It Looks Like Rain - a Football Update

I suppose that if you are here reading my blog that you probably already know that I am taking football players and coaches with me to Portugal next month. (If you haven't read how I ended up with my own football team you really should read this post How I ended up with my own football team! We'll be working with the Lumberjacks football team.


Plans are coming along great. My team has worked on football things and we have talked about how there are some great parallels between football and living life as a follower of Jesus Christ. And I've already become "friends" on Facebook with one of the Lumberjack's players.


I am learning - well, no, let's just say I'm reading - a new foreign language. No. Not Portuguese. Eu falo bastante Português para minha viagem para Porto. Na verdade, eu diria que o Português é mais fácil de aprender do que jargão do futebol americano.

For example - here are the titles of some of the videos I could watch as I prepare to go to Portugal.

"Defending the Wing-T out of the 3-4"

"GJHS No huddle power pistol"

"Transitioning From Under Center to the Gun in the Wing-T Buck Sweep Package"

Sério? Português é muito mais fácil de entender.

Now all I need to finish getting ready for my trip is to find some good rainwear. This is the rainy season in Portugal! Oh my!

Post by Paredes Lumberjacks.

I'm a Rich Man

I’m a rich man.

I’m rich because I know how to invest.

You not as young folks will remember Richie Rich

I’m an investor, an optimist, a dreamer… I have hope for the future. I plan for the future. I work for the future.

In the Fall I plant bulbs knowing in the Spring I’ll have daffodils and tulips for everyone driving by to enjoy.

Daffodil

 

Instead of spending $50 for a dozen red roses from the florist I buy bare-root rose bushes and plant them in February knowing I’ll have vases full of roses from May until November.

 

 

I teach violin lessons to develop current church musicians and with the dream of future players for the Nashville symphony.

The biggest investment I am making right now is between today and March. I’m taking young men on mission to Portugal. I’m taking football players and coaches my football team to work alongside of our IMB partners to reach out to Portuguese men who play American football in a country-wide community league.  As we go on mission there are immediate short-term results that have long-term benefits.

1.      The Kingdom will be advanced in Portugal.

2.      Our IMB personnel will be encouraged in their work.

3.      Local churches in Portugal will be inspired and encouraged as they try to reach their communities for Christ.

4.      As we prepare for and then go on mission my “football team” – players and coaches –will spend time praying, planning and working together and will get first-hand experience in sharing their faith.

 

Our mission trip to Portugal, however, is much more than just a one week trip. Not only are there some immediate benefits, but there are some important long-term benefits from a mission trip like this. I am (we are) investing in the lives of men: Men who will become deacons and pastors and LIFE Groups leaders and better fathers and faithful church members who tithe and give and serve and witness.

What? You get all of that from going on a mission trip?

Yes.

How?

Because men need other men to care about them and model for them and teach them to be godly men of faith and action. As we plan and pray together, as we prepare to go on mission and then as we work side by side, share our faith together, pray together and all of the other things that happen while on mission, God uses these experiences to shape and build men into faithful followers of Christ. We become invested in each other’s lives. We are iron sharpening iron.

You can be rich too!!

 

You may not be able to go with us on this mission trip but you can invest in it. You can pray for us – not only that we prepare well, but that we become the men we need to be to be effective witnesses. You can invest financially. Some of the guys going are young men with young families working in their first jobs or even looking for their first job after graduating from college. Some have young families and students loans. They are willing to pay their own way, but your investment will ease their minds as they learn to trust God for provision. (and for that matter, God may have YOU in mind as part of that provision)

When the children of Israel went into battle some of the men had to stay behind to protect and care for the women and children. Even though they couldn’t go into battle, they shared equally in the spoils.  You can "share" in the "spoils" of our mission trip as you invest in these men.

My prayer is that you will choose to invest in Kingdom work and in the lives of young men. Contact me or call the church office and talk to Donna if you want to invest financially. At the next Man Church I’ll have the names of men going with me so you can join together in praying for us.

