Life...More or Less

Welcome to the World Gracyn Noelle!!!

2008-06-13T16:20:00.002-06:00

Gracyn Noelle Lyerla came into the world at 12:20 p.m. on Wednesday, June 11th. There really aren't words to describe the excitement of seeing a new life come into the world. I'll post more when things calm down in 18 years or so. :)

An Unexpected Follow Up to "Things Better Left Unsaid"

2008-05-25T13:38:00.006-06:00

Now that 8- year old Madison and 4-year old Tori share a room it has become necessary to lay down a few ground rules for going to bed; no talking, no playing and no getting out of bed. The first violation (a pretty common occurrence) results in a swat to the bottom, after that they lose their respective stuffed animals for the night.

So last night we did devotions and put the girls to bed. Twenty minutes later I heard giggling and banging around in their room. I opened the door in time to see Madison scrambling up the bunk bed ladder and Tori diving into her bottom bunk. Strike one. Two pops to the bottoms and a reminder of the what happens next followed and I left the room.

A half hour later I heard more giggling and chatter, strike two. Madison handed over her Webkinz without much protest, but I expected much more drama from Tori. Seeing her Minnie Mouse on the floor, I picked it up and headed out the door. Just as I was walking out I heard Tori say "That's okay, that's Madison's Minnie Mouse." Fighting off a laugh and shaking my head I turned around, put Madison's back on the floor and relieved Tori of hers.

When I told Nancy what happened she said even if Tori had kept quiet until I'd left the room it would have been too much for her not to tell Madison, who would have promptly ratted her sister out.

Things Better Left Unsaid...

2008-05-15T09:57:00.004-06:00

This was the last page of a shipping invoice we received at our office. A couple of questions come to mind.
1) Why was this necessary? It's the last page, just don't send it.
2) Didn't they ruin the idea by announcing "This page intentionally left blank" ON THE PAGE? Next time why not put "The next page is intentionally left blank" on the page before?

Just a thought for your Thursday.

People I Remember; Part 2

2008-05-11T21:21:00.005-06:00

So how many people doubted I would follow up the first installment with a second? Anyone besides me? Yes, I must say I surprised myself. Without further ado, let's get into it.

SFC Elvis Holloway
A section chief in our fire support platoon when I was stationed in Hawaii, Sergeant First Class Elvis Holloway made a big impression on me during my final deployment to the Big Island (Hawaii). After a week of field exercise on the observation post at Puu Ahi we came back to base camp for showers, restocking and rest.
I cleaned my truck, took a shower and met a few of the guys from another platoon to head up to the ad-hoc tavern located at the camp. The weather was getting cooler, so I told the others I would meet them there and went back inside to grab my field jacket. On the way down the aisle to my bunk I passed Sergeant Holloway and said a quick hello. I grabbed my jacket and turned around to head back outside. When I passed Sergeant Holloway's bunk he stepped out into the aisle to meet me.

"Lyerla, I've been watching you. I know you were raised right, you know the Bible and the right things to say, but those friends of yours are taking you straight to Hell. You don't know it, but I've been praying for you."

I was stunned. Someone I knew only on a professional basis was able to see through the wall of religious knowledge I had built to hide behind. Suddenly I was standing there trying to think of a way to respond and get out of there as soon as I could. We stood there for what seemed like an hour, and all I could think to say was "Yeah, you're probably right, and I sure appreciate it sergeant." and a weak laugh, hoping to lighten the mood.
He didn't bite. "I'm gonna keep praying for you." he said, then stepped out of the aisle and back to his bunk. I told him thank you, then headed out the door and up to meet my friends. End of episode. We never talked about it again, but I never forgot that encounter and the fact that Sergeant Holloway was always praying for me. Even fifteen years later I think about that day, and wonder if there is any way he could know how my life has turned out. I give God the glory for my family, friends and the security that has replaced my "wall", and want Sergeant Holloway to know how God used him to bring me here.

People I Remember

2008-05-07T19:57:00.002-06:00

This evening during our Wednesday night meal/Bible study our pastor taught from Acts 4:32-37, focusing on Barnabas and his role in the early church as an encourager of the Apostles and his "vouching" for the recently converted Paul.
While listening I began to think back to people in my past who seemed to come along just when I needed them, not family or close friends but those who made a brief appearance with a long-lasting impact in my life. I would like to introduce them to you now over the next few days.

George and Winnie Shigeta
I arrived at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii on December 11, 1991. I was as far away from home as I'd ever been, a lonely situation made worse by the upcoming Christmas holiday. Two weeks later on Christmas Eve, Mike Cross one of the friends I'd made and I traveled down to Honolulu to see the decorations and get into the Christmas spirit. My goal for the evening was to be back at Schofield in time for Midnight Mass so I could enjoy one piece of normalcy.

