Christ’s tool on Earth. It is his hands and arms. By welcoming one in, we help that body to grow and we help one more to know His love. Sound good so far? But what does it take to do this? Investment. You have to go forth and invest your life in those around you. I can almost guarantee that everyone reading this knows at least one soldier, though you may not know much about him or her. Try starting with a dinner, servicemen love to eat, trust me on that one, and once you get food in us we talk more (might not be good to feed me much, since I already talk too much, but most others you’re safe on). Pay attention to what they are talking about. Above all, do not bring up the war. If we want to talk about it, we do. If we don’t, we still respect you enough to answer questions (it’s in our training). So leave that off for now. (By the way , a huge number of soldiers do not have PTSD to any degree, and even fewer have truly debilitating PTSD, but even so, bringing one more into the Church is a good thing, right?) Learn about us and then build on what we say with stories of your own. Share pieces of Jesus’ teaching when you can, but don’t preach. Basically, be our friends. It does not matter if you served. It does not matter what you think of the war (though if you are against it, you still need to show us that you are thankful for our willingness to die for you if we are called to). It doesn’t even matter if we’re the same age or demographic. Some of the people I am closest to are people I have met since returning from Iraq, and they simply stepped up and showed me His love. I have friends twice my age because of this, and I have many differences with them, but they showed me his love and that earned them a spot in my heart forever.
The other thing we have to do is accept. PTSD can lead to short tempers, to apathy, to depression, and to emotional outbursts with mood swings. We have to expect and accept these. They are part of the person now.With treatment, the sufferer will learn to control these things, but it's going to take time. Remember, they are having to relearn things since their brain works a little differently now.
Oh, and PTSD is not limited to combat veterans. Often, we see PTSD symptoms in rape, assault, and sexual abuse patients. Any psychologically traumatic event can cause PTSD.
19 August 2010
Why is Story important?
I was recently challenged with writing a little bit about why story is so important. This is what I came up with.
Story is passion. Ever since man has walked the earth, we have told stories. Even God shares stories with us. We start to form stories before we learn words as children, and then later, on telling them, we sometimes realize how much influence society has had in our own creative minds. The limits put on us by society are the imaginary walls which story can climb over, break down, or even simply cease to believe and walk right through.
As a kid I remember playing army with friends or putting on all black and running around as a ninja. The stories that my friends and I told were impossible, but we had fun. We spent our days thinking of new and fantastic tales. To adults our bikes were just that, bikes. But to us, a bicycle was a fighter jet, a tank, or even a motorbike loaded with machine guns and rocket launchers. The stories of the battles we fought were… amazing!
So why is story so important? Moses told the Israelites and us stories about creation, about the great flood, even about God’s glory, but that doesn’t really tell us why story is important. It just tells us that Moses’ story (actually God’s story) is important. Story is the act of relating events, true or imagined, in written or oral communication. Only through story can we learn about our history as people, God’s message, and the fascinating workings of individual creations. I’ve read more books than I can even begin to name, and the common thread for me has always been learning. Robert Heinlein’s “Starship Troopers” taught me more about basic training and the rigors on the mind than any non-fiction book or experiences shared with me, and when I got to Ft. Benning, I learned that it was true.
“We Were Soldiers Once… and Young”, taught the reader about the hell that is war, but also about the brotherhood shared by soldiers in shared plight. The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John teach us about Jesus’ ministry on Earth. Stories teach and entertain, they make us feel emotion and they share events that may have happened, but may have also been made up. The greatest stories are retold by millions of people in a million ways. Shakespeare knew this in taking common themes to write many of his plays. From “The Taming of the Shrew” to “Romeo and Juliet”, his stories have been retold in countless ways by countless people, and in many cases his stories were simply retelling of stories he’d been told.
The importance of story is that it allows for communication of emotion and passion. It allows an intimate look into a person’s thought and creative mind. It gives man a chance to release stress or tension or create a smile on another’s face. It also allows us to teach the horrors that have been experienced as a way to help future generations avoid the same. Spinning yarns and relating events gives us connection. From one generation to the next, only through story can we connect to those who we are never able to meet.
Thanks Shakespeare, for allowing me to meet my ancestor MacDuff, through your story of MacBeth.
Story is passion. Ever since man has walked the earth, we have told stories. Even God shares stories with us. We start to form stories before we learn words as children, and then later, on telling them, we sometimes realize how much influence society has had in our own creative minds. The limits put on us by society are the imaginary walls which story can climb over, break down, or even simply cease to believe and walk right through.
