tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91004342024-03-14T15:08:57.683-05:00JAYOPSIS.COMFaith, Family, Football, and Fishing.Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.comBlogger1071125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-70262994255886767912024-03-09T07:08:00.004-06:002024-03-10T08:10:41.860-05:00When Perfection Doesn't Fit- Where to Find Help<div><i><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3yGgkYzQZgTYc8Pw_SfkE8jrH5Q5OD27_X4bHKAptnHvB1X8HkTJyMqHSJt89Xnucmezaa3-pSn2tqimHFB3F8DWlwFPhY_VmXDTZxBwHcdoId-C4tfiHnj96TBq5u_tqDi4W1TKPPeaMu6e0HA0vd-RXKIFUFkxQwlOdHnZSbDbrZcgXqtDG/s640/20211117-213205-coach_wayne_mcduffie_dgd_copy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="420" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3yGgkYzQZgTYc8Pw_SfkE8jrH5Q5OD27_X4bHKAptnHvB1X8HkTJyMqHSJt89Xnucmezaa3-pSn2tqimHFB3F8DWlwFPhY_VmXDTZxBwHcdoId-C4tfiHnj96TBq5u_tqDi4W1TKPPeaMu6e0HA0vd-RXKIFUFkxQwlOdHnZSbDbrZcgXqtDG/s320/20211117-213205-coach_wayne_mcduffie_dgd_copy.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>So, I think I'll find a long white line</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">Curse the world and leave it all behind</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">I been trying all this time</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">But still can't climb the mountains of my mind (Chris Stapleton)</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>There is a mental haunting to coaching that has to be monitored closely. In my 34 years in this business, I have worked with individuals who suffered both physical and mental decline under the pressure of competition. Because of the variables of alignments, formations, and movements; football coaching has a unique ability to imprison the mind.</div><div><br /></div><div>This game has endless hours of film watching, drawing, and creates a thrill when these thought experiments produce results on the field. In my younger days as an offensive coordinator, my eyelids would flicker the movement of plays when I finally tried to get some sleep.</div><div><br /></div><div>48 hours before a game, I would rehearse and replay endless scenarios of down and distance in certain areas of the field and would match the opponent's defense against those calls. At the same time, I developed an idea for a base plan and the changeups required to keep the other team off balance.</div><div><br /></div><div>For a 'highly functioning introvert' like myself it is an escape and a madness all at the same time. It can be tough on a marriage and create issues with children who need attention and interaction.</div><div><br /></div><div>I miss calling plays and I believe I was really good at it. But if I am honest, I am glad to NOT be doing that as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>I work with an excellent play caller now but ALL play callers are subject to disdain and ridicule. It hurts a lot when people attack play callers.... it usually comes with no understanding or respect for the energy and effort by those who are actually in the arena.</div><div><br /></div><div>The most sinister complainers are those who 'know the game' - but never stop to realize what they DO NOT know. They don't know the personnel of each team as they cross match, they don't know the analysis of both teams previous games leading up to this game, they don't know how practice went, they don't know if a play is a set-up for another time, and usually the evaluation is a simple as a good call works and a bad call doesn't.</div><div><br /></div><div>Those people never go away, so if you go into the business, it is simply the price you pay to make those calls. Over the years, I learned how to deal with it, but that part can be aggravating!</div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div>But this post is about how it can go DANGEROUSLY wrong- and I write this in hopes that someone reading this may be helped or help someone to avoid the most senseless tragedy of all.<div>There is a mental drive in football that can lead to difficult places. In our quest to be best, we can get close to a waterfall of tragedy.<br /><div><br /></div><div>I was made aware of this sad story many years ago by Bob Crandall, former BCS teachers, who knew Coach McDuffie personally.<br /><div><br /></div><div>On Feb. 16, 1996 Wayne McDuffie, age 52 was found dead at his home in Tallahassee, FL. He had shot himself- twice. No one ever really knows why people choose such an illogical and tragic route, but if we don't learn from these stories, we can't prevent them from happening again.<br /><div><br /></div><div>In a by-gone age before google, i-phones, and YouTube- these stories tend have short shelf lives and not a lot of lasting information.</div><div><br /></div>A lot of coaches have a time where their name is hot. And in the 1980's Wayne McDuffie was the latest to receive accolades of his innovative and productive attack. He masterminded Florida State’s high-octane offense in those days. He was also a part of Georgia’s 1980 championship team, Vince Dooley’s offensive line coach. </div><div><br /></div><div>High school coaches flocked to his clinics where he spoke with intelligence and charisma -he was an intense man on and off the field. Coaches admired his toughness.</div><div><br /></div><div>He fit the stereotype of the ranting and raving coach. His language was vulgar, and he worked his players so hard in practice that even other coaches winced. Of course, we don't mind if coaches, the leaders of young men, are flawed. Everything is excused so long as they produce excitement on the field.</div><div><br /><div>McDuffie served as offensive coordinator at Florida State from 1983-89 and recruited Heisman Trophy-winner Charlie Ward during his tenure.<br /><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", Verdana, Arial, Geneva, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Times; text-align: left;">Georgia guard Jim Blakewood: <i>“I can’t imagine there being a tougher coach. We felt like nobody in the league worked harder than we did. The teams we were getting ready to play couldn’t survive our practices. The games were a piece of cake.”</i></span><br style="font-family: Times; text-align: left;" /></p>In Tales from the 1980 Georgia Bulldogs, Dooley discussed what a great coach McDuffie was and how he couldn’t turn off his intensity. They had to send him on recruiting trips Thursdays and Fridays. <i>“The players would be so stressed out after Sunday through Wednesday with Wayne that they needed a few days to build their confidence back up.”</i><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", Verdana, Arial, Geneva, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">But hot names cool down... and Coach Wayne was no different. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", Verdana, Arial, Geneva, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">McDuffie's haunting to push perfection was taking its toll.</p><p><span face="Times New Roman, Verdana, Arial, Geneva, sans-serif">In 1994, McDuffie was wearing down....</span><i> “I really thought I wouldn’t survive this year. I’m so exhausted from <b>trying to put pieces together that don’t fit,</b>”</i> It was the end of another grueling season as offensive coordinator at UGA. <i>“I’m trying to make something from nothing. I really thought I would die. I thought I would have a heart attack and die because I worked so hard.” </i>The team had what was, for Wayne McDuffie, a disastrous season. The Bulldogs went 6-4-1.</p>While McDuffie conformed to our ideas of a football coach, he also was a church-going, highly-principled father of three. He wasn't the only one to see the contradiction, but nobody could view the conflict within.All the signs were there. The amusement-park mood swings, a strong, masculine veneer hiding a spirit as brittle as a cracker.<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", Verdana, Arial, Geneva, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Fired by Georgia along with the rest of coach Ray Goff's staff, McDuffie told Florida State coaches he was a candidate to become offensive line coach with the Miami Dolphins.</span></p>Wayne jogged in his golf-course neighborhood, pushing himself hard. He lifted weights. And, with his wife, he wrestled with plans for the future. He hoped a professional team would come calling. He had feelers in with the Dolphins. But his birthday (December 1) and the holidays passed, as did the big bowl games, the pro playoffs and the Super Bowl, and Wayne McDuffie was still unemployed. He was 51 years old. The chart, the map, had led nowhere. Football was all McDuffie had known. His phone never rang.</div><div><br /></div><div>What happens to men like McDuffie when they lose their jobs, as he did after last season at Georgia? Or when they're passed over for a job with the Miami Dolphins, as McDuffie learned he had been the afternoon of his death?<br /><br />McDuffie had been fired only twice in his life. In his first coaching job ever, when Florida State was winless during the 1973 season under head coach Larry Jones. And then last year at Georgia.<br /><br />He had grown tired of the politics surrounding college football and had reluctantly accepted the fact that he never would reach his lifelong goal of being a head coach.</div><div><br /></div><div>In researching numerous articles regarding this sad story, I came across a lot of details that link to patterns that are familiar to us as these stories seem to be more common than we are comfortable to admit.</div><br />Toni McDuffie's best hypothesis is that it was a combination of stressful factors that aggravated his 20-year battle with manic depression. For most of their married lives, Wayne had used various medications to control his moods, which would rocket up and suddenly down. But nothing seemed to work.<br /><br />Over the last few years, he had complained about never really being able to enjoy life. On a scale of 10, Toni said her husband had hovered around a 4.<br /><br />Ever careful not to step over the personal boundaries Wayne had set, she never asked him about his medication or whether he was taking it properly. Anything else and maybe she could have interceded, but mental illness wasn't something he talked about.<br /><br />It was almost as if he considered it a character flaw instead of a medical condition.</div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Hoefler Text", "Liberation Serif", Times, "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 19px;"><br /></span></div><div><i>"I know Wayne could be depressed at times,"</i> a friend said. <i>"He was moody in the sense that when things weren't going well, he didn't take it lightly."</i><div><br />I'm writing this particular blog to coaches who struggle with this. Looking back over my career, I see patterns here. And I recently had to revisit some of the same concepts as I face the reality of turning 60 this summer.</div><div><br /></div><div>I want to reach out to stern-faced individuals....elite competitors, who drive themselves because they believe they can squeeze perfection from an imperfect world and mercilessly drive themselves and everyone in their sphere totally convinced that it is all for a greater good.</div><div><br /></div><div>Do you see Coach McDuffie in yourself? Do you know one that you are close enough to have the conversation?</div><div><br /></div><div>I gathered a number of articles in my research, I wanted to include parts of this one in particular:</div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Those who knew him would never imagine Wayne McDuffie admitting anything resembling weakness. <i>"I'm trying to make something from nothing. I really thought I would die. I thought I would have a heart attack and die because I worked so hard. I worried so much and tried so desperately to hold this thing together."</i> <br /><br />His wife lived for those moments when her tough, chiseled husband would open himself up to her. When he would express some vulnerability. When she could help Wayne carry the weight accumulated through his carefully regimented climb from playing at Florida State and coaching for more than two decades, including two stints each at his alma mater, at the University of Georgia and even for the Atlanta Falcons.<br /><br />Of course, Wayne would rise above his pain. She knew that was what he always did--that he had wrestled with manic depression for years and that with her help and the help of his medication, he could cope. He would always, always pick himself up--and never admit weakness to anyone but her. He would be back to being the Wayne McDuffie that she alone knew--someone far removed from the grim, oppressive, aloof, abrasive perfectionist so many others encountered. <br /><br /> She also knew that, as Wayne turned 50, he allowed most people to see him only as cold. Mean. Egotistical. Someone to be feared, someone who could be brutally sarcastic and humiliating.<br /><br />But she alone knew that his mind was forever racing, analyzing, reviewing. That there was never a moment when he wasn't sorting out some problem inside his head. His distant demeanor wasn't egotistical or intentional, she thought--it was just a byproduct of an extraordinarily active, preoccupied mind.<br /><br />Wayne's mind, thought his wife, was always going in a thousand directions.<br /><br /><i>"He was absolutely the most unique character I've ever met. I'd see him in the weight room late at night, killing himself," </i>says Matt Braswell, a former All-Southeastern Conference offensive lineman at Georgia. And when Braswell and other players would drive by the jogging McDuffie, they would lower their car windows and listen as the coach violently cursed himself for not running harder and faster. <i>"He was a son-of-a-bitch. The closest analogy I can draw would be a drill instructor. But Wayne taught me more football than any other coach. I'm not sure it was his mantra 'to never give up.' I think it was, 'If you're going to do it. then be the best you can be . . . and if you can't do it, then you quit.'"</i><br /><br /><i>"He was a tough, hard-nosed football coach. You won't run across any harder,"</i> says Ray Goff, a close friend and the former Georgia coach who worked hard to lure McDuffie to his staff. <i>"People would recruit against you because of Wayne. They'd say, 'You don't want to go there (to Georgia), the guy is too tough he's too hard.' He wanted to be the best at everything. He could not stand anything not being the best Maybe he tried to keep that same persona off the field that he had on the field-and he had a hard time distinguishing where to cut it loose."</i><br /><br />Goff realized McDuffie was unlike anyone else he had ever met. <i>"He was truly the most intense guy I've ever been around in my life. I've never seen the likes of Wayne McDuffie."</i><br /><br />Something did happen. At the end of 1995, he was fired for the first time as a coach. Fired after five years, mostly successful, at Georgia--including a year when he thought he had almost given his life to the school. It was, truth be told, something Wayne saw coming. Something, said some, he had invited. Last October, he spoke to the Athens Touchdown Club and publicly suggested that Goff's staff had already been fired by athletic director Vince Dooley. McDuffie's animosity toward Dooley was thinly veiled.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /><i>"I had to address him professionally on a couple of issues that I thought he was wrong on. I called him down. But when I did it, it was over. It was just a professional thing," </i>Dooley says. <i>"But he may have carried it with him . . . he could have."</i> After the Touchdown Club speech, Dooley waited three or four days, thinking that Wayne would come in to apologize or explain. <i>"I thought he had not conducted himself the way he should have. What he did at the Touchdown Club was shocking to everybody. . . . I had a responsibility to talk to him about it."</i><br /><br />A month later, Wayne and the rest of Ray Goff's staff were fired. <br /><br />Wayne McDuffie, everyone said would be coaching somewhere soon. But, only those handful of friends knew that was small comfort for someone who wanted to be a head coach and who studied and remapped that career path--until the reels were mindlessly flapping over and over again. <br /><br /> He watched members of the old staff move on to other jobs. He even knew that Goff was spending more time at the little farm he had in Georgia Wayne jogged in his golf-course neighborhood, pushing himself hard. He lifted weights. And, with his wife, he wrestled with plans for the future. He hoped a professional team would come calling. He had feelers in with the Dolphins.<br /><br />But his birthday (December 1) and the holidays passed--as did the big bowl games, the pro playoffs and the Super Bowl--and Wayne McDuffie still was unemployed. The contract for that lakeside retirement paradise still sat unsigned on his desk. He was 51 years old. The chart, the map, had led nowhere.<br /><br />By mid-February, there were times when he and Toni didn't talk. She knew, without asking, that he was struggling. But, like he had in the past, she also knew he would rise above it. On February 16, she left for her job at a Tallahassee middle school. It was 7:30 a.m. Wayne told her that she might not see him when she got home, because he was going hunting. Toni took it as a good sign that Wayne was communicating with her. As she left the house, she saw her husband watching her from the kitchen window.<br /><br />Toni returned home at 4 p.m. Wayne's red car was still in the driveway, and she assumed someone else had driven on the hunting trip. There was an unerased message on the answering machine from the Dolphins: Wayne hadn't gotten the job. She left for a while to feed her horses and run errands. As Toni cleaned up the house close to 7 p.m., she sew Wayne's hunting boots on a back-porch table. She looked on the porch and stared at the blood.<br /><br />Sometime that day, Wayne McDuffie had taken two shotguns, two handguns, guncleaning supplies and several rounds of ammunition and placed them on his patio table. He partially disassembled one shotgun and took the cylinder from one handgun. Dressed in blue jeans, white socks, brown leather shoes and a white Atlanta Falcons shirt, Wayne McDuffie raised the other handgun and shot himself in the chest.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Then he got up, walked one lap around the pool, sat down and shot himself again...this time in the heart.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span>A few years ago (May, 2022), I dedicated a number of posts to the topic of mental health and athletics- you can find the first one here:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.jayopsis.com/2022/05/athletics-and-mental-health-day-1.html">Athletics and Mental Health</a></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div>I wanted to include a portion of the last post as a help to those who struggle in the area or now someone who fits this profile:<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>Though modern Christianity often tends to shy away from these topics… the Bible and the history of Christianity is a hard core, blunt testimony to believers who walk in periods of darkness and despair.</div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you doubt this - read David’s laments as he cries through lonely nights, Naomi who called out to those around her to change her name. She said “</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i><span style="color: blue;">Don’t call me Naomi (pleasant), Call me Mara (Bitter)”</span></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Jeremiah was known as the ‘weeping prophet”.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">There is an ENTIRE book called “Lamentations”- I guarantee we don’t read that book a lot.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Martin Luther was famous for fits of what he termed a malady of melancholy.The great nineteenth century preacher Charles Spurgeon suffered from acute depression. Often he was bedridden and unable to preach, sometimes as much as twice a month. </span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Now, again, it is so important here to not put all of these experiences in a simple basket called 'the blues'.</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The more we learn about these conditions from acute to chronic, from chemical and genetic disorders, from weather related conditions, from trauma in early life, from tragedy in life, from fear and anxiousness, to identity crisis… even spiritual crisis… this is never going to be simple and the cure will often appear out of the reach of reality… but God is never absent and we are never without hope.</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I also wanted to make reference and distinguish to something similar, but not the same. Early church fathers spent much time on a season they referred to as , </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“The Dark Night of the Soul”</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The phrase comes from an 8 stanza poem by St. John of the Cross (1542-1591), a Spanish monk and mystic.Gerald May, in his book </span><a href="http://amzn.to/2nHY5V3" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Care of Mind/Care of Spirit</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, says that these dark night places are doing a work that is deeper than our experiences of emotion, thought or action. In some ways, it might be more helpful to call the “dark night” a non-experience or a process of ‘unknowing’ .</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>The word ‘distinction’ is so important in ciphering through these experiences….</b></span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">“It is important for us <b>to make a distinction </b>between the spiritual fruit of joy and the cultural concept of happiness. A Christian can have joy in his heart while there is still spiritual depression in his head. The joy that we have sustains us through these dark nights and is not quenched by spiritual depression. The joy of the Christian is one that <b>survives all downturns in life</b>.” R.C. Sproul</span></i></span></blockquote><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SURPRISED BY DEPTHS OF LONGING AND DEPRESSION</span></b></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I may be wrong, but I NEVER remember being ‘depressed’ for any length of time throughout my teens, 20’s, and early 30’s. Sure, I got ‘disappointed’ and I suffered loss. I went through seasons of unrequited desires.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">But not only do I not remember fighting depression or negativity, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I actually had little patience with anyone who did. I disliked anyone who spoke in defeatist terms.. and the ‘blues’? My shallow and unfeeling reply was </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">‘get over it, you loser’.</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">BUT LIFE (and God) made sure I experienced what Ecclesiastes was promising.</span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sure I was still a man of faith, I was loved, I was blessed- I was a peaceful man more with joy than regret.. </span><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">but I also found myself dealing with a strange new friends</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">… fears, doubts, loneliness, and emptiness. And they were tangible.. I could taste them. They made my eyes tired, they kept me up at night, and I couldn’t even introduce them to my wife.</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It wasn’t dramatic enough to be labeled a ‘mid-life crisis’- I wasn’t thinking of convertibles and Corona’s…..But I was pulled by a strong gravity inward to wrestle with deep desires and questions that I had hidden with youthful exuberance and a smile.</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Now, here is the weird thing….looking back over 20 years of meeting these friends in sneak attacks and seasons of grief or pain…..</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b> It was wonderful!</b></span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Because I did find the one person who met me there, in the dark, under the accusing crooked fingers of my demons. </span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Jesus was and is there, though many times I did not see Him. He didn’t say much.. but I knew He cared. You know the old Marine saying? </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i>“You can pretend to care, but you cannot pretend to be there.” </i> One of the greatest growth moments of faith is to look into the darkness and know you are not alone... HE WAS THERE!</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i><b>How </b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">was He there? I found that God’s Word powerfully attached to all of those dispositions. I particularly found healing in Psalms and in the gospels.</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies” (</span><a href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Cor.%204.7" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">2 Cor. 4:7</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-10).</span></span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The apostle Paul in writing to the Philippians gives me the admonition to be </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i>“<span style="color: blue;">anxious for nothing,” </span></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">telling me that the cure for anxiety is found on my knees, that it is the peace of God that calms my spirit and dissipates anxiety. Again, I can be anxious and nervous and worried without finally submitting to ultimate despair.</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">IDENTITY CRISIS AND EMPTY SLOGANS OF LIFE</span></b></span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Before you give me a wreath of victory… the struggle remains. And for some people, it is a lifelong battle that requires consistent medication, evaluation, and professional support. At this time, I haven’t had to go there, but it is no lack of faith and no reason for shame if I did.</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was also helped by Os Guinness in a book titled, “The Call”</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For me, Os Guinness began to articulate about <u>finding authentic love and truth <b>in the dark.</b></u></span><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">He writes: </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;"><b>The notion of calling is VITAL to each of us because it touches on the modern search for a basis for individual identity and <u>an understanding of humanness itself.</u></b></span></i></span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">He outlines stages of human identity that is connected to our own sense of purpose. All human worldviews and philosophies speak to aspects of these ‘labels’ of identity</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">One is “</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>I AM CONSTRAINED TO BE”</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">– this simply is where we are right now by following the path that led here. It is the lot we find ourselves, and can present itself like a prison of our own circumstances. Sometimes these constraints look insurmountable… and some are.</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The next one is </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>“COURAGE TO BE”-</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> this is the one that I held to as that optimistic 20 year old. I bought into all the snappy slogans that turned into self-help best sellers. “Be all you can be”- “Shoot for the Stars”. Now, to he honest- these are great challenges and they do ‘birth’ dreams that are helpful in the process of pulling against our restraints.</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The third one is </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>“CONSTITUTED TO BE”-</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> this one is where most secular philosophies stop and ‘mission accomplished’ is celebrated. We have broken out of our constraints and now revel in a life. We have FOUND our identity in context of experience, passion, and skill. The power is within ourselves and can be described as a kind of 'intestinal fortitude' or 'guts'.