Around 8 p.m. we started to make our way to the bus stop. We boarded the "Waihawa-Circle Island" bus that would take us back to the town a few miles from Schofield. What we didn't know was the bus had already been to Waihawa, and was on its "Circle Island" route. We rode for over two hours, wondering why it was taking so long to get back, but not knowing enough to ask. Finally we were the last two people on the bus. The driver pulls the bus over and asks us where we wanted to go. We told him and he informed us he was off for the night. Our three-hour bus ride ended only a couple of miles from where we started. We got off the bus and began looking for another bus stop. Apparently we looked as lost as we were, because a older woman and her husband walked up and asked if we needed help. They introduced themselves, George and Winnie Shigeta. We told them what happened, and how I wanted to get back in time for church. They walked with us to the bus stop and showed us the right bus to board. Then Winnie tore the name and address stamp off one of their checks and wrote their phone number on the back. She said if we didn't have anywhere to go for Christmas to give them a call and they would come get us. We thanked them, boarded the bus and made it back in time for Midnight Mass.

The next morning after making a phone call home I found myself with nowhere to go for Christmas. I couldn't find Mike so I decided to take the Shigetas up on their offer. The phone rang and George answered. I asked if the offer still stood and he said they would be up to get me. Looking back now it was probably a pretty silly thing to do, going with someone I'd only met the night before, but at the time the thought never crossed my mind. It could have turned out bad, but instead it was one of my most memorable Christmases. The Shigetas and their daughter (I can't remember her name) took me to a movie (Father of the Bride), gave me a box of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts and took me to their home for Christmas dinner. After dinner and visiting they took me back to Schofield and I thanked them for their kindness and generosity. They honked as they drove away, and I never saw them again. Of the 35 years I've been on this earth, six hours were spent with the Shigetas, and I'm pretty sure I will always remember them.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the story. If I went on too long, it's something I will work on for the next story. Feel free to comment with your own similar experiences.

Viva la Revolution!!!

2008-05-07T15:21:00.003-06:00

I've said it once, and I'll keep saying it. If you aren't making Emily Ingold's "Life with the Boys" a part of your daily blog browsing, why not? Today she's talking about the Revolution Money Exchange It's an alternative to PayPal, providing money transfers at no charge to members. I signed up for an account (You're welcome Ingolds!) and invite you to click on the button I've posted at the top right corner of my blog and check it out for yourself.

Staying out of Ruts

2008-05-07T12:20:00.004-06:00

I used to be good at this. Back in college when we would need to fill space in the newspaper I was the guy. Whether it was an entirely new piece of writing or "fluffing" an existing story,I would sit down at a computer, begin typing and the words would flow. Right now I am simply keeping my fingers moving in the hope of getting traction enough to pull me out of the writing "rut" I find myself in right now.

Just when I reach the brink of something a slick patch comes out of nowhere and puts be back to square one. Little things like "avoid passive voice", don't start/end a sentence with a preposition, and asking myself "How many times did I use 'I' in the last sentence?" keep throwing off my concentration. This isn't for a grade, just write SOMETHING! I shouldn't have to worry about AP style or Strunk and White just to jot down a blog posting, right? Right?

So here we go...
The Lyerlas are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Gracyn sometime between the end of May and the end of June. Nancy's doctor-ordered bed rest is in its 3rd week with 4 more to go. In her excitement to see our family Gracyn tried to make her appearance a few weeks early. It took some time in the hospital to convince her to wait a bit longer. Sunday evening we went back into the hospital because the contractions were happening more frequently than the nurse liked. Fortunately another stay wasn't necessary. Those of you who know Nancy can understand she's not the bed-rest type, and I can't say I blame her.

Members of our church have been unbelievable at providing for our spiritual and physical needs over the past weeks and we are truly thankful for their generosity and friendship.

Yesterday was my 35th birthday. Is it just me or do birthdays get more difficult to distinguish from other days the older you get? I remember counting down the weeks until my birthday, this year with everything else going on I honestly forgot until about a week before. (See, right now there is a fight going on in my mind about finding a different way to end the sentence without using a preposition)

Okay, gotta take care of some business. I'll be back!

The War, The Economy and Dick Cheney's Sunglasses

2008-04-11T13:52:00.005-06:00

I saw this on Foxnews' website and it brought a couple of thoughts to mind. The first was the advice of Phil Greer, former Director of Photography at the Chicago Tribune and one of my photojournalism instructors at SIU. He said when you take a picture of the "news story" to turn around and see if an even better picture presents itself behind you. I think this idea applies to the situation.

The second thing to pop into my mind was this; if in fact the image in Cheney's sunglasses is of a nude woman as some have speculated (and I seriously doubt), was anyone else taking pictures of the vice-president?