As a kid I remember playing army with friends or putting on all black and running around as a ninja. The stories that my friends and I told were impossible, but we had fun. We spent our days thinking of new and fantastic tales. To adults our bikes were just that, bikes. But to us, a bicycle was a fighter jet, a tank, or even a motorbike loaded with machine guns and rocket launchers. The stories of the battles we fought were… amazing!
So why is story so important? Moses told the Israelites and us stories about creation, about the great flood, even about God’s glory, but that doesn’t really tell us why story is important. It just tells us that Moses’ story (actually God’s story) is important. Story is the act of relating events, true or imagined, in written or oral communication. Only through story can we learn about our history as people, God’s message, and the fascinating workings of individual creations. I’ve read more books than I can even begin to name, and the common thread for me has always been learning. Robert Heinlein’s “Starship Troopers” taught me more about basic training and the rigors on the mind than any non-fiction book or experiences shared with me, and when I got to Ft. Benning, I learned that it was true.
“We Were Soldiers Once… and Young”, taught the reader about the hell that is war, but also about the brotherhood shared by soldiers in shared plight. The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John teach us about Jesus’ ministry on Earth. Stories teach and entertain, they make us feel emotion and they share events that may have happened, but may have also been made up. The greatest stories are retold by millions of people in a million ways. Shakespeare knew this in taking common themes to write many of his plays. From “The Taming of the Shrew” to “Romeo and Juliet”, his stories have been retold in countless ways by countless people, and in many cases his stories were simply retelling of stories he’d been told.
The importance of story is that it allows for communication of emotion and passion. It allows an intimate look into a person’s thought and creative mind. It gives man a chance to release stress or tension or create a smile on another’s face. It also allows us to teach the horrors that have been experienced as a way to help future generations avoid the same. Spinning yarns and relating events gives us connection. From one generation to the next, only through story can we connect to those who we are never able to meet.
Thanks Shakespeare, for allowing me to meet my ancestor MacDuff, through your story of MacBeth.
12 July 2010
The silence is ringing...
So if you read here often, you've noticed I haven't been posting alot recently... well that's due to the overwhelming nature of school, work, and marriage. Needless to say, none of these things can be laid aside. So, I ask you to bear with me and give me time to get some good things put together.
Well, for now, I will just put some prayer requests down. Laura and I are going through the process to be able to adopt from the state, pray that we are guided to make good decisions in this process. I am preparing to enter seminary next summer, and I'm a little shaky and scared about it. Pray for peace and strength in this. And the last big one is to do with finances. We have trimmed out expenses to a third of what they were 2 years ago, but just as we feel that we are getting ahead we get hit again. Laura's 4-runner may be down for the count. We are going to have to replace it, and I really do not want to finance another car... Pray that God will give provision for this.
Well, for now, I will just put some prayer requests down. Laura and I are going through the process to be able to adopt from the state, pray that we are guided to make good decisions in this process. I am preparing to enter seminary next summer, and I'm a little shaky and scared about it. Pray for peace and strength in this. And the last big one is to do with finances. We have trimmed out expenses to a third of what they were 2 years ago, but just as we feel that we are getting ahead we get hit again. Laura's 4-runner may be down for the count. We are going to have to replace it, and I really do not want to finance another car... Pray that God will give provision for this.
01 June 2010
War Drums
In the last few weeks I have heard rumblings about Revelation and other eschatology related topics. Why? What is going on that people are banging on this war drum calling "good" Christians to the fight? Why is this call for witnessing needed?
Every generation seems to have a mass "Call to altar" at least once, saying that the end is near. I'm not saying it's not, but I'm also not saying it is. Matthew 24:29-51 gives us a wealth of information on the time, and the fact that only the Father knows. If someone tells you they know the date and time of Jesus coming, RUN! Even Jesus tells us he does not know. How could a man know? If the Son of God doesn't know, neither do they.
Now, to the other problem with using the "end times" as a reason to witness. Mark 13 touches on this issue, and the persecution that comes as well.
Jesus taught us to carry his word in Mark 13:10: "First the gospel must be preached to all nations." Why is it that we as Christians today find a need to put an artificial urgency behind our witnessing?
