An appreciation

I'm playing Mr. Mom for a few days.  I got 3 kids (18, 14, 8). Girl, boy, girl. You know that more goes into the day than just getting the kids up and sending them off to school.  There's everything that goes before and after that.  Rewind night before...

check homework: 2nd grade homework is dealing with rhombus and algebra equations--REALLY?! I didn't do well with that in 10th grade!  Thankfully baby girl had a better grip on it than me.  I hope that homework is right--my name is on it now. 

Lunch: pack a lunch, a snack, make sure you include water for the snack, make sure the water bottle is clean, just like the lunch box. I got this! (ok, hopefully)

clothes: Now I've never been one who was fashionably gifted.  If left up to me sweats/hoodies and Nike would be all I'd wear--come to think of it, that is all I wear. Baby girl has SOOOO many clothes--a lot with the tags still on them (Need to talk to the wife about that). I can't remembe what shirt went with what pants.  I see sweats!  NO! resist the urge! Ok, I got a decent outfit.  But now I have to pack her clothes for a 3 days.  What to do? I got it, bribe the 18 year old! It wont cost me much and I'm off the hook if it's not what she's supposed to wear.  If it is, great!  I look like a genious!

hair: Uh oh...not my strong suit. 18 yr old comes down stairs to save the day!  WRONG! she put a band around her head and called it a day.  I got this! (see the before and after--I'm talented)

Now all that's left is: call both schools to let them know kids aren't coming in for a couple days, check clothes getting packed, make sure you pick up baby girl off of bus because oldest is at day 1 for her job, get dinner together, pick up son from soccer practice, take back shoes to store--didn't fit well and we need them for the trip, pack my clothes, check what the kids got packed and HOW much they got packed, check BB for work stuff, get refill on prescription because it will run out while I'm gone, fuel up the van, pack snacks for the trip, set DVR for missed programs, set out of office message at work on phone and email, put mail on hold, STEAL 5 MINUTES OF SANITY, get baby girl settled in for bed, check on other kids for homework, try to spend SOME quality time with kids, check on wife, go to bed and hope to get at least 5-6 hours sleep before a 9 hour drive.  I feel like I forgot something...

In short my appreciation to all those out there handling your business whether it's couples raising their kids together, single mom's, single dad's doing what they're supposed to--not asking for praise just doing what has to be done.  It takes a village to raise a child.  If you don't have a village handy, do the best you can and pray for guidance.  No parent is perfect, but darned if we don't try to be!

God bless

NBA All-Star game

As I was winding down a busy weekend (see "TIME" blog for explanation) I turned to the NBA All-Star game.  I wasn't looking forward to it--honestly I was indifferent about it.  Had their been a good movie in Redbox I probably would've missed it.  I watched the opening intro's of the players and found myself getting into it.  The announcers talked about all the underlying stories (Kobe needing 19 points to pass MJ for all time scoring for the All-star game, Magic Johnson's 20 year anniversary of his last All-Star--post positive HIV test, etc...). Once they tipped it off, it was basketball at 100 MPH--and I was loving it!  I forgot how fun these games are.  Granted, if you like defense--viewer discretion is advised. 

The lobs were ridiculous!  CP3 to basically everyone; D-Wade and LeBron--there chemistry on the court is borderline illegal!  Westbrook came in and showed out!  He played like a guy at his first all star game and he was doing it big!  KD showed he can shoot from anywhere in AND outside of the building.  Kobe--Black Mamba--was, well Kobe! He got the record and a broken nose to boot (courtesy of D-Wade).  Great!  why great?!  The Heat come for a visit to LA and the guy with the longest memory in the NBA will be ready and loaded for bear!  To quote a great philosopher (Casey Cousin III) "People need to stop acting like Kobe Bryant isn't stil Kobe Bryant!"  (I love that line!)

The NFL and MLB can take some pointers from the NBA.  This is BY FAR the best all star game of the big 3 sports. In a time where sports are looking to appease fans more, NFL and MLB should see what the NBA is doing and figure out how to get that kind of interest in their games.  Not sure it's possible, but worth a try!

Time

Time is promised to no one.  We've all heard that before.  Usually we reflect on things like this when we lose a loved one, or we have a life changing event.  This weekend my grandmother celebrated her 99th birthday! 99 years!  If that's not a blessing, I don't know what is!  Same weekend my father in law passed away. I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with grandma talking about everything from the weather to my new recipe for cooking a ham (came out great--ask me my secret!).  I spent several hours consoling my wife and kids, making travel plans for her, making plans for the kids and myself while she's gone, plus doing what I can to help lift her spirits during this difficult time. 

Why don't we have an appreciation for things more frequently?  Is it because we lose track of what's important day to day? Maybe. We only get one life to live.  How we live it says a lot about who we are and what we value.  Matt 6:19-21 says "do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."   