Campus Construction Webcam

2008-04-04T22:22:00.003-06:00

The speed of the dorm construction is mind-boggling. I want to give everyone a chance to look in on the progress here. This is a camera positioned at the top of Miller Tower and it looks out over the construction site. As I post this it is dark outside, but during the daytime the view is amazing!

Photos from my Camera Phone of the Tornado Damage

2008-03-28T10:15:00.008-06:00

I took these pictures during the days immediately after the Feb. 5 tornado.
Damage to the Watters Housing Complex

Damage to the Hurt Complex

Inside Jennings 325

Watters Commons

Life with the Boys: Myth Busters

2008-03-14T08:44:00.000-06:00

As the father of two girls with a third on the way I will never be able to fully appreciate what Abe and Emily experience with Connor, Isaac and Eli. Thankfully Emily captures a glimpse of it here for the world to see. Right from the first image you know it's going to be good! Thanks Em!

Happy Birthday Nancy!!!

2008-03-13T18:34:00.002-06:00

Tonight I'm sending out a VERY happy birthday wish to my wife! (Thanks for the reminder, Em) I actually pulled a surprise party off with the help of friends. (Thanks Wes, Katie and everyone who came!) Today we had a great lunch date, and the flowers I ordered were waiting when she came home. Tooting my own horn? Yeah, maybe a little. :)

Happy Birthday Carrie!!!

2008-03-12T10:01:00.001-06:00

From your big brother. I need to find some old pictures to post or something...maybe tonight. LOL

Four-Year Old Fitness

2008-03-12T08:52:00.003-06:00

To get back in shape before beginning Officer Candidate School in April my mornings begin with exercise. On days when I don't run I use a "Fit For Duty" podcast from the Pentagon Channel as a guide for push-ups, sit-ups and general cardio. I load it onto my PSP and connect the PSP to my television. Yeah, I'm kind of a geek in that way. Using a structured program helps keep me from getting off track and wasting the time.

A few days ago Tori, our 4-year old daughter joined me for my morning workout in the living room. She was following along pretty well at first, but as the intensity picked up she went to the couch and got her blanket. She put it beside her on the floor, and when I asked what she was doing she told me;

"When it gets hard I'll just lay down." And she did.

When I told Nancy she laughed and said Tori must take after her when it comes to exercise.

I said nothing. :)

Pray for the Spitzer family

2008-03-11T12:04:00.005-06:00

"Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops."
The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001, S. Lk 12:1-3

As I follow the news coverage of New York governor Eliott Spitzer my first reaction was to join the crowd and gawk in guilty pleasure at the tabloid-rich story coming from Albany. Then I saw the photo of Governor Spitzer and his wife, Silda, and the story I saw in their eyes made me ashamed of my own self-righteousness.

Only days ago this man and his wife were at the top. The governor of one of the most high-profile states in the union and his wife, an accomplished attorney who stepped away from law to focus on their family and philanthropy. Governor Spitzer gained prominence as attorney general fighting corruption in the very state he now led.

Now they both stood there in front of a press corps that smelled blood in the water. The now-disgraced public official, standing like so many before him in humiliation and confessing his sins to the world. No security detail, bulletproof towncar or spin doctor could offer him any protection from the questions that would come. A man who once controlled a state government now controlled nothing. His wife, who perhaps heard the news for the first time only hours before standing with him, unwillingly pulled into the whirlwind and having to hear him repeat the details of his indiscretions. I can't begin to imagine what is going through her mind, but it must surely begin with "How did it come to this?"

Looking deeper into the picture I came to realize the humanity involved. This was not a plot line from a drama series where the director yells "Cut" and the scene ends. No! A real family is under attack, perhaps on the verge of being destroyed as we watch from the comfort of our homes and discuss it as though the problem is a million miles away. After all it's not our family, right?

It made me think about the "pet" sins in my own life that I must overcome on a daily basis. Even though I confessed them to God I spent several years allowing them to control me, not through giving in to them (although it happened occasionally) as much as trying to keep them hidden. The enemy kept telling me how embarrassing it would be having to explain myself to friends and my wife, and was it really such a big deal anyway? So one day I just bit the bullet and did it. You know what? The enemy was wrong. There was no embarrassment in telling my wife. There was freedom. And yes, it is a big deal. When I told her she became my ally in fighting those temptations instead of being a means for letting them have the upper hand. "Why take the chance of rejection?" you may ask. Because I never want to make her stand beside me in a moment when my sins are exposed for the world to see and wonder "How did it come to this?"

A group of men in our church is doing a study through Steve Farrar's book "Point Man". He has much to say on this subject, and I would recommend it to any man who is or will be leading their family.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!

West Tennessee Snow Day!

