Book Review- George Washington by Paul Johnson

Part of the Eminent Lives series by Harper Collins, this work by Paul Johnson on the life of George Washington is quite concise, 123 pages in total. In a biographical volume this short, the reader gets only small snapshots of what the subject was really like.

The portrait that Johnson paints of Washington is one of an aggressive landowner who was often consumed by self-seeking interests. Washington's personal vanity is referenced throughout the book as well. While I do not mean to imply that the author is overly negative or anti-Washington is his writing, Johnson certainly does not present the first President of the United States as the almost faultless figure that other Washington biographers have.

Often when reading a short presidential biography such as this one, I am prompted to want to learn more about the national leader who is being chronicled. That is not the case this time however.

Leadership Session with Les Steckel

Les Steckel, the President and CEO of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is a former officer in the United States Marine Corps and a former head coach in the National Football League. He recently addressed our church staff on the topic of leadership in ministry. Here is some of what he shared:

Ministry is "people business".

How can you lead if you don't know what your values are?

Practice "HOT" (Honest, Open and Transparent) communication. Leave egos at the door.

5 Leadership Qualities to Build a Championship Team-
1. Communication: How do you express how you really care?
2. Cooperation: Integrity, Teamwork, Serving, Excellence
3. Contribution: Everyone wants to make a contribution
4. Commitment: Promises are for losers; commitments are for winners
5. Christ: Christ must always be in the center

Be on time. If you are one minute late, you are wasting our time. If you are one minute early, you are wasting your own time.

Three things we all crave: attention, affirmation, affection.

John Holland, an executive at Fruit of the Loom, had this definition for "self-discipline": doing what you don't want to do

The most depressing statement: "If I had to do it over again....". We must realize the importance of living every day for Christ.

Fun on Friday

I find the Winter X Games really fun TV viewing. Interesting since none of the events are anything I would ever really try.

Tonya and I visited McKay's Used Books tonight. We've often wondered why the parking lot was always quite full. Probably not because of the "Auto Racing/Romance" section. Yes, they have one. No, we didn't stop there.

Great Quote Thursday

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other- John Adams

NFL Championship Game Weekend

I went 3-1 with my NFL playoff predictions last week. That greatly helped my overall record, getting me to 4-4. The conference championship games are this weekend. I'd love to finish above .500 for the playoffs, so here goes:

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears (Sunday at 3:00)- These two teams know each other extremely well and split the two games they played during the regular season. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense are humming right now and should be able to overcome the advantage the Bears will have playing at home at Soldier Field.

New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday at 6:30)- By and large (their QB excluded), the Steelers organization takes a workmanlike, professional approach both on and off the field. In contrast, the Jets seem to relish being reality TV stars. Being fundamentally sound and having home-field advantage should work in the Steelers favor.

Fun on Friday

The tagline for the local Lexus dealership runs, "At Lexus of Knoxville, it's easier than you think". Easier than what is the question they leave unanswered. Easier than leasing a Ferrari?

Was scanning through the channels one evening this week and saw that Vanilla Ice, the 90's "pop star" has a new program on DIY called "The Vanilla Ice Project". I promise I didn't watch. I only stopped the clicker long enough to confirm that I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. It's for real.

Last week, our area experienced alot of snow and bad weather prompting numerous days of school closings. During this time, each of our sons experienced bouts with sickness causing Tonya and me to deal with several sleep-deprived nights. Maybe it was the snow, the late nights, the lack of sleep or all three combined, but one night I dreamed that I was snowed-in in the middle of Arkansas in a basement rancher with the Gaither Vocal Band and Mark Lowry wouldn't shut up. I guess I need to change the channel on those infomercials a bit more quickly.

Great Quote Thursday

It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit- Harry Truman

Things You Don't Say to Your Wife

Every husband should listen to the words in this parody by Tim Hawkins.

Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK2OakMoW_c&feature=player_embedded

A Teachable Moment

This afternoon, I took my six-year old son to the UT/Vanderbilt men's basketball game. The Vols have played much better basketball than the first half's 20-point output. It was such an uninspiring first half (the crowd booed on several occasions) that the halftime program featuring a jump rope team from Ohio was a highlight at the break.

Down at one point in the first half by 17 points, by all accounts it looked like a likely loss for the Vols. Midway through the first half, my son looked up at me and said, "I don't think we're going to win this game". I agreed that it didn't look too good. When the Vols totaled 20 points at the half, the final outcome seemed inevitable. When the Vols tightened the gap but seemed unable to completely close it throughout the second half, we repeated our first half conversation but with one additional phrase, "but we'll see".

When the Vols pulled out a 67-64 victory with a furious late surge, I knew I had an opportunity for a teachable moment with my son. There was a life lesson to be learned.

Here's The Point: As the game finished, after we'd high-fived and cheered as Rocky Top played, I turned to Parker, who still looked amazed that the Vols had won and I asked, "What's the lesson to be learned from this game"? Without hesitation he replied, "Try hard and never give up".

That's a pretty good lesson for life as well- try hard and never give up.

Fun on Friday

With this long week of snow and sleet, almost continuous cloudiness and temperatures barely above freezing (on the "warm" days), I'm reminded how much I love sunshine.

My NFL playoff predictions went so well last weekend (I went 1-3), I thought I'd try it again this week:

Baltimore at Pittsburgh (Saturday at 4:30)- Pittsburgh
The most even matchup of the weekend features two teams that play traditional, hard-core football but the home field should give the advantage

Green Bay at Atlanta (Saturday at 8:00)- Green Bay
Haven't bought stock in the Falcons yet, hope I didn't miss the boat; should be an exciting offensive matchup

Seattle at Chicago (Sunday at 1:00)- Chicago
I keep waiting for a good team to expose the Bears as a mediocre team but Seattle is not a good team

New York at New England (Sunday at 4:30)- New England
The Patriots' system vs. the Jets' bravado; I'm a systems guy

Great Quote Thursday

No man ever listened himself out of a job- Calvin Coolidge

NFL Playoff Predictions- Wildcard Weekend

Wow, that didn't turn out so well. I went 1-3 over the NFL Wildcard Weekend. If the Ravens hadn't beaten the Chiefs, it would have been really ugly.

NFL Wildcard Weekend Predictions

The National Football League begins the first round of its 2011 playoffs today. Four games are scheduled this weekend. Here are my predictions for the weekend:

Saturday at 4:30: Saints over Seahawks

Saturday at 8:00: Colts over Jets

Sunday at 1:00: Ravens over Chiefs

Sunday at 4:30: Eagles over Packers

Let's see how this goes.

Fun on Friday

Here's what bothers me about the voting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY: How is it that Bert Blyleven gets "better" in his 14th year on the ballot and was finally elected to the Hall on Wednesday? Along the same line, according to the votes he received, Barry Larkin got 15% "better" this year. Seems to me, if a guy's stats are good enough to earn induction, it shouldn't take a number of years to earn your way in.

My son and I had the opportunity to meet UT Basketball player Skylar McBee following a recent game at Thompson-Boling Arena. He posed for a photo with my son (I may post some photos later) while wearing his Carhartt toboggan. Gotta like a guy like that.

Great Quote Thursday

The secret is to work less as individuals and more as a team. As a coach, I play not my eleven best, but my best eleven- Knute Rockne

Finish Well

Last month, on Sunday evening, December 19, I was ordained as a minister following an ordaining council and ordination service at our church. Along with my family being there, one of the highlights of the evening was to go through the process with three friends (T.J. Earl, Michael Newman and Neal Thornton) with whom I've served on our church staff.