</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>But the Bible does not stop there</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">… it wants me to take one more step… a step of faith..and it is a huge deal…</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>‘CALLED TO BE’</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">– this is the relationship of love that moves us with purpose and not a product of chance and whim. By being called to a person… especially the Creator and Lover of our souls, we have a place to go when our soul is wounded and crushed or flooded with anxiety.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i> Who can we depend on when our 'guts' run out?</i></span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">R.C. Sproul said it like this:</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">The presence of faith gives no guarantee of the absence of spiritual depression; however, the dark night of the soul always gives way to the brightness of the noonday light in the presence of God.</span></i></span></blockquote><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">My relationship with a FATHER… THE FATHER.. the lover of my soul… gives me a NAME that matters.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">My despair... anxiety... loneliness.. depression... grief...</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b> was good-</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> because it drove me to the One who was seeking me all along.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">C.S. Lewis says it is in our stories…. a ‘desire for a far off country’ the scent of a flower we have not found… the echo of a tune we have not heard..news from a country we have yet to visit”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">And when we find Him in the depths.. we still don’t know a lot… but we know Him. And our question becomes “</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>What do you desire me to do?”</b></span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Remember Naomi… the one who wanted to be called “Bitter”? </span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Naomi knew darkness. She and her husband had to sojourn in famine conditions in Moab. She had 2 sons who married Moabite women. Life was tough, but grew desperate as Naomi had to experience the death of her husband and, 10 years later, she went through the pain of losing her two sons!</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: blue;">And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” (Ruth 1:19-21 ESV)</span></span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">But, OVER TIME, Naomi experienced the love of God through Ruth and God stepped in and provided a Kinsman Redeemer and lifted this family up!</span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I hope you know the story about how Boaz, a kind and devout man, met Ruth and sacrificially worked to gain Ruth as his bride. And when Ruth gave Naomi a grandson… the blessing was complete.</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Naomi’s identity was miraculously changed: </span></div><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i><span style="color: blue;">“Then the women said to Naomi, “<b>Blessed be the LORD,</b> who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! [15] <b>He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age</b>, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” [16] <b>Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse.</b>” (Ruth 4:14-16 ESV)</span></i></span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The depression/anxiety that we struggle with may be profound, but it is not permanent, nor is it fatal. </span></div><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">And sometimes, all we can do… all </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i><b>we need to do </b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">is just keep breathing… our hearts need to keep pumping… and listen for the word of Your Father… He is THERE and He does CARE.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>As a coach, these struggles have made me better</b>. I'm not tempted by the glory of sports fame nor chained to achievements... the stuff never loves me back.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Instead... I have just loved being with athletes and I feel their anxiety and my heart aches to help them. And the cool things about kids.... the have an uncanny sense of knowing if you REALLY care about them. And one they know you care.... there is no end in how you can help them. And I don't mean how to better read the safety as he rolls to 3 cloud... or how to switch the pass pro when they feel a filed pressure coming... no you help them in deeper ways.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">i want them to see me faithfully fighting with relentless optimism....</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br style="color: black;" /><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I want them to see me not running away from God in the midst of chaos and tragedy of life.. but inspiring them to cling to the One who loves and restores.</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">One day we will all see Him face to face...He will wipe away our tears… and we will truly know a freedom from human misery, death, and deceit.</span></div><span style="color: blue;"><br />"The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and <b>He saves those who are crushed in spirit.</b>" Psalm 34:18</span></span></div><div><span><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Can you dare to believe this?</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you or anyone you know of has patterns or signs of concern, make sure you reach out and find help. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">We can go though a lot of things together, but no one ever really wins alone.</span></div><br /> <br /><br /></span><br /> </div></div></div></div></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-12216535715891242692024-03-04T04:59:00.004-06:002024-03-04T04:59:49.729-06:00Brother John- Frère Jacques<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZfmQ07sly78vG8WEUYC-R3BlldPvwV0T4mG4iz15jeC0VqenaEMuu5ABno6gqOSFI2nNzi-xyxZ0Ey0EKvGw98g97muvvjrIRKmL9OCV07YXM9CEOS9eIv2zUMhTFl5Ohua6MpJ53AqK0hIB_O5nmZdTnIZNdY2Rje6mz8580pfnyApLua9W/s225/John.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZfmQ07sly78vG8WEUYC-R3BlldPvwV0T4mG4iz15jeC0VqenaEMuu5ABno6gqOSFI2nNzi-xyxZ0Ey0EKvGw98g97muvvjrIRKmL9OCV07YXM9CEOS9eIv2zUMhTFl5Ohua6MpJ53AqK0hIB_O5nmZdTnIZNdY2Rje6mz8580pfnyApLua9W/s1600/John.jpeg" width="225" /></a></div>Though this title is a shout out to the long famous nursery rhyme about a Monk who overslept his duty to ring the bells - Ding, Dang, Dong.... I actually wanted to write a little about John the Apostle and how he is often overlooked, at least in my life.<p></p><p>Throughout my time in reading the Bible, I have often gone into thought experiments about Biblical characters, thinking about their life story and their personality. And in that, I identify a lot with Peter and even have a series on 1st and 2nd Peter where I interweave a fictional re-telling of some of his stories (April/May/June 2020- <a href="https://www.jayopsis.com/2020/04/a-fishing-tale-introduction.html">A Fisherman's Tale</a>) </p><p>Recently, I have begun to think through the life of John, especially in preparing for a Sunday School series on the Book of Revelation.</p><p>Biblical history is tough- there are so many divisions of conservative and liberal Biblical scholars that it makes digging into the history problematic- jaded skepticism and human presupposition makes honest history less science and more narrative.</p><p>Even the battle about the date of Revelation leaves plenty of room for doubt. Was it written in 65-68 AD or 95AD? Was John the same John for all the Books in the Bible with his name? The worldview of each scholar is baked into his analysis and conclusion.</p><p>So as I weave this 'account' of John, note that it has many dissenters and critics to counter each piece. This account is based on reading both Biblical and extra-Biblical sources and - this is just a blog post and my view....</p><p>John and his older brother, James were fisherman. They were the sons of Zebedee and Salome and it is likely they were cousins to Jesus by the fact that Salome and Mary were sisters. It is reasonable to believe that John the apostle was an early follower of John the Baptist and when Jesus called to Andrew, I believe John was the other one. Andrew then went and told Peter about Jesus as well.</p><p>The official call for discipleship came soon after that, "going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were preparing their nets in a boat with their father, Zebedee. Jesus called them, so they left the boat and followed him (<a href="http://www.christianity.com/bible/search/?ver=niv&q=matthew+4%3a21-22">Matthew 4:21:22</a>, <a href="http://www.christianity.com/bible/search/?ver=niv&q=mark+1%3a19-20">Mark 1:19-20</a>)</p><p>It is a long church tradition to mention John as the youngest of the disciples.</p><p>John was an inner-circle disciple- The one whom Jesus loved and John and James must have been characters to be called Sons of Thunder (<i>Boanerges</i>). In Luke 9, these two wanted to call down fire of Samaritans who rejected Jesus:</p><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. [52] And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. [53] But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. [54] <b><u>And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?</u></b>” [55] But he turned and rebuked them. [56] And they went on to another village. (Luke 9:51–56)</span></i><div><br /></div><div>Sons of Thunder indeed!</div><div><br /></div><div>Mom shows up in Matthew 20 with her request- notice the brothers answer....</div><div><br /></div><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. [21] And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” [22] Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” <b>They said to him, “We are able.”</b> [23] <b><u>He said to them, “You will drink my cup</u>,</b> but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” (Matthew 20:20–23 ESV)</span></i><div><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span>Sadly, both did- James was the first martyr after faithfully serving the church in Jerusalem.</span></div><div><span><div>Acts 12:1–2</div><div>About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. [2] He killed James the brother of John with the sword, (Acts 12:1–2 ESV). <i>Please note that this is not the James who was the leader of the Jerusalem council and by tradition was thrown from the Temple and then stoned.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b>Back to John- </b></div><div>At the last supper- his place was next to Christ on "Whose breast he leaned"</div><div>He was at the crucifixion where Jesus asked him to take care of Mary.</div><div>He out raced Peter to the empty tomb where he saw and believed.</div><div>He was mentioned with Peter in Acts 3, thrown in prison in Acts 4, and with Peter again in Acts 8</div><div><br /></div><div>An extra-Biblical source says he was tortured for his faith BEFORE being sent to Patmos where he has the visions and message to write Revelation. </div><div><br /></div><div>The church historian Tertulian said that the Roman emperor Domitian commanded that the apostle John be boiled to death in oil, but John only continued to preach from within the pot. Thus John, the head of the church in Ephesus at the time, was banished to Patmos around A.D. 95- 97.</div><div><br /></div><div>We read from John in Revelation:</div><div><div><i><span style="color: blue;"><br />[9] <b>I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos <u>on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus</u>.</b> (ESV)</span></i></div><div><div><i><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></i></div><div><i><span style="color: blue;">[10] I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet [11] saying, <b>“<span style="font-size: large;">Write what you see in a book</span> and send it to the seven churches,</b> to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” (ESV)</span></i></div><br />Revelation is a beautiful testimony to the faithful witness of John- it could NOT have been easy to see and write about what he saw! </div><div><br /></div><div>And throughout the book we read: <i><span style="color: blue;">then I turned/ when I saw/ after this I looked/ then I saw/ I saw/ then I looked/ now I watched/ and I looked/ after this I saw/ I saw/ then I looked/ then I saw/ this is how I saw it in my vision/ then I saw/ and I saw/ then I saw/ then I looked/ then I saw/ and I saw/ after this I looked/ then I heard/ and I saw/ after this I saw/ </span></i>.... and ON AND ON- from 1:12 all the way until 22:8</div><div><br /></div><div>I worry we make too much of the Book if we don't understand that John is being faithful to what Christ is showing Him....</div></div><div><b><br /></b></div></span>Finally, church tradition says this:<br /><br /> Two years after John’s exile, the emperor Domitian died, and John returned to the church in Ephesus. The youngest of the disciples lived also to be the oldest, dying in peace in Ephesus around the age of eighty after over half a century of resilient service to Jesus’ church.</div><div><br /></div><div>If the timeline is right, John lost his brother, James in 44AD and then had another 50 years in which he too "drank the cup" to the glory of Christ!<br /><br />It is believed that John was buried in the southern slope of Ayosolug Hill near Ephesus (modern day Turkey). Three hundred years after his death, a small chapel was constructed over the grave in the 4th century. The church of St John was changed into a marvelous basilica during the region of Emperor Justinian (527 -565 AD).<br /><br />It later became a mosque and then deemed unusable after an earthquake.</div><div><br /></div><div>John is NOT SLEEPING- he is alive with Christ and one day I will get to meet him!</div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-91663292868905933012024-01-26T07:44:00.005-06:002024-03-07T18:04:07.112-06:00Remembering Coach Bryant- A Decade of Posts<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08VFT-5eLBT3-DrvCbl99uOsNJS9IkCRHsxJ1I7IhkOMOaCIltHZieWcJ9UZfjk42oo13O9VicZf1deGgPWqou4EJ22Yvi9nZ1z6MSHtg62fsjWcwwOQlKsGeTsSduznmExvgYgoZvmc9XhyOS1u4iC9dJt7PaJpK7wE3xnUXu7YgtE6gBzF0/s600/Alabama_Better_Than_B_Rudd_t800.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08VFT-5eLBT3-DrvCbl99uOsNJS9IkCRHsxJ1I7IhkOMOaCIltHZieWcJ9UZfjk42oo13O9VicZf1deGgPWqou4EJ22Yvi9nZ1z6MSHtg62fsjWcwwOQlKsGeTsSduznmExvgYgoZvmc9XhyOS1u4iC9dJt7PaJpK7wE3xnUXu7YgtE6gBzF0/s320/Alabama_Better_Than_B_Rudd_t800.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>As many of you know - I try to post something about Coach Bryant on the anniversary of his passing away on Jan 26, 1983. The site I have dedicated to Coach Bryant is full of special memories. Today marks a decade of keeping this tradition.<br /><br />You can also find posts here:<br /><a href="https://bearbryantmemories.wordpress.com/">Wordpress- Coach Bryant Memories</a><br /><br />Another year to commemorate and remember Coach Bryant. Every year, I’m not sure what to write about, but then something always hits me. This year became much easier when Coach Nick Saban announced his retirement after 17 amazing seasons with the Tide and then the subsequent hiring of Coach Kalen DeBoer.<br /><br />Before I get to the coaching change, I wanted to make mention of the privilege I had to attend the <b>Jeremiah Castille Foundation Night of Champions Dinner</b> that honored the 1973 Alabama team on Dec.16 at the Downtown Sheraton.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>It was a wonderful event that highlighted an amazing team. Both Greg Byrne and Paul Finebaum both gave wonderful tributes to Coach Bryant and that team. By far my favorite speaker that evening was Ralph Stokes who spoke of the opportunities Coach Bryant afforded him by signing him to a scholarship at Alabama. He went on to write a book about that “One of the First” that details how he overcame the prejudices and challenges of being one of the early African-American players to come to the Tide on scholarship.<br /><br />I doubt Coach Bryant will ever receive the proper recognition on those early moves and how his love for all his players, his ability to build team unity, and his effort to make sure they succeeded long after football was gone.<br /><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5tdrn2bbXHDqzSFXS6W0VSWvAqilKaVmOXKHf3xBMLawpspYyVThlyhm7CTSM0StSeV-wySFnsTm0T6edL7p8OKLafljCGmsv-npkjE265XLv85A66aPgK35uMO6vLz_PfzbQav6mnKwqJ8PEQPQj1KkxfAH7SZrWQkNluj9YzgTPkpF40jB/s1438/IMG_0254.HEIC" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1438" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5tdrn2bbXHDqzSFXS6W0VSWvAqilKaVmOXKHf3xBMLawpspYyVThlyhm7CTSM0StSeV-wySFnsTm0T6edL7p8OKLafljCGmsv-npkjE265XLv85A66aPgK35uMO6vLz_PfzbQav6mnKwqJ8PEQPQj1KkxfAH7SZrWQkNluj9YzgTPkpF40jB/s320/IMG_0254.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div>Last night, I attended the Alabama Football Coaches Association Clinic (ALFCA) held annually in Montgomery. The High School coaches there got to hear from a number of outstanding coaches and it was the first time that Coach Deboer spoke to the Alabama high school coaches. I though he did an excellent job. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>It made me go back to some memories about Coach Bryant's retirement.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Let’s do a little remembrance of the Bryant retirement and do some comparison and contrast and the challenges ahead.</div><div><br />Dec. 15, 1982 changed everything in the year I had with Coach Bryant.<br /><br />It was written on the board in Bryant Hall for us to report to the annex. That RARELY happened.<br /><br />When I sat down and saw all the extra people in there, I immediately knew I was observing history.<br /><br />My memory fails me here a little- it seemed like he either read his speech before the media and then talked to just us. Or he talked to just us and then read the speech to the media.<br /><br />His talk to us was animated, energetic, optimistic. He spoke of his plan to bring on his successor and stay on as Athletic Director. He said the next coach was going to need to be able to throw the football because of the rules and the way the game was headed.<br /><br />Then, when he read his speech- he seemed tired and had no energy. It was like two different men! Again, 30 year old memory.......<br /><br />Here is the transcript of the read speech:<br /><br /><i>There comes a time in every profession when you need to hang it up and that time has come for me at the University of Alabama.<br /><br />My main purpose as Director of Athletics and head football coach here at Alabama has been to field the best possible teams, to improve each player as a person and to produce citizens who will be a credit to our present day society.<br /><br />We have been successful in most of those areas, but now, I feel the time is right for a change in our football leadership. We lost two big games this season that we should have won, and we played only four or five games like Bryant-coached teams should play. I've done a poor job of coaching.<br /><br />This is my school- my alma mater- and I love it. And I love the players- but in my opinion, they deserve better coaching than they've been getting from me this year and my stepping down is an effort to see that they get better coaching from someone else.<br /><br />It is a great joy for me, personally, to have had the opportunity to coach at my alma mater. I know I will miss coaching, but the thing I will miss the most is the association I have had with the players, the coaches, the competition- all of those things that have made such a strong tradition at Alabama.<br /><br />I can't say enough, or thank enough, the coaches who are with me now- and those who have been there in the past.<br /><br />I plan to continue as Director of Athletics and pledge my support to my successor in every respect, particularly in recruiting.</i><br /><br />The storm was in full brew now and a pressure was building.<br /><br />The rumor was already in the works that Ray Perkins of the NFL New York Giants was going to be the new coach. Believe it or not- we practiced later that day. And it was so strange- it was not mentioned at all.<br /><br />But the practice was terrible. To be honest, all of the practices had been terrible up to that point. The dorm was a sea of visitors that evening.<br />I just drifted into the background and listened.. watched. The Liberty Bowl practices never did pick up.<br /><br />What did come into full view was that Ray Perkins was coming to Alabama.<br />All of the attention was about Coach Perkins and what his staff might be like and what his pro style offense may do to coaches and players.<br /><br />There were some sad players, and even sadder coaches. Word was that some were being told immediately that they would not be back.<br /><br />The last game was a thriller- Alabama beat a good Illinois team 21-15 on a bitterly cold Memphis night and carried the Bear on their shoulders for one last time.<br /><br />Jeremiah Castille was the MVP for his Liberty Bowl record 3 interceptions and Coach Bryant was all smiles.<br />I was so relieved and proud- this is how it was supposed to end. Coach Bryant notched his 323rd college football win in his last stand. <br /><br />I wrote about this in my last post: We all know the difficulty Alabama had replacing the legend.<br /><br />But I do think there are STARK differences when I think about the end of the Bryant era and the end of the Saban era.<br /><br /><b>Facilities</b>: The facilities at Alabama had fallen behind many other schools when Coach Bryant passed away.<br /><br /><b>Program Success:</b> The program was not operating at the level we would call “Alabama standard” when Coach Bryant retired, he knew it more than anyone.<br /><br /><b>Sudden loss of Coach Bryant:</b> In my opinion, this was also tough in that the traffic death of the beloved coach put a hamper on the program.<br /><br /><b>School and Athletics Leadership:</b> The actual school leaders were not perceived to be strong. A lot of the power was held by trustees and boosters. In fact, until Coach Saban came, that weakness at the top created a fragile and unstable environment.<br /><br />These factors could play a role in allowing Coach DeBoer to have continued success, but we all know it is a fragile time. The success rate of following a legend is not very high, but it is doable.<br /><br />Things that could hamper Coach DeBoer are somewhat out of his control and that is the difficulties of recruiting and retaining elite players in that age of the portal and NIL difficulties.<br /><br />A few days ago, I posted this information with some analysis of the cannibalistic actions and attitudes of fans with unrealistic expectations. Mass communication has given naysayers and negateers way too much access to voice opinions that are at times ludacris and juvenile.<br /><br />But that is the soup that all coaches have to navigate….. It is not for the faint of heart!<br /><br />I also referenced a few days ago about my short analysis of the Bryant vs Saban debate. I do want to not leave out the great job by Gene Stallings and the 1992 National Championship<br /><br />I do give Coach Saban the edge on career success over Coach Bryant because of the challenges of the times- though both men had great intuition on how to evolve to survive.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKLkzTsP5_vRY3CDSnGa6DgWh1-1aYbU-OhBqOphdOxmjNwn6ALu3oyIohs3PlC_8qrrBupasrBvxcSmh5fc3TvLySn-Bgk-CiaFmoLq4mLXxqRsJzHdzBDGh2mnW9zK5xRIYKG3T_sk3zl6cRTTKhxzBwQ3Z2aDOWXSRYOm_CxTqDrx0M_LQ/s1440/IMG_0098.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKLkzTsP5_vRY3CDSnGa6DgWh1-1aYbU-OhBqOphdOxmjNwn6ALu3oyIohs3PlC_8qrrBupasrBvxcSmh5fc3TvLySn-Bgk-CiaFmoLq4mLXxqRsJzHdzBDGh2mnW9zK5xRIYKG3T_sk3zl6cRTTKhxzBwQ3Z2aDOWXSRYOm_CxTqDrx0M_LQ/s320/IMG_0098.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-54495037220124845642024-01-17T11:41:00.006-06:002024-01-17T14:36:19.353-06:00Challenges Awaiting the New Coach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTJUFBl6KABa1CtI6WqMTdJcGmOyEBZaxLNezzlUzCL5XJHaQH7-poHEW9aQ1C7oRUNKjua7dF8rEwjoejJ5CaqC2Kdb_nd5Idg-5jcuPuRsXRlv6561gTYGUQ8ALJeKHA6Dx-zn5TA7EdY4SjGHaHa0ALietBAWT5UdO-nZ7zT9xEn3IxlII/s300/Debour.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTJUFBl6KABa1CtI6WqMTdJcGmOyEBZaxLNezzlUzCL5XJHaQH7-poHEW9aQ1C7oRUNKjua7dF8rEwjoejJ5CaqC2Kdb_nd5Idg-5jcuPuRsXRlv6561gTYGUQ8ALJeKHA6Dx-zn5TA7EdY4SjGHaHa0ALietBAWT5UdO-nZ7zT9xEn3IxlII/s1600/Debour.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>As many of you know - I try to post something about Coach Bryant on the anniversary of his passing away on Jan 26, 1983. The site I have dedicated to Coach Bryant is full of special memories.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9100434/3742204320133798985#">https://bearbryantmemories.wordpress.com/</a><br /><br />With so much happening right now, I thought I would give a brief preview of the challenges in the current Bama situation and will still post something with a little more Coach Bryant flavor a few days from now, including a recap of my experience sitting through Coach Bryant's retirement in 1982.<div><br /></div>We all know the difficulty Alabama had replacing the legend.<br /><br />But I do think there are STARK differences when I think about the end of the Bryant era and the end of the Saban era.<br /><br /><b>Facilities: </b>The facilities at Alabama had fallen behind many other schools when Coach Bryant passed away.<br /><br /><b>Program Success: </b>The program was not operating at the level we would call “Alabama standard” when Coach Bryant retired, he knew it more than anyone.<br /><br /><b>Sudden loss of Coach Bryant:</b> In my opinion, this was also tough in that the traffic death of the beloved coach put a hamper on the program. If handled correctly, the previous coach can help... as well as hurt. But I think both men have enough humility to make it a positive.<br /><br /><b>School and Athletics Leadership:</b> The actual school leaders were not perceived to be strong when Coach Bryant retired. A lot of the power was held by trustees and boosters. In fact, until Coach Saban came, that weakness at the top created a fragile and unstable environment.<br /><br />These factors could play a role in allowing Coach Deboer to have continued success, but we all know it is a fragile time. The success rate of following a legend is not very high, but it is doable.<br /><br />Things that could hamper Coach Deboer are somewhat out of his control and that is the difficulties of recruiting and retaining elite players in this age of the portal and NIL difficulties. Mass communication has given naysayers and negateers way too much access to voice opinions that are at times ludacris and juvenile.<br /><br />But that is the soup that all coaches have to navigate….. It is not for the faint of heart!<br /><br />A few years ago, I posted a short analysis of the Bryant vs Saban debate (<a href="https://www.jayopsis.com/2016/01/saban-vs-bryant-that-is-as-ludicrous-as.html">Saban vs Bryant 2016- Jayopsis</a> ) and I wanted to update some of the thoughts now that both men have bookends on their amazing careers.<br /><br />I will comment a little more about this on the 26th.<br /><br />Here is what I posted in 2016<br /><i><br />I have no clue WHEN (Saban retirement) that may happen... but Coach Saban himself this year hinted that even he knows that it will come at some point..... and it will be a great challenge for him to stay the course.<br /></i><b><br />HISTORY SHOWS US THAT THE BEAR DID IT........</b><br /><br />In 1969, Coach Bryant's Alabama team went 6-5, was only 2-4 in the SEC (they even lost to Vanderbilt) and was beaten 47-33 by Colorado in the Liberty Bowl.<br /><br />Can you imagine what a Paul Finebaum show would sound like during that stretch?<br /><br />To make matters worse, the 1970 team went 6-5-1 including the famous opening loss to Sam Cunningham and USC. USC outgained the Tide by more than 300 yards (559 yds of total offense) and whipped the Tide 42-21. Cunningham ran for 135 yds on just 12 carries.