2008-03-09T20:38:00.005-06:00

I did NOT sign up for this when we moved to Tennessee! Thankfully it was here on Saturday and pretty well gone by Sunday. The girls got to have fun playing, and knowing it would soon be gone I enjoyed it too. The snow packed well so we were able to have a snowball fight, make snow angels and build a snowman.

Madison Getting the View from Above

Our angel Tori. Yeah, I had to laugh when I said it too. :)

My lovely daughters scheming to whack their dad with snowballs

Allow Me to Introduce You to...

2008-03-06T21:32:00.002-06:00

Gracyn Noelle Lyerla!!! Okay, at least her mouth and nose. For those of you who are unable to see her, I won't hold it against you. I have never thought the printouts were as easy to see. It is much easier when you see her moving.
I will add more pictures as we get them. There were more in this batch, but none of them had as much discernible Gracyn.

4-D images? Well, here's the thing...

2008-03-06T15:43:00.004-06:00

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that we were going to get to see Gracyn in brilliant 4-D. We went to the doctor's office yesterday with high expectations but left a little disappointed. It turns out there is a regular ultrasound screening before the 4-D ultrasound. The doctor found nothing to concern him when he looked at the screening so he did not do the 4-D. Completely understandable, and we were thrilled there were no worries but it would have been pretty cool to get to see something like this.

To satisfy the masses, or Emily at least I will be posting the latest round of ultrasound photos soon.

White People Like Stealing Stuff from Other White People's Blogs...

2008-03-06T14:39:00.002-06:00

I was introduced to this blog during my regular morning jog on the internet (capitalized or not? Discuss.) Emily listed it as one of her favorites, and after a little looking around I would agree. She highlighted a few of her favorite posts, and since I can't come up with anything at the moment I'll add mine to the list. Incidentally if you haven't been reading Emily's blog, why not?

#63 Expensive Sandwiches

#40 Apple Products

#28 Not Having a TV

#16 “Gifted” Children

Where to Begin?

2008-03-04T17:07:00.001-06:00

I know it's been a while since I posted and my "resurgent" post was far from earth-shattering, so I apologize. To be honest the holidays derailed my blogging efforts. Once I get out of a routine it is difficult for me to get back to it, even when I know it needs to be done.

As a tribute to missed opportunities I offer a brief teaser of blog content that escaped me at the time, but will be covered in later entries. Thanks to everyone who e-mailed me and said they missed reading my posts!

First of all, we are welcoming a new addition to our family at the end of June. Gracyn Noelle Lyerla is beginning to make her presence known. Tomorrow afternoon Nancy and I will get to see her in a 4D ultrasound.

Sometime in the next month I will be re-entering the military and pursuing a commission in the Tennessee National Guard. To that end I have been working to get back into shape, and finding it to be a much longer trip than I expected! So far I have dropped nearly 15 pounds through exercise and watching what I eat. My target loss is 25-30 pounds, so I will keep you updated.

The most-well documented event that I should have had something to comment about is the tornado that tore through western Tennessee and Union University on February 5th. I felt the coverage by Tim Ellsworth at Union and others would be far more accurate and clearly conveyed than I could hope to match, so instead of writing I focused on helping with the rebuilding efforts around campus.

Then of course there is the national election, the Superbowl and now Brett Favre's retirement. All of these things and more should be covered, (well maybe not the Superbowl, it's kinda old news) in future entries.

Finally, I am playing around with using Microsoft Word 2007 to publish my entries, let me know what you think. Hopefully I can be a little more reliable from here on out. Thanks for sticking with me!

Leland

And It's Done.

2008-03-04T10:01:00.003-06:00

Brett Favre Announces His Retirement

Thanks for the memories Brett! Long live the Green Bay Packers!

Another Christmas Treat

2007-12-17T09:10:00.000-06:00

Hard to believe this clip is nearly 20 years old now...

Something Special for the Holiday

2007-12-14T21:54:00.000-06:00

I was shown this by a family member and thought I would pass it along. Merry Christmas!!!!

Is it just a part of coaching?

2007-12-13T10:16:00.000-06:00

From the Southern Illinoisan newspaper following SIU's loss to Delaware in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision semifinals.

Kill has been mentioned as a possibility to fill the coaching vacancies at Colorado State and Northern Illinois, both Football Bowl Subdivision schools. After Saturday's game, Kill was asked if he may have coached his last contest at SIU.

"Not unless Mario's gonna fire me," Kill said, talking about athletic director Mario Moccia. Kill also noted how "inappropriate" he felt the question was.

Breaking news in the same newspaper this morning.
Kill heading north

Another Blow to the Altanta Falcons

2007-12-11T18:05:00.000-06:00

I don't consider myself a fan of the Falcons, but can a season get much worse? First the whole Mike Vick debacle, then the 3-10 season and now their coach resigns over the phone? Team owner Arthur Blank seems to be a good guy who has seen his team fall apart around him. Right now there is little in Atlanta to lure a quality coach, maybe the second overall draft pick? I don't see things turning around there for several years to come.