I remember at the beginning of a song by DC Talk, there was a quote, "The leading cause of Atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge with their lips but deny him by their lifestyle." Jesus taught us that by accepting him, we were giving our lives to him, not just our Sunday mornings. He paid a high price for it, so why don't we do what he taught. How many times can you find in scripture Jesus telling us to witness? What about teachings in the Old Testament to witness? I think that next to Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul; Sharing his love may be the second most taught thing in scripture. Jesus did tell us that it is a chief commandment, what is witnessing if not loving our neighbors as ourselves. We've found him, shouldn't we be helping them find him as well?
I guess what I am saying is this: Beat your war drums. Cry out to Heaven. Prepare yourself for his coming. But not by preaching the end is near. Preach his love. Be the servant leader of your home and teach others to do the same. Love your Neighbors and share his Word. God gave us everything we need to be ready for Jesus' coming, your faith and the Word. The Holy Spirit is with us, it is our weapon against the sinful things of this world. USE IT! Only by walking his walk will we ever know his will for us, and in walking his walk, you may find that you bring even more witness to those who see it.
Every generation seems to have a mass "Call to altar" at least once, saying that the end is near. I'm not saying it's not, but I'm also not saying it is. Matthew 24:29-51 gives us a wealth of information on the time, and the fact that only the Father knows. If someone tells you they know the date and time of Jesus coming, RUN! Even Jesus tells us he does not know. How could a man know? If the Son of God doesn't know, neither do they.
Now, to the other problem with using the "end times" as a reason to witness. Mark 13 touches on this issue, and the persecution that comes as well.
Mark 13:9 “You must watch out for yourselves. You will be handed over to councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them. 13:10 First the gospel must be preached to all nations. 13:11 When they arrest you and hand you over for trial, do not worry about what to speak. But say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 13:12 Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13:13 You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.(NET)
Jesus taught us to carry his word in Mark 13:10: "First the gospel must be preached to all nations." Why is it that we as Christians today find a need to put an artificial urgency behind our witnessing?
I remember at the beginning of a song by DC Talk, there was a quote, "The leading cause of Atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge with their lips but deny him by their lifestyle." Jesus taught us that by accepting him, we were giving our lives to him, not just our Sunday mornings. He paid a high price for it, so why don't we do what he taught. How many times can you find in scripture Jesus telling us to witness? What about teachings in the Old Testament to witness? I think that next to Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul; Sharing his love may be the second most taught thing in scripture. Jesus did tell us that it is a chief commandment, what is witnessing if not loving our neighbors as ourselves. We've found him, shouldn't we be helping them find him as well?
I guess what I am saying is this: Beat your war drums. Cry out to Heaven. Prepare yourself for his coming. But not by preaching the end is near. Preach his love. Be the servant leader of your home and teach others to do the same. Love your Neighbors and share his Word. God gave us everything we need to be ready for Jesus' coming, your faith and the Word. The Holy Spirit is with us, it is our weapon against the sinful things of this world. USE IT! Only by walking his walk will we ever know his will for us, and in walking his walk, you may find that you bring even more witness to those who see it.
16 May 2010
Great weekend with the Glahns!
Laura and I made a trip this weekend to Dallas. We visited Dallas Theological Seminary. I got a tour and spent some time talking to admissions. I think I'll be going Interdisciplinary Studies with Cross-Cultural and Pastoral Ministries. I really am having a hard time not just dropping everything and moving this Summer so I can be there in the fall... we'll just have to follow God's lead though.
Since feeling this call, I have been working hard to finish my Bachelors so I can move on to a ThM. I'm now feeling like there are things lining up to put us in Dallas sooner than I thought. I guess this is just a call for prayers.
We also had an amazing weekend with Sandi and Gary Glahn. Late night discussing life, the universe and everything else. I can't wait till our next time!
Since feeling this call, I have been working hard to finish my Bachelors so I can move on to a ThM. I'm now feeling like there are things lining up to put us in Dallas sooner than I thought. I guess this is just a call for prayers.
We also had an amazing weekend with Sandi and Gary Glahn. Late night discussing life, the universe and everything else. I can't wait till our next time!
11 May 2010
OOPS!
I just reread my blog...
I'm not saying I want space or want to be left alone by my friends, I'm only saying that when I do need space, please understand and don't take it personally.
I'm not saying I want space or want to be left alone by my friends, I'm only saying that when I do need space, please understand and don't take it personally.
Men and infertility
So time for a tough subject. Infertility and it's effects on men.