 

Invest! Become rich in God's work!

In Good Company

I'm so excited! I've been struggling a little bit with this whole football thing. my football calling
However, last night I was talking to some guys at "Man Church" - which is where my football journey began - and one of them gave me an awesome idea about my football costume - or rather, uniform. They reminded me of Tom Landry.

Now THAT is a classy look. I can totally go with that. (I actually had a fedora when I lived in Denver. I didn't want to wear a knit toboggan when it was snowing, so a fedora was the perfect answer as far as I was concerned.)

This morning the guys here in the office told me Bear Bryant wore a fedora too.

Not sure hound's-tooth is the way I want to go, but I'm totally going for the classy coach look. My guess is that if I show up at the airport in a classy hat surrounded by football players everyone will assume I'm some really good, really famous football coach or maybe even the team owner.

Of course it wasn't the hats that made these men famous. They were great at coaching. Their teams won lots of games and probably Super Bowls and Orange Bowls and other assorted bowls.

Wikipedia says this about Tom Landry.

"Thomas Wade "Tom" Landry was an American football player and coach. He is ranked as one of the greatest and most innovative coaches in National Football League history, creating many new formations and methods."

More than that - more importantly than that - Tom Landry was a Christian man who was vocal about his faith. Tom-Landry-Under-The-Fedora-A-Committed-Christian

I don't mind modeling my football "look" after these football legends (Landry and Bryant). When people see me in a fedora surrounded by football players I won't mind if they think that I'm in the same league as these two. But more importantly I want people to know - after spending time with me - that I am a follower of Jesus Christ. People knew that about Tom Landry because he wasn't afraid to speak up and say so. Whether I'm in Portugal on football mission or at Wal-Mart in Clarksville I want to take advantage of the opportunities - the divine encounters - that God sends my way.

What about you? You may not be a fedora kind of guy, but are you ready to share your faith when given a chance? Do you have an answer for the hope that is in you? Are you willing to begin conversations about faith - to be the one that initiates such conversations?

I remember a guy once who said "I just witness by being nice and smiling at people." Hmmm. Well, they might just think you're a stalker or a pervert. A smile is interpreted in as many ways as those who see it. Add words! Speak up! Maybe wear a fedora - and when someone says, "Why are you wearing that hat?" You can say, well, I knew about a man once who was a great coach and a great man of faith and he wore one. I'm just trying to be like him. And there you go..... you've begun a conversation about faith and you didn't even have to work hard to do it.

Keeping in Shape

A short devotion given from my non-sports guy view of football – therefore, before taking any of the actual football advice it would be wise to check with a real football-type person. The spiritual advice can and should be applied frequently.

From what I understand about football and being able to play football, you really need to be in good shape. If you’re going to let people knock you on the ground and pile on top of you just because you’ve got a ball in your hand you probably should be a tough guy. I never totally understood why you would put yourself in that position – to get smacked so hard you end up on the ground with a 300 pound guy (or more than one) sitting on your back.

I guess that’s why they spend a lot of time lifting weights and drinking protein shakes. If you’re going head to head with someone you want to be the bigger guy. You also want to be faster and have cooler looking moves so they can’t keep up with you or catch you (which leads to getting crushed under a bunch of 300 pound guys.)

 

I’ve heard of football players who take ballet. It’s either to learn the fancy footwork or perhaps having your friends make fun of you gets you all riled up where YOU are the one who crushes the other guy and sits on his back.

 

Jesus didn’t play football - at least not our current American football. But He took care of Himself – even as a child growing up.

Luke 2:52 NAS

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Just as a football player has to work every day to have his body in the best shape possible for the game, a person has to work every day to increase in wisdom and in favor with God and man. Those who take ballet or do other extra things find that they are better because they’ve done things to further their abilities or sharpen their skills. It doesn’t just happen. They work hard.