Elusive Silence

2007-12-11T10:51:00.001-06:00

"A place for everything and everything in its place." - Ben Franklin

Through a series of links I found this posting by Erich Bridges on Countercultureblog.com

Silence makes many of us uncomfortable, even anxious. So we lunge for the remote or the iPod. Silence encourages reflection, but we are not a reflective people. Silence prepares the heart for prayer, but we’re too busy multi-tasking. Silence enables us to hear the still, small voice of God, but we don’t have the patience to wait for Him to speak...

Of all the devil’s weapons, one of the most insidious is one of the most mundane: noise. Pointless noise. Endless noise. Cell phone ringtone PDA laptop inbox voicemail pager TV radio video traffic subwoofer leaf blower noise. Sound and fury, signifying nothing.

While reading the article I was confronted by how much noise I allow into my own life through gadgets on a daily basis: my iPod, Palm PDA, laptop, the radio in my truck, the XM radio in the car, wireless internet access anywhere I can find it, cable TV, DVDs and CD's. Combine this with a need to be thinking three steps ahead of where I am and it's small wonder I look back and ask where my days, months and years go.

What does this noise tend to replace? Many of the things I criticize myself for not being able to make priorities in life:

Spending time with Nancy and the girls, not just being under the same roof, but doing things together that will make memories.

Getting into God's Word on a much more regular and meaningful basis than I have been to discover all He wants me to be as a believer, husband and father.

To actually do something with the tools and wood collecting in my workshop.

My goal over the next year is to overhaul the way I spend my time. To live deliberately, not allowing the "noise" of life to give me the impression I am doing something when in reality I'm not.

It's going to be an interesting year, and I don't want to miss it.

Biblical Manhood

2007-12-03T13:30:00.000-06:00

Dr. Ray Van Neste is the Director of the R.C. Ryan Center for Biblical Studies at Union University. A scholar, husband and father, he recently spoke to a group of Union students on the pursuit of true manhood.

If you'd like to listen to his talk in it's entirety here is the link.

Our culture is infatuated with youth and encourages you not to grow up. After all, it says, the glory is in the youth. If you would be men you must reject this siren song and swim against the tide. You must diligently seek to throw off immaturity and to grow up. Remember the one boy who never grew up was Peter Pan - and in case you haven’t noticed his role has typically been played by a woman. The chase for perpetual youth is never manly. The other example of avoiding the effects of growing up is the medieval boys choirs. To maintain the high voices of the boys as they aged, the boys would be castrated. Again, avoiding maturity is emasculating.

So my main point to you tonight is, work on growing up. It does not “just happen.” Examples abound of physically mature males who have never truly attained manhood because they failed to mature in anyway other than physically.

If you are raising boys or think you have some growing up to do yourself (don't we all?) I would recommend listening, or at least read his notes on the topic.

So I may not start watching Wheel of Fortune...

2007-11-28T20:07:00.000-06:00

but I've gained a whole new level of respect for Pat Sajak since reading this column he wrote for HumanEvents.com.

I suppose anything that gets people engaged in the political process is a good thing, but the idea that a gold record, a top-ten TV show or an Oscar translates into some sort of political wisdom doesn’t make much sense to me. Trust me, one’s view of the world isn’t any clearer from the back seat of a limo.

Take a moment to read the rest, it's definitely worth it. I've found a new regular stop on my daily roaming through cyberspace.

Thanks Tim!!!

Let the Traditions Begin!!!

2007-11-27T19:49:00.000-06:00

Well, last night we decorated the tree. Right now we're watching "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown". Seen it so many times I can quote it, but it still makes me laugh at times, other times I can relate too many times to Charlie's woes.

ABC followed it up with "A Charlie Brown Christmas", a 2002 production of vignettes centered on the characters. Not nearly as good, but tolerable.

Any favorite lines from the original? Here's mine...

"Rats. Nobody sent me a Christmas card today. I almost wish there weren't a holiday season. I know nobody likes me. Why do we have to have a holiday season to emphasize it?"

A Question for the Cooks in the Audience

2007-11-27T16:23:00.000-06:00

In a discussion with my wife a few days ago the question arose, "What makes soup a chowder?"

Anyone?

Time Got Away from Me!!

2007-11-26T13:08:00.000-06:00

I just realized how long it had been since my last post. A friend sent me an article he thought I would find interesting. Interesting indeed, so I'm posting the link and welcome any discussion.

On Sunday mornings, most parents who don't believe in the Christian God, or any god at all, are probably making brunch or cheering at their kids' soccer game, or running errands or, with luck, sleeping in. Without religion, there's no need for church, right?

