The week in review

I've had several items that I have wanted to mention in TWN this week and rather than having multiple small posts, I think I'll just out them all together.

• Tuesday was an ordinary day, but turned out to be a meaningful day in terms of perspective. I had been at work for about 10 minutes before I discovered that Terry Hoeppner had passed away at the hospital that morning less than a mile from my office. Just the week prior IU had announced that there would be an interm head coach for the 2007 season, due to Coach Hep's continued cancer issues. But nobody expected this. Nobody knew that he was in that bad of shape. But how it hit me was just another example of how we need to live in the moment, because tomorrow is never guaranteed. Live with vigor, enthusiasm, passion, and intense hope like Coach Hep did. I later discovered that Coach Hep and his family have a strong faith (no surprise there) and so I was relieved to know that this is a man who is no longer in pain, but is now with Jesus in His glorious kingdom, and I'm sure that Jesus has told coach: "Job well done". I had learned that a former player had taken communion with him at the hospital just a couple of days before his passing - and a feeling of peace came over me. My prayers are with the family and I know Coach's incredible spirit will live on.

• That night I came home and watched Joel Osteen deliver a message of...what else...living in the moment. Joel discussed the fact that only God knows how long we will be here on earth. Most people know that they could be gone and not live to see next weekend, yet they live their lives like it is a certainty that they will live to be 70 or 80 years old. I do not believe that it was a coincidence that I heard this after thinking so much about Coach Hoeppner that morning.

• It makes me think of people I know who I pray will someday begin to get this. There is someone I work with - no need to mention names - but this person is grumpy every single day. Never says hello to people. At least this person never says hello to me - ever. Always responds to my question of ""Good morning! How are you?" with a variation of the following: "not good", "um....I don't know", "lousy", or my favorite - dead silence. Smiles about once every three or four weeks. Never inquires about others....you get the picture. And this is someone who is supposed to be a positive role model for the teens in the youth shelter....kinda scary. Anyhow, I pray that people like this will realize that they are choosing to live their lives this way. They do not have to. I'm not saying I understand what their life is like, because I don't. Maybe they could give several good reasons for their negative state. But it is all relative. I am aware of people with terminal illness and other catastrophic things going on in their lives and they are actually happy people. It's amazing. Those people simply have a different outlook on life and choose to live happy and in the moment. I really, really want to do this...and I have some work to do, for those of you who know me well.

• Last week I have made every effort to use up the 11 hours of comp time that remained for me. Basically, I needed to use it or lose it since next week (actually starting today) I cannot use it anymore due to my position change at work. For those wondering, my position is the same, but I have moved to 40 hours/week and I am unable to earn comp time. So I took Thursday off and the family went to Leiber SRA for an afternoon of picnicking and swimming. Had a real nice time. It was the first time we had been there, and the pool was alot nicer that we expected. There is a big ol' water slide, diving board, nice sloping shallow area for the younger ones like Carse. Kim didn't utilize the sunscreen and ended up with some red shoulders and back. But we had a great time - here is a picture of the boys.
• I shaved off the goatee that I had on my face since December.

• Last thing I want to mention is a great message at church today. Fit right in with what I have been thinking all week about Coach Hep and living life to the fullest. Pastor Brice gave a message today that was the first in an eight part series titles "The First Step to Freedom". It is actually a message written by Rick Warren, the Purpose Driven Life guy. Anyhow, a significant part of the message was about recognizing that all people have sinful nature. We all screw up. And there are people who look at other people who mess up and then hold grudges about these people. And judge these people. Take everything personal as if whatever happened was intended to hurt them. It hit home for me because the real issue was about control. And this is a big problem I have is trying to control everything. When I accepted Christ into my life last Fall, I was going through all kinds of stressors and I realized that I cannot continue to try to control everything. I cannot do everything and I should not try to. That was when the real change happened for me. And it is easy to forget it. But I have been gently reminded. We need to let God be God and not try to take care of everything ourselves. He wants to help us and He wants us to ask for His help. But we have to let some things go....relax....follow him....and be at peace knowing that He is in control, not us. He is the only one who is qualified to judge people, because He is all-knowing. We are not all-knowing, even though we often act like it, and we do not have the right to judge others. Wherever we go, whatever we do...there will always be people who have the potential to hurt our feelings and there will be people who will disappoint us....there will always be problems. If we expect to get to a point or a place where this is not the case, we are only setting ourselves up for major frustration in life. And that is a guarantee.

Romans 8:5
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.