Conversations with House- Pain and Presup at Princeton

Day 1 with House at Princeton was adventuresome and fun.  No doubt it was House, but it was fun.

I was a little disappointed that none of his staff were in town and he was actually on a vacation. His department shuts down for 10 days each summer where he takes no patients at all.

So it looks like I was part of his holiday fun and his infinite appetite for distraction.

The man lives in serious pain. I admire his strength of will, his rare intellect, and his ability to function despite the pounding pulses of pain that surge through his thigh. No doubt that he is on edge due to that pain. But it doesn't take any time at all to see that it runs much deeper than anyone can decipher.

The first day, he called all the shots. He ran me around campus until I was sweating. We never stopped to eat- and though he wasn't serious about giving me the 10 cent tour, I was impressed about how much he knew about the history of Princeton. He rattled off chapters and verse of information- dates, significance- the weird part was that is was so non-chalant.

We finally stopped for coffee (He paid- which I am still most confused about and it seems most out of character for him) and sitting down I knew that there was finally going to be a meat and potato talk.

"Ok", he said, "Here you are. You wanted to be here. I have put you through some paces. Now go."

"I'm very surprised to be here," I answered, "because I have only seen you from a distance, there was always a part of me that wanted to get an inside look, get to know you better, and my heart tends to want to encourage people..."

"No, you already are dodging. Come on- you are hedging. What people call southern charm and grace I call wussiness. You are beating around the proverbial bush- I invited you here- you have my attention- GO."

"It's not that simple and I don't think you know my real motives."

"NO, You don't know YOUR real motives." He was very forceful- still closed and waterproof.

My head was spinning.

He was getting very impatient....

But suddenly I found a few words....

"You are right, no one can know the motives because I believe our hearts are deep and twisted- maybe too nuanced for words. But I am no charlatan and I don't regard setting context as wussiness."

I have no clue why, but that one comment, maybe it was a facial expression, maybe it was strength or transparent weakness- broke right through the veneer. He finally looked at me as a human being and not an oddball sideshow for kicks.

He nodded his head in approval. "Good". He then began that staring off to the side lean, eye flickering back and forth. as he held the coffee in both hands now. His can hung on the back of his chair and he pressed into me.

"I have read everything you have posted. And I do think you are genuine. Naive yes- simple yes- and you do have an agenda- you pick postings to persuade and because you do it publicly, you desire for them to justify you- you desire to be validated. You show a care for people- an olive branch- because it brings back affirmation and significance. You reached out to me because I am famous and if you can get a famous person to validate you, that is a big ole stamp of universal approval."

I interrupted him for the first time, "And does that put my faith as false?"

"Ah so you agree with my diagnosis?"

"Well.....I think about intrinsic motivation all the time. My question is more about how your evaluation of me connects to evaluation of faith."

"You know my stance- I have no doubt it is delusional and likely harmful."

"You have no doubt that there is no God."

"YES"

"Pretty bold, I know you are a brilliant man, Dr House, but your faith in NO God goes beyond your powerful logic."

"Stop playing games. I know all the arguments and debate. Your best debate for God is trumped by best reasons for no God. I have ultimately sided on the transcendental argument for the non-existence of God."

I laughed when he said it. It is not a unique position. Christian apologetics has become more grounded in a line of though called TAG or the transcendental argument for God which basically proclaims that without the existence of God you have no grounds to argue the truth of anything at all because God is a necessary precursor to anything universal like the laws of logic.
Skeptics responded with TANG which plays off of TAG which seems to support TAG, but skeptics would say NO- TANG stands on its on.

So what do you do when there is the rock and a hard place disagreement? Give up and agree to disagree? Keep pressing until there is a cry of uncle?

I sipped my coffee. Had a brief pause. We looked at each other.

"So why am I here? You are smart. You have thoroughly studied the issue and landed on a premise. You are unswayed by anything you have read and not impressed with anything I might say or do. Why did you bring me here if you are so sure?"

"I guess I wanted you to see my pain up close. I want you to see deep in my soul and consider the darkness and watch your southern nice gospel grace be extinguished in the deep darkness of world hunger, brutality, fanatical religion, destitution, and my throbbing leg which has to be explained to the absent God."

"Well then you failed. Because the light is not overtaken by the dark."

"The darkness remains."

"Well then, Dr. House, let's try to turn on all the light."

He laughed and I laughed. We touched our coffee cups in a toast and I felt more alive than I had ever felt before.

Conversations With House- Finally Face to Face

I arrived at the Nassau Inn on the campus of Princeton in no shape to spar with Greg House. I was tired and the trip had been more difficult than I desired.

I did feel a resurgence of anticipation when I saw how beautiful Princeton was this time of year. I was especially thankful to finally arrive at this historic hotel.

I guess I'm reeling as well from the initial uneasiness my wife and family had over the news and sudden trip. Does it ever turn out well when you tell people you love that you have been holding a secret?

My wife knows of Dr.  House well enough to be afraid of what shenanigans he may be up to. I have those same fears.

My guess is that a face to face with him means challenges of my personal faith- where will I compromise? Where will I show inconsistency? Will he ask to meet me in a strip club? Will he set up a game of shots? Will he bring me face to face with alternate lifestyles and make me sentence them to an eternity without God?

I'm praying for moment by moment wisdom and I just want to be me.

I laugh at my past failures of trying to play Christian and putting my righteousness on display to impress others.

This goes back almost 30 years when I shared Christ with my first college roommate. He had never been exposed to the good news of Christ and after I explained it to him, he very politely rejected an offer to pray the sinners prayer.

For the next two weeks I tried to live out the faith to impress him- I would shower, make his bed while he showered, pray in front of him, read my Bible to be noticed. I shake my head in remembering the foolishness of it.

All the pretense fell apart one day. I was running late and jumped in the shower. My room mate was running late as well.

"Are you about done?" he frantically asked while I was finishing getting the soap out of my eyes.

I opened my eyes, turned around, and there he was! My 2 week room mate was standing totally naked in the shower with me and I did not handle the shock very well. (I'm sure House will make me clarify at some point my understanding of homosexuality- the charge of homophobia- and how the gospel over time actually improves your empathy of people without condoning sin). But I was a college freshman and not happy about this intrusion.

I still laugh at my reaction, and a little shocked. I DOVE out of the shower, tore the curtain rod down in the process, and turned to him- in full monty anger- and blasted him! "You *&%*#*, what are you doing, *&^%$. I stomped out- fuming- threw on my clothes and went off to class.

I can still feel the guilt 30 years later.

I walked around campus all that day, dreading to see my room mate. WHAT A HYPOCRITE I AM! Not only had I acted stupidly, but I had blown my witness. I had cussed- and I had not used profanity at all since my conversion 3 years earlier. I had worked so hard trying to show my room mate what a godly life looked like..... and now I had blown it.

