when the game slows down...

Have you ever played a new sport and the speed of the action takes you by surprise? I remember the first time I ever played Hockey. I could barely keep up with the puck. I felt as if I were no my heals the entire time. I could never get a good shot on the puck. I was tired from the moment I started. After a few games, the game starts to slow down and come to you. It is like you are more in tune with the pace. You find that you are not on your heals any longer, but you are on top of the game. You think faster. You anticipate better. You come into a zone where everything just clicks.

My daughter Maddie took a 3 year hiatus from soccer. I retired from coaching High School soccer so that I could coach her team when she was a 5 year old. She played for 2 seasons and then told me that she hated soccer and wanted to concentrate on tennis. I was crushed. I love soccer. I love Maddie even more. So we stepped away from the sport... completely. Last spring, Caroline decided to play soccer. She had a great time. Maddie sat on the sidelines on Saturday mornings, watching her little sister have fun. This fall, Maddie told us she wanted to start playing soccer again. A little nudge from a younger sibling was enough to stir her interest in soccer again. She had a great fall season. She played defense all season long, and became a pretty good right back by the end of the season.

She was invited to play on an indoor soccer team for the first time with a group of kids from her original team back when she played U6. It was the first time most of these kids have ever played indoor soccer. The first game was not very pretty. We were crushed 7-2. The pace of the game really overwhelmed the kids. They found themselves chasing the ball alot. They were confused by the wall and playing the carom of the ball. You could tell they still had fun. I knew once they game came to them, it would get interesting.

Last week, I watched the game and noticed that our kids were playing pretty good. The big difference was they were keeping up with the game. It was happening, the game was slowing down. We won the game fairly easily and racked up a number of goals. It was obvious that the game had come to Maddie. She scored two goals and had a few assists. She was striking the ball with force, squaring her shoulders and being very aggressive. It was exciting to watch her have so much fun and some success.

Last night, I had to go bowling for VM Wireless and missed Maddie's game. She was apprehensive about the game, because of a conflict she has with one of the kids on the opposing team. It is a boy from school that bullies her and a few of her friends around. I told her, "Go out and have fun, play hard, be aggressive and don't worry about him. Show him you can play hard and maybe he will leave you alone." A few hours later she called me and said, "Dad, I scored 3 goals and we won 6-4." I was so excited for her! Her first "Hat trick"! She told me last night that she loved soccer and that indoor was getting easier! I am very proud of her. She works hard to improve her game. More important, she is developing a passion for the game that you will find within all great soccer players.

I love that she is playing soccer again and having lots of fun!

Big Wednesday...

I am not sure where to start. My prayer for the evening was that there would be healing, a sense of unity and that God would speak to someone that so needed to hear His voice. I am not sure if all or any of those prayers were answered, but I like to think God is good and makes all things well. I am one to buck tradition. I don't like getting trapped in things we do just because we have always done them that way. At least that is what i tell myself. Big Wednesday had become a River Valley Tradition. Big Wednesday was a tradition that almost wasn't because others (great people mind you) wanted to buck tradition as well. I was onboard with that decision. Why do something just because... is God's heart in that sentiment? Does God want us to keep doing the same thing, just because it sounds like a good thing? I ask that question a lot. Thank goodness God knows better. He orchestrated an evening last night that was absolutely all the things HE wanted it to be and God used people who's hearts were in the right place. I am so blessed that God decided our church needed to continue Big Wednesday at RVCC, it is a wonderful night of worship and fellowship. Not for the sake of the tradition, but for the sake of our spiritual revival.

I have to say that God took care of everything. The words that came out of my mouth, the worship we sang, the unfamiliarity with the worship team and the concern for the success of the event. We measure success in many ways. The room was not full, but it was close. People were singing, very loud. Steve measured the evenings success in baseball terms. God hit a home run. I appreciated that feedback. I don't always measure the success of an event the same way most people might. Tonight, I had to agree with Steve.

I sat in my Jeep for a few minutes after all of the hype had settled and realized what had happened. In those few short moments of clarity, I found myself completely overwhelmed. I heard God. "If you let me, I can fix everything". I think we (RVCC) took a big step towards repair last night. I cried.

One of my favorite John Mayer songs is called "In repair". Although the song has no relationship to this situation, it's title does. We are a church in repair. Through struggle we find character. Through God we find repair. We met with God last night, what a great step to take. He is the remedy. I think... just maybe.. prayer was answered! Amen.

Too many shadows in my room
Too many hours in this midnight
Too many corners in my mind
So much to do to set my heart right
Oh it's taking so long i could be wrong, i could be ready
Oh but if i take my heart's advice
I should assume it's still unsteady
I am in repair, i am in repair

Stood on the corner for a while
To wait for the wind to blow down on me
Hoping it takes with it my old ways
And brings some brand new luck upon me
Oh it's taking so long i could be wrong, i could be ready
Oh but if i take my heart's advice
I should assume it's still unsteady
I am in repair, i am in repair

And now i'm walking in the park
All of the birds they dance below me
Maybe when things turn green again
It will be good to say you know me

Oh it's taking so long i could be wrong, i could be ready
Oh but if i take my heart's advice
I should assume it's still unsteady
Oh i'm never really ready, yeah, oh, i'm never really ready
I'm in repair, i'm not together but i'm getting there

from the crowder concert

Here is a glimpse from the Crowder Show at Bogarts in Cincy. My ears are still ringing, but so worth it. We were right up front, next to the Subs and Mains. Was loud...

our very own photo shoot...

Today was a busy day. We had so many things going on, but found a few minutes to play with the camera out in the yard. I am still learning how to use it, i still cant seem to get the shutter speed and aperture correct. I really like the color tones i am getting, but i am losing so much detail. Eye color, skin washed out, and way more mistakes than i really would like to admit. So i guess this is still the trial and error portion of my learning curve. A friend of mine allowed me to take her lens home this weekend to play around with it. It is a 55-200 VR lens. It is pretty nice. It does not do great in low light, but outside mid-day does great! I would be happy with it for the price. Here are a few pictures of our shoot.

it has been a long time..

WOW! It has been a long time! I have not blogged in almost a month. I had to give it up quite honestly. I really had nothing worth writing about. I was afraid that my posts would be negative or taken the wrong way. I have been running into roadblocks for everything so it seems and I did not want my frustration to come across in my writing. So with that being said, here is a easy post to get back in the game...

We had a great time at our last youth event. We had an Amazing Faith Race! Yes, just like the TV show! It was comprised of traveling(in Pike County), challenges, and riddles. We had a great time. I think we covered about 100 miles! It was awesome! I hope everyone had a great time. Big Ups to everyone that helped organize and participate! Here are some pictures!