<br /><br />We know the rest of this story- Alabama shocked USC the next season- went 11-1 and won the SEC, finishing #2 in the nation. That sparked the 1970's as Bryant's best decade.<br /><br />Coach Saban to be honest, never had to persevere the inevitable dip that hampers all programs He only had guide the ship through the hurricane of doubters and dissent in his first season, but fans were so hungry to win, they provided energy and optimism to push through. <br /><br />We all recognize a huge problem in regaining that 'winning edge' and this modern era poses more peril than ever before... and deep in my soul I always stand amazed at the passion and energy of anyone to continue to do it. Coach Saban was so unique, any other mortal man would take his money, trophies, and ride his grandchildren on his boat.<br /><br />In many ways... modern day football is a young man's game..... But Saban finished on top!<br /><br /><b>WHAT MOST FOLKS MISS- IT'S MORE THAN WINS</b><br /><br />Now let me mention the HARMONY I find between the two coaches..... did you see it? It was on display... on the Alabama sidelines during games.<br /><br />Whenever former players feel comfortable coming around and want to come around- you know that a special culture is at work. Alabama's sideline during big games was always packed with many adoring former players.<br /><br />That is what both Coach Bryant and Coach Saban had in common. And the fact that Coach Saban has young men (including a huge group doing well in the NFL) in such high regard of him in a generation that is more prone to mock and disregard elders... this is quite an achievement.<br /><br />Coach Bryant towered in a day when it was more common to follow the leader no matter what.<br /><br />But men followed him with such a passion that the bond still stays strong today.<br /><br />Coach Saban has managed the same thing. But his ability to transcend generation, race, socio-economic differences, and regional differences is impressive!<br /><br />Relationships matter.... and winning coaches know how to invest in their players in such a way that the players go through pain and persevere out of love and inspiration.<br /><br />From what I have read, Coach Deboer excels in this ability as well.<div><br /><div><b>COACH DEBOER BIGGEST HURDLE</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I posted on X about this right after the announcement of the retirement:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcOZ2a-pRuDwHfuxvakHFJ6uQSzPb0ne27XsuXSottlVThwqbVHbpqvKOBS3RifLyxlGLWCyHNTBCbW3fLCUAChAVVQ_aw-Rmod9bzmRCUeHF7s8qhOc_GBeWocTB1hnCF7aZEjov0DaOwOz-FDmhMy8OQ3hGPwBr_WWL-auiWBEM1aXzy1OX/s1202/Screenshot%202024-01-17%20at%2011.18.38%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="1202" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcOZ2a-pRuDwHfuxvakHFJ6uQSzPb0ne27XsuXSottlVThwqbVHbpqvKOBS3RifLyxlGLWCyHNTBCbW3fLCUAChAVVQ_aw-Rmod9bzmRCUeHF7s8qhOc_GBeWocTB1hnCF7aZEjov0DaOwOz-FDmhMy8OQ3hGPwBr_WWL-auiWBEM1aXzy1OX/w506-h98/Screenshot%202024-01-17%20at%2011.18.38%20AM.png" width="506" /></a></div><br /><div>A few years ago, I posted the most difficult hurdle facing coaches when trying to build programs, what I call, <i>Cannibalizing Your Team</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Cannibalization is literally 'eating your own team'. And cannibals can be found among any and all parts of a team or surrounding community. It can be players, coaches, fans, parents, media.... and usually is a combination of those that forms a 'contrary wind' to that team.<br /><br />By the way, the cannibals are always there..... human nature is always breeding more. The existence of cannibals is not deadly unless there are too many OR the cannibals are KEY CONSTITUENTS of a team or organization.<br /><br />Cannibals eat away so many things.... but the overall impact is a loss of opportunity, a loss of positive momentum/energy, or the erosion of core values.<br /><br /><b>SELF-FULFILLING DOOMSDAY</b><br /><br />I once worked with a coach ( a great coach by the way) who was very upset about the way we did a certain aspect of our football team. This practice was a by-product of a fundamental piece of our philosophy.<br /><br />As the season went on, he would say in the head-sets, <i>"This is not going to go well"</i>. And he said it EVERY SINGLE TIME the game situation dictated that decision because of our philosophy. And this went on.... game 1, game 2, game 3,4,5,6..... and then, in game 7... his prediction finally happened. Oh my goodness!....the 'I TOLD YOU SO' that came from him was as loud and obnoxious as any I have ever even IMAGINED.<br /><br />The next coaches meeting, he was armed and ready. When we got to that place in the film, it was obvious that the decision was what it was.... but the execution of the decision was the major problem for failure.<br /><br />I stopped the film.... "<i>you know... I have been listening to you on the head-set for 7 games in a row. You have predicted this EVERY SINGLE time. Your prediction FINALLY happened... but that is like me predicting rain everyday during a five year drought until it finally rains for 5 minutes. Congratulations!</i>" You could have cut the tension with a knife.<br /><br />And that coach did not stay in the program after the season was over. As good a coach as he was, his unwillingness to buy into this was a constant corrosion. He wanted to be SO RIGHT... that he was DEAD RIGHT.<div><br /></div><div>A lot of teams begin new seasons with so many cannibals, that they are already losing... even with a record of 0-0. I often hear coaches tell me how frustrating it is when parents pass along a 'group think' of the sound bites of what is wrong with a program or coach before a season even begins.</div><div><br /></div><div>About halfway through a season a team will be .500 or below and this group of parents will be right... want the coach fired... and feel so let down because the window of opportunity to play high school sports is small.</div><div><br /></div><div>What they don't realize is that the <b>negative talk became a self-fulfilling prophecy</b> and they 'cannibalized' their own team.... </div><div><br /></div><div>I had a parent call me one time and was upset that a dad had begun a negative campaign against the coaches. He said that the reality was that many of the parents liked the coaches and were satisfied and he was afraid that all we hear about were the complaints. I asked the dad why he didn't confront the one parent who was the loudest and most vocal.... and sadly, he was afraid to.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, the day came where the upset dad called me to meet. He came in and in pretty bold and aggressive ways expressed his opinion that we were bad coaches. He spoke on the authority that he had played in college, coached these players in youth leagues, and couldn't believe the school even hired (our head coach) in the first place- <i>"did you know this man has never even coached a varsity team, he was just a freshman coach in his previous job!"</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Looking back, I probably should not have had this conversation. If I were doing it over today I would have sent him straight to head coach... but I was young and dumb enough to think I could help.</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>When it was my time to respond.... he didn't like what I had to say. '<i>Mr ________, your son came to me yesterday because he knew we were going to be meeting today. And I had a phone call from another dad recently. In both conversations, I asked them to come talk to you and both said they were afraid to.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>This is going to be hard to hear, but you are hurting your son and a lot of parents are not happy with your behavior at games. Both have asked me to ask you to stop it.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>You were a great college football player, I have heard a lot of stories about how good you were. But when you yell at your son from the stands on how to play his position, you are telling him to (do a technique) that we don't use (we ran a different system) it is opposite of what he is being coached to do and it embarrasses him. </i></div><div><br /></div><div>There were more issues in the meeting- college recruiting - we weren't tough- it wasn't a great meeting and he was hacked that his son and that dad had gotten in tough with me.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>"I love our coaches and I know they are doing a great job, loving your son, coaching your son. I'm asking to to stop being loud and negative... I don't think I will change your opinion... but you are hurting the team by spreading negativity. You are hurting your son! Go home and talk to him about that, and don't go off on him... he loves you and he is trying to live up to what you want him to be!"</i></div><div><br /></div><div>It did not go over well. He got red faced and stormed off. He never really got loud again, but now I was on his list as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly, this did not go away. It grew. </div><div><br /></div><div>We made the playoffs that season and went to an away playoff game. It wasn't our best effort in the first half. We threw two interceptions and were having a rough time against a great defense. As we were coming into the locker room, this same dad (and at least 4 others who believed as he did) were waiting on me at the chain link gate. We had to get outside that gate to go into the visitor locker room.</div><div><br /></div><div>He stepped in front of me and stopped me! <i>"What are y'all doing! Thus is embarrassing! Run the ball!"</i></div><div><br /></div><div>I walked around him without saying a word, and he yelled in my ear as I passed him, <i>"This is our last game!"</i></div><div><br /></div><div>And then I blew up in his face <i>"This is halftime _______. Get away from me!"</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Now what is bad about that was that it happened in front of everybody and it was a scene.</div><div><br /></div><div>When I walked into the locker room, it was like a funeral.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the crazy thing.... we were only losing 6-0!</div><div><br /></div><div>But in that halftime, I had nothing I could tell my offense to muster them for a 2nd half charge. I tried, but they didn't believe in us, didn't believe it what we were doing, and there were just enough cannibals to let the season end.... kind of like a mercy killing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ironically, a few year later, we were in the semi-finals and were going in a halftime down six points. And instead of the angry mob- our fans were at the gate <i>"Go Lions, Y'all got this! Way to go!"</i> And we won in double overtime on our way to the state championship.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, am I naive enough to believe the difference in positive and negative reactions were ALL the difference? NO</div><div><br /></div><div>But the prevailing belief (also called pre-supposition) can influence the outcome and be a type of self-fulfilling prophecy.</div><div><br /></div><div>I used to have the newspaper article from Cleveland that had the headline story about the Browns firing Bill Belichick, <i>"Goodbye to the Worst Coach in the History of the NFL". </i><b>Belief is a pretty powerful thing!</b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><b>WORK TO MAKE IT WORK</b><br /><br />Here is another OPPOSITE illustration of negative cannibalism.<br /><br />In 1999, we lost our ALL-State Tailback on a freak play to a torn ACL... the last play of the first half. It was mid-season, we lost the game, and people were beginning to wonder if we could win back-to-back state titles. It looked doubtful.<br /><br />We played two more games with a quality back-up and personnel packages and won those. But we were not the dynamic offense we had been. We still had an elite defense and as far as our record, we were still a favorite to win it all.<br /><br />Our head coach, Fred Yancey, surprised all of us in week 8 of the regular season by announcing a DRAMATIC move. We were going to take our starting SAM linebacker and move him to Fullback and move our Fullback to Tailback. What made this even more startling is that neither player had played those positions ALL YEAR! And the linebacker had never run with the football in his entire football life!<br /><br />Immediately, there was the typical assistant coaching pushback...but Coach Yancey was adamant. This was a HC decision and he walked out.<br /><br />I was offensive coordinator... but both defensive assistants AND offensive assistants kept pressing me to change Coach Yancey's mind.<br /><br />I simply looked at them and said, <i>"Guys, this is his team.. this is his decision. So, we have two choices.... gripe and moan OR get to work to make this work."</i> And we did.<br /><br />Now don't get me wrong... THIS WAS NOT EASY... and the early results were flat ugly... but we worked it with positive energy and we won the State Championship. The tailback was MVP of the game and the fullback scored on 3rd and goal at a critical time early in the game.<br /><br />Winners, champions, and competitors learn early in their battles that cannibals never win. Dream killers and blame game hand wringers get it right by their own actions and beliefs. And then they get mad about it!<br /><br />We do it to coaches as well..... <b><u><span style="color: red;">I wonder how many programs would be more successful if they embraced their coach instead of tearing him down in endless opining of opinions. </span></u></b>You know what a good play call is? One that works. And a bad play call doesn't.<br /><br />I'm not saying that you never make changes... but I KNOW of teams who stole away their opportunities to be good because of cannibalism.<br /><br />Now, one more important point is this. A lack of virtue is a type of cannibalism. We live in a world that seeks to tear down our rivals.<br /><br /><b>COMPETING WITH CLASS AND HONOR</b><br /><br />There is another winning edge that Coach Deboer can continue- competing with class. </div><div><br /></div><div> Bryant AND Coach Saban taught the State of Alabama to do it differently. They taught me as a fan and later, as a player to show class and respect toward the opponent. It is more honorable to beat a worthy opponent than to beat an unworthy one.<br /><br />But we tweet 'hate week', and we spew venom, and we ridicule and mock the opposing team... so is it really a great victory if we beat them?<br /><br />An example 1965 ALABAMA:<br /><br />Alabama opened against Georgia on a blistering hot day in Athens for the 1965 season. Tom Brakefield was with the Bear Bryant show film crew, wiping away sweat, and enjoying every snap of a fierce contest pitting Coach Bryant against Vince Dooley.<br /><br />Even though Alabama struggled all day, even going in at halftime down 10-0, Alabama rallied in the 2nd half and took a late 17-10 lead.<br /><br />What took place next in the game was recently ranked by The Bleacher Report as #3 of the 12 greatest plays in college football history.<br /><br />Coach Dooley called it 'flea flicker' but today is more known as a 'hook and lateral'. Kirby Moore threw the ball to Pat Hodgson who then flicked it to Bob Taylor who ran for a 73 yard touchdown to bring the score to 17-16. Georgia converted the 2 point extra points to win 18-17!<br /><br />The problem was.... it looked very clear to the Alabama faithful that Pat Hodgson's knee was down, thus making the play 'dead' on the catch and the touchdown should have been disallowed!<br /><br /><br />You have to think that Alabama fans felt snake-bit. It was the first game since Joe Namath had seemingly been robbed of a game winning TD in the Orange Bowl and now they lost the opening game to a missed call in Athens!<br />Tom Brakefield saw a clean angle and knew he had a camera all over it. He carefully noticed which canister was going to have the field level proof!<br /><br />Sure, enough, the Bear Bryant Show crew had indisputable video evidence that 'Bama had been robbed by the Bulldogs!<br /><br />When Coach Bryant came in that Sunday morning to prepare for the live telecast that afternoon, he shocked everyone! As soon as he saw the clip he stopped and said as clear and forceful as he could:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 15px;"><i>"Men, I never have won a game on Sunday because of film. Please take this clip out and give it to me."</i></span></span></blockquote><span style="color: #3a2a34; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></span>When the show went live from Channel 13 that Sunday, Coach Bryant taught the entire state on how to lose with class.<br /><br />And Tom Brakefield used it to teach an even bigger lesson!<br /><br />"You want to know the biggest part of that story? We lost to Georgia, we TIED Tennessee- but still upset Nebraska in the Orange Bowl to win the National Championship. At Alabama, Coach Bryant started a lesson that, even today, we understand.... if you do it right... you always have a chance!"<br /><br />WHAT ABOUT YOU?<br /><br />I always make a plea to every athlete, coach, and fan reading this. Don't be a cannibal! Don't be that person who always focuses on the flaws. Don't create small circles of whiners and complainers who whisper in the dark and throw darts.<br /><br /><br />It was interesting how many complained about the color of the man's shirt when he was introduced at the basketball game last night- and it was a Bama shirt!<br /><br />Winners are hopeful... even to the very last snap, he believes he can find a way to win. And in the end, that relentless optimism gave him MORE of a chance... where a doubtful pessimist robbed his team of the opportunity.<br /><br /><br />Here is how Coach Saban said it earlier this year (as the naysayers got louder)- at the time he was a little bit frustrated:</div><div><span style="color: #3a2a34;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #3a2a34;"><i>"People forget that we built this program on positivity"</i></span></div><div><span style="color: #3a2a34;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><i>"So we want to stay focused on the process of what we need to do to play winning football at every position. And I'm not here to create expectations for our team. Lots of people will do that. But expectations in some way are a premeditated way to create disappointment. I think you can look at it in your life and that's why I say we need to say process-oriented, not focused on the outcome, but focused on the things that we need to do to get the outcome that we want, and you know, if you have high expectations for what you want to accomplish and it doesn't work out, it makes you focus on the outcome and it doesn't work out and you're very disappointed."</i><span style="color: #3a2a34;"><br /></span><span style="color: #3a2a34; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #3a2a34; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">Competition with honor is rewarding... win or lose.</span></span><br /><span style="color: #3a2a34; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #3a2a34; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">Winning without honor... is never really a victory.</span></span><br /></div><br />Football continues to display dramatic narratives and storylines- my favorite one is always the comeback story... someone who is cut down and counted out... but through perseverance and fight... finds victory once again.<br /><br />I will cheer for the Tide no matter what and I also have a number of heroes throughout football that I pull for everyday- MEN WHO MATTER!</div></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-44059767923539439862024-01-13T10:00:00.007-06:002024-01-14T10:06:23.086-06:00Navigating the Rapids in Current College Football Trends<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxGlBh2M7zAt6P__aU7PtxrBd4vwfOdMak86DiDMZIbLBDLwZFIXCEDe6GlFGSZZ7MZ5-5kFdenuD-HLIHACApFGRIAJOXdDDg5t0LkCqyl60_2g7sarcCY2jruioRUYZO0BAoDXHT4yj5u3T7MhMRx2RrOapneVO-RcCVVopUJXK2VtlcJju/s720/NIL.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="405" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxGlBh2M7zAt6P__aU7PtxrBd4vwfOdMak86DiDMZIbLBDLwZFIXCEDe6GlFGSZZ7MZ5-5kFdenuD-HLIHACApFGRIAJOXdDDg5t0LkCqyl60_2g7sarcCY2jruioRUYZO0BAoDXHT4yj5u3T7MhMRx2RrOapneVO-RcCVVopUJXK2VtlcJju/s320/NIL.jpeg" width="180" /></a></div>One of the wildest 4 or 5 days I have ever seen as the current in the 'River of Ever Change' in football surges into whitewater and waterfalls! My goodness!<p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-6c13fe21-7fff-5e6e-ceec-e321e932c96c"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Saban retirement, Belichick out, Pete Carroll, Debour in at Bama, Cadillac Williams out at Auburn…. Portal declarations, decommits, 10 million dollar contracts, and sudden change…</span></p></span><span><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The change illuminates a harbinger of danger and demands daring protocols, policies, and principle promotion for future survival.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I get concerned that a lot of decision makers in these times are too hinged to the past and have little energy, creativity, or quickness to move, dodge, and corral these rapids… but there is a tremendous opportunity to dam the river and harness the energy for future success as well.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">3 Moods</span></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I have often said that one must fight to keep a mood for the moment and many of these initial steps have more to do with gut instincts than sequential steps that get lost in committee. There are too many nuances and unintended results for one to feel safe in these calls of balls and strikes.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mood #1: Principle based applications</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">- In this day of rapid change and shoot outs a person has to be grounded in principles and virtue. It has to be a deep, wisdom laden, and disciplined recognition that power, money, and fame cannot bear the burden of life. This is what sport used to teach much better than all others: team concepts (we accomplish more together than alone, it is not good for man to be alone), sacrifice (we suffer together so we can share victory together), the Golden rule (treat others the way we would want to be treated), all humans have dignity as image bearers of the creator, delayed gratification, honesty.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Now, all of this is still undefeated- I promise you, the winners over time have a high understanding of who they are and what they believe that aligns with truth.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If the worldview is right, the values are right (more than lip service) and there is intentional effort for the greater good of all then the journey will end at a worthy destination.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mood #2: Recognition and honor of the past but without nostalgia or unrealistic longing for the ‘good ole days’ that never existed in the first place</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.- this is a tough one. If we erase history, we will eventually cut our own throats. We must have a nod to the past and hope we receive care for us when we walk out to the pasture of forgotten though epic, heroic battles of yesterday. When we honor people and good deeds in the past, we model appropriate treatment of human beings. We also must honestly learn from the errors without throwing stones due to our imperfections. There is a difference in longing for the past and moving forward to the future while honoring the past. One is freeing and the other is a trap.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mood #3: Our ministry must always be to build men more than millionaires.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Materialism is an empty idol. The lasting coaches, the admired coaches, the wise administrators understand that this fast paced world of information, disinformation, and misinformation requires them to build leaders who desire to be entrepreneurs, lawmakers, and leaders; people who value societal revival more than personal portfolios. I'm worried that the current landscape of college football is too intertwined in glamorizing billfold, boardroom, and bedroom prowess and it over run by too many bottom feeders sleazing their way into the fray. We must somehow use the experience of being an athlete to create a thirst for men to 'not die rich' but 'die trying' to leave this world or even just their home a better place.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">Guardrails</span></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This is a hasty post, but not one without thought. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">When the Supreme Court handed down the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Verdict (June 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the NCAA in NCAA v. Alston where the court found that the NCAA's restrictions on name, image, and likeness (NIL) activity violate antitrust laws and also stated that the NCAA cannot restrict education-related compensation benefits for student-athletes) it opened a proverbial Pandora’s box with no boundaries.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">What is left in the wake of this foul dust is a frontier that needs a good Sheriff. Elvis has left the building and he is not coming back; we must find a way to glean what is good and protect the sport from the evil lurking in the shadows. Here are my recommendations.</span></p></span><br />1. Unified Federal Laws- take the best of the state laws and codify rational boundaries.<br /><br />2. No Caps on Collectives, but Payments Made in Consistent Amounts<br /><br />3. Percentages Paid to Other Athletes of Non-Revenue Sports<br /><br />4. Certification of “Handlers’<br /><br />5. Education for Athletes in how to protect and grow the worth of their NIL<br /><br />6. Insurance Collective for On-Field or In-Training Injuries<br /><br />7. Utilization of Trusts and Mandatory Financial Advisors<br /><br />8. Better calendars for coaches. Take better care of assistant coaches.<br /><br />9. Stiffer penalties for violations.<br /><br />10. Incentivize stability and completion of a season<br /><br />11. NIL limits on HS athletes or portal players to discourage use of the value for recruiting <br /><br /><div>12. Re-institute football dorms or isolated living communities.<span><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I don’t have space or time to write about these in detail but I can make a few example comments.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For point #2,</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> I think the eventual collectives should not be restricted as far as value is concerned but I do think there could be a common pay scale that would be similar to how players are evaluated and paid in the NFL. Some positions are ‘valued’ higher than others. The QB room would in this situation would have a range or scale different than the long snapper.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For point #3-</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Require schools to take 15% of their yearly NIL collective for football and men’s basketball and funnel it to all other university athletes. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For point #4</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">- Allow Athletes to have only 1 ‘handler’ at a time (parent, uncle, mentor) and certify these representatives. Don’t allow these people to be professional agents and scrutinize them through audits and disclosure forms.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For point #5-</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Having a valuable NIL can help athletes make better decisions off the field.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For point #6</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">- Buy a collective policy to make a fair compensation to any athlete who gets injured in a bowl game or playoff game, or who stays to finish their education and delay testing the NFL market.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For point #8-</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> we are killing our coaches. We have to find a way to give them more time at home and with families.