It was a cold apartment for a few days- I finally broke the ice. "Look, Thom, I'm sorry. I still can't believe I lost my temper with you the other day."

"Aww man- no big deal- sorry I snuck up on you like that." He was smiling- it was more funny to him than tragic to me.

I responded in a true broken hearted moment: "My main embarrassment was that I was hoping to show you that Christ had made a difference in my life- and with that outburst and my profanity laced temper tantrum- I'm just sorry I blew it."

I will NEVER forget his response. "Look Jay, when you told me about Jesus Christ a few weeks ago, I was not and still not ready for that commitment. And as I watched you- I became a less likely candidate because I just did not think I could ever live like that or be that nice. When you blew your stack at me- I saw you as a real person- and the way you apologized makes me think that there is something to this Jesus thing after all."

That day- 30 long years ago- taught me one of the greatest lessons I have ever learned. I will capsulate it by borrowing a quote from a good friend, Pastor David Filson, "Life is too short and the gospel is too good to spend time living as a POSER!" If it was going to have any authenticity to it, I was going to have to live out the gospel with my flaws in view. I was going to have to take ownership of my sin. But I was also going to have to grow in grace and knowledge of truth. This lack of pretense is not a religious ritual to justify poor devotion- it just means that I am who I am- and it takes courage to live that way. And the sad thing is that I still don't live that way as much as I should.

The famous Dr. Greg House limped into the lobby of the Nassau Inn- cane and all- and seemed to recognize me immediately. I stood up and walked to meet him- a much bigger man than I had pictured him. There is something in man that elevates height. I should have known that such a commanding presence was going to be 6'2 minimum. This moment was larger than life!

He stopped, leaned forward on the cane, and looked me over. It was exactly like I imagined it to be. All the mannerisms were more pronounced in real life. He nods as he makes assertions. He looks down a lot and rarely catches your eye- not out of weakness- He is not afraid to look at you- it is more of the alpha male pretending not to notice and demonstrating that you are under him. He pressed me into immediate submission by his height and body language.

"Thank you for having me." I mumbled- we never tried to shake hands.

"Thank you for coming." It was quick- snappy- and totally shocked me.

He leaned away, nodded his head. and motioned- "Let's take a WALK". He said it kind of funny, almost weird, and it hit me right in the heart. Here is a man who lives in pain, it takes great effort to lean on that cane step by step- AND HE CAME TO ME! This was a sacrifice in a number of ways and I was getting more humbled by each hobble.

I was pleasantly relieved when I saw the Segway at the door.

"Sorry that there is only room for one, but I am handicapped you know."

He parked his cane on the handle. Stepped up on the platform, leaned forward and now I was the one who was sacrificing. I was at that awkward pace between a fast walk and slow jog. He knew exactly what he was doing.

"Have you seen the historic Princeton campus? Home of Albert Einstein? Pride of Presbyterian history?" The Segway was quiet and quick.

I was already breaking a sweat.

Conversations With House- Miracle from Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital

this is a 3rd installment of a fictional 'thought experiment' that I have been having fun with. The premise is that I have reached out to the famous fictional TV character- Dr Greg House. I'm putting this intro in because I had 2 people call me yesterday asking if this was real- I have withheld the names to protect the innocent. By the way, if you haven't watched the show- this will make even less sense.

I don't know if it was my answer or if he was growing bored.

I picked up the cell after it buzzed just after midnight- very early for him.

"Do you believe in evolution?"

"Yes"

It was an awkward pause.

"Why?"

"Because the science is sound. All species because of their genetic make-up and environmental factors undergo slight, successive variations over time."

"Are you reading these answers?"

"No, Dr House- but I am trying to be very careful and succinct when we chat."

"So you say the earth is millions of years old and young earth Christians are morons."

"No sir, I did not say that. To make that statement, you have moved beyond science in my opinion and become speculative- not illogical- but not provable beyond a reasonable doubt."

And then he lost his temper - for real this time. He was speaking so fast, so crude, and skewering me that I was having a hard time keeping up. It's funny- but before he had stung me- yet I was kind of enjoying this  rant.

I now know why- calling me passionless and safe hurt my pride. Calling him unscientific and speculative hurt his.

"Look, Dr House, I'm no scientist- I'm not even a true theologian, but from what I have read, all we can document is change in species within species but there are divided opinions as to whether there is proof of species transformation. Yes, birds beaks grow during long droughts, but they also trend back to average size when the rain returns."

It was the longest I had ever spoken to him without a hang up or cut off.

And next came the most unexpected bombshell, one I could have never guessed.

"I'm changing the game now."

I don't know how long the pause was, but it was riveting. My heart beat was audible in my ear and a surge of endorphins made me take quick crisp breaths.

"You are coming to see me. I am going to put you through a 5 day gauntlet. You will fly out next Thursday, you will stay at the Nassau Inn, and you will return to Alabama on Tuesday evening. And- this is almost a miracle of water and wine significance.... I'm going to cover the expenses myself. Someone from the hospital will call you in the morning to set up travel details. So you are going to at least tell your wife now that you have broken through and will personally proselytize the infamous House." click

What have I done now?

Conversations With House- Peppered and Fried

My iphone buzzed and I knew that the game was still on:

"I'm going to call you at 2- I need to hear your best southern redneck y'all."

I spent the morning wondering what was going to happen- this was an adventure for me as well. This is the type of exam you are never ready for- but my foundation has always tried to stay close to I PETER 3:15; "...but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone that asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence..."


And I have spent a good part of the last 20 years trying to do that- preparing and sharing.

I had a light lunch and prayed, spending some time laughing at myself that I am excited about speaking to House but God is not a respecter of persons- I should be just as excited about sharing with  my cashier at Publix.

2:00- 2:03- 2:05- 2:15 the phone never even flickered.

I went on the rest of my day wondering- it should have been so obvious....

My phone rang precisely at 1 o'clock AM - 2:00 eastern and it was somewhat obnoxious at the late time of night.

I tried to gather myself. 'Hello?'

"Did I wake you up?" It was him! He was short and already forceful and rude.

"Yes"- No need to lie now.

"Good. You need more drawl. Say something like 'nice white rice'"

I said it.

"I'm already disappointed- play it up a little for me 'niiiiice whiiiiite riiice'"

"Thank you for responding to my request."

"Well, I have no idea in hell why I decided to waste time on you. All you have done is annoy me. And you are wasting your time- but I thought I might as well spend a little time tearing your tooth fairy boring life view to shreds."

I started to reply when he boldly cut me off in mid breath..

"Here's the game. Time for me to annoy you. I will call you and ask you questions from time to time. No need for pleasantries. I ask. You answer. And I will stay on the line as long as you keep me interested. Do not call me in any circumstance. We will do this until you figure out that there is no God or I decide I am bored or I am finally convinced that you are too stupid to learn truth."