That evening, our Pastor Hollie Miller, shared a sermon (http://vimeo.com/18068955) of challenge and encouragement from II Timothy 4 that he titled "Finish Well". The sermon focused around 5 main points:

1. Always be ready to communicate the Word of God
2. Remember Whom I'm serving
3. Don't ever stop reading
4. Don't be discouraged by people
5. Just keep trusting God

It was an evening my family and I will always remember.

Life, Love and Family

One of the highlights for me of working in a ministry to young married couples is when I get to go to the hospital to celebrate with a couple upon the birth of their child. Today was one of those days.

A couple that Tonya and I have grown to know and love over the past several years has been in the process of adopting a little boy. That little boy was born very early this morning. When I arrived at the hospital mid-morning, I entered a room filled with joy and hope and anticipation. And I was reminded how beautiful the gift of life is.

Here's The Point: As I watched the first-time grandfather (Pops), also a family friend, hold his new grandson, I couldn't help but think that love is really a matter of the heart and of the head and not necessarily based on your bloodline. Standing there beaming, "Pops" couldn't have been happier.

Life, love and family make a beautiful combination.

Changes Ahead

Been in a Barnes and Noble or a Books-A-Million lately? While Christmas shopping in recent days, I've found myself in a couple of these stores. What immediately struck me upon entering the stores is that they are selling themselves out of business!

How? At the front entrance of both book chains, the Nook, an e-reader is featured prominently. Well trained and professional staff are hawking the e-readers (another version of the Kindle) to anyone who enters the store. Based on the people traffic, they were selling the Nook quite successfully. But as I watched Nook after Nook head toward the checkout, I could not help but think that this is the beginning of the end for traditional bookstores. In the long term, no one will need these stores to purchase an e-book. In the future, as more information goes digital, a bound volume containing paper pages may become more of a novelty than the norm. I recently spoke with a research librarian from the University of Tennessee and she said the majority of the books currently being added to the school's vast collection are now e-books. That is a major change.

Speaking of change, a Yellowbook phone book (the non-real, "Real Yellow Pages") arrived on our front porch a week or so ago. I can't remember the last time I used a traditional phone book. We just look numbers up online. Many people now use their phone as their phone book.

Here's The Point: Change is constant. It is to be expected. But for followers of Christ, we must remain grounded. Colossians 2:7 reminds us to be "rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith". As culture changes and we interact with that change, we must maintain our foundation, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We may adjust methods of engagement and certainly must keep up with technological advances but the redemptive sacrifice of Christ must remain central.

Though Barnes and Noble or Books-A-Million may make a quick dollar now by selling e-readers, it will ultimately impact the future of their business. Similarly, if we as Christ-followers, in an effort to adapt to change, sell out to try to keep up with the culture, it will have a negative impact on the cause of Christ.

Welcome 2011!

Happy New Year! Happy 2011!

I've taken the last few weeks off from blogging. Initially, it was out of necessity due to time constraints at work (adjusting to a new position on our church staff; end-of-year staff reviews; budget closeout for 2010; etc.) as well as Christmas events (a five-day visit to Knoxville by my brother and his family was a highlight) and well as other planned holiday activities.

But for the past week or so, my "sabbatical" from blogging has been fairly purposeful. Over the past 7-10 days, I've spent very little time online. I've worked my phone only as necessary. Done limited texting. Barely any Facebook. Tweeted only once and that was from a UT Basketball game I was attending with my son.

Why? Because I knew I needed to make the most of my days off work at the end of the year and devote it to family. To take time to shop with my wife; for time to play board games with our sons; for time to play with trains with our youngest son and more time to read with our oldest. It's been time well spent. If you haven't taken a break and focused on your family (or your marriage) lately, might I suggest it's been a great week and a half.

But with the new year, much of my regular schedule begins to crank back up. And with it, I'll begin blogging again. I'll have some thoughts to share about change; some notes from some great talks I've heard; some book reviews to post; and the Great Quotes and Fun on Friday will return.

I'm looking forward to 2011 and I hope you are as well. God bless.