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For point #11</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. All HS athletes and portal players are ‘unproven’ and it is no crime to delay the growth of NIL opportunities until that is shown in reality and not in theory. My suggestion is to require all “non-team” money be capped universally and put in trusts.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For point #12-</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> NIL athletes these days are not normal students, these are hybrid ‘employees’. I think it should be allowed and even encouraged to separate these players and allow coaches more time to mentor and more time to build community within teams.</span></p><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">BTW-</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> this is coming to HS athletes as well. How can we use it for good and mitigate the harms? The time for action is now.</span></span></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-29915021137173264112024-01-08T17:39:00.001-06:002024-01-08T17:39:06.833-06:00Why You Need to Fear Your Big Brother<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-2RgStFHBoW8t2UxV7kHYbkZIaWCZaEvBzpbHb-w44BxGCGURLcVUV9R5C7sb0zanA086z2BgQm02eGCLnMxLyEp_T8q-rFZ0NnqoioKJyJW9vqsq7h7BiR6gSq2VqwKJvaJDR1FNXEXluoSslLQjUZEsZIa3uWp451kdhAKhWf2JqeZuU80/s225/WHO.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-2RgStFHBoW8t2UxV7kHYbkZIaWCZaEvBzpbHb-w44BxGCGURLcVUV9R5C7sb0zanA086z2BgQm02eGCLnMxLyEp_T8q-rFZ0NnqoioKJyJW9vqsq7h7BiR6gSq2VqwKJvaJDR1FNXEXluoSslLQjUZEsZIa3uWp451kdhAKhWf2JqeZuU80/s1600/WHO.jpeg" width="225" /></a></div>I hope it isn't just the aging process that has me anxious over recent developments and discussions in our society. I also still feel jumpy over how easy I fell into a trance as Covid policies and restrictions enveloped me like a boa constrictor seducing me with a song of personal comfort and peace to quell my fears and panic. <br /><br /> Globalism <i>may</i> have <i>some limited</i> positive aspects like increased connectivity, economic development, and cultural exchange, but the price could be too high as agencies and industrial architects need to limit freedoms of individuals to accomplish what they see as a 'common good'.<div><br /></div><div>Some of this high price includes involuntary (and coerced) wealth redistribution, job loss, loss of cultural identities, insecurity, loss of national sovereignty and security, limitations on travel and speech... among others.<br /><br />In this debate, I tend to land on the side that nations should be able to prioritize their own well-being over global cooperation.<br /><br />We should avoid political and economic entanglement with other countries that limit our Bill of Rights. We have to seek ways to reverse the globalist trend and minimize our nation's involvement in international affairs and maintain a focus on our own domestic concerns as much as possible.<br /><br />We have to be willing to push back or outright reject the proposals entities play significant roles in promoting globalist principles, fostering international cooperation, and shaping global affairs, particularly these:<br /><br /><b>United Nations (UN):</b> The UN was chartered as a global organization that aims to promote peace, security, and cooperation among nations. Recent stances and policies cause concern, especially to countries in the West. <br /><b><br />World Health Organization (WHO):</b> The speed and veracity that the WHO used to push Covid practices illustrates to concern I have over these powerful entities!<br /><br /><b>International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank:</b> Though these institutions work to stabilize international financial systems and provide financial assistance to countries in need, consolidating wealth can easily lead to coercion and confiscation of individual's money and property.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Globalist entities also include the following:</b></div><div><br /><b>Transnational Corporations: </b>Large multinational corporations often operate across borders and play a crucial role in shaping the global economy. Their activities, investments, and supply chains can influence trade, technology transfer, and economic development on a global scale. In many ways, these powerful corporations have more potential for harm if greed overtakes the priorities of their agendas.<br /><br /><b>Global Alliances and Agreements: </b>Regional and international agreements, such as the European Union (EU), NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), and others, foster economic and political collaboration among participating nations. These agreements should always be limited to protect the rights of individuals.<br /><br /><b>Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)</b>:NGOs, like Amnesty International, Greenpeace, and Doctors Without Borders, advocate for various global issues such as human rights, environmental protection, and public health. Though they often work independently, there could danger lurking as they collaboration with governments and international organizations for globalist conformity.<br /><br /><b>Philanthropic Foundations</b>: Organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Open Society Foundations allocate significant resources to address global initiatives.<br /><br /><b>Media and Technology Companies</b>: Global media outlets and technology companies contribute to the dissemination of information and the shaping of public opinion on a global scale. The need for these companies to remain avenues for dissenting viewpoints are crucial to avoiding the negative impact of globalist initiatives.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have been somewhat disheartened that there doesn't seem to be Christian leaders and thinkers leading in this area. I'm happy for the warriors in the gap for the time being, but we need spiritual applications to these issues as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>Love to know what you think.<br /><br /><br /></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-86132944974721490712023-10-16T10:30:00.003-05:002023-10-20T17:07:10.039-05:00Signposts and the Muddy Middle<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFaEcGt0YTKCjPw-RgmptUvuzUQzTCoPGBgQ-93caRpkk4wf1Dy1gVLRXXxeYL9LcDGVlX5iX5Cu8XSIH5c6Sczn3ufjFDJzYhXP0ibiyr0GxpmJiHBCnnqqYprTs1XWhb1RpbLwd_MmHPMTwI5c0_3nlIKhW9cY43f0NEAYZejFxwEif9OZ2W/s700/mid%20east%20conflict.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="700" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFaEcGt0YTKCjPw-RgmptUvuzUQzTCoPGBgQ-93caRpkk4wf1Dy1gVLRXXxeYL9LcDGVlX5iX5Cu8XSIH5c6Sczn3ufjFDJzYhXP0ibiyr0GxpmJiHBCnnqqYprTs1XWhb1RpbLwd_MmHPMTwI5c0_3nlIKhW9cY43f0NEAYZejFxwEif9OZ2W/s320/mid%20east%20conflict.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>No doubt with daily headlines from the Middle East, many Bible readers will run to chapters we read with one eye on events and the other eye on the mysterious images with various analysis, positions, and propositions.<p></p><p>This post will be a reminder to me about some of the principles I lean on regarding Biblical prophecy in study that has now spanned many years. This includes a deep 2 year study I did on the Book of Revelation and many OT references, including the Book of Daniel.</p>It is almost comical to read all the ping pong points Biblical scholars make when they come to passages that involve visions. At times it reminds me of that scene in the movie, The Princess Bride- <i>"It could be that cup based on fact A- but you know that I know fact A so it is now cup 2 because of fact B.. and so on and the answer ended up being "all of the above".</i><br /><br />The 2nd chapter of Daniel contains the first dream that Daniel reveals and interprets to King Nebuchadnezzar. The Book of Daniel is so remarkable in its prophecy that critics (who reject the supernatural) reject Daniel on face value because it would have to be supernatural prophecy for it to be true. I always worry about human reasoning when it throws out a possible theory before the debate even begins.<br /><br />Back to Chapter 2- Daniel relates the dream to the King by predicting four kingdoms- Golden Babylon, Silver Persians led by Darius- Bronze Greeks led by Alexander- Iron/Clay Rome divided into two and then into 10. I am skipping a lot of the reasoning and debate here to get to my points.<br /><br />Take any Biblical vision and read the comments by any true scholar and you will now see the endless debate begins, but we all acknowledge it never quite fits. In this image the Rock of Ages smashes these kingdoms and becomes God's Holy Mountain (again jumping to a general overview here). So most of the time there are left views that have strong points and weak points and the scholar will tend to lean toward one and live with the weaker points in humble acceptance. We all do this- I do this.<br /><br />But there are larger points here to be made that we can all agree on. Let me use this passage to pull out some of these.<br /><br /><u><b>1) God's truth is multi-layered and true from many angles and through many cross-sections and dissections.</b></u> There is often multiple fulfillments of prophecy that show shadows in the Old Testament- applications in the New Testament and pointers to the Kingdom of God which is an alternate reality but just as true- in fact MORE true than the reality we occupy now. The hardest part in all of Biblical visions is to keep reminding yourself <i>"symbol, symbol, symbol- figurative language"</i>- the Bible images of heaven and hell are figurative and point to a reality beyond our comprehension. Still true, but related in a way that humans of all times and cultures can relate to.<br /><br /><u><b>2) We have a hard time making it all fit 'clean' because we are still missing a final overview of the end of time.</b></u> When we see unrest in the Middle East we rush to the Scriptures and want to make sense of it. The problem is that we are in a time period of waiting. All that is in play now is the competition of the City of Man ( figurative Babylon) with the City of God (figurative Jerusalem) and whether we will be citizens of Christ's Kingdom or the Dragon's Kingdom. Citizenship in Christ's Kingdom is an open invitation to repentance and faith in the God of Mercy. But to do so means that you will incur the wrath of the un-holy trinity The Dragon, The Beast, and the False Prophet. One day, God will say, NO MORE DELAY- and we will watch the final scene brought to the close- and then there will be a massive "OH- I see now- THAT is what was meant by.....". We had a little taste of this when Christ came the first time. All the prophecy was there- but all the scholars missed it. IN the end- our human pre-suppositions make us miss the future narrative. Thankfully, we are not saved by being right on our own ability.<br /><br /><u><b>3) There are a couple of BIG picture points to this amazing dream in Daniel 2. All human kingdoms are REGRESSIVE not PROGRESSIVE.</b></u> Do you see the value drop? Gold sank to silver, silver sank to bronze, bronze sank to iron. We always take pride in how far we have been elevated. But sadly, man is less glorious today. One world order will not be glorious, it will be dark and destructive. Study the art and architecture of any civilization and you will see it fade in excellence over time. And I think the vision points to the fact that all kingdoms have 'feet of clay'- faulty foundations built on the sand of hubris and not the Rock of Ages.<br /><br /><b>Conclusion:</b> When you come to Biblical prophecy or visions, throw yourself into them- draw pictures- they are amazing- and then get lost in the mystery of God's world. It is more mesmerizing than anything Tolkien ever imagined. And the WOW factor is that it is true. Instead of 'Where's Waldo?" look deep into these images and see Christ. He is right there... pointed to by the prophets thousands of years before His arrival. And let that give you great hope to keep fighting the joyous battle of life with Him as we eagerly await His glorious return. THE BEST IS YET TO COME. Hold on, my brothers and sisters..... Be patient and prayerful.<div><br /></div><div>As of today- we see in a very dim glass.... a part of the muddy middle. We have hope of the end which is the fruit of our faith; but little beyond that.</div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-76085164262048045072023-10-07T07:19:00.004-05:002023-10-11T08:28:06.618-05:00The Thrill and The Agony- Is There Purpose in Pain?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_WjrMKM91PB7gScgpwn4a8uaOElrr-3wlFZ1CMkOQrEP9cTQJ_GxScio8Q-XT0G-l5XlKhNPO8cUF7m7WcZGMD0Gd4nQy0Ep28N9R-Mdxs2J7kk8PJCjXC6fvge9ea7ZWJeW_detlArn5scZZQpuSVbrGfBinmm3HI7_PRTshWmspHdQxGITm/s938/Screenshot%202023-10-07%20at%207.07.34%20AM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="938" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_WjrMKM91PB7gScgpwn4a8uaOElrr-3wlFZ1CMkOQrEP9cTQJ_GxScio8Q-XT0G-l5XlKhNPO8cUF7m7WcZGMD0Gd4nQy0Ep28N9R-Mdxs2J7kk8PJCjXC6fvge9ea7ZWJeW_detlArn5scZZQpuSVbrGfBinmm3HI7_PRTshWmspHdQxGITm/s320/Screenshot%202023-10-07%20at%207.07.34%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><b>Update to this post Oct. 11:</b> First of all, I never know when I write, what posts will carry far and wide and what posts do not. This one has really exploded and has been seen and shared by way more than I would have ever guessed. </div><div><br /></div><div>When war broke out in Israel the same day I posted this, it reminded me that football pain is nothing compared to the suffering and loss of life in this world. I hope I made it clear in my original post.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I also was so impressed by our practice this week and how getting back to work will wear away the disappointment. Yes, kids are resilient but at the same time, this team is closer by way of walking through the pain of loss.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Here is the original post (10/7):</b></div><div><br /></div>We lost a close, tough football game last night where just a few bounces and inches could have flipped the script. You can't hide from the the pain, and a coach must quickly turn minister and know that even though I hurt - I have been through this many times and I must gird up and go help young men who are still young enough to be vulnerable in these fragile situations.<div><br /></div><div>It is just football... and though the the pain is real enough- it is nothing in a world of famine, cancer, war, crime, and poverty.</div><div><br /></div><div>It seems a little dramatic to use a football loss in this sense, however folks, the pain is palatable to the young men, coaches, parents... it is there.. it just plain sucks. And the harder you work, the closer victory seems to be that just falls short... it is a soul deep hurt. One that lingers into the night and early the next day .... before slowly subsiding.</div><div><br /></div><div>Football is rarely undefeated- life is never undefeated.</div><div><br /></div><div>And our young men did what you are supposed to do last night- accept it, shake the hand of the victor and start leaning on each other as we wait for the healing that comes in time. But there is still a myriad of internal obstacles that must be navigated in time, prayer, and perspective from the Word of God.</div><div><br /></div><div>This semester, we are studying the Book of Job in Sunday School with Mark Travers and he has done a masterful job in walking us through dealing with pain in a practical way, as well as excellent tips on what to say and when to say it.</div><div><br /></div><div>The deeper the pain, the less we need to use words... we just need to be there.</div><div><br /></div><div>Football injuries are a reality with that as well. It hurts to see a player physically wounded in battle, but that is also a noble reality... to put on pads is similar to a warrior; and sacrifices of blood, sweat, tears, and pain are payments that come due which elevates this ABOVE mere play.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am so thankful that God has designed young bodies to heal... not without scars mind you. But as Jacob walked with a limp from the day He wrestled the Angel, so we too bear the marks of struggle and it creates in us a rugged disposition to battle!</div><div><br /></div><div>What Mr Travers has been teaching me is that 'lamenting' is a God ordained process with a purpose. It is an acknowledgement of hurt to our heavenly Father that we are grieving, and <u>He wants us to grieve</u>, to pour out our sorrows to Him, our complaints, our fears, our anxieties, our frustrations, our disappointments.</div><div><br /></div><div>But what makes lamenting different and beneficial is that we still worship the Lord and testify to His sovereign control and goodness!</div><div><br />It is all through the Bible- Psalms, Job, both Old and New Testaments... here is an example in the Book with that title, Lamentations:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> [19] Remember my affliction and my wanderings,<br /><br /> the wormwood and the gall!<br /><br /> [20] My soul continually remembers it<br /><br /> and is bowed down within me.<br /><br /> [21] But this I call to mind,<br /><br /> and <b>therefore I have hope:</b><br /><br /> [22] The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;<br /><br /> his mercies never come to an end;<br /><br /> [23] they are new every morning;<br /><br /> great is your faithfulness.<br /><br /> [24] <b>“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,<br /><br /> “t<u>herefore I will hope in him.</u>”</b> (Lamentations 3:19–24 ESV)</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Indeed... this is a strange twist- we never want our children, our players, or ourselves to experience the pain of loss.</div><div><br /></div><div>And we would NEVER orchestrate it.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>But pain, loss, hurt is a necessary training tool to prepare us for life.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Learning to live through, walk through, persevere through football pain as a young man made me a better man. It also makes us better believers. </div><div><br /></div><div>Consider this passage:</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic;">2 CORIN. 1: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 <b>who comforts us in all our affliction</b>,<u> so that </u>we <b>may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.</b> 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.</span><br /><br />I think the greatest team builder in the world is suffering. </div><div><br /></div><div>Over the decades, my closest football teams have been teams that experienced some type of shared pain.</div><div><br /></div><div>None of us want it that way and we want to avoid it as much as possible. But at the end of the year, we realized that while we enjoyed good times when we celebrated, we actually grew together when we cried or hurt. </div><div><br /></div><div>Football pain, whether it is a hard practice, a tough loss, or physical injury, is often used by God as a ‘strange minister’ in our lives- producing fruit of perseverance and love.<br /><br />I’m not exactly why this is true. It may be the first time we see one another without masks or we see how much individual’s truly care- but<b> pain is a useful tool in forging a team of one heroic purpose.</b> That is one reason why we push them so hard in summer camp and in the weight room- they have to experience hardship to break down all the barriers to brotherhood.<br /><br />When pain comes, we should be urgent and diligent to support each other and comfort one another. The best comfort is time and understanding. It is not an easy road. We recite the words, but it is hard to live them. I never really ever want to preach to my team following a loss- it is usually a one on one evaluation of who needs support the most. It is a time to seek out the injured and quietly stand with those that are taking it the hardest.<br /><br />When we receive God’s comfort, it helps us to be sensitive to others in similar pain. <br /><br />There is a creed of football that simply says “We suffer together so that we WILL persevere together”- which is related to Romans 5:3,4 which says, <i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”</span></i><br /><br />When we suffer and comfort, we eventually heal. That healing produces unity and strength. If you ever have to compete against a team with this type of unity- look out- it may be a tough fight!<br /><br />If you are hurting, go comfort others. If you see someone hurting, comfort them. You will reap a great harvest of hope!</div><div><br /></div><div>I close this post with a few poems and thoughts that has helped me over the years when I am hurting.. coaches experience loss in a more common way than the average person.. not the intensity of real life suffering.. but the frequency is under appreciated by society as a whole:</div><div><br /></div><div><i>When God wants to drill a man,<br />And thrill a man,<br />And skill a man<br />To play the noblest part;<br />When He yearns with all His heart<br />To create so great and bold a man<br />That all the world shall be amazed,<br /><b>Watch His methods, watch His ways!<br />How He ruthlessly perfects<br />Whom He royally elects!</b><br />How He hammers him and hurts him,<br />And with mighty blows converts him<br />Into trial shapes of clay which<br />Only God understands;<br />While his tortured heart is crying<br />And he lifts beseeching hands!<br /><b>How He bends but never breaks<br />When his good He undertakes;</b><br />How He uses whom He chooses,<br />And with every purpose fuses him:<br />By every act induces him<br />To try his splendor out--<br /><span style="color: red;"><b>God knows what He's about.</b></span><br />--Author Unknown</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><i>Seeing the whole story from beginning to end gives ample evidence that God is great and that He is good.<br />But what about the middle? Think about those long, dark nights. Imagine all the hauntings and accusations. Is God there? Does He care? Why don’t you answer me God? Am I being punished? HELP!</i></div><div><i>But this is JUST THE MIDDLE.. hang in there- the END IS SWEET!</i><br /><br />“G<i>od will not give us grace for our vain imaginings. It is when we are actually<br />in the time of trial that the grace is given.</i>”<br />(Dr. Lane Adams, former pastor, Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis)<br /><br /><i>“If you want a comfortable religion, do not pick Christianity”</i> CS Lewis, God in Dock<br /><br />Aragorn in “Lord of the Rings”</div><div><br /><i>"Hold your ground! Hold your ground my brothers,<br />I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me.<br />A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day.<br />An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down,<br />but it is not this day!<br />This day we fight!!"</i></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-4917444357495567652023-09-30T13:53:00.004-05:002023-09-30T17:28:02.944-05:00Briarwood Football- 400 Wins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtujQ2rnt_pcBRdRHFIslngdYSJFlErWYXeXtV4h2qMqJL3hXwOVA7dZ3RUYSJaI1Go4ipD3T5cFLkRiU1TEtFYa1EnpVNBFVHN1Ax8cEHF8l2RJ_zqDgR_taUwHwc1-X8GpW9TTM7bP7elGe2ojNyhP-tU5cyLiL5WC1f1MleZxev1EMUyPM/s1080/400-1.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="1080" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtujQ2rnt_pcBRdRHFIslngdYSJFlErWYXeXtV4h2qMqJL3hXwOVA7dZ3RUYSJaI1Go4ipD3T5cFLkRiU1TEtFYa1EnpVNBFVHN1Ax8cEHF8l2RJ_zqDgR_taUwHwc1-X8GpW9TTM7bP7elGe2ojNyhP-tU5cyLiL5WC1f1MleZxev1EMUyPM/s320/400-1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>I was privileged to be a part of a historic milestone for Briarwood Christian School last night where the football program registered it's 400th win. That is an average of 7 wins a year for the 51 year history of the football program.<br /><br />I also count it an honor to have been a part of 244 of those 400 wins over a 25 year span and can attest that the hard work and effort of everyone involved has been a treasure to witness. Each win was special because few people understand how difficult it is to win even one game in the state of Alabama. I’m thankful to be a Lion!<div><br /></div><div>If anyone wants to learn or understand more about how this program was started or has grown, I highly encourage you to take time and listen to the podcasts we produced last year.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have decided on this post to list them in chronological order: These are SoundCloud links but you can also find these on Apple, Spotify, and iHeart Radio</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/episode-13-hunter-keller-1977?si=c4b9d96d15674b9ba992e4878fd46ce2&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">1977- Hunter Keller</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/episode-14-mike-schor-scott-moorer-1980?si=586365ee2eb441ea8df4c38e190c2f19&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">1980- Mike Schor/ Scott Moorer</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/episode-11-jimmy-collier-bob-farris-shawn-lowe-1984?si=eac03690a0b648c3b997fd101589274b&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">1984- Jimmy Collier/Bob Farris/Shawn Lowe</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/episode-9-bart-yanceyjoey-jones-1990?si=934f651bac1949018bdb44337611ef44&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">1990- Joey Jones/ Bart Yancey</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/bcs-pc-walden-final-cut?si=c12a29ff7ef34132bec9862b78889129&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">1993- Forrest Walden</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/episode-6-joey-nigro-1994?si=881ed894b4934edbb435015fde9c9c2b&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">1994 -Joey Nigro</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/episode-7-daniel-mcclurkinmichael-ketchum-ketchum-1996?si=00b823db26b048e29306cb7ed7b31fff&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">1996/1997- Daniel McClurkin</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/bcs-classics-podcast-tim-castille-1998?si=633e86b7f7cf4c2ca51c8c94321b4093&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">1998-2001- Tim Castille</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/episode-8-joe-craddock-2003?si=fe06be20c66a4dc0affb7d038731a4c1&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">2003- Joe Craddock</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/bcs-classics-podcast-barrett-trotterlance-coggins-2006?si=a4bcb83db67b419f8ddf280a511c1fb0&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">2006- Barrett Trotter/ Lance Coggins</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/episode-10-harlan-bailey-2012?si=232afb2f03504f5bba2e7b162d6fb6fd&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">2012- Harlan Bailey</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/episode-12-rj-jennings-2015?si=de29523dab454d22809a3d3d168be513&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">2015- R.J. Jennings</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/bcs-classics-podcast-michael-hiers-2017?si=a14c024ce4f1498e992a07f232a73f4e&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">2017- Michael Hiers</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/bcs-classics-podcast-trent-howard-christopher-vizzina-2019?si=45299bcdba964d128be32a72ff30f96e&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">2019- Trent Howard/ Christopher Vizzina</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/episode-16-fred-yancey-pt-1?si=4f6abc37fde54a1e8653fb58b1d9d596&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">1990-2018- Fred Yancey pt 1</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/episode-17-fred-yancey-pt-2?si=0975296338a046b59884dc187682a24e&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">Fred Yancey Pt 2</a></div><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-221465118/episode-17-matthew-forester-final-episode?si=dc01e0e00c064c59bf2b08cf2c1ddf3a&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">2019-present- Matthew Forester</a><br /><p>In my 25 years of being at Briarwood, we have seen highs and lows, state championships and 'losing' seasons. My time there, we have been 244-86- so I am a blessed man!</p><p>You can also learn a lot from visiting the <a href="http://www.ahsfhs.org/teams2/teampage.asp?Team=Briarwood">Briarwood page</a> at the <a href="http://www.ahsfhs.org/">Alabama High School Football Historical Society.