CLICK- He was gone. The game was on.

3:15 AM my phone rang. I pushed the answer button and without even hello he started.

"IF God is good and God is God why am I suffering in pain? Why are there children dying of disease? Why do most of the world not only live in hell but according to your dogmatic doodoo are going to hell as well because they don't worship a naked man on a tree?"

"You aren't asking a question, you are making general and vague accusations. What do we mean by God? What do we mean by good? And who are we to judge where anyone is going- that is the duty of the deity?"

CLICK.

And that was what the next three weeks consisted of. My phone would ring 2-3-4 in the morning. He would pepper me with a question- mostly old school apologetics classics- found in any textbook. I would start to answer and he would shut it off. Sometimes in the middle, mostly right at the end of my quippy response.

The toughest thing was that I didn't feel good about sharing this with anyone- I knew he was going to check me out- and I wanted to assure him that I had not told a soul.

But I was beating myself up pretty good. He was now the one annoying me. I was his toy. The cynical side of me was beginning to convince myself that I was his new enjoyment. Let me pepper and fry this southern hick religious nut.

I imagined him sitting in his chair, with his glass of whiskey, trying to nod off in pain and I was his last little jolt of the day. I imagined that mischievous smirk staring through the ice as he laughed at new game.

My guess is that I received 20 or more calls. He had one a day for me.

3:15 AM BUZZZZZZZ- "Are gay people going to hell?"

"We all are going to hell if we stand before a holy God and no justification for our sin."

"That was your worst answer yet. You are so political. So safe. So polished. These things come out of your mouth like some differential diagnosis my staff throws out. You have no passion- you really don't care about anyone. And your logically flawed and silly philosophy is not even worthy to be sold as horse crap." click

His words stung me. I was no longer enjoying this. My cynical self was now lecturing me about 'casting my pearls before swine'.

What have I done? I just prayed silently, cursed the darkness, and felt my frustration build over another sleepless night.

Conversations with House- The Breakthrough

I updated this series in 2025 as well- https://www.jayopsis.com/2025/07/meeting-house-fictional-conversation.html

I don't know how long it took for Greg House to finally allow me to converse him. I knew it would be unlikely that he would ever respond to someone like me- and I had pretty much given up ever having the chance.

I am not worthy of this dialogue and I feel very unqualified to succeed- I'm not even a great representative of my faith. I often chided myself over my lack of prayer and I'm not one to fast (which is self convicting), which made Dr House's response more than a shock.

Of course- you can play endless mind games with House- is this really him? Is this a set-up for a take down? Is he intrigued or is he just going to finally let me have it with a venomous loathing? Why did I finally get through? What will be the medium of communication? Is this 5 seconds? 5 minutes? 5 years?

Many of you will ask why I chose to reach out to him. And I don't know why.  Is there a part of me that wants to be significant in a larger sense? Is it just another tribute to my selfishness and pride?

Deep down though- I feel honorable motives. Dr Greg House ultimately represents a world view that has connection with a large segment of power players in our culture. A large number of people are drawn to him- partly for entertainment- partly for intrigue. We think about him and empathize for him. But I also think there is a high regard of respect because he honestly endures pain, both physical and deeper wounds of the heart. Yes, he hides and uses pretense- like we all do- but he is honest in his openness of deceit. And the transparency only exposes how deep and complicated the human heart is and why relationships are tangled and intertwined in 'soap opera' type narratives. Life is indeed stranger than fiction.

Dr House is humanity and all humans need exposure to the gospel. A gospel that is hidden and perverted by all three enemies- flesh, culture, and evil.

My iphone buzzed- a text- "Your persistence has annoyed me long enough. How do I press CANCEL?"

I spent a good half day pondering it. He knew who I was. He responded. He had a large number of options- lawyers, police, hospital administration, changing numbers- but he responded in person.

My olive branch had been simple but continuous.

'Dr House, I am a football coach and Bible teacher, and have admired you from a distance. You have a articulated a strong view that God does not exist. I would love a short window of time to challenge that worldview- just one on one. I desire no publicity and it is unlikely I will persuade you- but I want to at least offer a friendly back and forth. I am your ally not your enemy."

I would change the wording from time to time to indicate that it was not a 'cut and paste' deal. One time I just texted, 'I'm not a robot- just thought about you today- and look forward to our conversation."

The weird thing is that he never replied. Had he texted even one time- 'Stop bothering me'- I would have stopped. He never texted 'How did you get my cell?'

So as long as there was no response, I just kept it up. Not everyday- no real pattern- just a quiet prayer that he was reading and deleting- and that maybe I would get a shot.

Now, one last weird premonition. I feel like he had been checking me out on the internet. I keep track of my page views and visits on my blog and website. There is a lot that can be found out about me just on a google search.

And for a week or so I have noticed increased traffic on my posts tagged 'apologetics'. This is not that uncommon- but the search source was a .edu and then came the text.

That evening I responded.

"Thank you for the response. I hope to prove to be a man of my word. All you EVER have to do is say STOP and I will never text you again. But the best thing you could do is have an initial conversation with me and then decide if this exercise has any benefit for us."

And now, I just wait- intrigued- and playing mind games. Whose voice is talking to me right now?- "You are such a hypocrite and self righteous fool- there are plenty of other people to reach out to and try to impress with your half-wit logic- but you are spending time on this dead end road."

I just push back in my thoughts- 'Nobody is hurt by this. I'm just following a heart hunch- which can be dangerous- but God can close any door he chooses. He can open them too."

Part of Chapter 10- Stone's First Season

This post inspired a song- you can listen to it here:

First Varsity Catch

thought I would throw one more post in- trying to tweak it a little.

            How slow could a few hours be? The hours between the end of school and a high school game are as close to eternity as it gets on earth. David turned over in his bed for the 77th time. No sleep, nothing interesting - only the slowly turning red numbers on his clock radio.

            Last year’s team had stayed at the school the entire day - but Coach Prescott believed in turning the players loose. Josh was the most pleased with the arrangements; he and several of the guys who weren’t going to play were at his house having a big time! All the starters were to stay alone, suffering the isolation of pre-game hysteria.

            Was this really just a game? He had played youth soccer and basketball, but had never felt like this. He had a premonition of what it would be like. He could visualize the electricity of the first collision; he had experienced already the gasping for air, the aching muscles. And now it was going to be multiplied beyond any previous experience- more than the spring game, more than the scrimmages, more than he could imagine.

_____________________________

            The sun was setting on the stadium in a beautiful orange mist that made the green of the grass seem to glow. David strolled across the grass toward the locker room carrying the equipment that would serve as his battle armor in just 2 short hours. His pensive outer covering hid the boiling madness deep within his soul. He swallowed hard, he breathed hard, and he trembled slightly with each movement.

