Sometimes we have impulsive ideas that we would really love to act on. However, sometimes our own shame, simple concern for “laws of decency,” fear of losing a job or social black-listing, keeps us from acting on them. Sometimes. Of course there are some times when all of the aforementioned don’t stop us.

A friend directed me to this article in the Bradenton Herald. Apparently a kid who was in the process of being diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome (0n the spectrum of Autism) had been disrupting the class for a while. Amy has certainly experienced that a time or two. But basically there’s not a whole lot you can do except write a bunch of referrals (although Principals really aren’t big fans of that either). The other kids just have to suffer through the tantrums.

Or she could have done what this Port St. Lucie teacher did. She put the kid in front of the class, and had the class vote on whether or not he should be allowed to continue in their class. He lost 14-2. He must have received some sympathy votes.

In all honesty, he needed to be somewhere else. And he is now. But voting him “off the island?” Certainly something I would have thought about, but I might have “run that by” someone before I acted on it! How important is it to have people in our lives who can say, “Voting that really disruptive kid out of the class might not be the wisest direction for you to take.” I’m not judging this teacher. I’d probably have done worse.

For Amy last year, her hands were tied even after a plethora of tests and papers were filed. Of course now he IS in a special class. Just a year too late, but better late than never. Some teacher owes Amy big time.

On Sunday afternoon, after the Buc’s game finished early, FOX switched to some bonus coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengal’s game. That coverage was short lived because the game soon went into Overtime and some sort of broadcasting rules don’t allow “bonus coverage” to continue past 4:15 pm.

In overtime, the game see-sawed back and forth, and then time ran out. It was a tie. One of the things that I hate about hockey and soccer CAN, on occasion, happen in the NFL (not NCAA football though). Well Eagles QB Donovan McNabb, in a true expression of honesty, actually admitted he didn’t know that the game could end in a tie. I guess he thought there would be just another OT quarter.

How this dude didn’t know that is beyond me. This tie is the 3rd tie in the past 11 years. I can-I don’t know what this says about me, maybe I shouldn’t ‘open my mouth’ like McNabb and admit this-tell you the other teams which share this dubious distinction (Giants/Cowboys; Steelers/Falcons).

How can someone not know the simple rules of OT, especially since McNabb has been in 8 OT games in his career? The meaningless debate (all sports debate really is meaningless, but still fun) is whether or not his knowledge, or lack thereof, affected his play. Could have made him less aggressive, thinking that he could always play for the next quarter?

I’d have to look at his record in OT games to draw any conclusions, and I’ve already probably spent more time thinking about this then necessary, so I’ll not look that up. But in our Christian walks, it DOES matter that we know the “OT” rules.

We are and have been in what the bible calls the “last days” since Jesus’ resurrection. There is a set amount of time left. Could be a lot, could be a little. But what we do know is that there will be no ties. The forces of Satan and God are not equal. There will be no ties, as Jesus will move His church forward, and bring about His Kingdom in fullness one day.

Knowing that there are no ties in OT does make a difference in life. It should move us as individuals forward in mission. Unlike Hockey, Soccer, and yes, sadly the NFL, we needn’t worry about “ties.’ Fortunately. Present frustration, sure. But ultimately no “ties!”

I understand that not everyone has great neighbors. I get that. Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall” has a lovely and appropriate line, “Good fences make good neighbors.” For some folks, I understand the sentiment. My friend has neighbor who makes great sacrifices. Not figuratively speaking, but literally speaking. They sacrifice animals. Seriously. It’s legal as long as you eat them afterwards. Crazy.

But we have neighbors who sacrifice themselves. Not literally, but they sacrifice time and comfort. Let me give you a “for example.” On Saturday, just after catching my last redfish, I received a frantic call from Amy. It was a snake.

A little snake managed to get in between the screen and the office window. Not good. I was on the water, at least an hour away, so our only option was to call our neighbor Donna the Dragon Slayer. She is not scared of snakes. They are scared of her.

So Donna came over, in the rain, and killed that baby snake. We think it was a baby rattler, but Donna practically pureed it with the shovel. I really couldn’t find any pieces.

