Talk about a full day! For the second weekend in a row we loaded up the car and headed west…to Indianapolis. My good friend Brian and I had the opportunity to take part in the All Pro Dad Experience hosted by the Indianapolis Colts. Featured guests were Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell, Clyde Christensen and Receiver Pierre Garcon. We spent 3 hours making an investment in our little ones that we hope will be remembered for years to come.
On Saturday morning, my good friend Brian and I are headed back to Indianapolis. In what is becoming an annual tradition, we are taking our 2 oldest children to the All Pro Dad Colts Father and Kids Experience. Last year we took them to the same event but visited the home of the Cincinnati Bengals. It was a great time of connection, affirmation and fun with our little ones. On several occasions over the past year, my son and oldest daughter have both asked when the next All Pro Dad days is. Being that Brian is a diehard Colts fan and I am what you would call a “frontrunner” fan (they are 7-0!!), we were first in line to sign up for this location. While I don’t claim to be an All Pro Dad, here are the 10 ways to strive for that:
1. Love Your Wife
2. Spend time with your children
3. Be a Role Model
4. Understand Your Children
5. Show Affection
6. Enjoy Your Children
7. Eat Together As A Family
8. Discipline With a Gentle Spirit
9. Pray and Worship Together
10. Realize You’re a Father Forever
Dad’s -- If you think you don’t have time for something like this…I would argue that we don’t have ENOUGH times like this. This is the best investment you can ever make. “It won’t be like this for long…..”
“What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility.”
-George Levinger
From the All Pro Dad Play of the Day.
Tony Dungy announced today that he is going to retire as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. To me, the announcement is happy/sad kind of news. I’m happy for Tony Dungy that he did it his way. He will exit the coaching business with the same “Quiet Strength” which he entered. I’m sad because the NFL needs more Tony Dungy’s. The world needs more Tony Dungy’s. His book “Quiet Strength” sits atop my favorite books list and his name sits atop the people I would like to spend 5 minutes with list. He is class and lives a life that models Jesus. Thank you Tony Dungy. Below are some of my random favorite quotes from the book “Quiet Strength“
“How would your business do if you spent the amount of time on it that you spend on your wife and family?”
“What will people remember us for? Are other people’s lives better because we lived? Did we make a difference? Did we use to the fullest the gifts and abilities God gave us? Did we give our best effort, and did we do it for the right reasons?”
“God’s definition of success is really one of significance-the significant difference our lives can make in the lives of others. The significance doesn’t show up in won-loss records, long resumes, or the trophies gathering dust on our mantels. It’s found in the hearts and lives of those we’ve come across who are in some way better because of the way we lived.”
“I think people look more closely at our actions in the rough times, when the emotions are raw and our guard is down. That’s when our true character shows and we find out if our faith is real. If I’m going to call myself a Christian, I have to honor Jesus in the disappointments, too.”
Talent is God-given; be thankful.
Praise is man-given; be humble.
Conceit is self-given; be careful. (Dave Driscoll)
I mentioned this book in a previous post, but I finished it today and just have to recommend it again. In case you missed it, I was given a copy of “The Difference A Father makes” by Ed Tandy McGlasson at the All Pro Dad event I attended last weekend. What an incredible, incredible jewel this book is. I finally had to get a pen out of my bag to underline line after line of great wisdom and knowledge as I read it. I folded the corner of just about every other page.
As to not take anything away from what Ed has written, I just want to recommend the book. There are principles and suggestions which any and every father can take and utilize. Particulary as our kids get older. There is one concept in particular that I absolutley love and cannot wait to apply when the kids are old enough. What an amazing blessing this short book was to me today. Great stuff.
If you’re interested in a preview, you can download one chapter at Ed Tandy McGlassen’s web site (lower right corner). Wives, get it for your husbands. Sisters, get it for your brothers. Children, get it for your Dad. Dads, get it for yourself. Believe me, you will be glad you did. It’s a quick read that quite possibly will change the way you talk, think and raise your kids.
Special thanks to Ed Tandy McGlassen for accepting Gods call on his life and to All Pro Dad for the gift. Hopefully others will pass on the gift to their Dads, husbands, brothers and friends.