________________________________

            The drums started. Everything had seemed like practice - all the dressing, and the early pre-game. He was much looser than he would have ever guessed. The jogging, stretching, first few catches - and then the drums started.

            The beat was mesmerizing; his blood seemed to pulsate in accordance with the rhythm. It was primordial. Every hair stood at attention, his eyes sharpened their focus, his chin lifted in resolution to the purpose. It was if they were beating for him, chanting an ancient, mystical rite of passage. He didn’t think about it until later, but it was as if he were the young Indian warrior listening to the war drummed being strengthened to meet death eye to eye. The war drums were valuable - the beat drove out fear. For the first time in his life, David Stone felt invincible!

_____________________________________

            Everything vanished when his offensive team ran onto the field. He had noticed it all earlier. He saw his teammates’ eyes during the pre-game warm-up. They all were glassy, wild eyes. He watched all the coaches during the pre-game reminders. The colors of their faces flushed with emotion. Coach Press’s veins carved highways of strength down his neck as he appealed once more to the deep stirrings within each member.

            He didn’t remember what he said, but he noticed that everyone was synchronized to the message and with a gigantic, barbaric yawp the team exploded out of the dressing room, exhilarated out of their bodies.

            David had noticed the lights, the crowd, the noise, and the activity - everything a dynamic flood of energy. The cheerleaders lined their chaotic entrance onto the field of testing. Everything was taken in, noticed, registered.... and then it all vanished.

            The crowd, cheerleaders, off the field motion stood still at the kick-off. The opponents had no faces or personality. When the game started, David forgot everything else, and when he stepped across the painted line - when he stepped on the grass of legal play- everything else vanished, including thoughts of himself.

            He stepped into the huddle.

               “Okay, guys,” Alex took charge of the group, “Let’s get it going here.  Left - 34 Read- on ‘go’.”

               Running play. David was relieved already.

               David sprinted to his spot. The defender walked up within a couple of yards. He didn’t seem to have any eyes. He wasn’t very big.

               The ball snapped and David exploded after him. They both hit good shots. In fact, David was a little stunned from the blow. The guy was small but explosive. The next play was a running play away from David and the two just ran side by side. He didn’t seem like a real person to David. Was it the equipment? He couldn’t make out facial features, like he was struggling with a shadow, or a ghost.

               Back in the huddle, David’s fear returned.

               “Right. 224 Z out.” David’s number had been dialed. ‘Break.”

               David ran on instinct. He wasn’t analyzing, he was simply responding to nerve stimuli.

               “Seeeayt. Hut!”

               David sprinted off the ball. He felt like he was in slow motion. He didn’t count his steps, but seemed to cut at the right time. He turned and saw Alex zip the object his direction.

               WHOOMPH! Step, step. David exited the field of play not even realizing that he held a trophy. The war cry went out.

               “GREAT CATCH!”

               David tossed the ball somewhere and sprinted back to the huddle! He did it! He caught a pass! It was a first down! The sideline and invisible mass applauded!

               The huddle wasn’t quite as enthused. “Nice catch, Stone.” David was beaming behind the stoic face.

               Two more running plays gained thirty yards. The team was really moving now. David had been a catalyst. The momentum was stolen the next two plays, however on an off sides penalty and an incomplete pass to a back. It was third and 15.

               “Left, 255 x-hide, on one, ready, break.”

               Pass play, but David wasn’t the primary target. He took his position and looked at the corner. Both boys were wearing signs of play. David felt that both were wearing the marks with honor.

               SNAP. David pushed off the line ten yards and cut to the inside. As he cut he noticed Alex pull the ball down and burst through a hole in the middle of the line! Five... Ten...

 He cut to the left and dodged a defender. David turned, he was a blocker now and needed to shield off the defender. His small cornerback blew right past him though and made a nice open field stop on the star quarterback!

               “Crap!” David missed his block.

               His sideline cheered. First down! And they had advanced to the opponent’s thirty-yard line!

               David returned to the huddle. He and his opponent were even.

   “225 Z Go.” David’s glory call. David felt surprisingly comfortable. This was going to be his score!

               David took his stance and looked up at his friend. He exploded down the line, made a poor head fake, but got a step on the defensive back. He was free! Alex looped it his way. David tracked it; it was thrown a hair short.  David slowed, jumped.

               THUMP! David felt the leather just graze his neck. The ball had been knocked away! The same type sound echoed on the field. His opponent’s teammates ran over and slapped their friend with a supportive gesture.

                “Whew! Nice defense, Skip!”

               David was robbed.

               “Sorry, man. My bad.” Alex took the blame. “I left it too short.” There wasn’t much to say. David wasn’t about to blame him.

               “That’s no problem.”

            David looked at Alex with new resolve.

            “We’ve got four quarters. You won’t miss it all game.”

            Every player nodded with agreement. It was going to be a four-quarter battle. Every player felt that the test had already come. David Stone was ready to go again.

            Alex stepped back into the huddle and translated the signal to the group.

            “Liz, Zipper 29 Toss on Two”

            “Ready...”

Chapter Six from 'Stone's First Season'

Been revising my 'youth' novel about high school football- here, the protagonist- David Stone- is about to experience his first varsity game experience- Spring game before his soph. season.....

Chapter Six: Spring Glory

  Coach Prescott paced along the row of players. He looked at the ground, silently practicing the words, which everyone seemed to listen for intently. He looked up at them, then back to the ground. He paced one last time and took a tremulous breath.

               “I’ve been impressed with you this spring. I’m still making this transition to “Head” coach, I’ve wanted to say very little. I’ve wanted to watch you a lot. I’m fairly impressed. There is so much to being a football team - there is so much for us to learn before next fall. All you’ve done this spring is to learn a little about yourself. Yet, there is one major obstacle left. Tomorrow night some of you will play in your first high school game. It will be the most terrifying thing you have ever experienced. In my years, I’ve seen a lot of good men get so nervous they threw up three times before the kick-off. I’m watching you. How will you respond to pressure?”

               The more he talked, the more David felt the squeeze of building pressure.

               “How will you respond to your fear? If you’re human, you will feel nervousness. If you’re a football player, you will do what you’ve been coached to do. If you’re a winner, you’ll respond to the pressure by making something happen out there. The bus will leave at 5:30, make sure you have all your equipment in order.”

               David was amazed at this man. Everyone remarked about how unusual he seemed. He said so little, yet he communicated so much. Some of the older players were down on him early in the spring, but now they all seemed to expect the coaching end of things to be in good hands. David was especially impressed with his attitude. He wasn’t the ‘rah – rah’ type, but there was something about him. There was something in his demeanor that made David want to win his approval. David felt he would do anything that coach asked.