Read the entire article here

2007-10-11T16:46:00.000-06:00

I'm sitting here at work waiting for an event to begin and just had to write about what I see in front of me. A woman has arrived nearly an hour before the speaker is scheduled to begin to sit in the very back row. The expected crowd is around 150 in a venue that will seat over 1000, and she arrived early to secure the seat furthest from the front. How Baptist is that???

Thoughts from Cowboys-Bills MNF

2007-10-09T11:07:00.000-06:00

No matter what games come later in the season, it will be hard to beat last night's MNF matchup between the Cowboys and Bills. I never thought I would be pulling for the Cowboys, but watching Tony Romo keep his cool after a disastrous first half and lead the game-winning drive made me a believer. As bad as I felt for the Buffalo fans, it was a great game, nearly ruined by two things...

As much as I like commentator Tony Kornheiser on ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption", can there be a more annoying person to endure over the course of a game? His constant on air rabbit-chasing aside, he offers no real substance to the game and is more of a third-wheel than Dennis Miller or even Rush Limbaugh ever thought of being. Last night during the pre-game show he went into several scenarios that could make this game winnable by the Buffalo Bills; i.e. a sudden snowstorm, Cowboys coach Wade Phillips forgetting that he wasn't still coaching the Bills and a couple other suggestions implying the futility Buffalo would be facing later that evening.

Then, five interceptions later with Buffalo leading, Kornheiser changed his tune to speculate that the Cowboys may have been overrated, citing the 5-15 combined record of their opponents this season. I didn't catch what he may have said following the Cowboys win, but I'm sure it would have sounded a lot like "What I meant by saying that is..." or praising the poise (correctly, I might add) of Romo and his teammates. Anyway...

The other thing that bugs me is the sudden "strategy" of a coach calling timeout just before the snap to freeze the kicker. Maybe I'm not opposed to coaches doing it so much as when they've been doing it. The way Bills' coach Dick Jauron stood right beside the official last night and arranged for the timeout to be called at a specific point seems a little low to me. I could be wrong, but if you want to call a timeout you should have to call it before the set if you are on defense.

I've gotta take care of some things, but I'll try to be back.

Any comments?

I'm Just Throwing this Out for Discussion

2007-09-12T10:52:00.000-06:00

Anyone who would like to comment would be welcome. Do any of you find yourselves to be too critical, discerning, whatever you want to call it, to the point of running in circles? I'm thinking particularly in the area of spiritual growth. What pastors do you listen to regularly? What authors do you read? Are there any points of their individual stances where you differ? How do you reconcile those differences?

I'll wait a while for some input before commenting on what brought this up.

Thanks!

Thank you, Mrs. Vines for Introducing Us.

2007-09-07T21:41:00.000-06:00

Madeleine L'Engle, the award winning author of 60 books, most notably the Newberry Award-winning "A Wrinkle in Time" passed away on Thursday. She was 88.
I met her, figuratively of course, in the sixth grade through my teacher Bonnie Vines. Nearly 25 years later I remember what I learned and lived in her class. Through books like "A Wrinkle in Time", "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "My Side of the Mountain" Mrs. Vines taught me the importance of faith, courage, loyalty and friendship in life. She didn't teach these virtues because a curriculum told her to, she taught them because she believed in them. Now retired, she established a folk school outside of my hometown where she can integrate academics, ethics and life skills in ways mainstream educators have long forgotten.

God bless you Bonnie.

Update on Tori's Surgery

2007-08-27T22:32:00.000-06:00

We arrived at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Nashville around 11:45 on Thursday. We didn't wait too long until Tori was called back to the prep area.

She put on PJs and let the nurses do the routine pre-op tasks without any fuss. Around 2:20 p.m. the anesthetist (a term I would not have known before working at Union) came in to take her to the operating room. He asked Tori if she wanted to ride the bed or have him carry her back. Tori threw up her arms and said "You carry me." Nancy told Tori to give hugs and kisses, meaning us, but Tori threw her arms around his neck and planted a smacker on his cheek. She genuinely caught him off-guard, and later he told us Tori charmed everyone in the operating room. I have to wonder how long they listened to Tori chat before deciding they really needed to get underway.

The operation took around 3 hours and we were able to go back to the recovery room a little after 6 p.m. Tori gradually came out of the anesthesia and while groggy and hoarse her personality came shining through those big brown eyes. She took a few drinks of apple juice and drifted in and out. Sometime around 7:30 p.m. we moved out of recovery and up to her room.

