My wife took this over the weekend at a tournament game for “the boy”. Wildcats take both games this weekend and enter next weeks tournament as the #1 seed.

“Cooper and Me and the Military” is a short children’s story about a family that is in the military. With their parents away serving our country, two children have an idea of how they can let them know they miss them and love them. They are also taking care of their parents dog who was injured while with their parents overseas. “Trooper” the dog quickly becomes friends with “Cooper”. At the end of the book, there is an sample letter to send to military families and a link on where to send them. As I said, without my prompting, my daughter filled in her information. We need to get that letter out now!

This book continues the great series of stories for children from “Cooper and Me”. We’re blessed to have the opportunity to review these. Here’s more about the book:

Meet Trooper, Cooper’s best friend, and learn how he was adopted by Gracie and Joeand their parents, who both serve in the military. Find out how this family stays close despite being separated.

A must-read during patriotic holidays and for anyone with friends and family in the military, this book helps children know, that even when loved ones aren’t with us, they still love us and think about us. This book, along with all the other books in the Cooperand  Me series, includes these interactive features:

• A Special Memory Creation
• Life Lesson
• Connections
• Learning Together

In addition to a fun adventure, each Cooper and Me story teaches an important Life Lesson and features interactive materials at the back of the book to drive the message home.  Included are activities that help children name and process their own feelings about what they’ve read.

Connect with Cooper and Me on the web:
Website: http://www.cooperandme.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cooper-and-Me-Inc/214695101924101
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/cooper_and_me

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This tragedy has captured attention both locally and nationally. Big Dave’s wife, Nicolle, is a friend to everyone. She calls Columbus “home”. Let’s do everything we can to reach out to this family in this time of need and support them however we can. All of the details are below. For directions to the Chick-Fil-A on Sawmill Road, click HERE.

Love them Home Fundraiser at Chick-fil-A

Come help us love on Big Dave’s family and the orphans in Haiti!

When: Saturday, Feb. 4th ALL DAY

Where: Chick-fil-A, 6051 Sawmill Road

How: We will be collecting donations all day to give to…

Big Dave’s Medical Fund to ease his family’s burden
Finish the orphange Big Dave was working on in Haiti

We hope you can stop by to help continue the work Big Dave has started!!

When you order food, don’t forget to mention “Love them Home” to help a local family adopt two orphans from China.

“We are here to be there for our kid when they score the game winning goal…and especially when they don’t”

As a matter of fact, I covered a time when he “didn’t” about a year ago. Heartbreaking. This year has been different. It’s been an interesting year of watching my 11 year old son trying to find his place within the game of basketball. From the first time he put on a uniform of any kind, in any sport, he has been the tallest kid on the team. In basketball, that translates to playing “down low” or in the post. Yet, I know his hearts desire is to be a point guard that makes great passes and shoots the “3″. He’s worked hard to do both and do them well. We’ve seen glimpses all season, but this weekend he really put it all together.

Saturday featured two games against one of the other rival local schools (Hilliard Bradley). Game one was a game to remember for sure. Feeding off a new full-court press we have installed, “the boy” would hit 3 out of 4 three pointers and score half of his teams points. Each three was within the flow of the offense and at a critical moment. Davidson would go on to take both games from Bradley.

Sunday would be another game against a local rival school. This time it was Hilliard Darby which are always close games. After jumping out to a 16-4 lead, Davidson would struggle against a zone defense and ultimately lose the lead. With the game tied and 11 seconds left, Davidson had the ball and a chance to win the game. That’s when this happened….

Though the video quality is poor, the shot was not. After the game someone said they are going to start calling him “CCC – Calm, Cool and Collected”. As his Dad it was great to see the game winning shot, but far greater to see him finding his place in the game. Because he’s a “shooter” I constantly remind him that his mentality has to be that “the next one is going in”. During the timeout prior to that shot, I whispered in his ear that “this one’s going in”. I just had the feeling that it would.

Let’s say that the shot didn’t fall. Let’s say we leave the gym with a loss. Again, am I “being there” for him then too? Am I cheering him just as loud if he scores no points? This is the balance I have to find as a Dad. While he finds his place on the court, I have to find my place too. Proud of you number 50!

So what in the world could that video possibly have to do with the new book by Mark and Grace Driscoll called “Real Marriage – The Truth About Sex, Friendship & Life Together“? In order to understand the book, in order to understand my review, you need to understand Mark Driscoll. If you don’t understand Mark Driscoll, you will most likely be shocked by the honest, open and edgy discussions within this book. So let’s start there. Let’s understand a little bit about Mark Driscoll:

1. He is growing several churches in the most unchurched city in the United States. (Seattle)

2. He is relevant in the area in which he ministers.

3. He reaches the twenty something crowd that is immersed in a world that has little shock value anymore.

4. His language is strong, but his theology and doctrine are even stronger

5. He has caused controversy in the past and will cause it again.

So why the talking points? Why go through all of this before I ever once talk about this book? Because it’s important. This isn’t a Max Lucado/Billy Graham (of which I love both) book on marriage. This isn’t a book that softly touches on the issues of sex for example. It’s Mark and Grace Driscoll and it’s “going there” on topics that need to be discussed. Some will hate the book. Others will appreciate it for it’s honest approach. I, for one, am a member of the second group. I appreciate the honesty. I appreciate the candor and the uninhibited nature with which they share what needs to be shared.