               The game was twenty- four hours away, and David knew he wouldn’t sleep a wink that night!

  

_____________________________________

                 David had never felt this nervous before. His whole body quivered under the pressure of what was about to transpire. No one would ever be able to appreciate his feeling - no word could ever capture it. It was very exciting and terrifying.

               The team in uniform had an awesome nature about it. They looked like warriors, and everyone felt the surge of pride that they were ready and needed to be feared. David felt so sure about the team, yet unsure about his involvement. Was he the only one like this? It was ironic that David’s teacher had been discussing The Red Badge of Courage again that day. David wondered how similar he and Henry felt. Would he fight with honor, or would he crumble under the pressure? It was everything everyone had said. David knew his manhood was about to be tested, and he dreaded the moment more than ever, but he couldn’t wait for the moment to begin.

               The team gathered in the locker room while an assistant coach re-rehearsed the warm-up routine. Finally, the door opened and the team was herded toward the field. As he walked, David took in the air about him. There was no one in the stands; an obvious result of the early warm-up time. There were some students and parents standing near the concession stand and field house. David smiled just a moment as Dillinger gave a thumbs up to him. He quickly bit back down on his mouthpiece and resumed the killer look that he copied from all the older guys.

               As his feet touched turf, he hit a 3/4 stride that carried him toward the opposite end of the field. He felt so fast and light! The adrenaline surge made him feel sleek and quick. Everyone huddled at the far goal post and grew very quiet.

               A whistle blew and everything went wild! David joined the unison of a thunderous war scream that brought chills across his body. Everyone sprinted to their group and conducted the drills that started every practice, every day. There was an unbelievable difference though! Everyone was whooping and cracking. There was an intense excitement in the air. David ran a full speed route, cutting more quickly than he had in his whole life! The coaches were working them into frenzy with words of encouragement and praise. David felt he was too pumped up, however, when he dropped his first three passes. It shook his confidence until he caught a few before the break.

               The rest of the warm-up was clean and efficient. It was also unbelievably tiring! David remembered the coaches mentioning that it was a normal feeling because of the adrenaline. He had no idea that he would be this tired though!

               The team exited the field and returned to the locker room. The players all headed for the toilets to empty their nervous bladders. David had never noticed a line that long for the bathroom in his life. Soon though they re-gathered and sat. It was quiet again. Everyone sat with blank looks. Everyone just seemed to be waiting. Coach Press paced just a little, glancing at his watch every 25 seconds. He took a little breath.

               “Okay guys, we’re about to go out. Good warm-up. You looked sharp.” He paused for a small eternity.   

            “ You remember what I said yesterday. This is a spring game. It doesn’t count for any standings. Because of that we will play everybody. I know we will make mistakes, That will not bother me. What will bother me is, if we aren't full speed. I’ll be upset if we don’t hit folks. I’m looking for some men who have no fear and want to knock lungs out. That’s what it takes to become winners. I’m looking for a few winners. If I find that, I know we will win some games.”

               David was into it like nothing he had ever known. He wanted to prove to this man that he was that winner.

               “Let’s go.”

               The barbaric war yell erupted again. A huge “senior” knocked David so hard on the head that it bounced off the side of his shoulder pad.

               The atmosphere was completely different as David exited the door. There was a pretty good crowd in the stands. The air was electric! This was one of the most intense moments of David’s life, and he was eating it up!

               The game began without a kick-off on the Spring Hill 35 yard line. David stood on the sideline directly across from the ball. Coach paced right in front of him and talked on a headphone set to an assistant in the press box.

               A whistle blew.

               The first play shocked David. The Spring Hill running back ran for two yards and was cracked by the opponent’s linebacker! David couldn’t quite believe the percussion of the hit. It sounded like every bone in both players broke upon contact! He wasn’t sure at that point if he really wanted to get into the game. Jason Rogers split out wide to his side for the next play. David watched him carefully, knowing he was to copy everything he did in the near future.

               Jason was the senior who was right in front of David on the depth chart. David had been very intimidated by him early in the spring, but now seemed to have a little disdain for him. David felt like he did some things better than Jason did. Jason was not a hustler, and didn’t really seem to even enjoy the game. David had a secret dream to out- perform Jason Rogers, but the thought was miles away at the moment.

               The ball snapped.

               The Spring Hill quarterback dropped back and began to read the opponents coverage. His name was Alex Reynolds. Many coaches in the city had voted him most valuable offensive player the year before. David had come to revere him as sort of an idol. He was a quiet leader with quick feet and a cannon arm. He had blistered David’s hands a time or two that spring.

               Alex scanned the field, moved to his right... and was crunched! An opposing linebacker had rushed from the outside and dropped him for a huge loss. David heard the war- chant from the other sideline, and felt a huge momentum loss on theirs.

               “CHAD! LOOK FOR THE LINEBACKER YOU BLOCKHEAD!” Coach Wally Brakefield walked a few yards on the field and spewed at the dejected tackle. “YOU’VE GOT TO SEE THAT COMING! HAVE WE NOT WORKED ON THAT ALL WEEK?”

               The player slapped himself on the side of the head in frustration. Poor offensive linemen - they play as hard as anyone, knock heads all day long, and have the distinction of getting reamed out more than anyone on the field.

               The team broke the huddle, facing a long third and twelve. Jason Rogers split out to David’s side again. David studied his alignment and agreed that that is where he would line up if he were in. Alex Reynolds called the count and sprinted to Jason’s side. Jason made a quick outside move and then sprinted up the sideline.

               It was a moment of beauty. Jason caused the opposing defensive back to make a false step and he blew right by him. Alex laid a looping toss down the sideline. It all happened right in front of David’s view. Jason tracked the toss, stretched out his hands, and dropped the pass.

               “AAAARGGG!” The two sidelines, the stands, the entire universe all moaned at the same time. It was an unusual moment of universal unity. The opposing sideline moan was of sure relief, like “we were just set up for death and that boy was most gracious.” The Spring Hill moan was translated,” We were about to dance in glory until this idiot dropped a pass our grandmother could have caught.” The crowd was a mixed bag of both, even though the loudest seemed to come from David’s father who stood at the fence line and screamed a little longer than the rest.

               “That’s okay,” Coach Shaw clapped in fake encouragement, “shake it off.” Jason jogged to the sideline with his head hanging awfully low. David followed him all the way to the bench. David watched in twisted, bittersweet horror. That was his biggest fear. He had nightmares about dropping a pass like that in front of everyone. The pressure of that moment approaching did not help him at all.

               The quarter played out uneventful after that moment. Both teams exchanged heavy hits, good punts, and missed opportunities in playing to a scoreless 12 minutes.

               “Stone, you’ll be in this series.”

               David thought that he had peaked in nervousness; he was wrong. Josh came by and gave him a high-five. He had already tasted playing time on the punt team. His uniform bore marks of his playing time.