Tori, Nancy and Grandma Porter settled into one of what the nurse dubbed "the princess room" for the night. The room, with its cabinetry and furniture, was designed for an extended stay. After talking briefly with one father who was a self-described veteran of the floor I had to wonder if any level of design could make being there more bearable. The next morning I brought Madison along with Grandma and Grandpa Lyerla to visit Tori. She was being stubborn, not eating or drinking enough to satisfy the doctors and send her home. Beyond stubborn, she was beginning to realize the value of her situation. For instance, she was allowed to have popsicles as a way of getting fluids. At one point, when Nancy offered Madison a popsicle Tori, thinking out loud, mumbled "I'm the one who's not feeling very well."

Later in the day Tori began eating and drinking enough to convince the doctors she was able to go home. Around 6:00 p.m. on Friday we loaded up the vehicles and said good-bye to the nurses.

I want to thank everyone for their prayers during the last few weeks leading up to the surgery and during our hospital stay. Nancy says the good sleep Tori got through the night after the surgery had to be because of the prayers. To Dr. Cofer, who did the surgery, the nurses in the recovery room and the seventh floor and everyone else we met during our stay we say thank you.

2007-08-22T22:00:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow morning we'll be taking our 3 year-old daughter Tori to Nashville for her second cleft-lip surgery. The people at Vanderbilt have been amazing and most likely this will be the last surgery she will need. She goes into the OR at 2:00 p.m. and the procedure should last a couple of hours.
As we get ready, I'm reminded of a conversation Nancy and Madison had prior to Tori's first surgery in 2004. Nancy wanted to let Madison know what was going on and what the doctors in St. Louis would be doing to her little sister. When Nancy told her they would be fixing Tori's lip, Madison got the strangest look on her face. Over the next few minutes Nancy realized Tori's lip was fine as far as Madison knew, and she couldn't comprehend the need to fix it. It didn't matter that Tori's lip looked different, that is how Madison had always seen her.
The last few weeks I've taken several pictures of the smile I've come to know and love for the last 3 years. I know it's for the best to finish what the docs in St. Louis began, but at the same time I think I'll miss the old one.

Hunting equals dogfighting?

2007-08-22T13:57:00.000-06:00

From the comments of Stephon Marbury and Clinton Portis concerning Mike Vick someone may need to do a little more digging into how many athletes are involved in dogfighting.

On Monday, New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury was in Albany, N.Y., promoting his brand of affordable sneakers. He was asked about Michael Vick, and said, according to Newsday:

"We don't say anything about people shooting deers and shooting other animals, you know what I mean? From what I hear, dogfighting is a sport. It's just behind closed doors and I think it's tough that we build Michael Vick up and then we break him down ... I think he fell into a bad situation."

"Shooting deers"?

And from an interview Portis did for WAVY TV in Virginia:

"I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property, it's his dog," Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis told WAVY-TV in Virginia. "If that's what he wants to do, do it. I think people should mind their business."

When told that dog fighting is a felony, Portis replied, "It can't be too bad of a crime."

I think the Marbury comment comparing legal hunting to dogfighting has to be the most ludicrous comment over the entire matter. I grew up hunting; my dad taught me to be respectful and responsible in every aspect from the trail to the kill. He has owned several hounds over the course of my lifetime. NEVER once can I remember him striking one of his dogs in anger or because they failed to perform well. Let's contrast this with what Mike Vick has admitted to being involved in.

RICHMOND, Virginia (CNN) -- Two co-defendants of Michael Vick say the NFL star helped execute dogs that didn't fight well, according to federal court documents.

The court papers, filed as Quanis Phillips, 28, and Purnell Peace, 35, pleaded guilty to dogfighting charges Friday, said all three men "executed approximately eight dogs that did not perform well in testing sessions" in April of this year by methods such as hanging and drowning.

Disgusting, barbaric, cowardly. I have one more question for Marbury. Do you think Vick ate the dogs he is responsible for killing? No? Well there's another difference between responsible hunters and dogfighting thugs.

Anytime I Want to Feel Old...

2007-08-22T10:16:00.000-06:00

I can look at the Beloit College Mindset List. The report, compiled annually by the college's office of public affairs gives a glance into the political and cultural mind of the latest round of college freshmen. A few highlights from the class of 2011:

Humvees, minus the artillery, have always been available to the public.

They never “rolled down” a car window.

Stadiums, rock tours and sporting events have always had corporate names.

American rock groups have always appeared in Moscow.

Tiananmen Square is a 2008 Olympics venue, not the scene of a massacre.

The space program has never really caught their attention except in disasters.

They get much more information from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert than from the newspaper.

I guess I am now officially a part of another generation...

A Short Quiz

2007-08-20T21:26:00.000-06:00

My sister sent this to me via e-mail. Normally I'm not the type to pass these things along, but this was clever. See how you do, I caught on and got the final question right.

The following short quiz consists of 4 questions and will tell you whether you are qualified to be a professional.

Scroll down for each answer. The questions are NOT that difficult.