So how about that for a neighbor, eh? Sure, I’ll come over in the rain and kill the snake for you. For some, fences make good neighbors. For us, good neighbors are just good neighbors.
I give Donna high praise and put her up for “neighbor of the year.” However, she’s one of several great ones we have here in Groveland. I just got invited by another neighbor today to a beer-n-bonfire. Tough to beat.

I doubt that it’s only Groveland that has such great neighbors. I would encourage you to get outside, take a walk, spend a little time in your front yard, and you might just find another Donna the Dragon Slayer living down the street from you. Maybe you can even “one-up” me with a better “neighbor brag.” I doubt that, but its worth a try.

Well if the big change predicted by the Panera Prophetess was that I would break out of my fishing slump, then she was right on. Today I caught what folks call a “Slam:” snook (1), redfish (2), and trout (4). Not a bad day on the water. Always nice to get the monkey off one’s back and regain some “swagger” out there on the water.

Today after my men’s group at Panera I had a “run-in” with an interesting and bold young Christian girl. As I was getting ready to leave, she came up to me and said, “I don’t know you at all, but God wants you to know that you’ve been seeking something big, and to not give up. It’s just around the corner.”

I didn’t know what to say, but I did want to commend this young girl on her boldness to come up to a complete stranger. So I thanked her for the message. And I do admire her boldness. I really do.

In our session meeting the other day, we looked at a passage in Acts 8. The Spirit clearly tells Phillip of an evangelistic opportunity, and to “Go that chariot and stand near it (Acts 8:29-NIV).” He meets an Ethiopian who is reading and trying to comprehend a passage in Isaiah 53. We all discussed the need to be open to the Spirit’s leading in the role of evangelism, whatever that might look like.

A few questions, at least a few, popped into my head. Did God really tell her to say that? I can’t prove that He didn’t. Nor will I try. Maybe he did lead her to tell me that? If I had to bet, I would bet NO. I really have no idea of what the “huge breakthrough” or “change” might be. Perhaps I will break out of my fishing slump tomorrow, or soon? That would be nice.

Would I be so bold as to go up to a random stranger and tell them that? Well not specifically that message, but the message of the gospel? Not random strangers, but people I know or who I meet? I commend her on on her boldness. Maybe if I catch a ton of snook and reds tomorrow, and break out of my “fishing slump,” I’ll come back and thank her one day. If that breakthrough or another comes my way, I’ll be sure to let you know.

Selfishness is not a learned behavior. We are born selfish. No one needs to teach a young child anything about “private property.” What’s theirs is theirs and what’s yours is theirs; things simply become “private property” by touch. I guess you could argue that it’s “genetic,” going all the way back to Adam.

I didn’t have to teach Connar anything about sticking his foot in his mouth. So I guess you could say that sticking one’s foot in mouth is not a learned behavior either. Although he’ll certainly have plenty of time to develop this “skill” by watching and learning from one of the best: his Daddy.

I just finished reading Jim Collin’s book Good to Great. I found it a good, or rather great, read on leadership, vision, and managing people. Collins and his research crew spent a serious amount of time interviewing and examining companies which seemed to fit a specific mold. For instance, the most successful companies had what he called “Level 5” leaders (bold, humble, people who put company before ego), followed a Hedgehog concept (what can we best at, what can we have a passion for, setting a common economic denominator), and always dealt honestly with real challenges. Much of the principles could be used at any management level and have proved helpful for pastors or those leading non-profit organizations.

One of my favorite lines from Eddie Murphy’s Coming to America is, “Yeah, he (a male singer just referred to as “good”) is good and terrible!” The funny thing is (though I guess that’s not really the best word for it) that two of these Good to Great companies have now become Good and Terrible. Fannie Mae ran into a “bit” of trouble the other day, and just recently Circuit City filed for bankruptcy. The economy could have played a part, but it seems that they may have deviated from their Hedgehog concept by treating their employees poorly (according to some). Well I hope Walgreens isn’t next or else that will be 3 out of about 9 on the list!

I was watching a little of the Georgia-Kentucky football game on Saturday while baby-sitting Connar. In the stands was a 90 year-old who had been to over 400 straight University of Kentucky home football games. He would have had more but a little something called WWII happened and he went to fly bombers over Burma.