               “How is it?” David asked.

               “You’ll be fine after a play.” Josh ensured.

               David snapped his chinstrap and stepped on the field. He was in the game! It was exhilaration like he had never known. He was shaking from fright, anxious for the world, and numbed to a daze.

            David listened to the call.

            “Rip, Slot 34 Base on One, Ready...”

            David slapped his hands and bellowed “Break” in unison with the others.

            He ran to the side of the formation and anxiously looked at the official for his alignment.

            “I’m off, I’m off”

            “Back up a little”, he motioned.

            David looked up at the defensive corner who looked very far away. That was his target.

            David looked in just as the ball snap and got a late break off the line. His man sprinted inside David’s block and cracked Spring Hill’s running back for only a 2-yard gain.

            “SSSSTONNNNE !” The coaches all yelled at the same time. The anger shamed him to the core of his soul.

            “Don’t worry about it, Stone”, David heard in the huddle.

            Alex looked right through him. “You got this one. Rip,Zip, 84 flat on two.”

            “Pass my way”, David mumbled.

            David aligned again, went in a short motion, and bolted up field at the snap. Everything was like it was underwater. He took four steps, snapped his head, ripped his elbow, and snatched the well-thrown ball out of the air.

            HE HAD IT! He didn’t think, stopped. and watched his defender stumble past him. HE HAD BROKEN FREE!

            “RUN, STONE, GO - GO-....”

            David heard various yelling and crazy whooping shooting him down the field. He could see the orange goal line cone moving closer.

            CRRRACK. A mass of defenders slapped him out of bounds at the 20!

            David was jerked off the ground by a few recognizable teammates.

            “WOOOOOOOOOOO MAN, WHAT A PLAY!”

            David was too stunned to know what happened. A 37-yard pass play.

                              The rest of the game was sort of a let down. After a missed pass and an ugly looking draw play, Spring Hill missed a 37-yard field goal attempt. From that point on, it became obvious to all this was just a spring game. After half time, David played in two more series, but with back-up quarterbacks who did not attempt a pass toward him. The game ended in a boring 0 - 0 tie.  David felt he was about even as far as good plays to mistakes. He missed two blocks on the evening.

  

               Coach Prescott was really positive after the game. He didn’t single out anyone in particular. David boarded the team bus for the short ride back to the school. It was very up beat. David rolled in laughter at some of the stories and recounts. As he looked around, he caught eyes with Jason Rogers. He wasn’t smiling. He glared at David.

               “So what did you think, Stone?”

               “It was pretty good.”

               “Looks like we’ve got us a little competition.”

               “I don’t think of it that way, Jason.”

               “Well, you better.”

               Another voice-jumped in. “Shut up Jason! What’s that crap? This is supposed to be the ‘all for one team’ thing, you know?” It was Alex.

               “Can’t I give the freshman a hard time?”

               “You weren’t joking, you were serious.”

               “I was not.”

               Several of the team jumped in and mocked him. “I was not.”

               Nothing more was said. But David read the signal. He had an enemy, and it didn’t sit well with him at all.

Proving Osama is Dead and Jesus is Alive- Interesting Parallels

These are fascinating times, filled with a mix of extraordinary events and diverse reactions. The recent news of Osama Bin Laden’s death prompted responses that, as someone deeply engaged in Christian apologetics, struck me as eerily parallel to the reactions recorded in the Gospels about Christ's resurrection. These parallels reveal much about the nature of belief and the human desire for proof.

This isn’t meant to be a scholarly debate, but rather a collection of reflections comparing the world’s most notorious terrorist and the world’s Savior.

1. Ideological Disbelief

It’s remarkable how ideologues, whether in the context of Osama Bin Laden or Jesus Christ, are almost impossible to convince. Despite overwhelming evidence—DNA tests, eyewitness accounts, and even confirmation from Bin Laden’s own daughter—some people still refuse to believe in his death. They dismiss the evidence as government deception or conspiracy.

Similarly, the Gospels show us that hardened skeptics, and indeed all humans born in sin, are naturally inclined to disbelief. For those unwilling to believe, no amount of evidence will suffice. As with the resurrection of Jesus, the predisposition to disbelief often overrides even the most compelling proof.

2. The Challenge of a Clear Narrative

The confusion and conflicting details surrounding the events of Bin Laden’s death reflect a universal truth: it’s challenging to piece together a clear narrative during emotional and dramatic events. Communication is complex—what we think we heard, what was actually said, and what we understood can all differ.

This is also true of the Gospel accounts of the resurrection. Apparent discrepancies in the timeline make the events more authentic to me. These are the testimonies of men who lived through these events, and they believed in them so deeply that they were willing to die for their testimony.

3. The Fog of Rumors and False Evidence

In the aftermath of Bin Laden’s death, we saw the spread of false rumors and even doctored images. Some senators were shown fake photos, and an early image of Bin Laden's death was quickly debunked as a Photoshop creation. President Obama chose not to release the real death image, understanding that for some, no proof would ever be enough.

This resonates with the history of relics associated with Jesus, many of which have been mired in controversy. While some find the Shroud of Turin compelling, I approach it with caution. The true evidence of the resurrection is not in relics but in the historical record and the transformed lives of believers.

4. The Power of Presuppositions

We all live by faith in something, and our presuppositions often shape our judgments. Hardened skeptics believe they see the truth clearly, yet their conclusions are colored by their biases.

Faith in Christ is a gift from God, one that breaks through our natural resistance. When someone comes to faith in Christ, it’s a miracle of the Holy Spirit. And once that faith takes root, the believer experiences the most compelling evidence of all: a personal relationship with Jesus. This experience is sweet, though we are prone to forget and drift.

I am convinced that the resurrection of Jesus is not only historically verifiable but also the best explanation for the agreed-upon facts. For those interested in exploring the evidence, I highly recommend an iPad app developed by my friend Doug Powell, Resurrection iWitness. It’s a powerful tool for those seeking to understand the truth.

5. A Final Comparison: Osama is Dead, Jesus is Alive

In the end, which will be easier to prove: Osama’s death or Jesus’ resurrection? In ancient Jerusalem, the authorities could have ended Christianity by presenting Jesus’ body. But they couldn’t, because He had risen. I wouldn’t be surprised if we eventually see conspiracy theories claiming Bin Laden is still alive, just as some believe Elvis or Hitler survived beyond their supposed deaths.

A Biblical Reflection on Reactions

There’s been significant debate over the public celebrations of Bin Laden’s death. Some argue it’s wrong to rejoice in the death of any person, while others see it as a justified response to the end of a man responsible for so much suffering.