Most men don't consider infertility as something that effects us. "Hey, the doctor says everything is alright with me, so it's her problem," right? As a Christian and the leader of my household, I find that what effects her, effects me. But beyond that, infertility still effects the man more than I can explain.
We just passed another Mother's Day. Why should that effect a guy, other than to buy his Mom and Mother-in-Law gifts? Maybe those who have never battled with infertility don't see why it should, but as my wife and I do battle with infertility, I have a clear view of the emotional impact of this day. It's a rough time when the world is full of mom this and kids that, but most of all it's hard to spend time around all the new families. They are celebrating a day that should be celebrated, but they are also forgetting all of us who wish we could be celebrating our wives as mothers.
Laura and I have been trying to have a kid for about 2 and a half years, the doctors haven't given us a reason, they have just given us "it might be this" or "it might be that". What am I to do? I pray about this issue a couple times a day and every night, but no change. We spend time and money on fertility treatments (since insurance views it as elective and won't pay for it). We even look into out of the ordinary treatments. No luck yet.
I find myself losing hope. I see friends get off the pill and start trying and a few weeks later I hear they are pregnant. I'm happy for them, but it digs me in to a rut. I want to give up and just bail. I don't want to be around these pregnant women and their husbands, I love kids, but seeing them brings sadness to me. I guess what I am trying to tell you is that I love you guys and your kiddos, and I don't want you out of our lives, but we need some time and understanding in tough times.
So I guess this is really just an explanation of why I feel what I feel, though it might not be a very good one.
Most men don't consider infertility as something that effects us. "Hey, the doctor says everything is alright with me, so it's her problem," right? As a Christian and the leader of my household, I find that what effects her, effects me. But beyond that, infertility still effects the man more than I can explain.
We just passed another Mother's Day. Why should that effect a guy, other than to buy his Mom and Mother-in-Law gifts? Maybe those who have never battled with infertility don't see why it should, but as my wife and I do battle with infertility, I have a clear view of the emotional impact of this day. It's a rough time when the world is full of mom this and kids that, but most of all it's hard to spend time around all the new families. They are celebrating a day that should be celebrated, but they are also forgetting all of us who wish we could be celebrating our wives as mothers.
Laura and I have been trying to have a kid for about 2 and a half years, the doctors haven't given us a reason, they have just given us "it might be this" or "it might be that". What am I to do? I pray about this issue a couple times a day and every night, but no change. We spend time and money on fertility treatments (since insurance views it as elective and won't pay for it). We even look into out of the ordinary treatments. No luck yet.
I find myself losing hope. I see friends get off the pill and start trying and a few weeks later I hear they are pregnant. I'm happy for them, but it digs me in to a rut. I want to give up and just bail. I don't want to be around these pregnant women and their husbands, I love kids, but seeing them brings sadness to me. I guess what I am trying to tell you is that I love you guys and your kiddos, and I don't want you out of our lives, but we need some time and understanding in tough times.
So I guess this is really just an explanation of why I feel what I feel, though it might not be a very good one.
04 May 2010
Never thought I would do this...
I'm normally not short for words after reading an email, but that's exactly what I was after reading this one. I posted a few months ago about Colt McCoy's statement to reporters after his devastating injury and the loss of the National Championship that it caused the Texas Longhorns. This gives us a little more clarity on these events, showing us that it was not devastating, but spiritually maturing. Colt took the moment placed before him by God and made the decision to follow God, not to rebel. To trust that God knew what he was doing. And Colt grew from it. Have you had this kind of chance to decide? I hope you have! It is a momentous moment in your growth, and I hope for all to experience it and the life changing reality the Jesus promises through things like this. Cold learned about trust and leadership, imagine what you will learn.
Now without any more babble from me, here is the email I'm talking about.
Dear Friends,
I had the opportunity to hear Colt McCoy’s Dad speak this Tuesday
morning to the Dallas Christian Leadership Prayer Breakfast. The
breakfast is an annual breakfast that was started by Tom Landry and
other Dallas leaders over 40 years ago and the speakers are usually
amazing. Colt McCoy and his Dad, Brad, were supposed to deliver a
combined message; however, Colt became sick on Monday and could not join
his Dad on Tuesday morning. In the end, it was a blessing because Brad
McCoy delivered a message on raising Colt and his two other boys that
was truly amazing!
The cliff notes are below. I took copious notes because he prefaced his
speech by stating, “I am going to talk about the four principles with
which we raised our three boys.” They are incredibly applicable to us as
parents (regardless of the sex of our children) and they made a
significant mark on my heart.