</a></p><p>We also have videos on Vimeo here;</p><p><a href="https://vimeo.com/user15340843">https://vimeo.com/user15340843</a></p><p><br /></p><p>And a FB page:</p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1375163752718816">https://www.facebook.com/groups/1375163752718816</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Too many wonderful people and memories! Thank you Lord for blessing me to participate in this wonderful ministry and hop I get to keep going!</p><p><b>Coach Mathews Seasons at BCS:</b></p><p>1991- 5-5</p><p>1992- 4-5</p><p>1993- 7-5</p><p>1994- 5-6</p><p>1995- 7-5</p><p>1996- 13-1</p><p>1997- 11-1</p><p>1998- 15-0 3A State Champs</p><p>1999- 13-2 3A State Champs</p><p>2000- 11-2</p><p>2001- 12-2</p><p>2002- 13-2</p><p>2003 13-2 5A State Champs</p><p><b>I was in Nashville 2004-2010 as a head coach (39-20)</b></p><p>2011- 12-2</p><p>2012 6-7</p><p>2013- 9-3</p><p>2014- 4-7</p><p>2015- 5-7</p><p>2016- 12-2</p><p>2017- 14-1</p><p>2018- 9-3</p><p>2019- 12-2</p><p>2020- 8-3</p><p>2021- 10-2</p><p>2022- 3-7</p><p>2023- 3-2 (after 5 games)</p><p><br /></p></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-78184065229883834572023-09-08T10:21:00.001-05:002023-09-08T10:21:29.037-05:00September Musings 2023<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2Nf58jNhETpN6cXl0Agr4V3vs94CX5fNd-Qm3c6WgBBrlxWsCqucaUSiaGm_pbtZZW8C6714oFPNCipgIm-eaLrnd8AiGdyWZHsyPGwrbk3rVOb6ns3UDB2kkIbGIVCXRzSBq3uCDmICAIz6uo4ZZgtfF_H1gh4_hc7OvNkFNPNLsiWwU8cq/s499/Bullfrog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="353" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2Nf58jNhETpN6cXl0Agr4V3vs94CX5fNd-Qm3c6WgBBrlxWsCqucaUSiaGm_pbtZZW8C6714oFPNCipgIm-eaLrnd8AiGdyWZHsyPGwrbk3rVOb6ns3UDB2kkIbGIVCXRzSBq3uCDmICAIz6uo4ZZgtfF_H1gh4_hc7OvNkFNPNLsiWwU8cq/s320/Bullfrog.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>To say my life has been chaotic would be an extreme understatement. But to say 'The Lord is good" is also an understatement. A good friend of mine reminded me recently that <i>"If your worst day is better than someone else's best day, then get on your knees and thank God for every breath you take in the good days and when times are tough."</i><p></p><p>I know I have fiends worried about the pace I have been keeping. They look at me and say"Are you OK?" and when I smile and say 'yes' I can tell that some of them think I am lying.</p><p>But I am doing really well. </p><p>I don't know how people live without Christ, though I did learn from studying existential theory a few years ago that men can find meaning in struggle and purpose in fate..but it sure doesn't last past the last breath.</p><p><b>Let's start with how God is using the Scriptures to help me</b>: I spend all spring and June in Hebrews 11-13 and I really felt the Lord reminding me that He is my father and when He presses me, it is training. He allows the difficulties to produce fruit and perseverance. </p><p>Then in July, I started a long journey through the New Testament T's- Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus and each reading has been the perfect message for the perfect day. This purpose of this post isn't to go into all of the details of my study, but there is always a powerful message from God's Word if we take time to dig and trust the Holy Spirit to lead. It truly is my daily bread!</p><p><b>I also read and am reading some great books</b>- I read <u>The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy) by Admiral William H. McRaven</u>. I was AMAZING, fun, and useful.</p>I am still reading: <u>The Heart of Everything That Is: The Untold Story of Red Cloud, An American Legend<br />by Bob Drury, Tom Clavin.</u> It has SO MANY details that I am just getting in a few pages each day. It is an awesome book as well.<div><br /></div><div>Finally, I have been enjoying a book of Poetry - <u>Songs of the Average Man by Sam Walter Foss.</u></div><div><br /></div><div>Poetry really helps me to think deeply and I will wake up occasionally with a poem in my brain inspired by the great style of Foss, who wrote a poem everyday that was published in his hometown newspaper.</div><div><br /></div><div>Exercise and Health are good- As of this week, I have 56 straight weeks of riding my Pelaton and it has been a great help to keeping my left knee pain free. I still don't eat well and my weight is a constant thorn... but overall health is good. Blood pressure and A1C numbers are good and my heart and blood work got a good report last week.</div><div><br /></div><div>My family is a blessing. Grand-parenting is awesome and we are like any family- struggles and blessings.</div><div><br /></div><div>And work is good- I work at am amazing place with amazing people. Our new Superintendent has been really good to work with and he is going to be good for us. I do see my role changing to more operations, but that will be God's assignment and not mine and I serve at His pleasure and His will.</div><div><br /></div><div>I still love coaching football and hope to do that as long as possible. I hold all of it with an open hand.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wan to fish more... I miss that therapy.</div><div><br /></div><div>My sin is ever present and I work in a world that is at odds with God's kingdom. I long for a new heaven and earth but that is in His control..I am fine living with a need to know basis and don't worry about it.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>The purpose of this blog is to record - and I hope I do it honestly. I am no hero, I want to live each day as the blessing of life and a servant of the King- the ONE who loves me and proved His love by dying for me.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have some topics I want to explore, but football season is never easy to find time to write.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Pray for me and I will pray for you!</div><div><br /></div><div>Jay Mathews 9/8/23</div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-48905632676261734772023-09-07T07:05:00.006-05:002023-09-07T07:06:34.166-05:00 We know the Things of Hell Too Well<p><i><span style="color: red;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtv9xmEmJgX1tfgA6UKdDlaZn_NK3N8d9pREDUMNCRkMInUna7dtqx5-aET0CBUVu39BeyxUPsfJs6KpSZcECrcVPc2Eu3sBh_YtSZS1gAgpJ1PlVQkeRO5bVtHDhfp0LuigCfeiAZQfS3ZyAe_tjbEcmU47-6jN1mwXcv0nStmdiciLwcRg7m/s688/matthew-10-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="688" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtv9xmEmJgX1tfgA6UKdDlaZn_NK3N8d9pREDUMNCRkMInUna7dtqx5-aET0CBUVu39BeyxUPsfJs6KpSZcECrcVPc2Eu3sBh_YtSZS1gAgpJ1PlVQkeRO5bVtHDhfp0LuigCfeiAZQfS3ZyAe_tjbEcmU47-6jN1mwXcv0nStmdiciLwcRg7m/s320/matthew-10-28.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></i></div><p><i><span style="color: red;"><i><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></i></span></i></p><i><span style="color: red;"><br /> “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. [14] For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7:13–14 ESV)</span></i><p></p><p><br /></p><i>A man doesn't have to die to go to hell, but don't be mislead- hell on earth is not hell in hell.</i><div><i>While he still lives he might escape, but when he dies it's permanent</i><br /><br />We know the things of Hell too well<br />And the ways of Heaven too little.<br /><br />We know them in everyday ways<br />Yet amazingly aren’t afraid.<br />As we stand mute to the extension of grace<br />Resistant to peace and rebels in His face..<br /><br />We know the things of hell-<br />The fevers, the chills, the cancers that ravage<br />The agonies, the wounds, and weapons so savage.<br /><br />Lies, and manipulation destroy reputations<br />Revenge and lust gun down the nations.<br /><br />We all know the things of Hell too well.<br />And the ways of Heaven too little.<br /><br />A babies smile, a little child’s giggle<br />A word that picks up our day.<br />A ray of hope that breaks the lonely widow’s cell.<br />I wish we knew Heaven that well..<br /><br />How strange we are to choose the door that is full of the things of hell.<br /><br />We know the things of Hell too well.<br />And the Ways of Heaven too little.<br /><br />Do we really want to stay forever in a place that reeks of Hell?<br />Or cry out to the One who said “It is Done”?</div><div><br />Only time will tell.<br /><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-ef089649-7fff-e7a3-e73d-cfd222b0c203"><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span></div></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-66934587345021927932023-08-05T06:33:00.004-05:002023-08-05T06:58:27.258-05:00Elijah's Retreat- Ready for a Comeback?<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeg8bKCtJf6QKwUXDaehbSWX-g_os19EKvzZ3JwUHT-aWonn2OyAcabF975V8SZULh8VVKHylWYn7jhQJrk1tNZS9y9CJ4OiR8p1raS4E6qqtU3VX01Ou39ORcYBpcJ-50TwiT/s1200/Elijah.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeg8bKCtJf6QKwUXDaehbSWX-g_os19EKvzZ3JwUHT-aWonn2OyAcabF975V8SZULh8VVKHylWYn7jhQJrk1tNZS9y9CJ4OiR8p1raS4E6qqtU3VX01Ou39ORcYBpcJ-50TwiT/s320/Elijah.jpg" width="320" /></a> Have you ever been kicked in the teeth, thrown in the mud, bent over in pain, with your enemy standing over you... taunting and powerful? </p><p></p><p>Or worse, has there been a season of winter... winless.. and there doesn't seem to be a heartbeat left and no friend on the horizon?</p><p><b>We almost always think of the Bible in terms of wins and perfection. But the Bible is more about loss and depression</b>. It has few level plains.... everything in the Bible seems to model human existence as short peaks and deep, dark valleys. </p><p>If there is a passage that speaks to our life in times of isolation and darkness, there is no more powerful passage than the account of Elijah running from Jezebel in I Kings 19. There is enough content in these 22 verses for an entire book.</p><p><b>THE STORY OF TWO MOUNTAINS:</b></p><p>Elijah was a prophet with power. There is no more public and powerful victory in the Old Testament than the one on the top of Mount Carmel when Elijah called down fire on the prophets of Baal. Elijah's story is one of dramatic showdowns and extremes. He is a man who was fed by ravens and who prayed down rain.</p><p>But there is another mountain that Elijah will end up up on.... just a few chapters later in your Bible... a journey that took 40 days and nights covering a distance of only 260 miles... when you are wandering in a state of loss and darkness, everything is slow and wearying. </p><p><b>A MAN ON THE RUN</b>: <b>NOW WHAT? </b></p><p>Often after great highs, we sink into holes of<b> </b>emptiness, fear, loneliness, and isolation.</p>Hal Higdon has an entire section in his book, <i>“Marathon- The Ultimate Training Guide”</i> devoted to ‘Post-marathon Blues”.<i>“We focus our lives on this one event for 5 months- and then its done” reflects a Melbourne Beach, Florida runner “<b>Now what?</b>” </i>You have the great high of race day, especially when you finish or meet your goal...but soon after- there is this tangible reality of emptiness.<br /><br />It isn't just in running....Ernie Conwell works for the NFL Players Association. He was a college standout for the University of Washington and achieved great accomplishments as a pro. He was drafted by the Rams in 1996, won a Super Bowl after a horrific knee injury, named a captain for the New Orleans Saints- An All-Pro selection in 2001.<br /><br />I had the privilege to have Ernie coach with me in Nashville and <b>I loved hearing him speak to men</b> about his miraculous journey back from the knee injury and what it felt like to compete in the NFL.<br /><br />But you could hear a pin drop when he explained the saddest reality of all......<br /><br /><i>Right after his Super Bowl win - the pinnacle of a sport achievement- a lifetime pursuit that organizations invest millions to get, and individual's pour blood, sweat, and tears to grasp...<br />In the locker room...<b>right after winning THE SUPER BOWL!.</b>... after hugs and laughter...<br />a lot of grown men sat there with empty stares on their faces... <b>now what?</b></i><br /><br />This isn't to minimize the lasting memories or value of the accomplishment. It is a recognition of all human existence... the thrill is momentary and often less than satisfying.<br /><br />It isn't just in big things... it is in almost every aspect of life.<br /><br />I always thought it was appropriate that Pip experienced all the shock of seeing his world collapse in the classic novel, <i>“Great Expectations”.</i><br /><br /><i>“All the truths of my position came flashing on me; and its disappointments, dangers, disgraces, consequences of all kinds, rushed in in such a multitude that I was borne down by them and had to struggle for every breath I drew.”</i><br /><br />But it was the subtle letdowns that he noticed first:<br /><br /><i>My (new) clothes were rather a disappointment, of course. <b>Probably every new and eagerly expected garment ever put on since clothes came in, fell a trifle short of the wearer's expectation.</b></i><div><i><br /></i></div><div>So RIGHT after Elijah's great victory... he get's word that Jezebel was making a promise... she was guaranteeing the death of Elijah!</div><div><br /></div><div><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. [2] Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not <b>make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.</b>” (1 Kings 19:1–2 ESV)</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>And Elijah grew VERY afraid:</div><div><br /></div><div><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Then he was afraid, <b>and he arose and ran for his life ....</b></span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Have you ever run from something that is scary? ... I have.... one time as a boy I jumped a fence and a german shepherd ran toward me... I turned and ran so fast and so full of fear that I leaped over the chain link! The panic! Yes, usually there is danger... but we also are running from something that we can't see anymore, and in our mind the beast is growling and drooling and about to snatch us...</div><div><br /></div><div>When a powerful enemy puts you in their site... it can create such a panic. But with Elijah, he had just publicly stood up to the state and the prophets of darkness... why run now? I think it was the nature of her vow... it sounded drop dead serious and it made Elijah not only quiver, but run.. and the running creates thought distortions as well.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[4] But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, <b>“It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” </b></span></i></div></div><div><br /></div><div>One of the alarming statistics lingering from of the Covid-19 pandemic is the staggering amount of suicides and crises of anxiety that are as dominant as the plague itself!</div><div><br /></div><div>The CDC reports that during the pandemic, U.S. adults reported <i><b>considerably</b> elevated adverse mental health conditions associated with COVID-19.</i> Younger adults, racial/ethnic minorities, essential workers, and unpaid adult caregivers reported having experienced <i>disproportionately <b>worse mental health outcomes, increased substance use, and elevated suicidal ideation</b>.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>So where do we go and what do we do when these thoughts begin to overtake us?</div><div><br /></div><div>Mental health is a very complex issue and usually there is not an instant cure. In Elijah's case, the Lord intervened in a very supernatural way... but there are principles here that can help all of us. Living moment by moment and taking steps is a type of miracle... and we should celebrate all victories, even the tiniest ones!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>DON'T MISS THE BROOM TREE</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicq2uY3BKXZRZPpicm93mPucoRg45AU66SGb6S4OK2-fUmaTdt-LyrEHP1IAJkPhAKRZ5izU1b5XIbjrUG_VilguUSlGuMlbgaAWj92Aqlu4g9vGTffhFXMxF2YF_S2iu9ml6i/s736/broom+tree.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="736" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicq2uY3BKXZRZPpicm93mPucoRg45AU66SGb6S4OK2-fUmaTdt-LyrEHP1IAJkPhAKRZ5izU1b5XIbjrUG_VilguUSlGuMlbgaAWj92Aqlu4g9vGTffhFXMxF2YF_S2iu9ml6i/w236-h177/broom+tree.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><div> <i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">And he lay down and <b>slept under a broom tree</b>. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” [6] And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. [7] And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, <b>for the journey is too great for you</b>.” [8] And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God. (1 Kings 19:5–8 ESV)</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>At some point our human energy meets its limit and we fall down... incapable of going forward. In the middle of the desert, the Lord had been growing a broom tree, some of which can grow to heights of 9 feet or more. Years previous, it was just a shoot, struggling to survive in the harsh heat and dehydrating winds. But God knew it would serve a purpose ( and many more we will never know) to hide the prophet in pain. And there Elijah was fed by angels. On two occasions, as he woke up... maybe years later he thought it a delirious dream ...... but we know better. God feeds us as well when we reach the end of the rope. The text that comes at an unusual time. A song we hear. A stranger we meet. We pass it off later as a coincidence, even at times we run away God's angels- but they won't stop until you have been given enough to finish the journey and get back on mission.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Just a note</b>- it doesn't take 40 days to get from Carmel to Horeb and it doesn't take 40 years to get from Egypt to Canaan. But we never get to go in a straight line anywhere when it comes to matters of faith. We fight the path and God has to nudge us bit by bit. This is not a hike in a meadow, this is a wrestling match all the way! And when we finally get there, we always laugh at why it took us so long!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>THE AMAZING ENCOUNTER THAT CHANGED NOTHING AND EVERYTHING</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div>So this is one of my favorite passages in the Bible:</div><div><br /></div><div><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” [10] He said, <b>“I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.</b>” [11] And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and <b>a great and strong wind tore the mountains</b> and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the <u>LORD was not in the wind</u>. And after the wind an <b>earthquake</b>, but <u>the LORD was not in the earthquake</u>. [12] And after the earthquake<b> a fire</b>, <u>but the LORD was not in the fire</u>. And after the fire the sound of a <b>low whisper</b>. [13] And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” [14] He said, <b>“I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.</b>” (1 Kings 19:9–14 ESV)</span></i></div></div><div><br /></div><div>What a mystery and what a moment!</div><div><br /></div><div>God asks...<i> "What are you doing here?</i>". Don't you love the questions of God! "<i>Adam, where are you?</i>"</div><div>"<i>Peter, who do men say that I am?</i>"</div><div><br /></div><div>God knows the answers.... but he LOVES the interaction!</div><div><br /></div><div>And those questions can haunt, can convict, and uplift... sometimes ALL at the same time!</div><div><br /></div><div>What we miss here is the passion and conviction of the two answers, even though the words are the same!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Since Covid and through even this past year, I have found people are struggling more than ever.</b> The rapid pace of our time, the tendency to isolate more than congregate, the nagging pressure of inflation and supply chain frustrations, and a general spiritual malaise has a lot of people I talk to on a regular basis have less hope, less energy, and very little joy in their lives.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you add the full frontal pressure of our cancel culture mood to that disposition, you find a lot of people buying Nike's and running.... a lot of retreat going on... just like Elijah. He was a champion and now he is quivering like a loser! Don't we do the same!</div><div><br /></div><div>And it is easy to ask in those moments... "<i>Is God there? and Does He care</i>?"</div><div><br /></div><div>But even through the winds, and earthquakes, and fires... His still small voice nourishes me to keep crawling. And what is our response? Get up and get on mission.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">And the LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. [16] And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. [17] And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. [18] <b>Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal</b>, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:15–18 ESV)</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>God is there... He does care... and we are NEVER alone. There is no such thing as the 'last Christian on earth' though the devil wants you to believe that.</div><div><br /></div><div>So where are you?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>A failure because of sin?.</b>... yes, that happens to everyone, even those we think are bullet proof (heed the lesson there).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The target of an enemy?</b> Yes, sometimes we run and the thought distortions grow!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>A let down after a high?.</b>.. yes, that is a normal existence, listen for the small voice!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Worn down and exhausted? </b>As you lay down, look for the broom tree... nourishment is coming.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Lonely and without a friend?</b> Hang in there... keep loving and keep serving</div><div><br /></div><div>As Elijah went on in obedience, he picked up a friend.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him. [20] And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” [21] And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. <b>Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.</b> (1 Kings 19:19–21 ESV)</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>My mom had a strange obsession with the Blood, Sweat, and Tears song, "And When I Die".. the chorus went like this.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">And when I die, and when I'm gone</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">There'll be one child born</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">In this world to carry on, to carry on</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>I did NOT like the song... I told her it was stupid and she just laughed. But there is a lot of truth there- our seasons will come to an end and we will be too frail to go on the journey one day. But we can cheer from the sidelines and encourage those that will then be walking a well worn path!</div><div><br /></div><div>We must be willing to train (disciple) the next generation to live for Christ. Hard times are coming for those who cling to Christ. But don't fret- love them well and shepherd their hearts.</div><div><br /></div><div>When we serve other people, it helps to lift us up out of fear, worry, anxiety, and depression.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is how God is good to me... when I get knocked down... After some rest, some fishing, prayer, a day of beauty in His creation, some time with my wife and family, ... there usually comes a still small voice as I read the Scriptures with a cup of coffee, as I ponder the goodness of God, and I am ready to go again!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">May we all be led to keep walking in Him!</span></div><div><br /></div><div>I get a strange feeling that the devil will be more visible in his attack these coming decades. He often hides his cards and plays them subtly to avoid being identified.</div><div><br /></div><div>He would rather it be blamed on secular issues or secondary causes. If people see Satan too clearly, they will have no excuse to deny the existence of God.</div><div><br /></div><div>That is the meaning of 'occult'- it means 'hidden' and that is where the devil does his best work.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>But I also have a stronger feeling that the church is about to demonstrate more power than we have seen in decades. </b></div><div><br /></div><div>We all love a comeback!</div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe it is just me, but I can feel His power growing in me as well. Grace greater than my sin. Strength stronger than the storms blowing. Love deeper than the cynicism dominating the landscape. Faith that is small, but able to move that mountain. And a hope that has very little anxiety attached to it.</div><div><br /></div><div>God is that good!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Yc6jN_12D7jhc57cKE3BDe5bC7Fg8FM8ldKzSCS5xGt5H34qg0iJFSH6A12JgrpE2h3LddVoH8DwsHWH1JvQ-r8xwphfT04WIOBHQsNnYb26zKEBjW7nqzZhoOK4JsmF3dmDPCla3nsuJSSK0m2zuxknP9WsyTAjcg7p__fi6koedck6kVc-/s3942/IMG_8358.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="3942" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Yc6jN_12D7jhc57cKE3BDe5bC7Fg8FM8ldKzSCS5xGt5H34qg0iJFSH6A12JgrpE2h3LddVoH8DwsHWH1JvQ-r8xwphfT04WIOBHQsNnYb26zKEBjW7nqzZhoOK4JsmF3dmDPCla3nsuJSSK0m2zuxknP9WsyTAjcg7p__fi6koedck6kVc-/s320/IMG_8358.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-49365148865670109572023-08-02T11:40:00.008-05:002023-08-02T15:05:20.145-05:00 A “Seasoned” Coach’s Prayer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaGFU6v6TPNi61woNy9_kzkAQ7P846iOKHhsCUGWK6SIeTNHd0M4HwmiIGco8ieFpacR1iRBuYiPyzU-e1JYMVKerFUsUl1-mL6Nms97Mml0hM2KIWZpIkFMIX2-YAS16-45LHWBLw7nyvan5N3GW4bg4oVWRoyCeIMN-dqq3usVGOpJGql6k/s3031/IMG_8219.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2258" data-original-width="3031" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaGFU6v6TPNi61woNy9_kzkAQ7P846iOKHhsCUGWK6SIeTNHd0M4HwmiIGco8ieFpacR1iRBuYiPyzU-e1JYMVKerFUsUl1-mL6Nms97Mml0hM2KIWZpIkFMIX2-YAS16-45LHWBLw7nyvan5N3GW4bg4oVWRoyCeIMN-dqq3usVGOpJGql6k/s320/IMG_8219.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""open sans", HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica-Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""open sans", HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica-Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div>I</span>n Act 2 Scene 7 of As You Like It, Jaques speaks his ‘Ages of man’ monologue (better known by most as the ‘All the world’s a stage‘ speech).</span><br /><div><i style="font-size: x-large;">All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages....... </i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Shakespeare</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here is my take on it......</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Here I am once again</div><div><br />An eve of a new season and dreams<br /><br />Hard to believe how many have past <br /><br />Decade three for me!