Proverbs 9:10 NAS

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

If you’re going to be any good at something – football, playing the violin, responding to life with wisdom, finding favor with God, finding favor with others – you have to work at it. You have to practice. If you never practice throwing a pass you can’t expect to win Friday night’s game with a 35 yard pass to the open receiver on the 5 yard line (WOW! That sounded so much like I know what all of that is.)

2 Timothy 2:15 NAS

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

If you never read God’s word you can’t expect to stand against temptation. Fight the easy temptations so you can win against the bigger ones. Work hard! You want to be the bigger guy. Practice.

If you aren’t kind to people when it would be easy to do so, how can you expect yourself to treat them with love when they treat you badly? Work hard! Practice!

How will you give an answer for the hope that is in you? Study. Work hard! Practice.

1 Peter 3:15 NAS

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

If you only show up on a football field on a Sunday you aren’t going to be very good at football. If you only worship God on a Sunday you aren't going to be very good at worship. Practice! (worship during the week) That means spend time in prayer, Bible reading and singing praise and worshipping on your own during the week.

Bottom line: To be in shape physically, mentally and spiritually

Work hard!

Practice.

Pray.

Read your Bible.

Share your faith.

 

Worship.

Practice.

Work hard!

Bro. Lyndel's Football Team

I am writing some devotions for football players. Some of you who have known me for many years probably just fell over laughing. But I really am. I had several ideas for football player devotions last night and will be writing them over the next few days or weeks.

 How does a totally non-sports person write devotions for football players? And why write them anyway. It seems that someone who knows about sports and about football players and the things that they do to get themselves ready to play or how they exercise or something should be the person that would write such things.

 Hmmm. Well, perhaps I should begin with the story of how I ended up with my own football team.

 Last summer (2013) I took a group of High School handbell players to Porto, Portugal. While there, my friend, Andy, told me about how they are coaching football as a means of developing relationships with Portuguese men and how many of them are responding to the Gospel and coming to Bible studies and many are now followers of Jesus.

 Awesome!

 My dad was a big football fan. Back in the old days of the 70s families only had one TV. I know that sounds rather remarkable today, but that’s just how it was. Monday night football was a big deal in most homes, I suppose, and it was in our house as well. My dad and my brother would watch every game. It wasn’t a time that you talked about school or church or how the roses were growing in the backyard. It was just football. I usually spent Monday evenings upstairs in my room. I just didn’t care who was playing or who won or if their running back did a fancy whatever and got the ball down to a certain place and then someone kicked the thing and it got them points because the other guys wouldn’t let them run the ball all the way into the end zone……

I did watch some football in my H.S. days. I played the baritone horn in the marching band. Violins didn’t really fit with the whole marching thing. Perhaps the bows are too scary for the woodwinds – thinking you will poke their eyes out as you march by sawing away with your bow. There were actually two football games each week – one just before the band show and one just after the band show. Ha!

This would have been awesome!

I remember the name Bart Star, but I usually wonder if he is Ringo's brother. Oh, and I remember Joe Namath wearing pantyhose but I don't know why he did and I don't know who he played football for.

Please tell me those aren't Joe's legs!

Fast forward to 2013. My interest in football is about the same as it has always been. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I just don’t care…. I do watch a tiny bit of the Broncos because my son, Andrew, LOVES the Broncos. We lived in Denver during some important formative years apparently. So I like to know a little about the Broncos because they are important to my son. But to be honest with you, I don’t even know who their quarterback is. I know John Elway still has something to do with them as an owner or something. When I lived in Denver I had lunch with someone that played for the Broncos. I don’t remember his name. Seems like he was a defensive something-or-the-other. Andrew probably still remembers who it was.

If I haven’t lost you with this little trip through my football background, here’s how I ended up with my own football team. (I thought you needed the background to see how this is a God thing.)