Brad McCoy said that he and his wife raised their children according to
the following four principles:
1. “Prepare your child for the path, not the path for your child.” Brad
said this is not just for our kids – it is for us as parents. The road
is rough, narrow and hard to find. We have a book (the Bible), a map
vis-à-vis the Bible and God to help us. We must prepare ourselves and
our kids for moments in life when doors open and close. He cited
Proverbs 22:6: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is
old he will not turn from it.” He also cited, almost in jest but also in
reality, Proverbs 23:13, “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if
you punish him with the rod, he will not die.” It was a funny contrast,
but a real contrast. He then said, “Dads, fight for your kids, prepare
them!”
2 . “Prepare to be our best.” This was one of the four McCoy family
mottos. He cited 1 Corinthians 9:24, “Do you not know that in a race all
the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to
get the prize.” He stated that every day he would take his kids to
school and upon them exited the car, he would say to them, “Do your best
and be a leader!” He said that they listened every time and even as they
got older (4th, 5th and 6th grades) he would repeat these words even if
they said, “Yeah, Yeah, Dad, I know, do your best and be a leader!” He
said that as a coach for 27 years, he would always lead his team onto
the field and leave his team at every practice with the chant, “Expect
to Win, Play to Win.” And he implored us as parents to instill the same
attitude in our homes and in our children. He cited Jim Collins book,
"Good to Great", stating that good is the enemy of Great! We don’t aim
high and miss – as we would like to believe. In fact, most times, we aim
low and hit the mark! As parents, he implored us not to aim low! Aim
high!!!
3. “Be a Leader” He stated that we are surrounded by such a great cloud
of witnesses – great leaders that we can draw from and that our kids can
draw from. He said we are all at the mercy of time and money and asked a
rhetorical question: How do you spend your time and money. He then said
that how we spend our time and money is a direct reflection on where our
true priorities lie. Convicting! He then said as a leader that he has
always loved the quote by Ghandi (even though he didn’t ascribe to all
of Ghandi’s beliefs): “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with
dirty feet.” He said that as he taught this principle to his three boys
that Colt McCoy turned this phrase into his own words: “Thoughts become
things.” Colt would tell his younger brothers as he mentored them, “ You
can’t talk like that or think like that, because thoughts become things
that play themselves out in your life.”
4. “Prepare for Open and Closed Doors.” As a Dad, he said it was painful
beyond all of his years on this earth to watch his son get hurt in the
first series of play in the National Championship at the Rose Bowl. A
perfect setting. A setting his son had dreamed of ever since he threw
the football with his Dad in the front yard as a kid. As a Dad, he went
over to his son’s hotel room after the Championship loss and the
demoralizing fate for such a NCAA football star. He went to his son’s
room to cheer his son up and was praying to God for the right words. He
entered his son’s hotel room to find his son finishing a devotional. A
devotional that read as follows: “My positive energy must be better than
my negative energy. My certainty must be me stronger than my doubt. The
battle is won before I ever start the fight. I choose faith over fear.
Leave a legacy of excellence, love, dedication and service. Jeremiah
stated, ‘Blessed is the man who’s trust is in the Lord.’ He said as a
Dad, he had to find a corner of Colt’s hotel room to sit down and cry
over the maturity of his son. His son was prepared for open and closed
doors! Wow!!
He then finished his speech by stating that as he consoled his son under
the Rose Bowl stadium, after it was readily apparent that Colt would not
be able to go back onto the field and play for the Longhorns. And as he
was trying to motivate his son, his son motivated the team and his Dad.
His son stepped into a new mantle of leadership. Rather than return to
the field in pedestrian clothes, Colt insisted on returning to the field
to help his team win. He walked back onto the field in his uniform and
helped the second string quarterback read the defense and mentored the
second string quarterback over the course of the 3rd and 4th quarters.
He said that his son had been studying “trust” in a Bible Study all year
long leading up to the National Championship game. He said his son had
told his mom and dad that he didn’t know why he had been studying that
“trust” concept all year, but he fully knew why in the moments leading
up to the National Championship loss. He told his parents that he came
to the conclusion that God had “prepared me for years leading up to that
game, because He wanted me to “trust” Him!” As his son, Colt, was
approached by news reporters after the Longhorns had lost the National
Championship, the reporters asked Colt how he was feeling and Colt
replied: “I always give God the glory. I never question what God does.