<br /><br /><br />And the seasons of a year<br /><br />Mimic the minutes of man’s ways<br /><br />And a season of this game<br /><br />Patterns the seasons of days<br /><br /><br />Confusing at best at the beginning<br /><br />Inspired by the ‘Seven Ages of Man’<br /><br />And if one will bear this ‘pantaloon’ fool<br /><br />It will make more sense at the end<br /><br /><br />Football summer is really a spring<br /><br />Young boys without pain or fear<br /><br />High expectations and innocent ambition<br /><br />Weightroom sweat and carefree cheer<br /><br /><br />And early season is actually the summer<br /><br />Where no one expects to lose<br /><br />Life is sweet to the energetic young<br /><br />Where all first experiences are new<br /><br /><br />The crowds are full<br /><br />The drums pump adrenaline and life<br /><br />Nothing is routine<br /><br />Even setbacks cause little strife<br /><br /><br />Then comes the autumn<br /><br />A time of great change<br /><br />The first chill is a warning<br /><br />It is no longer just a game<br /><br /><br />Wind blown leaves are dividing lines<br /><br />As rigid routine continues to grind away<br /><br />Those smiling pictures seem long gone now<br /><br />Most teams wither, but a few still play<br /><br /><br />The stadium attendees are fickle<br /><br />New things distract<br /><br />And drums keep drumming <br /><br />But it feels hollow and flat<br /><br /><br />Special seasons are seeded in the spring<br /><br />Watered in the summer<br /><br />And Fertilized in the fall<br /><br />While winners still believe what might not be seen by all<br /><br /><br />The comes the winter where we<br /><br />Rage against the hardest fight<br /><br />The daylight savings of summer<br /><br />Is long forgotten in artificial light<br /><br /><br />At some point the end will come<br /><br />All but one will end in tears<br /><br />The sweetest harvest finally shows<br /><br />With a savor that lasts for years<br /><br /><br />And that too is the story of my life<br /><br />I feel I am passed the autumn years<br /><br />And I also rage against the night<br /><br />Fighting hard against the fears<br /><br /><br />I am blessed with seasons on seasons<br /><br />Most boys only get a few - and never the same<br /><br />And many grand joys of my life<br /><br />Have been experienced in this wonderful game<br /><br /><br />Teach me to persevere one more time<br /><br />Push me to give my all<br /><br />Press me to grow and love<br /><br />As I journey through another football fall<br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><i>And hopefully more seasons in the future, Lord willing!</i></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-89284346460792994102023-07-24T20:34:00.004-05:002023-07-24T20:35:30.325-05:00Guest Blog: Observations and Reflections From a Millennial Single-Wing Coach -The Power of Living in Your Own World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBDJ-AM7qUjdmfvCooHqPzxvxC7O3XKQ6XuQ0wAgVb2pQC0SNY75OacLf7D1JqjOSwXfGwU92reGTO4MO7AfOhIIAtZPrkuKiwDvKsivAD4tNNq9X9k9sSA5HJvp92ELGgU6lcAEcYWRwnsZu1aGy3dym0jP32WCj_TjwXpSFmS8_hZ4ozU2U/s960/Stadium%20pic.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBDJ-AM7qUjdmfvCooHqPzxvxC7O3XKQ6XuQ0wAgVb2pQC0SNY75OacLf7D1JqjOSwXfGwU92reGTO4MO7AfOhIIAtZPrkuKiwDvKsivAD4tNNq9X9k9sSA5HJvp92ELGgU6lcAEcYWRwnsZu1aGy3dym0jP32WCj_TjwXpSFmS8_hZ4ozU2U/s320/Stadium%20pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I have to honor of posting some EXCELLENT observations once again from my friend, Clint Humphrey.<div><br /></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Clint Humphrey</span></b><span> is currently the Offensive Coordinator at Excel High School in Excel, Alabama. He previously has served as OC at St. Luke's Episcopal (his alma mater) and Demopolis High School. He has had position coaching stints at Murphy High School and Stanhope Elmore High School. He is married to Morgan Williamson Humphrey and they are enjoying life as new parents!</span></span><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>As soon as I read this, I was pumped to share it with my readers! So here is the latest from Clint:</b></h2></div><div><br /></div><div>In my previous guest blog post, I mentioned just how blessed I have been to have met many coaches during my ten years in this profession. I am fortunate and thankful that Jay keeps an open invitation for me to write him something to post. Usually, I don’t have much to say that people would be interested in reading, and I’m not sure this post will be any different. Still, I enjoy sharing my observations as I grow in this profession and life and hope they can make a difference in someone who reads them.<br /><br />As I grow older in life and football, I continuously realize just how much the two parallel each other and how important that realization is. A surface-level understanding of that concept is easy as we have all heard (or given) speeches comparing the two or talking about one’s importance regarding the other. One thing that I have recently spent much thought on is priorities and their importance. Since making this stop I have made a change in offensive systems. A system I learned years ago that I kept as a change-up became the fastball that,<br /><br />I believe, has helped us turn our program around. The new system introduced new methods, ways of thinking, and practicing. It has even created a considerable shift in those priorities that I have spent much time pondering.<br /><br />At its core, we employ a single-wing system on offense. Invented close to the turn of the century by Glenn Pop Warner, and it has changed how I will view life and football forever. The only offense that predates the Single Wing in modern(ish) football is the T Formation which was very successful in its own right at first, but as the forward pass became more popular (and legal), the game began to transition away from that under center, full house attack and transitioned more towards what Pop was doing.<br /><br />The offense, even in its own time, was an oddball. In the early 1900s, most football strategies revolved around simply overpowering opponents. It was a brutal game that, on several occasions, almost got banned.<br /><br />Games would draw thousands of people to what some authors, like Christopher Klein of History Channel, have described as <i>“killing fields.”</i> The lethality of the sport was something that was turning many Americans away.<br /><br />Football was much different then than what we are used to now; that style saw helmetless scrums of men try to pile drive ball carriers into the ground. One newspaper wrote that the sport had “degenerated” into nothing more than <i>“gladiatorial combat in the arena in ancient Rome.” </i>which caused some important people to get involved, the most important of which was President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt.<br /><br />Thankfully they were able to come to an agreement that saved the game that we now love. I could talk forever about the exciting beginnings of the different variations of the single wing, but the point is that we stand out in today’s high school football world. When we initially went to this system, we worried that we would see junk defenses and wouldn’t understand how to handle them, but, going into our third year full-time in the system, we realize that it does the opposite. It usually forces people to play a more straightforward base defense due to their time restraints within a week of preparation. </div><div><br /></div><div>The uniqueness we believe gives us a distinct advantage. It allows us to play in what we call “our world.” We spend little time worrying about what other teams may do and more time focusing on how sound our rules are and our physical preparation so that we can handle anything opponents can throw at us. This method can be applied similarly to life. In the same way, football constantly evolves, so does the world, and technology, social media, television, etc., are speeding up that process.<br /><br />With all that being said, These are just a few observations and reflections about the offense and the impact that I believe it has had on my life and my perspective of it.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>Live in your world</b></h2><br />I mentioned our concern with junk defenses and different looks we could get which would create uncertainty each week, but if I'm honest, another concern was the perception of what we were doing if it didn’t work. Even if it did work… would people like it? Of course, there are always people who believe that you should be doing something else on offense. But our interesting little town embraced this system with open arms. It was a call back to former years under the leadership of legendary coaches like Bo Bishop and Al Bowen.<br /><br />This throwback offense fits perfectly in this little throwback town about halfway between Montgomery and Mobile. I will never forget a summer afternoon when I drove home from practice (about 30 seconds across town) I stopped at a stop sign across the street from Excel Baptist Church. In the parking lot was a group of kids riding their bikes in a circle, not sure what they were doing, maybe popping wheelies. Each day when I drive home I see a whiffle ball game in a back yard, touch football going on the practice field, or a father with his son in a batting cage or daughter on the softball field working on fundamentals. In these moments I can’t help but think that these are images that you only see in an episode of the Andy Griffith Show, not stuff that you see in 2023. In a world where you can’t stop to help a child on the side of the road for fear of abduction, in our town, our kids can live lives that are depicted in movies such as The Sandlot, Griffith, and Little Giants. This is a blessing that I never even realized was a thing until we moved here.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE51Pr_OZ90FHqk2kOoL6I7AMZDTHNP3Sl7CStY7lMcIUbF_uxYw_Ivzpqw-61g8Z_gnW7bEfzfDlo2k1ut1if-vDhMXhZ6q5_0OusFnPqTQP82X27Kw4a3gSAdC-C0xzRO9GuxOb2DBScS4oIBjf9_DwklPOqYLkM6iZ_6FhjVJ_6Q-ylBybj/s4032/IMG-1646.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE51Pr_OZ90FHqk2kOoL6I7AMZDTHNP3Sl7CStY7lMcIUbF_uxYw_Ivzpqw-61g8Z_gnW7bEfzfDlo2k1ut1if-vDhMXhZ6q5_0OusFnPqTQP82X27Kw4a3gSAdC-C0xzRO9GuxOb2DBScS4oIBjf9_DwklPOqYLkM6iZ_6FhjVJ_6Q-ylBybj/s320/IMG-1646.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b>This town has played a pivotal role in the identity of our program. Tough, blue-collar, hard-nosed people that have a heart for their football program that works tirelessly to make them proud on Friday nights.</b> </div><div><br /></div><div>Whether we play at home or on the road teams will have to step back into our world and our throwback offense and play football as if they live at the turn of the century. I believe now and always that it will be a pivotal advantage to us moving forward and I believe more schools could benefit from a style of offense such as this.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>Be where your feet are</b></h2><br />One knock on offenses similar to what we run is that they are not very good in two-minute situations. I agree that our offense does not lend itself to that type of situation. Still, we have had remarkable success in those two-minute situations, or situations like them, that lead me to believe it is a mindset more than anything.<br /><br />In two seasons we have faced nine situations that were two-minute or functioned as two-minute and we scored or were in scoring position at the end of the drive in all nine situations and scored on six of those nine drives.<br /><br />The mindset I am talking about is not a mindset of going fast but of being where your feet are. Nick Saban talks about this often saying that they encourage their players to <i>“focus on the play like it has a history and a life of its own”.</i> What he is trying to do is get his players to be where their feet are and not think about the situation, the score, the crowd yelling at them, etc. just be in the moment and make plays as they come to you.<br /><br />I believe this is directly translatable to life. I am the guiltiest of all people in doing this but we view life through an iPhone which isn't how we were created. Sometimes I catch myself laying on the floor of my son's room worrying about football, a phone call I need to return, or scrolling Twitter. What I should be doing is living in the moment not thinking about anything but what is in front of me. The worry and anxieties that we face in his generation I believe (I am no expert) are a direct reflection of the seemingly unlimited access to everything all at the same time. Always looking at what others have or what they will do next, concerned about how to keep up. Fear of missing out is real and can lead to us missing out on the things right in front of us if we aren’t careful.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>Simplify</b></h2><br />I have already talked about our town and the vast impact it has had on our program and ultimately style of offense. Still, I never imagined the impact it would have on me professionally or personally. A time machine in some regards our town is built around our school and because of that our school controls the pulse of town in many ways. We pack the stadium during the fall, the gym in the winter, and the ballparks in the spring. It is something to behold—a South Alabama gem tucked away in our neck of the woods. Someone told me when we moved here that stuff moves a little slower. I believe them now. Things are simpler here.<br /><br />Sometimes our offense seems complicated. A bevy of traps, counters, off-tackle runs, and sweeps in the boundary trying to outnumber or confuse opponents while our QB is often spinning in a circle while all this is happening. I wouldn’t call it complex, I would call it nuanced with layers designed to seem complicated when it isn’t.<br /><br />When we arrived two years ago we had no idea we would be spinning in circles and direct snapping the ball to backs to try and put ourselves in a spot to win games but one thing that did quickly become clear was that we needed to simplify. At the time it carried an almost negative connotation with it. I see now that it was never negative and that simple is both a better way to play football and to live life.<br /><br />I heard this week on a podcast Sean McVay, Head Coach of the LA Rams discussed many of the struggles that he faced after losing the Super Bowl and the constant pursuit that ensued after getting back, and the dark places that it took him. </div><div><br /></div><div>Depressed, unsure, and lacking confidence, he seemed to have nearly lost himself in pursuing perfection. Lombardi once said, <i>“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence” </i>I don’t believe I am more intelligent than Vince Lombardi. Still, I am not sure that is the mindset we should have while chasing whatever passion we are chasing. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sean McVay goes on to say that we shouldn’t be chasing perfection, instead we should be striving to improve each day, just a little bit. He eventually overcame the depression and confusion (and QB problems) and got back to the Superbowl and got the win that he was chasing for all those years. It was that more straightforward mindset shift that empowered him he believed to put his team in the best place to be successful.<br /><br />Ecclesiastes 4:6 is an excellent example of what Mcvay talked about. It is crucial to have a work-life balance, I am learning that now more than ever as a father. This verse says, <i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">“Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and striving after wind.” </span></i>A struggle to find the balance between striving to be the best we can be at work while we are also called to be the best we can be in life. That requires rest and some relaxation.<br /><br />It’s much easier to slow down in the small town I am blessed to live in and I encourage everyone to find a way to simplify so they can more easily do the same.<br /><br />These are opinions and just personal observations that I hope are helpful to someone!</div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-31057106636988573502023-06-30T06:15:00.005-05:002023-06-30T06:21:45.203-05:00If the Son has Set you Free, You Are Truly Free Indeed<div><div><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHr2CGntlf-LGdty1Bah46bAdFSdCUVI9gJkF_e5clfQB4Px_Z4Qlv6_satJXCXRkdJzJ5YIh4KRx6_UFTu2TK70vdM3clQ9s1m_ypnUx0mxEgEqhcUYYy08ORD1vieo01zdqQVajy37UXSxmtQjyvlz0_sS6V9VoxFNlZztnifTHbfRyjHVSJ/s300/Fourth-of-July-Picture.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHr2CGntlf-LGdty1Bah46bAdFSdCUVI9gJkF_e5clfQB4Px_Z4Qlv6_satJXCXRkdJzJ5YIh4KRx6_UFTu2TK70vdM3clQ9s1m_ypnUx0mxEgEqhcUYYy08ORD1vieo01zdqQVajy37UXSxmtQjyvlz0_sS6V9VoxFNlZztnifTHbfRyjHVSJ/s1600/Fourth-of-July-Picture.png" width="300" /></a></div>So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, </span><span style="color: red;">“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, [32] and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[33] They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”</span></i></div><div><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[34] Jesus answered them, </span><span style="color: red;">“Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. [35] The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. [36] So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">(John 8:31–36 ESV)</span></i></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Christian freedom and American Independence Day are interconnected ideas. Both celebrate liberty and independence. As Christians, we find spiritual freedom through faith in Christ, while Independence Day marks the birth of a nation founded on the principles of liberty and self-governance. <br /><br />Christian freedom is not merely the absence of physical constraints but a profound liberation from sin and its consequences. The Bible teaches that through Christ's sacrifice, believers are set free from the bondage of sin (Romans 6:18) and have the privilege of becoming children of God (Galatians 3:26). This freedom grants us access to God's grace, love, and eternal life.<br /><br /><div>The celebration of American freedom is our annual July 4th festivities that commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, which marked the birth of our country, though the longings of liberty burn in every man, Our founders envisioned a nation built on the ideals of individual liberty, equality, and self-determination. American freedom grants its citizens the right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness, fostering a society where opportunity exists for all of its citizens.<br /><br /> Despite the spiritual freedom we receive in Christ, various challenges can hinder our joy and fulfillment. Temptations, doubts, and fear of failure may attempt to erode our confidence in God's grace. Societal pressures, financial hardships, and even persecution may discourage us from standing firm in our faith. To maintain the joy of Christian freedom, we must remain rooted in God's Word and rely on His strength.<br /><br /></div><div>The blessings of American freedom also comes with its own set of challenges. Divisive politics, social unrest, and economic disparities can strain the unity envisioned by the nation's founders. Additionally, the misuse of freedom can lead to moral decay, as individuals prioritize personal interests over the common good. To preserve the joy of American freedom, we must actively engage in constructive dialogue, promote understanding, and pursue justice for all. As an American Christian, I need to understand that true liberty can only flourish among people who acknowledge and honor the Lord. Gospel proclamation must continue from His people!<br /><br />I want this July 4th to be a time of great gratitude for the blessings of our liberty as Americans and as people who understand the freedoms we have in Christ- this is essential in our journey of faith.</div><div><br /></div><div> Recognizing the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross and understanding the magnitude of God's love instills a deep sense of thankfulness. This gratitude should manifest in a life that seeks to honor God and serve others. When we appreciate the freedom from sin and eternal life we have received, we can share this hope with others, extending the blessings of Christian freedom to those around us.</div><div><br />As Americans, expressing gratitude for our freedom involves appreciating the sacrifices made by those who fought for independence and defended it throughout history. Gratitude also means embracing others, working to see the good in our country, and defending the rights secured in our constitution. If we are truly free then we also have the right to speak freely, worship freely, and that means we have to suffer dissenting views as well without shout downs or violence.<br /><br />In the last few years, the joy of our freedoms feels like they have eroded under the constant negative sirens of cable news, and our constant focus on the problems. And yes, those problems exist.</div><div><br /></div><div>What we can't do is subject ourselves to a yoke of bondage as a solution to societal ills. There is no law or political solution to the major source of our issues- my prayer for America has not changed since I wrote my 1st blog post in 2004.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Dear God Our Father,<br />In this time of great division and danger, we ask that you help us. Not that we deserve it, but we want to continue to be a beacon of hope and a model of success. This life is a mixed bag and a temporary host. May you allow us to continue being a preservative of the natural entropy of order.<br />Lord, the churches are dark in the old land and selfishness reigns. Intellectual imperialism tickles the ears but salve no wounds. Our churches are flickering. Please revive us- give us soft hearts of love and united hearts of courage. We wimper in our prosperity and hoard our greed.<br />Be gracious to our leaders and heal our land.<br />In the name and example of Christ,<br />AMEN</i></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-82332432693776377752023-06-16T04:13:00.006-05:002023-06-21T16:55:28.313-05:00The Greatest Leader I Have Ever Known<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3rMduyOjlPE3pfvAnHOYK-H_nFtM-CXgCWZyZMMpo4-28xe2t8Zx_VFCSMiF_12tQsGNyihRqSpBrySdNM9CrWp4_H7q8sdUlgrf0TlFdu8h7rvi2-jrcO883_r6TEal8BJaTqxfjpPB_LE3WQNq8xQ3SWyvdhXgCWynS9GMdGabGwDPpw/s432/kynerd.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="432" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3rMduyOjlPE3pfvAnHOYK-H_nFtM-CXgCWZyZMMpo4-28xe2t8Zx_VFCSMiF_12tQsGNyihRqSpBrySdNM9CrWp4_H7q8sdUlgrf0TlFdu8h7rvi2-jrcO883_r6TEal8BJaTqxfjpPB_LE3WQNq8xQ3SWyvdhXgCWynS9GMdGabGwDPpw/s320/kynerd.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><i><span style="color: red;">See updated info at the end of this post:</span></i></div><div><br /></div>Whoa! That is a big title and full of hyperbole...or is it?<p></p><p>As I have been blessed to continue in my capacity at Briarwood Christian School for coming up on my 25th year, I wanted to pause, reflect, and honor the man who has been so instrumental to me.</p><p>And it is always a joy for me to see him. He came to MANY home games this year.</p><p>In the summer of 1983, I had been hired as an intern at Briarwood Presbyterian Church by another great leader (and now my neighbor) Tom Caradine to serve college and high school summer programs. The Church was still on Hwy 280 and the school was in its current location on Hwy 119 South, though in those days you could take a nap on the road and nor get hit by a car for at least 30 minutes!</p><p>Tom sent me to Briarwood to get PE balls and equipment for a kids camp and that is where I first heard the name, shook the hand, and experienced the kind practical jokes of Dr. Byrle Kynerd.</p><p>He called his son, Kevin to open the combination lock at the downstairs PE closet. Then he said,<i> "Mr. Mathews, I would give you the combination to that lock but we just can't trust that you might come back and steal it all later. So Kevin will open it up and son, don't you dare tell Mr. Mathews that combination."</i></p><p> And then he whispered something privately to Kevin.</p><p>It took me back a little how he said all of that and then we walked downstairs to that closet (which is STILL there!)</p><p>Kevin looked at me and said, <i>"I can't TELL you this combination but you can watch me open it and you will need to remember it when you return the equipment"</i>. That was his first small practical joke by Dr. K that over the decades grew by the hundreds.</p><p>I could write thousand of stories and it has been so interesting to me to hear how many former Briarwood coaches and players tell a Dr. Kynerd story on the podcast we have been doing since the fall of 2022. As of this writing, 16 out of 27 podcasts (A.D. Update and BCS Football Classics) have told a Dr. K story.</p><p><b>What prompted me to write about him today?</b></p><p>Since Covid hit in 2020, I have found professional ministry to just<i> feel</i> tougher. There are always challenges and seasons of turmoil... but the landscape of our culture seems to be colder and darker. People show up as more negative and less forgiving or understanding. There isn't a ton of encouragement anywhere in our society. The culture seems less and less concerned about the things of God.</p><div>In David Lyons book on postmodernity, <i>"Jesus in Disneyland"</i>, he outlined over two decades ago what would be the results of the rapid, consumer based lifestyle that was quickly taking over culture. He anticipated the war between Church Authority and Cyberspace Authority. He predicted that anarchy would threaten Continuity and Instant Fluidity would hurt the foundations of Community. </div><div><br /></div><div>Do you see it? </div><div>Do you feel it?</div><div><br /></div><div>I do- Individuality over Wholeness .... Fragmentation over Purpose . The destabilization of the post modern movement has put an incredible strain on our society and is paying horrible dividends to our youth. Can anyone but me hear the creaking of broken foundations and fear the weight of sin? If we do not move back to the FAITH side of this equation, what hope is there for long term success?</div><div><br /></div><div>What foul dust is going to be left in the wake of the collapse without a massive movement of God's Spirit?</div><div><br /></div><div><div>The visible church of God is hurting and our young people especially are suffering the consequences of</div>a moral darkness, sort of an <b>eclipse of God</b>. He IS still shining, just like the sun continues to shine during a solar eclipse, He is hidden, or maybe a better term; 'blocked'. Our society seem to just be gazing at the earth.</div><p>And it makes me pause.... <i>what keeps me going?</i></p><p>And though Dr Kynerd has long ago retired as the superintendent of Briarwood Christian School, and former head of Board Directed Ministries... he is still championing me to keep moving forward in gospel hope and spiritual power.</p><p><b>Here are <i>some</i> of the emails he has sent me since 2020:</b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">WELL DONE. Thank you for your leadership</span></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">and service Respectfully, Byrle Kynerd </span></i></span></p><p><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Coach, thank you for your Christ honoring and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">consistent leadership and service at BCS. You </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">are a blessing to many. One special Scripture to encourage you and those you serve with is Psalm 127:1. May you see God’s encouragement day by day. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Gratefully, Byrle Kynerd </span></span></i></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coach Mathews, thank you for honoring Christ, communicating with grace and corrective clarity, providing appropriate information, and the time you and others devote to informing our parents. May God give you peace and joy as you serve and gratefulness that you are a Witness</span></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">and Ambassador for Christ by the way you serve. Trust Him, forgive quickly, do the next right thing when making decisions, and be filled with the Fruit of the Spirit as you serve And arrive at</span></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">home each day. Thank you for your example. You and BCS are in my prayers. </span></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Respectfully, Byrle Kynerd </span></i></span></p><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">Our society today tends to honor big names, "aura', resumes, and status. We lift the youth up too soon as faddish and dismiss the veterans too early.</span></p><br />And in the long run... what are we missing?<br /><br />I am fortunate to have been hired, mentored, and directed by a man like Dr. K- and he still is at work in keeping me going!<br /><br />I don't know if many folks will ever read this... but I just felt like telling him thanks in a more public way.<br /><br /><br />And I am not discouraged or dismayed... his example and his leadership has prepared me to keep walking in the grace and admonition of Christ.<div><br /></div><div><b>UPDATE JUNE 21</b></div><div><br /></div><div>So you never know how these posts will travel and this one happened to be read by my former coach, David Cutcliffe who wanted to meet Dr. Kynerd after this post and the wonderful things he has heard from SEC admin assistant Melinda Calderini who served as Dr. K's admin assistant for many, many years.