King David’s responses to different situations in the Bible illustrate how complex our reactions can be. In 1 Samuel 17, David celebrated Goliath’s defeat by cutting off his head—a clear victory for God’s people. Yet in 1 Samuel 24, David spared Saul’s life, showing mercy to his enemy. And in 2 Samuel 6, David danced before the Lord in celebration, though his wife Michal despised him for it.

These varied reactions reflect the complexity of human emotions and the difficulty in judging others' actions. As Christians, we must be careful not to assume we fully understand another’s motives. We should also remember the heavenly celebration described in Revelation 19, where the righteous rejoice over the defeat of evil.

Conclusion: The Urgency of the Gospel

Osama Bin Laden is dead, and Jesus is alive. Osama was a man who sincerely believed in a faith system that demanded adherence to impossible standards, leading to oppression and destruction. But Jesus, through His death and resurrection, opened the door to mercy and grace. The cross demonstrates God’s justice, while the resurrection proves His power to save.

Amazingly, the blood of Jesus is sufficient even to cover the sins of Osama, had he repented. But he chose to resist and rebel, and now he faces the judgment of God. For those reading this, your chance for mercy is still open. Each heartbeat is a gift, and one unrepented sin is too many to stand before a holy God.

Now is the time to turn to Christ. These are sober times, filled with signs of the end. But in Christ, there is a living hope.

If you feel the tug on your heart, respond to God in simple, honest prayer:

Lord, I can’t run my life, and I can’t save myself. Please forgive my many sins. I’m crying out to You for help and salvation. I trust in Jesus’ sacrifice for me and ask You to make me Your child. Take my life, Lord. I’m taking baby steps today, but I will never outgrow my need for You. Amen.

To every reader, regardless of your background, I urge you to open your life to Jesus Christ, the risen and living God. The time to repent is now.

My Music City Miracle

  I wanted to write this AM while it was fresh on my mind- the long process which culminated in my finishing the Music City Marathon this past Saturday. If you haven't figured out by now- this blog is one of the many SELFISH things I do to store into memory the beautiful life that God has granted me- there is no way that I can rationalize away that it is very narcissistic and perpetuates my human default mode of making myself  'look good'- but at the same time I have always endeavored to state things transparently and truthfully in hopes of making God shine- especially His beautiful gospel of a sinner (me) being adopted as a son!

So.... a brief background. I have run a handful of 5 and 10 k's over the course of my adult like (maybe 2 10K's and 5 5K's) and the longest 'race' I ever ran was an 8 mile run that went up and down Oak Mtn (4 miles up and 4 miles down).

All of this is wrapped up in my lifelong battle with over eating and my weight has hindered my exercise at times. ( You can read about my weight loss battle/success here Blog 1 of 3 about my weight loss ) There is also another part of this 'miracle' and that is that I have had 2 orthoscopic knee surgeries to repair torn meniscus (right knee in 2004 and left knee in 2007 Blog- Left Knee). Both times I had to endure some painful tendonitis post op and wondered if I would EVER run again. Thank you Dr's Greg and Jeff Cook at Franklin Orthopedics!

So what happened? Why? How? Would I do it again? What would I do differently?

these shoes were a big part

Of course you have to start with the weight loss. No doubt that I was carrying too much weight which put too much stress on my joints to run- so as I lost weight, it got easier and I got stronger. I also have to give credit to my VFF toe shoes. Though I DID NOT run the marathon in these shoes they were a  huge part of improving my stride and allowed me to train without any ankle,knee, or hip injuries!(I ran the marathon in Aasics Gels and they are great shoes.)

GPS watch was big as well

Another part of this background was losing my job on Dec 9, 2010. The anger of that event combined with the time I now had put me on the road running and praying. I found no better relief from the pain of that event in my life as running- the early weeks I punched the air as I ran and it helped run it out of me. I remember one run going out at 33F and just enjoying the cold blast and crying out to my Father as I just attacked the run. I also need to mention getting a Garmin GPS watch for Christmas- this watch helped me log my pace/heart rate/distance and it all downloaded on my computer. I charted maps on mapmyrun.com and having it all recorded was a great motivator.

On Jan 19, 2011, my wife and I decided to try a LONG run- we had TIME and so we went 10 miles! I can't tell you how hard that was. I took an hour and 48 minutes! I could not believe it. Was very sore the next day- but it was exhilarating to do it! I was now hooked.

I started adding a few long runs (11.5 on Jan 31 and 12.5 on Feb 26). It was close to this time that Shane Harmon (great friend and fellow coach) encouraged me to do the Marathon. I had a number of people say "Do the half"- but I was already there... Barrett Mosbacker tweeted to me "Do the FULL" . I downloaded a Hal Higdon Marathon Training program and decided to train.  I decided on March 12 to run the 26.2 on April 30 but was going to wait and pay the money until later (no refund, even if sick or injured).

I enjoyed the training- it was intermediate runs (ex: 6/8/6) with 1 off day- 1 LONG day- and 1 cross train day (which was bike riding or elliptical for me). I did 117 miles in Jan- 82 miles in Feb- 159 miles in March- and 141 in April.

I did EmergenC supplement- a lot of water- and I ATE (I gained a total of 12 lbs training for the marathon- now I have to go back on my diet for a month or so).

I also began praying that God would lead me to a charity to run for. Not long after that I was informed through Facebook that Bill Williams was hosting a pancake breakfast for Tim's Memorial Scholarship Fund and I knew right then that that was going to be an incentive and who I wanted to help. If everyone follows through with their pledge, we should raise about $2,000.00 for that great family in Ft Campbell. I ran with Tim's LOGO on my t-shirt and had a few shout outs to Ft Campbell as I ran. Psalm 27:1 is on the back of that shirt (designed by Bill Williams) and a girl asked me to quote it on the run (mile 22).

I could say more about the physical,mental, and spiritual training- but the journey IS as big as the destination. I did want to say that I read Dean Karnazes book 50/50 in which he tells the story of running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 CONSECUTIVE days! I enjoyed it immensely!

EXPO: I went on Thursday and picked up my race number and enjoyed the vendors. I wish I had spent a little more time there- it was a cool build up.

RACE DAY: It was a beautiful day, just 48 hours after the tornadoes tore up the south. I got up at 4AM- downed a bagel with honey and apple with peanut butter- I rubbed vaseline on my chaffing spots- packed my gear bag- and pulled out on the way to LP field. The traffic was bad- it took me almost 50 minutes to get to the parking lot! I got on a shuttle to the start line at 5:45 and arrived at the start line around 6AM.

I registered my gear bag (good system UPS), took ibupropen, and did one last porta john stop- I stood in the potty line for 35 minutes! I timed one guy- he was in there for 10 minutes! (how?)

To put it simply, I entered Corral #8 as they were singing the national anthem!

Now- let me stop here and say what a beautiful, incredible sight the start of the race is! I looked behind me to see the largest sea of people I have ever observed in person! And it was a gorgeous spring day!

