Shattered

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Run in the Dark

This past Saturday I ran in a 5K. It was so much fun. The Community Storehouse sponsored the Run in the Dark 5K. Sam and Emma were so funny, they loved it that I was running in a race. Sam was sure that I was going to win. The Community Storehouse is a worth while group to support and was a great excuse to jump into doing some running. About a year ago I was working out consistently with the goal of doing a triathlon. I am determined that I will get to compete in one.

The best moment was coming to the finish line kicking it in and seeing my family cheering. Emma reached out her hand and chased me across the finish line in her flip flops. She is looking forward to running a race soon.

Football Season

Are you ready for football season? I am pumped; this is going to be a great season. These clips are in honor of the start of the regular season games. These locker room speeches will get you jacked. For those that never played, probably be a mini-jack; for those that never played but love the game, maybe a half-jack; for those that played and still "feel" it...

Summer will always mean two-a-days. September will always mean the start of football season, even if baseball is going too long. Fall will always feel like football season. Friday nights will always be for football.








If you like them you can watch the rest here.

What have I done?

I am not sure what I have gotten myself into...

Football. I love the game: playing, watching, coaching. This week adds a new one, Fantasy Football. What have I done? So, here's my problem... I've never been the "stats" guy. You know that guy that somehow has the steel trap memory to remember every player's stats since 1983. That's not me. I can't talk the trades or debate the draft. And now I am playing a game where it's pretty important to track stats and trades. Either way I am looking forward to it, because if it's football then I'm sure I will like it.

Here is where you come in, I need some help! First, I need to pick a team name. Secondly, if you are a FFL'er and know what you are doing, please hook me up with some tips.

This is going to be a very interesting football season. Are you ready for some football?

Football and my boy

Watching the game tonight my son came in and sat down next to me. Every time an offense got set he would say "set, hike, go"... then as the play happened he would yell "go, go, go". As the offensive player got tackled he'd sigh and say, "oh, man". This went on almost half of the second quarter. It's great that my son is into watching football.

Ready for some football

A great day for football...
my highlights from today...

• Watching football with friends
• Denver spanked at home 41-3
• Seattle sea-chicken's pwned 21-0
• Kansas City losses 17-7
• Bears squeak out a win in Lambeau 27-20
• Raiders get a day of rest
• Raiders take the #1 spot in the AFC West

This is enjoyable while it is here. I am not expecting it to last too long.

On a side sports note, a friend's sister ran in the Chicago marathon... and it was canceled! How crazy it that. The hottest Chicago marathon in something like 40 years.

Mountain bike speed

Bike Hits 130.7 mph. On Snow! Wired news has a story about a 33 year old that smashed the World Speed Record for series mountain bikes. Austrian Markus Stoeckl broke the 8 year old record on a 2000 meter, 45 degree run in the Chilean Alps. Because of the extreme cold, he had to hold his breath for the 40 second duration so his helmet didn't fog up.

Now that would be a rush!

One of a kind

Trek put together a one-off Madone for Levi in honor of his recent win at the US Pro National Championships. This is an amazing bike!

Chicago Bears training camp

My family visited Bourbonnais, IL this week for the Chicago Bear's training camp. It was great! I could not believe how close to the practice we were. The other amazing thing was how closely the practice schedule resembled the practice schedule I remember from high school coaching.

The most fun was not on the field, but watching my son pretending he was playing football. Once he grew tired of that, he decided (with some prompting) to roll down the hill. His aim was perfect... he rolled right through a muddy area in the grass.


There was one element that was specifically impressive. You have to know how a practice runs to know why this is impressive, but before "team time", there is a time for "individual break out" time where specific positions practice their individual roles. I saw the linebackers practicing and noticed Urlacher. He was not in his position but he was running the scout position. Here is one of the most publicized players on the team, easily expected to have a huge ego, running drills on the scout team. It wasn't just once, he continued to get back in line and run scouting drills. Team... pushing your teammates to succeed to their best, not just getting your best.

White Sox game

We had a great time with some great friends at the White Sox game Saturday. The Sox came so close to winning with a grand slam in the bottom of the 9th.

Superbowl Party

So much for the annual church superbowl parties.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The NFL has nixed a church's plans to use a wall projector to show the Colts-Bears Super Bowl game, saying it would violate copyright laws.

NFL officials spotted a promotion of Fall Creek Baptist Church's "Super Bowl Bash" on the church Web site last week and overnighted a letter to the pastor demanding the party be canceled, the church said.

Read the rest of the story.

Storm headed to Miami

Here is a satellite image of what is headed toward Miami. It has already destroyed New Orleans and now is headed to hit Miami.

Superbowl boundAnother great game. We were on our way home from Winter Retreat, trying to keep track of the game. Once we arrived home it was fun to see everyone hurry off to catch the end of the game. Thanks to DVR, I was able to catch the highlights. It was a great way to top off an amazing weekend.

What a Game!


Bears win in overtime! Bears over Seattle 27-24. Wow, what a game! Next week New Orleans Saints come to take on the Bears in Chicago. As an added bonus the new season of 24 begins tonight.

I am thinking that this might just be what we need...

This is the perfect blend of football and faith.

Blackhawks 1 - Blue Jackets 0

Visited the United Center for a Chicago Blackhawks game. We had GREAT seats... 6 rows up from the ice, in a perfect spot to catch all of the action. There was a lot of checking. A puck went over the glass and hit a guy in the head, he had to get taken care of by the paramedics. A couple of fights tried to get started but one referee was all into breaking up the fights tonight. Chicago scored in the second period. Their goalie had a great game... 28 shots on goal. Not a bad way to experience my first blackhawks game, Blackhawks win.

Last Practice

Today was the last day of practice for football. As I look back on this year, it has been so great. I am really proud of our team. They started with nobody expecting anything and they came out and proved that they were there to play. They have won more and done more that anyone thought they would. Over the season it has been cool to see the attitude of the team change. They have really grown. Most of all, I have loved it. The last couple of months have been so rewarding. I have gotten to hang with some great guys.

Weakness

Last Friday evening the football team I coach with played the defending state champions at our homecoming game. Our humiliating loss has really pointed out our weaknesses as a team. It was probably one of the most difficult losses that I have experienced. I hate losing! In the weakness of losing there can be a lot learned.

Lately I feel that I have been in an uphill both ways, losing battle. My weaknesses seem to be exaggerated and pointed out more often. This is never fun. Weaknesses are humiliating. Rather that fight the weakness maybe the best thing that I can do is to embrace it.

2 Corinthians 12:9, But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

More than anything I want to experience Christ's power in my life. If His power comes through my acknowledgement of my weaknesses, then so be it.

I just realized why i like ye 'ol pirate...

Never, Never, Never Give Up

Quite a day, our football season opener game was today. What a game! It was a fight... until 2 minutes into the fourth quarter the game was scoreless. We pulled it out 8-0. I was so proud of our football team today. The guys never gave up, they worked hard every minute.

It's a great reminder especially in ministry to never give up, go hard - always, never, never, never give up.

...never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.
Winston Churchill, The Churchill Centre