You can tell what's important to someone by where they spend their time--put forth their effort. I am certainly not one to judge--I've misspent plenty of time and opportunity in my life on frivolous things.  Ultimately I have to live with those decisions. Only thing I can do now is make sure my focus is what's important to me--not what other's think should be important to me.  It's your one and only life, how are you living it?

HOF worthy? MMMMM....

I just read an article on ESPN announcing the finalist for the Pro Basketball HOF.  It's headline by Reggie Miller (should be a no-brainer this time).  As the you get to the bottom of the article, an interesting name pops up from the "contribution committee."  Phil Knight.  Phil Knight is the co-founder of Nike.  Is Phil Knight worthy of being inducted into the Pro Basketball HOF? I need someone to give me an argument that a Nike co-founder should get in. In my EXPERT opinion, he's not. I don't see what his contribution was to the pro game. Air Jordan's have impacted society, but an impact to pro ball?!  C'MON MAN! I'd put in Joe-Bob Spaulding first! Why Phil Knight? The Hall of Fame should be for those who have a noticeable impact on the game.  Someone who changed the game (via rules or strategies) but simply selling gear and shoes--NAAAA!
As a kid growing up the shoes of choice were Chuck Taylor's by Converse (or Konverse as MY shoes used to say--thanks to my parents buying them from the knock off store. I'm still scarred over that). Without Googling it, I couldn't tell you Chuck Taylor is/was.  I can tell Dr. J used to wear Chuck's and Dr. J was the man!  From there you got Air Force One (Nike), Weapons (Converse), Air Jordans (Nike), Hammers (British Knights)...just checking to see if you're paying attention :)
Don't get me wrong. I'm not hatin' on Phil Knight.  I'm sure the millions (AND MILLIONS in my Rock voice) I've spent on Nike shoes, shirts, sweats, etc... probably paid for a car or two of his.  I'm just saying the HOF should be sacred--select company only.  Exceptions need not apply.

...or maybe it's just me...

What's important to you?

My pastor did a great series about choices in life.  Part of one of his sermons asked "what is important to you?"  Most people would naturally say family, friends, relationship with God, etc...He posed the follow up question "what do you make/schedule time for?"  If those things you listed were important wouldn't you have a regular schedule to devote time to them? Smacked me right in the face.  Like most, I said those things were 'important' to me but the reality is I didn't have a regular schedule to devote time.  In my head I 'planned to do this and that' but those plans were usually subject to change.  It made me realize I really didn't schedule time for the things that I claimed were important to me.  I started making a schedule to devote time to study, exercise, family time and just as important--ME time!  So far it's given me balance that I didn't have before.  Try it, see if it works for you.  I'd be interested in hearing any comments on this one.
thanks for reading :)

Jumping out there...who's with me?

Man, this is my first time doing, starting, writing a blog.  I gotta give a shout to my cousin Casey "C3" Cousin III for inspiring me and giving me the idea to do this.  Before I get into it I want to start by saying I give all praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Without His love, grace and giving me a way to be redeem I'm not here.

Ok, a little about me and what I see this blog becoming.  This will be my creative outlet for short stories, ideas for books, movies, my EXPERT take on sports, love, kids, music and just bein' ordinary folk.  I hope you enjoy what I put out there. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, but at least respect the thought process behind it.  Feel free to leave your comments or contact me.  All I ask is be respectful. 

First topic:
How many people are actually doing what they thought they would be doing (career wise)?  You go through high school and college with a career path in mind.  Is it to make money or to make yourself happy?  There's an expression if you do what you love you'll never work a day in your life. Sounds true, but is it? I love movies and sports.  I never dedicated the time to be professional at either.  I used to fancy myself a writer.  I didn't have enough discipline to finish more than a children's book.  Yet, I'd love to be in the film industry.  I like golfing (if what I do can be considered golfing).  I didn't take the time to get better and improve my game because it wasn't important to me.  So what's my point?  I'm successful as a Quality Manager for a large US company.  I've credited my success to working hard and putting in the day to day work needed to be successful.  I've looked for and taken opportunities that have worked out well in my favor.  FARTHEST thing from my mind when I was finishing high school, joining the Air Force and finishing college.  However I found my niche.  It feels like work MOST of the time.  There are those days that you feel a sense of satisfaction that you chose correctly.  I guess I've never met anyone who is doing what they love and doesn't consider the time and effort that they put into it as "work."  My pastor gave an example a couple weeks ago of a famous golfer (not Tiger) who told someone in the crowd after repeatedly saying to him "I'd give anything to play like you."  He said "no you wouldn't.  I get up everyday at the crack of dawn and hit 1000 golf balls.  My hands start to bleed. I go in and get them bandaged up then go hit another 1000 golf balls.  I do this everyday to make myself better."  WOW! 
There's nothing wrong with excelling at something you didn't plan on.  Remember even your "Dream Job" requires a lot of work and sacrifice.  I'll leave my first entry with another familiar expression: "anything worth having is worth working for!"

scripture for today: Deuteronomy 8:17-18
You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me."  But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.