</div><div><br /></div><div>I picked up Dr. K and we drove over to the SEC offices in Birmingham where Coach Cutcliffe serves as the liaison to SEC football coaches and the visit was special.</div><div><br /></div><div>To hear these two great men I admire swap stories and principles of leadership was amazing! Thanks Coach Cut for honoring Dr. K- it made my day!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6LivvMDHyVgAbKqD0N7xVcWNjO6ZSUaEd3-6l7_TDAW2y4Q9zggAN9K_wsKAnriMIrByaKfIDSYPgY5ocxdITB405sxtEBw97m91MpJliYwzVN7A4f0lypqpFEMlqISkVdMSFWN7XlBhnu7x3omyfSJhYbVnzi1U-0-AvugtOwQpEN-Ea-Fl/s480/IMG_0483.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="480" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6LivvMDHyVgAbKqD0N7xVcWNjO6ZSUaEd3-6l7_TDAW2y4Q9zggAN9K_wsKAnriMIrByaKfIDSYPgY5ocxdITB405sxtEBw97m91MpJliYwzVN7A4f0lypqpFEMlqISkVdMSFWN7XlBhnu7x3omyfSJhYbVnzi1U-0-AvugtOwQpEN-Ea-Fl/s320/IMG_0483.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjguHuOshAG_wgnfjMll02_WwEUnF9Y4AgXoWBbhAtAQ8dLxkGr3arlJMuOe_16c-kHfMEj8h4mWOGthazCn5IfnM6ceF2V4aH-YLbFR0yCsBEZ0W1dIOsUT7Dgdg-AT9jVcJJHFzGVVa6g4XNDC0ufJOVYK6wWO8cHUjv8mX1As7x1RBO53NCH/s800/IMG_0487.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjguHuOshAG_wgnfjMll02_WwEUnF9Y4AgXoWBbhAtAQ8dLxkGr3arlJMuOe_16c-kHfMEj8h4mWOGthazCn5IfnM6ceF2V4aH-YLbFR0yCsBEZ0W1dIOsUT7Dgdg-AT9jVcJJHFzGVVa6g4XNDC0ufJOVYK6wWO8cHUjv8mX1As7x1RBO53NCH/s320/IMG_0487.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNJzlIMaBkHVDTi38S3ZJ2KSFTDmCqF_VfcJY0-sJAzv2iAsLcVlWGCeqo9-L270mly8ASzYRO0PhKzRbvaNThpCqFOZF_SFkQ2tZwnKOzYS2mBRFTMolKJX3ccU8LufL0CQCS4At1pAVULoLhOB4lrtCNPWwSoCGvKqb2UTEUMCda_EoJ9r9/s480/IMG_0491.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="480" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNJzlIMaBkHVDTi38S3ZJ2KSFTDmCqF_VfcJY0-sJAzv2iAsLcVlWGCeqo9-L270mly8ASzYRO0PhKzRbvaNThpCqFOZF_SFkQ2tZwnKOzYS2mBRFTMolKJX3ccU8LufL0CQCS4At1pAVULoLhOB4lrtCNPWwSoCGvKqb2UTEUMCda_EoJ9r9/s320/IMG_0491.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1GEk9oPvIz2wEU4cuJefnj95G774J_ZJ6NDUGVihn1iqVwb8eYdM0ScYL2mtX9ahyJAaotJYO9gh3zBGYK5jGFmukIK9M32jAAHOC-fx05r_IQkmKAq4LXBqs5p-SiY-rLD8RGlQwa89mAGby27rzPiifx1ncHqDZ8EtRzt_KDFZTkatPt4Q/s4032/IMG_7858.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1GEk9oPvIz2wEU4cuJefnj95G774J_ZJ6NDUGVihn1iqVwb8eYdM0ScYL2mtX9ahyJAaotJYO9gh3zBGYK5jGFmukIK9M32jAAHOC-fx05r_IQkmKAq4LXBqs5p-SiY-rLD8RGlQwa89mAGby27rzPiifx1ncHqDZ8EtRzt_KDFZTkatPt4Q/s320/IMG_7858.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-PU0GFtUA2SRNdJJensrhnrJfX7qozAk5T8zEbcib-xrtnAbl5zmmOqfaZvKu2JlHQR3R4hs76AG2XYUr0k0VG_SqArdWw-26dNklmyaL_cme9AFuxwjD_4sAO3Vr_nuv38FYzAI2rpOASlm8rJ8oprauvDN__q6vfHr308R2x3pRKaz-NpF/s3736/IMG_7862.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2082" data-original-width="3736" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-PU0GFtUA2SRNdJJensrhnrJfX7qozAk5T8zEbcib-xrtnAbl5zmmOqfaZvKu2JlHQR3R4hs76AG2XYUr0k0VG_SqArdWw-26dNklmyaL_cme9AFuxwjD_4sAO3Vr_nuv38FYzAI2rpOASlm8rJ8oprauvDN__q6vfHr308R2x3pRKaz-NpF/s320/IMG_7862.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><h3 class="iw" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: auto; background-color: white; color: #5f6368; font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75rem; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: inherit; max-width: calc(100% - 8px); overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap;">This last picture is the infamous video replay room at SEC HQ where crucial decisions are made on Saturdays in the fall!</h3><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-65792200638385581332023-06-14T17:06:00.003-05:002023-06-14T17:14:10.706-05:00Timing, Spacing, and Movement in the Passing Game<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL78COj1cYNSVk9AQowunXRZC8RJmMNAx94dJ8vW4RGquBs95P1J_scoE2RKzF3MAPlYcxcnfXXH9mz1XJjvPP-4vILFkZzcWEePVm4L8Fr0NdygV5-Ejmdv6InPw-jyPxSGDOtmP22GvL_BnFBT8Mr29QhRalis90HYf3mHz_rb10ODRdJg/s2559/Lions%20QB.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="2559" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL78COj1cYNSVk9AQowunXRZC8RJmMNAx94dJ8vW4RGquBs95P1J_scoE2RKzF3MAPlYcxcnfXXH9mz1XJjvPP-4vILFkZzcWEePVm4L8Fr0NdygV5-Ejmdv6InPw-jyPxSGDOtmP22GvL_BnFBT8Mr29QhRalis90HYf3mHz_rb10ODRdJg/s320/Lions%20QB.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>I have gotten a few requests to write another football post. <p></p><p>As most schools in the state are beginning 7 on 7 summer work, I think it is helpful for us to remember that timing, spacing, and movement is the fine tuning that will have to be worked on continuously all year.</p><p>And you can't drill down on all of it yet because full pads will make you have to keep adjusting these points. However, you can begin the fundamentals right now.</p><p><b>TIMING</b></p><p>An often overlooked part of TIMING, SPACING, MOVEMENT (TSM) in the passing game is the actual <b>gun snap.</b> And it even shows up more in the run game. Have you noticed the pace of your center's snap? Is it fast or loopy?</p><p>Also, it is super important to press your QB's on the<b> type of drop</b> your play call demands. Since we are primarily in the gun we have to declare now throws (turn 2 or turn toe), quick game, 1 step and gather, quick three, rhythm three, fast 5, roll out, and play action drops. Under center, it is still important to teach a skilled 3 step and 5 step drop.</p><p>A short drop can make a QB go nuts as he is waiting on the receiver AND a late throw is never good. </p><p>Also short routes by receivers are huge time mistakes.</p><p>On some of our deeper cuts I often say <i>"get all of it"</i>.</p><p><b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">"A receiver is never as open as when he is INITIALLY open"</span></i>.</b></p><p>Many years ago, I did a clinic in North Alabama on time clock in the passing game. I received requests for that info for weeks after that clinic. I was able to show on film that all levels of football subconsciously throw on a 3 count time clock and the only difference is the depth of the routes. For example, the standard curl in HS is 12-10 yards, college 14-12 yards, and pro 16-14 yards... all on the same clock!</p><p><i><b>"Thousand 1, thousand 2, BALL!"</b></i>- any longer is usually a sack or a scramble.</p><p>One final point in TIMING- I like to use "BURTS" by receivers as the "indicator" for the release- fast hands, fast feet, and a head bob.... it also helps sell double moves as well.</p><p><b>SPACING</b></p><p>On film, if you ever see two of our receivers within 5 yards of each other on the throw, then we have had a MAJOR MISHAP in our concept. At the same time, if you see the space 2 counts before the throw, then we are probably wrong as well.</p><p>Using route stems and intended rubs can hurt many match zones because in reality, almost all coverage schemes turn in to Cover 1 by the time the QB is throwing. We just want to create doubts in the 'cutter picker uppers' and I get giddy if two defenders cover 1 of my dudes.... that means a DC is screaming because we have a guy wide open nearby.</p><p>A Problem: <i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">"DARN CATCHERS!"</span></i></p><p>One issue in particular I have been working on are DB's that aren't afraid of our speed and sit in the medium zones and just catch the routes or teams that sit 4 defenders at a conversion line or goal line and play that high percentage area very well.</p><p>We have to use speed changes to take shots over those guys and well as what I call ricochet techniques to run into those defenders and bounce open off of them. I saw a college team do that in a bowl game this past season vs a Tampa 2 low hole player. They geared down and punched by that defender with the #2 receiver and bounced off of him with the #3. The QB pumped the bounce and threw a laser to the #2 who sped into the hole just below the 2 wide safeties for 22 yards before he was tackled!</p><p>Both receivers were next to each other at the thousand 2 count and 7 yards apart at the throw after the pump. I put that in my playbook the next day and just call it <i>"Tampa"</i>.</p><p>It reminds me that QB's can hunch and pump zones to create space as well! It just takes 1 half count more of protection so save it for the 2nd half when sone fatigue can help.</p><p><b>MOVEMENT</b></p><p>I so wish in my early years as an offensive coordinator I understood how stack, bunches, and short motions impact the leverage of defensive backs. I coached for 10 years with a static 3x1 and 2x2 passing game that was awesome back when defenses defended grass, but can now get shut down and out by well schemed match zones and variables of trips coverages used by teams- add pressure and simulated pressures and my old 1990's passing game would be totally ineffective.</p><p>HOWEVER... now all we do is dress up the old concepts with stacks, compressed formations, post snap switches, fast motions, moved to empty, collapse from empty and all of those coverages start to bust even simple 4 vertical concepts.</p><p>It takes the entire summer for receivers to understand the nuances of these enhancements... but the payoff is gold. And it is NOT COMPLICATED.</p><p><b>PROTECTION?</b></p><p>About mid-June, I start talking to our QB's about 'problem solving pressure' and we can't wait until full pads to understand hots and pass pro checks to help us get the ball off.</p><p>Instead of teaching hard fast rules to pressure answers, we talk about a myriad of ideas including fake claps, pointing and calling out issues, moving, using, and finding backs as well as run checks that can convert even 3rd and long.</p><p><b>Bottom Line:</b></p><p>In high school, I still think a good defense beats a good offense... but the new throw away allowance, the 40 second play clock, the personnel substitution rules in high school can frustrate even a good defense.</p><p>I have no doubt every DC worth his salt has answers to these issues.... but can their players do it?</p><p>3 mistakes on offense can lead to a punt.</p><p>3 mistakes on defense could be 21 points.</p><p>It is still a very fun game to coach- even after 30 plus years!</p><p>Send thoughts to <b><a href="mailto:jayopsis@gmail.com">jayopsis@gmail.com</a></b>. I love to hear from coaches.</p>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-79848953454246541312023-06-12T06:57:00.000-05:002023-06-12T06:57:16.595-05:00Arnold Defeats The Devil- Problems and Perspective<i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VgcKLKMJAiFIOcBTDoUvDJxrFZijkV5BTx7WV4ear_gl22n-oQ5idImodzDQewj2XHJYAvcjnd-3ba97vf-4e7MR_XU6TJyk9A8KbkN3iCbKnvT0NuqoFt6CT31e5Ymo9mgoOXAA_-R2bJMpY782x9WAknWrPNYxDwRRve2cUxPKrhzEog/s270/eofd.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="187" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VgcKLKMJAiFIOcBTDoUvDJxrFZijkV5BTx7WV4ear_gl22n-oQ5idImodzDQewj2XHJYAvcjnd-3ba97vf-4e7MR_XU6TJyk9A8KbkN3iCbKnvT0NuqoFt6CT31e5Ymo9mgoOXAA_-R2bJMpY782x9WAknWrPNYxDwRRve2cUxPKrhzEog/s1600/eofd.jpeg" width="187" /></a></div>Normally I would not review a movie based on the rating and explicit content of this film, but I did see it and was motivated to comment. Viewer advisory caution and use your FF button- that is what I do.</i><br /><br /> I recently watched the Netflix three part documentary on Arnold Schwarzenegger and like almost any documentary I watched, I found it fascinating. I love hearing people's stories! All three episodes were intriguing and as soon as I finished the last one, a link popped up to an Arnold movie I had never seen before, and is ranked as one of his very unusual flops (it only made 212 million worldwide... hmm quite the standard of failure!)<br /><br /><i>"End of Days"</i> is an action-packed thriller starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, revolving around the battle between good and evil in the final days of the millennium. After sleeping on it, I woke up and decided to to analyze various aspects of the movie, including theological themes, visual imagery, and character development. It also has two powerful apologetic applications that most movie watchers would miss.<br /><br />While the movie incorporates theological elements, there is an acknowledgment that theological interpretations may not resonate with all viewers. However, it is worth noting that the visual and artistic qualities present in the film can be appreciated independently, much like the aesthetics of Renaissance paintings that transcended religious beliefs. Make no mistake, this movie has terrible theology, but the depiction of spiritual themes through imagery is compelling.<br /><br />The film employs striking visual imagery that leaves a lasting impression on the audience. Although certain graphic images may be challenging to defend, they effectively convey the inherent evil within the story. The portrayal of evil remains consistent throughout the film, allowing viewers to recognize and understand the nature of the antagonist.<br /><br />One of the movie's strengths lies in its exploration and depiction of temptations. The filmmakers delve into the allure and dangers of succumbing to temptation, providing a powerful representation of the human struggle against immoral desires. This adds depth to the narrative and enhances the complexity of the characters. The scene where the Satan character interacts with Arnold's character held me spellbound, and has applications to how the real Satan tempted Christ in the wilderness.<div><br /><b>TWO APOLOGETICS APPLICATIONS</b>: The film does carry questions of faith in light of suffering and the existence of God. Early on a ranking priest poses a logical question about knowing God includes the existence of His adversary but another thought-provoking aspect of "End of Days" is the reflection on the notion of fixed standards. The film highlights that the greatest apologetic lies within the limitations imposed by time, procedures, and dates. This raises questions about the origin and validity of the fixed standards by which actions and events are judged, stimulating contemplation on higher authorities or moral frameworks. In the movie, Satan was powerful but bound my rules of what he could do, how he could do it, and when he must do it. <i><b>WHO SETS THESE STANDARDS? We miss the self evident answer all the time. It takes more faith to deny God than admit His existence in my opinion.</b></i><br /><br />Arnold Schwarzenegger's character exhibits a significant turning point in the movie when he throws down his weapon and humbly asks for help. This moment resonates with audiences, showcasing vulnerability and a willingness to rely on others for support. It humanizes the character, allowing viewers to connect with his journey on a deeper level. The film's climax is ultimately that the Arnold character must, in humble reliance upon divine grace, admit the existence of God, ask for his help, trust in Him and not earthly weapons to defeat the spiritual enemy.<br /><br />Finally, the concept of sacrifice to defeat Satan is another notable theme in the film. The depiction of the main character making a selfless sacrifice in the face of evil adds depth and emotional weight to the story. This portrayal underscores the idea that defeating malevolence often requires personal sacrifice, emphasizing the resilience and strength of the human spirit. The Christ imagery is strong throughout the film though the theology continues to miss the Bible's message.<br /><br />The producers wrestled with an alternate ending. In the alternate one, God resurrects Arnold's character after the defeat of the devil. Though it was a test audience favorite, I am glad they left in the original format of Arnold being dead at the end. By choosing not to deify the character, the filmmakers maintain the protagonist's humanity, preserving the integrity of the narrative. This choice avoids elevating the character to a god-like status, emphasizing the importance of mortal limitations and the preservation of relatable human experiences.<br /><br />Again, I can't 'recommend' the movie because of the graphic nature of the film and it isn't a great film by any stretch of the imagination. It does make me pray for Arnold- he needs Jesus and he is such a likable person and possibly the most driven celebrity I have ever had the privilege to learn about. I know he has gospel influence in his midst with son-in-law Chris Pratt and others, but he has sin and flaws like all of us as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord, open our eyes to the beauty of gospel truth and let us respond to the message of salvation in the name of Jesus!</div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-24407507776355584802023-06-05T23:34:00.000-05:002023-06-05T23:34:12.167-05:00What Hebrews 12 Says About What I am Lacking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNAh92spcB_tI3phU7jJAPhDfrSNoipbnN1lUrwT3iKTm8EetDjCFuItlmUC17jfejyteMUMQ8WnVs76vURN6RC3RYVIv68r6LNPeDKwPFFxPofvnY2jKi8If0HmdUOaeqO_ZzFMrsIux3NoH3kSzMmIQTUR-fkcglRSDFXOw3qQb_JSiOg/s4032/IMG_7528.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNAh92spcB_tI3phU7jJAPhDfrSNoipbnN1lUrwT3iKTm8EetDjCFuItlmUC17jfejyteMUMQ8WnVs76vURN6RC3RYVIv68r6LNPeDKwPFFxPofvnY2jKi8If0HmdUOaeqO_ZzFMrsIux3NoH3kSzMmIQTUR-fkcglRSDFXOw3qQb_JSiOg/s320/IMG_7528.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>In early May, I was drawn into a long process of reading and pondering Hebrews 12. And it has stayed with me now for over a month. I find it strange that Scripture can do that in unexpected ways and in unexpected times.<br /><br />I have been thinking about writing a blogpost on the experience for a few weeks now, but I feel totally inadequate to capture the powerful presence it has had on me. I go to bed thinking about it, and wake up at 3:00 rehearsing it in my mind, and find it waiting on me again the next morning.<div><br /><br />God is definitely trying to get my attention.<br /><br />Hebrews chapter 12 is indeed a powerful and inspiring passage that can guide me towards living a more intentional and disciplined life while deepening my understanding of God as a loving father. This chapter emphasizes the importance of perseverance and highlights God's role in my growth and development.<br /><br />The chapter begins by encouraging me to run the race of life with endurance, keeping my focus on Jesus, who is the ultimate example of faith and perseverance. It reminds me that I am surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, referring to the faithful men and women who have gone before me and left a legacy of faith. Their lives serve as a testament to the possibility of living a disciplined and intentional life, even in the face of challenges and hardships.<br /><br />The passage then addresses the idea of God's loving discipline. It states that God treats me as His child and disciplines me out of love. Just as an earthly father disciplines his children for their benefit, God disciplines me to shape me into becoming a better man. This discipline is not meant to harm me but to train me, refine my character, and draw me closer to Him. It is a sign of His care and investment in my growth and ultimately my eternal life with Him.<br /><br />Understanding God as my loving father who disciplines me is a transformative perspective. It helps me see that the challenges and difficulties I face in life are not meaningless or arbitrary but purposeful tools for my growth. It reminds me that God's desire is not to make my life miserable but to mold me into the person He created me to be.<br /><br /><b>This understanding also calls for a response on my part. It challenges me to embrace discipline in my own life, to cultivate intentionality, and to persevere through the various trials I encounter.</b> Just as an athlete endures rigorous training to achieve success, I am called to endure and persist in my pursuit of a life rooted in faith and godly character.<br /><br />Living a disciplined life involves intentional choices and actions. It requires setting goals, establishing healthy habits, and making daily decisions that align with my values and the principles outlined in Scripture. It means prioritizing my relationship with God, spending time in prayer and studying His Word, and seeking His guidance in all aspects of my day.<br /><br />I have actually fallen away from this over the last few years.... the years since Covid have really taken a toll.... but God is so good. He loves me too much to let me stay there.<div><br /></div><div>I feel a summer breeze is going to refresh me in a new and improved way!</div><div><br /></div><div><div><i>“Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.”</i></div><div><i>Isaiah 32:2 NIV</i></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-83958041030411469042023-05-12T06:49:00.002-05:002023-05-12T06:49:40.859-05:00The Speed of the Internet and The Accuracy of a Weatherman<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyO5xeNAZJvCNmUQ_DZ9Gh_6Ck_SCqv5_3lT9mL6qxKOxsxCIWTKJrlOg_aU7umawvPQYJ_2AEpcxzAJ5Q1qJgnjH_bmV0Bjo9b68GJlplemgaeyR5T-vA2ANTI-XIHPnufzmjwQ_ptGSWKWrlDh6pWMirN7_XK_1utKhIBAGCMHAMFqcjfg/s1200/weatherman.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyO5xeNAZJvCNmUQ_DZ9Gh_6Ck_SCqv5_3lT9mL6qxKOxsxCIWTKJrlOg_aU7umawvPQYJ_2AEpcxzAJ5Q1qJgnjH_bmV0Bjo9b68GJlplemgaeyR5T-vA2ANTI-XIHPnufzmjwQ_ptGSWKWrlDh6pWMirN7_XK_1utKhIBAGCMHAMFqcjfg/s320/weatherman.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Wrapping up another school year. Things winding down. It is much akin to how T.S. Eliot famously quipped at the end of his famous poem, The Hollow Men, <i>"not with a bang but a whimper"</i>. MAN, I am one tired dude.... but the Lord is good!</div><div><br /></div><div>Drama and crisis is always just around the corner if you are in the school business, it is the normal marketplace of human interaction. So I am never upset to get a break from that and though my summer is always busy with projects, I do seem to get a break from the malaise for a bit.</div><div><br /></div><div>I also get a break from the two sinister beings who seem to roam the hallways.... rumor and gossip. These two are much more deadly than most people give them credit for.</div><div><br /></div><div>In my early days as an administrator, those two sucker punched me and I just stayed down for days. They still punch me, and it still stings, but I have gotten pretty good in my ability to get up and keep moving forward.</div><div><br /></div><div>And these rumors take on unique styles. In the last month of school I have encountered the three most common: </div><div><br /></div><div>Situation 1: A fact out of context that is separated out and creates a narrative that is totally untrue because of the lack of the other facts that lead to a totally opposite narrative.</div><div><br /></div><div>Situation 2: A false narrative that spreads due to a predisposition of negativity towards a person or an entity.</div><div><br /></div><div>Situation 3: A false rumor made up in the wind and becomes a targeted attack on the reputation of a human being.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I have long said- the gossip and rumor chain "has the speed of the internet and the accuracy of a weatherman" and when we participate in keeping the chain alive, we are sinning and often hurting people or creating negative environments where the venom is poisoning the pool.</div><div><br /></div><div>In this fast moving interaction of information, it is the dangers of rumor and gossip that should make us pause. As I have been studying AI technology, it is the deep fake capabilities and our cultural mood that is predisposed to guilt before innocence that concerns me the most.</div><div><br /></div><div>And people of Scripture should be a part of the solution and not part of the problem </div><div><br /></div><div>Bible verses about gossip and rumors can certainly provide guidance on how to respond to the harmful effects of AI deep fakes. One such verse is Proverbs 16:28, which says,<i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> "A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends." </span></i>This verse can be applied to the actions of those who create and spread deep fakes, as they are deliberately stirring up conflict and causing harm.</div><br />Another relevant verse is Proverbs 11:13, which states, <i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">"A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret."</span></i> In the context of AI deep fakes, this verse could encourage individuals and organizations to prioritize trustworthiness and integrity in their use of technology. They should also keep confidential information safe and secure, and not share it with those who may use it to create deep fakes.<br /><br />One last verse, Proverbs 17:9 says,<i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> "Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends."</span></i> This verse reminds us of the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation, even in the face of harm caused by deep fakes. Rather than perpetuating rumors and gossip, we should strive to promote love and understanding, and work towards repairing any damage caused by the technology.<br /><br />Applying Bible verses about gossip and rumors can provide a framework for responding to the harmful effects of AI deep fakes by encouraging trustworthiness, confidentiality, forgiveness, and reconciliation.<div><br /></div><div>I want to add one last thing.... train your spirit to think the best first and accept the worst with great evidence and hard conversations.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rumors come to me almost everyday. In my position, I attract them like a super magnet.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Lord has been gracious for me to not panic or automatically assume the worst. Yes, I know human nature so any action is possible no matter how good we think a person may be.</div><div><br /></div><div>At the same time, I am going to let facts shape my opinion. And if the facts are beyond a reasonable doubt I try to land on the optimistic side....</div><div><br /></div><div>When I was Dean of Students, I would have some evidence... but not a great case. And I would drop it. If the student was prone to inappropriate behavior, he would eventually give me a better case. It was OK to drop it. And guess what, sometimes that would be a turning moment and I wouldn't get a great case... and that was ok as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>I will never rid my work place from those two demons... rumor and gossip. But I don't have to listen to them either.</div><div><br /></div><div>I pray everyone has a wonderful break soon!</div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-28914770279181118212023-04-26T02:10:00.002-05:002023-04-26T02:10:47.228-05:00The Dark Side of Competition <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJ6yZxBwTFDJaCYFKg-Azrpb2AQ2b_icgfkFa6b44D6Eah-WTOQOyyeccdLAFhdwbWt01RQb2jYBe3pWobP1ygMNXxaA4JPhTT5lx8Szt7RNRRjueSuCCKREvTCmxbELEQE5Yh5qTHPb0F2JAI37Vx8q4RCL-svilsUy9M6Qp-cu3DHrtjg/s1040/Screen%20Shot%202023-04-26%20at%202.08.42%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1040" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJ6yZxBwTFDJaCYFKg-Azrpb2AQ2b_icgfkFa6b44D6Eah-WTOQOyyeccdLAFhdwbWt01RQb2jYBe3pWobP1ygMNXxaA4JPhTT5lx8Szt7RNRRjueSuCCKREvTCmxbELEQE5Yh5qTHPb0F2JAI37Vx8q4RCL-svilsUy9M6Qp-cu3DHrtjg/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-04-26%20at%202.08.42%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>The Merle Haggard song doesn't quite fit the context, but the tag line is where I want to start:<p></p><p><i><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;"><b>Yeah, walkin' on the fightin' side of me</b></span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">Runnin' down a way of life our fightin' men have fought and died to keep</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">If you don't love it, leave it</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">Let this song I'm singin' be a warnin'</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">When you're runnin' down my country, man</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;"><b>You're walkin' on the fightin' side of me</b></span></i></p>The message of that song is- there are things worth fighting for! There is a use of competition- there is a reality of competition.<p>And the purpose of this post is honestly to admit problems and explore unintended realities in the world of high level competition. Over 30 plus years of being in competition, I have seen the toothpaste come out of the tube from even the best of people. Competition is conflict and sometimes the testosterone can get the best of us.