Much like the video above, “Real Marriage” isn’t just Mark Driscoll being Mark Driscoll. It’s honest truth backed by theological foundation and truth. Could someone have said it differently? Sure. Would some people rather read it written in a different context? Sure. Yet there are many (myself included) that believe we need this kind of truth. The world in which we live surrounds us by images far stronger and language far more graphic. This book, like Driscoll’s preaching is being relevant to the culture with which we live. Simple as that. There is so much good in this book that you need to see past what might offend or not sit well with you. You need to understand the broader audience. For that reason, I am recommending “Real Marriage”.

I give Real Marriage a 4 out of 5.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Tis the season… With the Super Bowl just a few short weeks away, I have an opportunity for those interested to possibly win some cash while sponsoring the Hilliard Red Baron’s baseball team. Because I’m not really smart enough to understand how this whole thing works, see the link below for the full details of how it’s going to run. This much I know, it’s $20 to get a square and you have a chance to win $200 each quarter. Not a bad return on your investment.

All of the proceeds of this fundraiser go directly to your Back-to-Back Big League Champion Hilliard Red Barons baseball team. We love our Red Barons and cannot wait for another exciting summer of baseball. Click the link below to download the full description of the contest and EMAIL ME if you are interested in signing up. Thanks in advance for supporting the Red Barons and especially Number 50.

Super Bowl Squares FundRaiser Official Details

In age of movies with billion dollar budgets, it is nice to see a movie that is simplistic yet carries a great message. The acting wasn’t all that bad and the story is worth seeing. My kids (10, 8 and 6) all really enjoyed it. They quickly anticipated where the film was headed and enjoyed it’s resolution in the end. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a quality family film. Here’s a clip for the film:

You can also find “A Mile In His Shoes” on the web at the links below:

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

DOVE FOUNDATION REVIEW

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Tonight my 8 year old will compete in the first of many gymnastics meets this winter. She’s a level 5 gymnast now so it continues to get tougher. I am already amazed by what she is able to achieve in this delicate sport. Amazed. However, she is nervous. REALLY NERVOUS. My wife and I have been doing our best to calm the fears and allow her to soak in the moment while “trusting her training”. What else can you tell an 8 year old that has all of the ability but fear could be her biggest opponent?

This morning I opened my Uncommon Life Daily Challenge devotional book by Tony Dungy and wouldn’t you know the answer was right there on the page. It’s so good I thought I would post for you all as well. Fear or nerves getting the best of you? Check this out…

Have you thought about all the events that led up to this moment in your life – why you’re here, how you’ve been shaped, what caused you to read this book or seek God’s plans for your life? Have you wondered how much of it is accidental or random and how much is designed?

I believe God knew exactly where you would be right now and exactly what you would be like. He knew about your passions and gifts and the platform you would have. In fact, I believe He was very purposeful in designing your life. He made you to be uniquely significant and to have an eternal impact on the world around you.

Let that sink in. How would you live differently if you really believed that God had intentionally designed you to impact others? What steps of faith would you take if you knew He had already planned them? What would you attempt if you were fully convinced He was backing you? Would you set out to accomplish big things in your community? Would you go to local schools with a sense of mission? What impossible problems would suddenly seem possible to deal with? The fact is that when you believe  you were designed for a purpose, you will live with a purpose.

I realize we all have some areas we can improve, and just because we believe God designed us doesn’t mean we know what for. But God is gracious. He knows we’ll fall short, and He knows that finding His will for our lives will be a process. We’ll make mistakes along the way. Grace isn’t an excuse to give less than our best, but it is reassuring to know that God doesn’t pressure us to be perfect. When we fall, we can get up, dust ourselves off, and keep moving toward the goal. Whatever our past, God has future plans for us. And those plans are good.

Don’t be afraid to try big things that fit with God’s purposes. No problem is too big for Him to solve, whether it’s in the lives of people around us, on a national or global scale, or anything in between. That means no problem is too big for us to attempt to solve in His strength. We were designed for such purposes. 

Uncommon Key – God was very intentional about your design, your opportunities and your purpose. Thank Him and look for ways to use what He has given you in the best way possible.

-Tony Dungy (Uncommon Life Daily Challenge)

So…. what do you think? It would seem the answer to what you tell an 8 year old before her gymnastics meet is right there in black and white (the bold words were placed that way by me for key emphasis). You can bet when she gets home I’ll sit down with her and read this to her too. Then she’ll go do specifically what God created her to do tonight.

You can too…..

Then the Championship game came…

From the jump ball, the Wildcats looked completely gassed. The first two games had taken their toll and they looked totally flat. They would eventually get it to within 2, but Dublin would pull away. With less than a minute left to play, some pressure in the back court created a turnover. The pass went to Austin at the 3 point arch and he drained it.

Time out Dublin. 3 point lead.

Again pressure created a turnover, there was a scramble, Austin got the ball, passed it to a teammate who was covered, he threw it back to Austin who was now at the three point arch. He let a three fly…BOTTOMS. Tie game. 4.4 seconds left.

Time out…. Wait, what? The ref called what?

During the time out, the referee came over and said “guys, it was a two. His toe was on the line. It was only a two”. Everyone else in the gym seemed to think it was a three. A lady in the stands got it on video and the parents that watched the replay said it was a three. After the game, Dublin’s coach said “it was a three”. However the scoreboard showed only a two and the Wildcats would go on to lose by 1. Incredible game. I’m so proud of the whole team for their effort.

I’m most proud of number 50. He battled all day. Whenever the team needed a clutch play, the ball ended up in his hands. He never backed down. He never disappointed. It was a tough loss, but one that this team will learn a lot from.

Don’t worry, I gave that lady that has the video my email address and will post the final minute if I ever get my hands on it. Not because of the three in question, but because it was flat out exciting to watch. Stay tuned…