The horn sounded and we began to move toward the start line- I started my Garmin and was off. It was a great start! Music and energy everywhere!

I kept a glance at my pace on the watch and was running effortless at about a 9:45 pace (by the way Johnny Woods gave me great advice about starting in a faster corral- I think it is god to do). My only little issue was a sore/tight right ankle that had been bothering me a little since my last 20 mile training run. But it was not pain- just a little discomfort.

I ran well- no issues- did not even feel like I was breathing hard- YES- there were hills- but they were rolling up and down- I ran the half in 2:20 and I began to think I might run under 5. My race calculator had predicted a 5:05 based on pace and fade.

NOW to the PAIN.

There was this HILL at mile 18. I noticed a lot of people walking it. I just kept chugging along (about 10:50). One cheerleader/bystander applauded- "WAY TO RUN THE HILL"- and the guy next to him said "I HOPE HE DOESN"T REGRET IT". Anyway (and my memory gets foggy here) it seems like it was a mile long uphill and I was hitting the wall. The water station was BEFORE the crest of the hill and as I grabbed the cup of water I had to start walking to drink it.

One of my race coaches (maybe Johnny?) told me "Once you start walking- it will be like crack cocaine and you will get addicted to it"- at Mile 19- I was going to have to fight this addiction for over 7 miles!

I had done GU at 5/10/15- had a small orange slice at 8- and had a sip of cytomax on 3 of the water stations- but my energy was out. It was also beginning to feel hotter (we started at 50F and the temp climbed to 82 by 11AM).

I ran to mile 20 and was fading fast (my pace had fallen to 12.5) and my legs were screaming for a walk break. No more cheering crowd- the bands were less numerous- a dead rotting possum stunk up the air- and we all became walkers and stumblers.

From mile 21 to mile 23 I did a series of 'bargains'- run a half and walk a quarter. It was during this part that we went around Shelby Bottoms and it was a pretty park- but I was in no mood to enjoy it. The hills seemed like mountains and the short downhills allowed my to get to a 11:30 pace.

Now- PANIC- I started seeing young/fit guys 'falling out' left and right. I was passed by 3 ambulances and there were runners laid out around the park with ice bags on them- I heard my wife's voice (if you get close to being over the top- slow down- no shame to walk a little)- so from 23-24.5 I walked half and ran half. BUT I WAS HURTING FROM MY FEET ALL THE WAY TO MY CHEEKS. I had nothing to make my feet move.

There were some cruel hills along the way.

At mile marker 25- I finally found a little more speed and willed myself in. I know this sounds crazy- but from Mile 26 to the finish (2 tenths of a mile) was the longest/hardest short distance I have ever run in my whole life.

I weakly raised my arms at the finish and it was over. I was OK. Got my medal- downed 2 waters and 1 cytomax in 30 seconds. Ate a banana and energy bar. Got my free food and beverage. Got my gear bag- and got in the car. It was over.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Loved it-Hated it.. I want to try it again. I can do it better.

I know I am leaving Nashville- but I realize that I DO love this city. Beautiful scenery and beautiful people. I saw Rod Thurley in the crowd and he was so encouraging! Coming back to this Marathon will provide a way to re-connect to 7 amazing years! I am a changed man since coming here 7 years ago. God has really done some work on me!

THINGS I WOULD DO DIFFERENT:

It may be just me- but I wish I had run over the distance 1 time in training- I know all the experts say just do 20- but 20-26 is a different deal- and maybe it does the body no good to go over 20- but I wished I had experienced it before.

I gained too much weight. I thought as much as I was running, it meant I could just eat like a horse- but NO- I should have tracked the scales a little more- the extra weight I think hurt me at the end. I especially should have been smarter during the tapering period.

I wish I had taken a little more time at Expo and I wish I had gone to the post-race festivities- I did make the right choice and enjoy my daughter's senior prom- but it would have been fun!

Should have done a little more hills in training. If I lived in Nashville, I would suggest doing a 15 mile run and then going to Shelby Park and running that loop while you are sore and stiff just as a mental log of how it feels. This is a hard race to prepare for because it is hard to get any temperature acclimatization during the training period.

POST RACE: It is now Monday. I went to the rec center yesterday and did a light treadmill run (2.5 miles starting at 4 mph and slowly working up to 6mph). My quads are SORE. but I rolled my legs out- took a cold bath- stretched- and feel amazingly good! I'm taking today off!

OFFICIAL STATS:
PACE:11:56 (huge fade at end)
5K- 32:27   10K:1:06:41   10 MI: 1:47:00
HALF: 2:21:34
20 MI: 3:43:59
CHIP TIME: 5:12:31
OVERALL: 2918 OUT OF 4082
DIVISION: 185 OUT OF 240
GENDER: 1727 OUT OF 2249

FUTURE GOALS:
WEIGHT LOSS- I want to be back below 190 by July 15
I want to keep a running routine of 3 medium and one long throughout the year.
Run a marathon under 5 hours ( Chicago Oct? Mercedes in Feb? Music City April?)
Run in 3 races this summer.

I also pray that the Lord will keep me healthy enough to enjoy the road!

This One Goes Out to the One I Love- Day 31- Proverbs 31

The end of the journey- I have had more fun reading and journaling on this amazing book! I could start all over again tomorrow and still find more buried treasure and applicable truths!

Yes, there is a short intro- again a possible reference to Babylonian worldview- still connected to God's truth- and almost a humorous repetition of "What are you doing- Oh Son of Mine?"- I just feel the sarcasm.

And the basic truth- royalty is no sewer rat- we are Sons of the King- we should act and move and live with class. We should not be immoral or gluttons or drunks- we should be 'better than that".

But we know the famous end to Proverbs- the Proverbs 31 woman- and it completely describes my best friend- my wife of 23 years- I never knew I could admire and love someone so much!

An excellent wife- who can find? I tell you- I feel so fortunate to have landed a 'great one' way beyond what I deserve!

And she IS my sweet friend- this is her description in Ch 31:

I trust her
I have no lack
She is so good to me
She works with excellence and diligence and expertise
She goes out and comes back with goods for us
She is the first one up everyday- way before the dawn
She is savvy in business and family affairs
She is STRONG
She works late into the night
She never stops- always moving- looking to serve and improve
She is so generous to others
She has prepared well for all circumstances
She is stylish and beautiful- she takes care of herself
She has always promoted and supported me
She can smile
She has discipled our children in the WORD
She is kind and wise
She looks our for the good to all of our family
She is NEVER IDLE
Our children adore and admire her
She is the total top of all

³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;    but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. ³¹ Honor her for all that her hands have done,    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

I know Mother's Day is still a week away- but how can I not HONOR this incredible woman in my life?


This is a very fitting way to close out Proverbs- the wisest counsel yet!