Our church has a men’s supper/worship time/Bible study one Tuesday night a month. We call it “Man Church.” We kill our own food, sit around a campfire cooking our wild boar with our shirts off and beat on drums. Hahaha. OK. We have burgers and sit around tables at our Family Life Center (gym). At our August “Man Church” I noticed two twenty-something guys sitting by themselves at a table so I invited myself to sit with them. OK. You’ve read my football bio. Don’t really have one. And about the first thing I heard coming out of my mouth was “Do you guys play football? Or did you?” Seriously?! I’m going to start a football conversation with two people I don’t even know! What if they started talking about last night’s game? (Oh, I guess there might not have been one in August.) But if they had, what would I say? “Oh, sorry. Didn’t mean to bring up football since I’m a football idiot. You two just talk about the game and I’ll just nod my head.”

They said they did (or had played in HS or college) and I just kept going “Really? What position did you play?” and they said something about hiking and running and tackling… Then, without hardly skipping a beat I heard myself say, “Well, you know, while we were in Portugal we heard how football players from the States had gone there to do football things and share the Gospel and I’m thinking of taking some football players over there next year. Would you be interested in going?” Seriously?! I just said that?

I know God was at work that night because I had NOT thought of that before then. I would NOT plan a mission opportunity that included football. I have used vocal and instrumental music, art, ESL, Bible clubs and more, but football. HAhahaha!

The eyes of those two guys lit up. “You mean we could play football and tell people about Jesus? We could do that!” Then God grabbed my heart. I could just hear Him say, "Look at football missions through the eyes of these two." And long story short – they are the first two guys on my football team!

A few weeks later after our 9:45 service I walked over to the guy that sits right there on the second row every week and I heard myself say, “Can I ask you something? Did you football?” Boom! My third player.

I’m now up to 5 players – possibly 6 – and I haven’t even advertised for mission team members yet. If you’re at Hilldale this Sunday you’ll see this in the bulletin “Join Bro. Lyndel’s Football Team.” My dad would NEVER have believed this. I'm not sure either of my brothers will believe it either. They are both big football fans.

God is up to something with this. I can hardly wait to see what all will happen in the lives of these young men and in Portugal. He will have to do it because I keep slipping and saying “football rehearsals” and things like that.

Here's the end of the story for now.

I don’t really care much about football, but I care VERY much about missions and about investing in the lives of young men. If you care about missions and want to invest in the lives of some young men then God may lead you to help send them. Twenty-somethings don’t have money to send themselves on mission: they are at the beginning of their careers, they have young families, they have student loans... Call me and see how you can help.

Pray for Our Nation

My goodness. We're in a mess. This Fall I hope you will vote for politicians who will appoint judges that aren't anti-religion like these. I don't think any other commentary is necessary. In the mean time. PRAY. Speak up. Write someone a letter. Do Something...

Here are two articles from "Religion Today Summaries" from Crosswalk.com

Court Tells Coach He Can't Kneel or Bow Head When Team Prays
The Newark Star-Ledger reports that a federal appeals court has ruled the East Brunswick school board was within its rights to tell football coach Marcus Borden he cannot kneel and bow his head as members of his team have a student-led pre-game prayer. The ruling from the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia reversed a lower-court ruling made almost two years ago. The judges agreed the policy barring school staff from joining in student-led was constitutional, but differed on what exactly a coach should do when his team prays. Borden has coached the team since 1983. He used to be deeply involved in team prayers, and for a while even led them. But in 2005 school officials received complaints that he was leading prayers and asked him to stop.

Ohio Teacher, Told to Remove Bible From Students View, Refuses
According to FOX News, "An Ohio middle school teacher says he won't obey an order to remove a Bible from view of students. John Freshwater said Wednesday he agreed to remove a collage from his classroom that included the Ten Commandments, but that asking him to remove the Bible on his desk goes too far. Officials with the Mount Vernon School District say they don't oppose religion but are required by the U.S. Constitution not to promote or favor any set of religious beliefs. Freshwater says being forced to keep the Bible out of sight would infringe on his rights."