And I thought to myself, this is Kentucky football. This isn’t USC, UF, FSU, OSU. This is Kentucky football. I can’t imagine that kind of commitment. Especially to a team that will very often let you down.

What a good model for Christians. Commitment to a local church where you may get disappointed a time or two. But he was committed nonetheless, and it sure looked like he was having a heck of a time in the stands (even though they did eventually lose at the end). I think we too can find joy in our commitment. Our problem is that we tend to skip the commitment part, though, and simply search for joy.

At the conference this past week, I had a chance to meet Michael Francese, a former mob boss who came to Christ. I first heard of him through an interview on the Jim Rome show, my favorite sports talk show. Michael and I shot the breeze about how we were both Jim Rome fans, and he told me how Jim is always calling him, and how he would be back on the show in March to promote his new book. So yes, God is using even Jim Rome to help build His Kingdom. Apparently he did the same with Josh Hamilton and his new book.

Anyhow, not everyone is a fan of Jim Rome. I was talking with some folks in my community group about Rome the other day. They were definitely not fans, and they brought up the most common complaint leveled against him. Much of Rome’s show comprises inside jokes he and his fans (called “clones”) will mention when they email or call the show. If one is not aware of these terms or jokes, he (and sometimes she-there are female listeners), will simply listen to something else. Yet Rome tells people to “give my show a chance” and to commit to listen for a time, and then make an informed decision.

The thing about Rome is that he is very popular, and on in a ton of different markets from California to Florida to all over Canada. So he will not change his approach to inside jokes or jargon. He can get away with it.

The church, however, really cannot afford to use inside jokes and jargon. Inside or outside the proverbial walls. There is just too much at stake. Even if we could, it would not be very loving. We might find it interesting/challenging to reflect on our conversations for a while to see if they really exclude rather than include and bring people into the next level of deeper fellowship. It is at this next level, that they may be open to hearing jokes and understanding jargon. But we cannot operate by Rome’s methods and use such jokes and jargon on the front end and expect to build deeper relationships within and outside the church.

The hardest part for me is that “inside joking” is so stinkin’ fun. It really is. And I think it does have a place in certain company, when everyone is on the “inside.” But I do need to be reminded where haphazard use of it has alienated people from specific relationships and even entire ministries.

I’m now on my way back to Tampa, sitting in Phoenix for a brief layover. Everyone is talking on their cell phones, including one dude who’s currently making a business proposition, over the phone line, primarily with hand gestures. Crazy. I wonder if cell phone guy realizes how ridiculous he looks. Anyhow, I just have a few minutes, and a few thoughts. Last night the conference included some comedians, some more funny than others.

The last one was from Canada. And of course he mentioned something about his wife getting an ultra-sound; and he mentioned it was free. People kind of ooed and aaahhhed for a second, and he then quickly retorted, “Well you might be getting free health care soon.”

I laughed like crazy, but man, there was a strange weirdness which permeated the room that could only be cut by the sharpest of ginsu knives. It took about 5 minutes for the audience to come back around. But from that point on, I was probably the loudest laugher (no surprise) among the 1000 or so in attendance. Now it may have had something to do with his fat pregnant wife jokes. Always a sore subject…..Yet several times he said, “I definitely won’t mention anything else about free health care, anymore.” But it was too late. He politically, or comedically-or both-distanced himself from much, but certainly not all, of his audience.

Maybe it was too early for that joke, maybe not. It wasn’t too early for me, and I didn’t vote for Obama. I’m fine. But after the election, I received untrue emails and actually got one facebook message questioning Obama’s citizenship. The latter was an attempt to form some sort of petition to release some sort of birth records. I honestly doubt he would run if he weren’t born here. People have a way of finding out stuff about you when you run for office.

I didn’t see McCain’s concession speech (I had to fly out early the next morning), but I heard it was quite classy. Even Katie Curic thought so. Hopefully his supporters will eventually follow suit, and be thankful they live in a democracy. As Tom Petty sang, “Even the losers….” or at least the “losers” who believe God works all things out according to the counsel of His will, can lose with grace. Every now and then I like to go “Westminster.” Sadly many believe that God’s will can be trumped by ours. By God’s grace I’m not one of them, so you shan’t be getting facebook messages from me.