</p><p>It can happen at any level: little league, church softball, pick-up basketball, high school, college, and professional games.</p>Competition can have negative effects on individuals, organizations, and society as a whole.<div>There is a potential dark side of competition:<div><br /><b>Unethical behavior:</b> Competition can create a culture of winning at all costs, which can lead individuals or organizations to engage in unethical or even illegal behavior.</div><div><br /></div><div>I personally get sad when I see how often successful competitors are often accused of cheating and this makes me suspect that there is a lot of cheating. Can't we just congratulate the winners until cheating is proven? And if there is cheating, we need to crack down hard on it..but it shouldn't be a knee jerk reaction to assume the worst.<br /><br /><b>Stress and burnout:</b> The pressure to succeed in a competitive environment can be overwhelming, leading to stress, burnout, and even mental health issues.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm seeing this more and more..... when competition gets out of balance, it can wreck a life!<br /><br /><b>Exclusion:</b> Competition can create winners and losers, and those who lose may feel excluded or marginalized. This can be especially true for individuals or groups who are already disadvantaged.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the old days, champions didn't trash talk and respect was important. A winner was classy and that helped honor the opponent.<br /><br /><b>Short-term thinking:</b> In the pursuit of victory, individuals and organizations may prioritize short-term gains over long-term sustainability.</div><div><br /></div><div>I remember thinking way back in 1994 and praying to the Lord that if we ever did win a state championship in football, I wanted to look around after that win and still have my faith, my family, and my friends. And I was blessed to experience that in just a few years after that.<br /><br /><b>Hostility:</b> Intense competition can create a hostile environment, both within and between organizations. This can lead to conflicts and even violence.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have seen too many times where competition drove people to unhealthy states in temper, words, and actions.</div><div><br /></div><div>James 1:20- <i>for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.</i><br /><br />Overall, competition can have both positive and negative effects. While it can motivate individuals and organizations to strive for excellence, it can also create a range of negative consequences if not managed carefully.<br /><br />Whether the positive or negative aspects of competition outweigh each other can depend on the specific context and the individuals involved.<br /><br />In some cases, the positive effects of competition can be significant, such as when it motivates individuals and organizations to innovate, improve their performance, and achieve their goals. This can lead to increased productivity, economic growth, and other benefits.<br /><br />However, the negative effects of competition can also be significant, such as when it leads to the negative attributes listed above. These negative effects can have long-term consequences for individuals, organizations, and society as a whole.<br /><br />I still believe healthy competition is important, but it is also important for me to know the dangers as well.</div></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-41801651080712702023-04-25T02:44:00.003-05:002023-04-25T02:44:43.187-05:00Haynes and Pops Go Fishing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEuIXaHkV6GGlEDkaD2_iab_sfenY4lkEvJwqzAv1UDfeJa9Hjk0vH7etwRvIIZghHXX_GP7OO0oO_4y4t0GNKafbzEjl_QjxfW7Tqei7VaBM1VOpy01tEjx6RbK9hPYk5MOaYJpVV6ZSnYAzx0P3BDaCmoi9m-VCZI-YWHj-Xta2vgCHxw/s600/camp-fishing-eps-vector_csp7290254.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="600" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEuIXaHkV6GGlEDkaD2_iab_sfenY4lkEvJwqzAv1UDfeJa9Hjk0vH7etwRvIIZghHXX_GP7OO0oO_4y4t0GNKafbzEjl_QjxfW7Tqei7VaBM1VOpy01tEjx6RbK9hPYk5MOaYJpVV6ZSnYAzx0P3BDaCmoi9m-VCZI-YWHj-Xta2vgCHxw/s320/camp-fishing-eps-vector_csp7290254.webp" width="320" /></a></div>Haynes loved spending time with her Pops, especially when they went fishing together. They would pack their fishing gear, sandwiches, and drinks and head to the lake early in the morning.<br /><br />On this particular day, Haynes and Pops had been fishing for hours without catching anything. Haynes was starting to feel bored and frustrated.<br /><br />"Pops, why aren't the fish biting?" Haynes asked.<br /><br />"Well, sometimes they're just not hungry, Haynes," Pops replied.<br /><br />But Haynes didn't give up hope. She kept her line in the water and waited patiently. Suddenly, she felt a tug on her line.<br /><br />"Pops, I think I got one!" Haynes exclaimed, feeling excited.<br /><br />Pops came over to help her reel in the fish. As Haynes was reeling it in, the fish jumped out of the water and then fell off the hook, flopping back into the water.<br /><br />"Oh no!" Haynes said, feeling disappointed.<br /><br />But then something unexpected happened. Haynes and Pops started laughing and laughing. The way the fish had jumped out of the water was so funny, and they couldn't stop giggling.<br /><br />"Haynes, that was a great catch!" Pops said. "Even though we didn't bring it home, we had a good laugh together."<div><br /></div><div><div>Haynes realized that even though she didn't catch a fish to take home, she still had a great time with her Pops. They enjoyed the fresh air, the sunshine, and each other's company.</div><br />From that day on, whenever they went fishing and didn't catch anything, they would still laugh and have a good time together. Haynes learned that it's not always about the catch, but about the memories and laughter shared with loved ones.<br /><br />And who knows, maybe one day they'll catch that big fish they've been dreaming of. But until then, they'll continue to enjoy each other's company and the simple joys of fishing.</div><div><br /></div><div><i> And when Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” [5] And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” [6] And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. [7] They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. (Luke 5:4–7 ESV)</i></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-28894128212472572652023-04-25T02:32:00.005-05:002023-05-12T14:41:43.210-05:00Children's Story Time: "No's Are Not Fun!"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqUW0qGScM12GfYjK_LRGDKs5ZI4oXZJOYsUZBIMaCLdFKfPunZdH4_zsGEXxAjes8Hj8T6cY3rBZqvJZVI-Uf43aIJdjeJbtMZ6EUZDcydioD_CihVbvHh1TGOrvkvZi0Gx-Svf3FvpVSyKI39cN9JHs_Wk_5tFQPJEP0aODlDGiEgCVYg/s3088/IMG_0148.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="1872" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqUW0qGScM12GfYjK_LRGDKs5ZI4oXZJOYsUZBIMaCLdFKfPunZdH4_zsGEXxAjes8Hj8T6cY3rBZqvJZVI-Uf43aIJdjeJbtMZ6EUZDcydioD_CihVbvHh1TGOrvkvZi0Gx-Svf3FvpVSyKI39cN9JHs_Wk_5tFQPJEP0aODlDGiEgCVYg/s320/IMG_0148.jpeg" width="194" /></a></div>Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Haynes. Haynes loved to play and have fun, but sometimes she did things she wasn't supposed to do. Like one day, she tried to ride on the back of her great big dog named MawMaw.<br /><br /><i>"No No, Haynes!" </i>her mom shouted. <i>"That's not safe! Don't ride Maw Maw, you might get hurt!"</i><br /><br />Haynes didn't want to stop riding Maw Maw. She was having fun, but her mom's voice made her feel sad.<br /><br /><i>"Why can't I ride my Maw Maw?"</i> Haynes asked.<br /><br /><i>"Because it's not safe,"</i> her mom, Julie, replied.<br /><br />Haynes didn't understand why her mom always said no. She thought <i><b>"NO's are NOT fun".</b></i><br /><br />The next day, Haynes went to her friend Emma's house. Emma had a jar of cookies on the kitchen counter.<br /><br /><i>"Can I have a cookie?"</i> Haynes asked.<br /><br /><i>"No, sorry," </i>Emma's mom said. "<i>We're saving them for later."</i><br /><br />Haynes felt disappointed. She thought <i><b>"NO's are NOT fun"</b></i><br /><br />Later that day, Hayne's dad, Alex, took her to the store to shop for things for their house and passed by the toy aisle. Haynes loved playing in the toy aisle and Haynes and her dad had so much fun!<br /><br />"Can I have this toy, please?" Haynes asked.<br /><i><br />"No, not today,"</i> her dad said. <i>"Maybe next time."<br /></i><br />Hayne's felt sad. She thought<i><b> "NO's are NOT fun".</b></i><br /><br />But then, something amazing happened. Haynes's dad took her to a park with a huge slide. She climbed up the ladder and slid down the slide, again and again. She laughed and giggled, having so much fun.<br /><br /><i>"Haynes," </i>her dad said,<i> "I'm so proud of you for following my rules and being safe. That's why we could come to this fun park."</i><div><br /></div><div>That night at her bedtime prayers, little Haynes prayed and she thought <i><b>"NO's are NOT fun"</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div>But she also remembered that she had a lot of fun with her mom and dad that day. And she thought and thought and thought about it.<br /><br />Haynes realized that sometimes, no's were not fun. But they were important to keep her safe and to make sure she had even more fun later. From that day on, Hayne's tried her best to follow the rules and listen to her parents, even if it meant hearing a few no's along the way.<br /><br />And whenever Haynes felt disappointed, she reminded herself that sometimes, no's were necessary to having a happy and safe life.</div><div><br /></div><div>No's are still no fun... but they help us. And the Bible promises happiness when we obey our parents and others who are older and care about us.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKtWhrzBOs0jzpnssSJPwy7YXytM-cNQu3VeChxNoiY2l5WWVkmxPri3IIhynTTf4IAFSryO06EwL6U8d6i7LirhOkS1Hd_JvRelry5Of2AfaC8ZEH5VRMsvhC-YuoF9sUeWwLTrj9mKzOXz8KqeH3s6GUZcSaLJaHzuPX0eELYKo5Wh-Pw/s3403/IMG_7305.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2791" data-original-width="3403" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKtWhrzBOs0jzpnssSJPwy7YXytM-cNQu3VeChxNoiY2l5WWVkmxPri3IIhynTTf4IAFSryO06EwL6U8d6i7LirhOkS1Hd_JvRelry5Of2AfaC8ZEH5VRMsvhC-YuoF9sUeWwLTrj9mKzOXz8KqeH3s6GUZcSaLJaHzuPX0eELYKo5Wh-Pw/w458-h375/IMG_7305.heic" width="458" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original artwork by BCS student, Cole Weaver</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><div><i>Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. [2] “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), [3] “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” [4] Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:1–4 ESV)</i></div></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-4492659822349802142023-04-23T13:47:00.003-05:002023-04-23T13:49:30.865-05:00Biblical Boasting in a Culture Addicted to Attention<i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3fGZ86hocOmiDFgVsT7r8-D6L3do62bS2aSaHdeHdqByoTrb6oiVTMvpjw_FSpo5JwfcGQ6sfwwrkXLl0FkGVNVBRoa72gAUyz7bCP4T2tCTnInyMHav45xMIEb1nTvX2_0X8BG5UurPsndu7iNaqFIT7TTjTvSBg_f9kEOX_KXsUQTttw/s300/brag.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3fGZ86hocOmiDFgVsT7r8-D6L3do62bS2aSaHdeHdqByoTrb6oiVTMvpjw_FSpo5JwfcGQ6sfwwrkXLl0FkGVNVBRoa72gAUyz7bCP4T2tCTnInyMHav45xMIEb1nTvX2_0X8BG5UurPsndu7iNaqFIT7TTjTvSBg_f9kEOX_KXsUQTttw/s1600/brag.png" width="300" /></a></div>Romans 5: 9-11 (NIV) Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.</span></i><br /><br /><br />The word "boast" here is καυχάομαι (kaucháomai)<br />from some (obsolete) base akin to that of aucheo (to boast) <br /><br />While there are instances in the Bible where people express gratitude and thanksgiving for their accomplishments or blessings, boasting is generally viewed as a negative trait. In fact, the Bible frequently warns against boasting and encourages humility. <div><br /></div><div><b>Here are a few examples: </b></div><div> <i>Proverbs 27:2 - "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips." </i></div><div><i> James 4:16 - "As it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil." </i></div><div><i> 1 Corinthians 1:31 - "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." </i></div><div><i> Galatians 6:14 - "But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." </i></div><div><br /></div><div> Therefore, while some forms of self-expression are permitted, boasting is not generally seen as a positive or desirable behavior in the Bible.</div><div><br /> In a culture of social media and an addiction to attention, boasting can become a common behavior.</div><div><br /></div><div> Social media platforms provide an easy way for people to showcase their accomplishments and seek validation from others. The constant need for attention and validation can lead to an increase in boasting behavior.
Boasting on social media often takes the form of self-promotion, where people highlight their achievements, post pictures of themselves in desirable locations, or share details of their glamorous lifestyle. This behavior can be driven by a desire to impress others, gain social status, or simply seek attention. </div><div><br /></div><div> The downside of this type of boasting is that it can create a culture of comparison and competition, leading to feelings of inadequacy or jealousy in those who feel they can't measure up. Additionally, boasting can also contribute to a lack of authenticity, as people may exaggerate or misrepresent themselves to get attention. </div><div><br /></div><div> Overall, while social media can provide a platform for self-expression and sharing, it's important to be mindful of how much boasting is appropriate and whether it's contributing to a healthy or unhealthy culture of attention-seeking.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I still think we can participate in this cultural marketing platform to shine a light for Christ as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>But it is very HARD to do... and even my desire to post about this, I have to admit that self promotion is very much in play!</div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100434.post-19039570807010774892023-04-23T12:02:00.002-05:002023-04-23T12:02:55.499-05:00Potential Dangers of Artificial Intelligence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiy5tuZQdsW8p10aiH8YfUI3fsYssHC2bB1xHLRohbewszlJJS6z1uUKYQMsnt6zjs_uO7mTJmIQwqx5yO2nE9JjG_l9hN9OQdZYkbDfGlmKZbVnAhDJXmb3pQ9BbsDHUo27g-Cbfs0hMAP8y_E5SgBCIxj49nJbOYXGDkhnrBdm0_x-8mZw/s2220/Screen%20Shot%202023-04-23%20at%2011.24.01%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="2220" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiy5tuZQdsW8p10aiH8YfUI3fsYssHC2bB1xHLRohbewszlJJS6z1uUKYQMsnt6zjs_uO7mTJmIQwqx5yO2nE9JjG_l9hN9OQdZYkbDfGlmKZbVnAhDJXmb3pQ9BbsDHUo27g-Cbfs0hMAP8y_E5SgBCIxj49nJbOYXGDkhnrBdm0_x-8mZw/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-04-23%20at%2011.24.01%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>Sorry to be so late in the game in keeping up with the AI news and banter. I did spend a little time playing around with ChatGPT and found it fascinating, mesmerizing, and terrifying all at the same time.<div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">While</span> <span style="color: #2b00fe;">artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to bring about many benefits, such as improving healthcare, increasing efficiency, and driving innovation, there are also potential dangers associated with its use and application. </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Some of these dangers include:</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>1. Bias and discrimination:</b> AI systems are only as unbiased as the data they are trained on, and if the data is biased, the AI system may perpetuate and even amplify that bias. This can lead to discrimination against certain groups of people, perpetuating and amplifying existing societal inequalities. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b> 2. Job displacement:</b> AI has the potential to automate many jobs, leading to significant job displacement and economic disruption in certain sectors. This could lead to widespread unemployment and social unrest. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b> 3. Privacy violations:</b> AI systems can collect vast amounts of data on individuals and their behaviors, raising concerns about privacy violations and the potential for abuse of that data. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b> 4. Security risks: </b>AI systems can also be vulnerable to cyber attacks and hacking, leading to significant security risks and potential harm. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b> 5. Lack of accountability:</b> As AI becomes increasingly integrated into various systems, it can become difficult to determine who is responsible for its actions and decisions. This can make it difficult to hold individuals or organizations accountable for any negative consequences that may arise. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b> 6. Misuse:</b> AI can be used for malicious purposes, such as creating deepfakes or generating fake news, leading to widespread misinformation and manipulation of public opinion. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Overall, it is important to be aware of these potential dangers and take steps to mitigate them as we continue to develop and use AI technology. This includes ensuring that AI systems are developed in an ethical and responsible manner, that they are transparent and accountable, and that they are subject to appropriate regulation and oversight.</span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>______</div><div><br /></div><div>Everything in blue above was written by an AI open source in about 2 seconds when I prompted it to write a short summary on the dangers of AI. Crazy? The AI also picked out the image to use on this post.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>How about this</b>- I asked it to<b> help me write a pre-game speech for my football team </b></div><div><br /></div><div>In 2 seconds:</div><div><br /></div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Title: One Team, One Goal<br />Introduction:<br />Gentlemen, today is the day we've been working for all season long. This is the moment we've been waiting for - an opportunity to compete at the highest level and show the world what we're made of. But we're not just playing for ourselves today. We're playing for each other, for our coaches, for our school, and for our community. We're playing for something bigger than ourselves. And that's what makes this moment so special.<br /><br /><br />Main Points:<br />1. Focus on the task at hand.<br />Today's game is important, but we can't get caught up in the hype and lose sight of our goal. Our goal is to play to the best of our ability and leave everything on the field. We need to focus on the task at hand, one play at a time, and give it our all. If we stay focused and play with intensity, we can achieve anything we set our minds to.<br /><br />2. Trust each other.<br />We've been through a lot together this season - the ups and downs, the victories and defeats. But through it all, we've learned to trust each other. We know that we can count on each other to do our jobs and play our roles. We need to trust each other today, more than ever. We need to have each other's backs, communicate effectively, and play with unity and purpose.<br /><br /><br />3. Play with heart and passion.<br />Today's game is not just about executing plays or following a game plan. It's about playing with heart and passion - leaving everything on the field and playing with everything we've got. We need to play with intensity and aggression, but also with respect and sportsmanship. Let's show our opponents what we're made of and leave them no doubt that we are the better team.<br /><br /><br />4. Have fun and enjoy the moment.<br />This is an important game, but it's also an opportunity to have fun and enjoy the moment. We've worked hard all season long to get here, and we should be proud of ourselves. Let's savor this moment, and play with joy and enthusiasm. Let's celebrate our successes, learn from our mistakes, and play with no regrets.<br /><br /><br />Conclusion:<br />Gentlemen, today's game is an opportunity to make history. It's a chance to showcase our talent and determination, and leave a lasting legacy for ourselves and our school. Let's play with focus, trust, heart, and passion. Let's have fun, enjoy the moment, and give it everything we've got. Together, we are one team with one goal. Let's go out there and make it happen!</span><div><br /></div><div><b>Then I said- "We are a big underdog"</b></div><div><br /></div><div>In 3 seconds:</div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Title: Believe in the Upset</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Introduction:</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gentlemen, today we face a challenge that many people say we can't overcome. We're the underdog, and the odds are stacked against us. But we didn't come here just to accept defeat. We came here to play our hearts out and show the world what we're made of. We're not just playing against our opponents today - we're playing against doubt, fear, and the idea that we can't win. But we know that anything is possible in football. And we believe in the upset.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Main Points:</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1. Embrace the underdog role.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Being the underdog can be a powerful motivator. It means we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. It means we can play with freedom, passion, and aggression. We need to embrace this underdog role and use it to our advantage. Let's show our opponents that we're not intimidated, and that we're here to fight.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">2. Believe in ourselves.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The key to pulling off an upset is believing in ourselves. We need to trust our abilities, our preparation, and our teammates. We need to believe that we can win this game, even when others doubt us. Let's play with confidence and conviction, and let's show the world what we're capable of.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">3. Play with heart and intensity.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Today's game is not just about winning or losing. It's about playing with heart and intensity - leaving everything on the field and playing with no regrets. We need to play with passion and aggression, but also with discipline and focus. Let's show our opponents that we're not going down without a fight.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">4. Control what we can control.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">We can't control what our opponents do, or what the referees call. But we can control our effort, our attitude, and our execution. We need to focus on what we can control, and do it to the best of our abilities. Let's execute our game plan, play with discipline, and make the most of every opportunity.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Conclusion:</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gentlemen, we face a challenge today, but we are not alone. We have each other, we have our coaches, and we have our fans. Let's play for each other, for our school, and for our community. Let's show the world what we're made of, and leave everything on the field. Believe in the upset. Let's go out there and shock the world!</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Then I asked it to write a sermon for me on Psalm 23.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>In 3 seconds:</div><div><br /></div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Title: The Lord is my Shepherd </span><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Introduction:
Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved and comforting passages in the entire Bible. It is a Psalm of David, who himself was a shepherd before he became a king. In this Psalm, David uses the imagery of a shepherd and his sheep to describe the relationship between God and his people. Today, we will explore this beautiful Psalm and learn about the ways in which God cares for us as our loving Shepherd. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Main Points: </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> 1. The Lord is our provider and protector.
David begins the Psalm by declaring, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." This statement reveals his trust in God to provide for his every need. Just as a shepherd provides food, water, and protection for his sheep, so too does God provide for his people. We can rest assured that God will meet all of our needs if we trust in him. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> 2. The Lord restores our souls.
David goes on to say, "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." Sheep need to rest and be restored, just as we do. God invites us to rest in his presence, to drink from the still waters of his Word, and to be renewed by his Spirit. When we are weary or burdened, we can turn to God and find the rest and renewal we need. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> 3. The Lord guides us on the right path.
David says, "He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." A shepherd leads his sheep on the right path, away from danger and towards safety. Likewise, God leads us on the path of righteousness, away from sin and towards holiness. He does this not for our own sake, but for his name's sake - to bring glory and honor to his name. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> 4. The Lord is with us even in the valley of the shadow of death.
David says, "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me." Sheep sometimes have to walk through dangerous or treacherous valleys, and so do we. But we need not fear, for God is with us. He walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death, and he comforts us with his rod and his staff. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> 5. The Lord prepares a table for us.
David says, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." A shepherd sometimes leads his sheep to a place of safety where they can graze and eat in peace. God does the same for us. He prepares a table for us, even in the midst of our enemies. He invites us to feast on his Word, his presence, and his love. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Conclusion:
Psalm 23 reminds us that we have a loving and caring Shepherd who watches over us and provides for us. He leads us on the right path, restores our souls, and comforts us in times of trouble. Let us trust in him and follow him wherever he leads us, knowing that he will never leave us or forsake us.</span><br /><br />I just said WOW each time.</div><div><br /></div><div>I do think we need to be aware of the growing ability and inherent dangers of this new technology.</div><div><br /></div><div>We need to think about education in light of this new arena- people kind of roll their eyes and go to sleep when I speak of teaching virtue and principle and technique of epistemology... but that is the direction we are heading. The content and writing world is instantly changed... now we need to learn discernment and cling to virtue.</div><div><br /></div><div>Feel free to visit my writings on the need for Implementing a System of Justified Belief in an Educational Setting Here-<b> Post #1 here: <a href="https://www.jayopsis.com/2022/06/developing-and-implementing-system-of.html">Developing System of Justified Belief</a></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>FACE TO FACE</b> communication will become the best avenue for truth exploration.</div><div><br /></div><div>And finally- we will have to be slow and deliberate when we see images, sounds, information that could be damaging to people or institutions.... </div><div><br /></div><div>I worry mostly about the deep fakes and irrational responses.</div><div><br /></div><div>And yes, technically this blogger is out of business- but this is for my children.</div><div><br /></div><div>A real human being is still writing this... you can tell by my flaws!<br /><br /></div>Jayopsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959909531409466552noreply@blogger.com0