God is in control of my life and if nothing else, I am standing on the
Rock!”
Brad McCoy said that his cell phone began lighting up with texts after
the game with friends, ministers and family members wildly acclaiming
the statement that Colt had made to the reporters. He said that he
received letters from non-believers, Jewish ministers, Muslim ministers
and atheists in the days following the game – all pointing to the
AMAZING statement that Colt had made after the game. He said that as he
entered Colt’s hotel room that night, he asked his son, “What did you
say after game?” [He had not been able to hear it in the mayhem of the
stadium.] Brad McCoy, Colt’s Dad, asked two to three times, “Son, what
did you say after the game?” Colt said, “Dad, I don’t know. I really
don’t remember what I said. All I remember is that the reporter asked me
a question and I prayed that God would supply me with the right answer.”
Wow!!
Brad McCoy then ended his speech by telling a story about a young
football player that he was coaching back in his hometown. He said the
young football player approached Brad McCoy after he returned from
Pasadena and said, “Coach, I heard what your son said after the game,
but I have one question: What is the rock?” He said it’s funny son. We
sing about it in church. He then began singing accapella:
“My hope is built on nothing less, Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All
other ground is sinking sand. When darkness seems to hide His face, I
rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil. On
Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All
other ground is sinking sand. His oath, His covenant, His blood, Support
me in the whelming flood. When all around my soul gives way, He then is
all my Hope and Stay.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All
other ground is sinking sand.
When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the
throne. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking
sand; All other ground is sinking sand.”
By the end of his singing, the entire room of men and women were singing
in unison with Brad McCoy. It was truly an amazing morning for the Lord
and a truly amazing speech for us to learn from as parents AND
Grandparents.
Now without any more babble from me, here is the email I'm talking about.
Dear Friends,
I had the opportunity to hear Colt McCoy’s Dad speak this Tuesday
morning to the Dallas Christian Leadership Prayer Breakfast. The
breakfast is an annual breakfast that was started by Tom Landry and
other Dallas leaders over 40 years ago and the speakers are usually
amazing. Colt McCoy and his Dad, Brad, were supposed to deliver a
combined message; however, Colt became sick on Monday and could not join
his Dad on Tuesday morning. In the end, it was a blessing because Brad
McCoy delivered a message on raising Colt and his two other boys that
was truly amazing!
The cliff notes are below. I took copious notes because he prefaced his
speech by stating, “I am going to talk about the four principles with
which we raised our three boys.” They are incredibly applicable to us as
parents (regardless of the sex of our children) and they made a
significant mark on my heart.
Brad McCoy said that he and his wife raised their children according to
the following four principles:
1. “Prepare your child for the path, not the path for your child.” Brad
said this is not just for our kids – it is for us as parents. The road
is rough, narrow and hard to find. We have a book (the Bible), a map
vis-à-vis the Bible and God to help us. We must prepare ourselves and
our kids for moments in life when doors open and close. He cited
Proverbs 22:6: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is
old he will not turn from it.” He also cited, almost in jest but also in
reality, Proverbs 23:13, “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if
you punish him with the rod, he will not die.” It was a funny contrast,
but a real contrast. He then said, “Dads, fight for your kids, prepare
them!”
2 . “Prepare to be our best.” This was one of the four McCoy family
mottos. He cited 1 Corinthians 9:24, “Do you not know that in a race all
the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to
get the prize.” He stated that every day he would take his kids to
school and upon them exited the car, he would say to them, “Do your best
and be a leader!” He said that they listened every time and even as they
got older (4th, 5th and 6th grades) he would repeat these words even if
they said, “Yeah, Yeah, Dad, I know, do your best and be a leader!” He
said that as a coach for 27 years, he would always lead his team onto
the field and leave his team at every practice with the chant, “Expect
to Win, Play to Win.” And he implored us as parents to instill the same
attitude in our homes and in our children. He cited Jim Collins book,
"Good to Great", stating that good is the enemy of Great! We don’t aim
high and miss – as we would like to believe. In fact, most times, we aim
low and hit the mark! As parents, he implored us not to aim low! Aim
high!!!
3. “Be a Leader” He stated that we are surrounded by such a great cloud
of witnesses – great leaders that we can draw from and that our kids can
draw from. He said we are all at the mercy of time and money and asked a
rhetorical question: How do you spend your time and money. He then said
that how we spend our time and money is a direct reflection on where our
true priorities lie. Convicting! He then said as a leader that he has
always loved the quote by Ghandi (even though he didn’t ascribe to all
of Ghandi’s beliefs): “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with
dirty feet.” He said that as he taught this principle to his three boys
that Colt McCoy turned this phrase into his own words: “Thoughts become
things.” Colt would tell his younger brothers as he mentored them, “ You
can’t talk like that or think like that, because thoughts become things
that play themselves out in your life.”
4. “Prepare for Open and Closed Doors.” As a Dad, he said it was painful
beyond all of his years on this earth to watch his son get hurt in the
first series of play in the National Championship at the Rose Bowl. A
perfect setting. A setting his son had dreamed of ever since he threw
the football with his Dad in the front yard as a kid. As a Dad, he went
over to his son’s hotel room after the Championship loss and the
demoralizing fate for such a NCAA football star. He went to his son’s
room to cheer his son up and was praying to God for the right words. He
entered his son’s hotel room to find his son finishing a devotional. A
devotional that read as follows: “My positive energy must be better than
my negative energy. My certainty must be me stronger than my doubt. The
battle is won before I ever start the fight. I choose faith over fear.
Leave a legacy of excellence, love, dedication and service. Jeremiah
stated, ‘Blessed is the man who’s trust is in the Lord.’ He said as a
Dad, he had to find a corner of Colt’s hotel room to sit down and cry
over the maturity of his son. His son was prepared for open and closed
doors! Wow!!
He then finished his speech by stating that as he consoled his son under
the Rose Bowl stadium, after it was readily apparent that Colt would not
be able to go back onto the field and play for the Longhorns. And as he
was trying to motivate his son, his son motivated the team and his Dad.
His son stepped into a new mantle of leadership. Rather than return to
the field in pedestrian clothes, Colt insisted on returning to the field
to help his team win. He walked back onto the field in his uniform and
helped the second string quarterback read the defense and mentored the
second string quarterback over the course of the 3rd and 4th quarters.
He said that his son had been studying “trust” in a Bible Study all year
long leading up to the National Championship game. He said his son had
told his mom and dad that he didn’t know why he had been studying that
“trust” concept all year, but he fully knew why in the moments leading
up to the National Championship loss. He told his parents that he came
to the conclusion that God had “prepared me for years leading up to that
game, because He wanted me to “trust” Him!” As his son, Colt, was
approached by news reporters after the Longhorns had lost the National
Championship, the reporters asked Colt how he was feeling and Colt
replied: “I always give God the glory. I never question what God does.
God is in control of my life and if nothing else, I am standing on the
Rock!”
Brad McCoy said that his cell phone began lighting up with texts after
the game with friends, ministers and family members wildly acclaiming
the statement that Colt had made to the reporters. He said that he
received letters from non-believers, Jewish ministers, Muslim ministers
and atheists in the days following the game – all pointing to the
AMAZING statement that Colt had made after the game. He said that as he
entered Colt’s hotel room that night, he asked his son, “What did you
say after game?” [He had not been able to hear it in the mayhem of the
stadium.] Brad McCoy, Colt’s Dad, asked two to three times, “Son, what
did you say after the game?” Colt said, “Dad, I don’t know. I really
don’t remember what I said. All I remember is that the reporter asked me
a question and I prayed that God would supply me with the right answer.”
Wow!!
Brad McCoy then ended his speech by telling a story about a young
football player that he was coaching back in his hometown. He said the
young football player approached Brad McCoy after he returned from
Pasadena and said, “Coach, I heard what your son said after the game,
but I have one question: What is the rock?” He said it’s funny son. We
sing about it in church. He then began singing accapella:
“My hope is built on nothing less, Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All
other ground is sinking sand. When darkness seems to hide His face, I
rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil. On
Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All
other ground is sinking sand. His oath, His covenant, His blood, Support
me in the whelming flood. When all around my soul gives way, He then is
all my Hope and Stay.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All
other ground is sinking sand.
When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the
throne. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking
sand; All other ground is sinking sand.”
By the end of his singing, the entire room of men and women were singing
in unison with Brad McCoy. It was truly an amazing morning for the Lord
and a truly amazing speech for us to learn from as parents AND
Grandparents.
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Just who is this guy?
- Paul
- Whoa, I didn't know his box existed! I could say a million things here, or you can read my first 2 posts to get a good idea of who I am and what I'm about.