But don't scroll down UNTIL you have answered the question!

1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?

The correct answer is: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door. This question tests whether
you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.

2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?

Did you say, open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the
refrigerator?

Wrong Answer.

Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of your previous actions.

3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend.... except one.
Which animal does not attend?

Correct Answer: The Elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator. You just put him in there. This tests your memory.

Okay, even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true abilities.

4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles, and you do not have a boat. How do you manage it?

Correct Answer: You jump into the river and swim across. Have you not been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the animal conference. This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.

According to Anderson Consulting Worldwide, around 90% of the professionals they tested got all questions wrong, but many preschoolers got several correct answers.

Whatever your score, hope you enjoyed a little creative thinking today!

2007-08-14T08:58:00.000-06:00

Reading Ray Van Neste's most recent post on his blog led me to look up "It is Well with My Soul", one of my favorite hymns on Cyberhymnal. I discovered verses I'd not known of prior to reading them this morning. I've italicized the verses outside what I'd always thought to be the complete hymn, and reading the complete version only strengthens it's standing as my favorite.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain

Do you think if this were sung in congregations as a hymn of invitation we'd get to all the verses?

On a personal note if you haven't heard Chad and Rachel Ozee's rendition of this hymn you are truly missing something wonderful.

I'm not picking on him, just something I noticed...Gosh!

2007-08-13T14:29:00.000-06:00

Has anyone else noticed how much...

ATLANTA FALCONS' QB JOEY HARRINGTON

RESEMBLES

"NAPOLEON DYNAMITE" STAR JON HEDER?

Same initials, same smile, similar hair...let the speculation commence!!!

The Joey Jinx?

2007-08-13T14:05:00.001-06:00

A trend seems to be in the making. Following a less-than-stellar stint in Detroit (not entirely his fault), quarterback Joey Harrington is sent to the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins, still searching for their next Marino, had just completed a deal to bring Daunte Culpepper to Miami as the next candidate and Harrington seemed content to hold the clipboard. A few weeks into the season Harrington is the starter and Daunte is riding the bench on his way to Oakland. That was last season...

Harrington signs with Atlanta following the departure of reliable backup Matt Shaub to Houston. Again, Joey seems content to be in the second chair behind the face of the franchise Mike Vick. A short time later Vick is indicted on Federal charges involving his alleged operation of a dog-fighting ring. Now it seems that Vick will be suspended for a portion if not all of this season. For now Harrington is stepping into the lead role and taking "his team" into competition.

So if you are a starting QB in the NFL and Joey Harrington is signed as your backup should you start looking at your options? Forget the Madden Curse and bring on the Harrington Hex!

Okay Barry, now leave us alone...

2007-08-07T22:57:00.000-06:00

It ends. Now I become a big fan of A-Rod. C'mon man, only 257 to go...

Is this where we lost our conscience?

2007-08-01T11:41:00.000-06:00

I tend to chuckle when I hear James Dobson at Focus on the Family or Don Wildmon of the American Family Association preach the removal of the Ten Commandments from public places and prayer from schools as the harbinger of doom for our society. This call to return to the "good old days" i.e. prior to 1962 makes me think of segregation. Is such an atrocity the norm in a "Godly nation"?
Now, it seems there is another dirty secret from that era of family values.

SEASIDE, Oregon (CNN) -- One day in 1957, when Jeff Daly was 6 years old, his little sister, Molly, disappeared. Every night at dinner, he would ask his parents the same question, "Where's Molly?"

Every night, he says, he received the same answer: "Stop asking about Molly."

Decades later, Daly learned that his parents had sent Molly to a state institution nine days before her third birthday. Nearly 50 years later, Daly found his sister and made a documentary about his search.

I read this story with amazement. How parents could make the decision, arbitrarily or under the advice of a doctor, to abandon their child as a ward of the state is beyond me. Children with autism, Down Syndrome and other physical or mental abnormalities were seen as problems, inconveniences or embarrassments and shipped away and erased from existence.

Thankfully we've learned much concerning mental and physical impairments over the last 50 years to allow people to live as normal of a life as possible and to see the blessing in each individual. Yes, abortion is still an abomination (because I know someone will bring it up) and there are other moral issues in our society, but it is not because of prayer in schools or the Ten Commandments. The problem is sin and it is not tied to an era of history, a ruling by a court or a bill passed by Congress.

I feel a ramble coming on, so I'm going to let this go for now.

I was just thinking about you guys...in Peoria, and Carlinville and Macon.

2007-07-19T21:22:00.000-06:00

More and more I'm learning the best friends are the ones you never even looked for to begin with, they just show up and make your life special. Even when God's plan for each of us takes us in different directions they are still there, and in the rare moments of reunion it seems as though we never left. All I can say is thank you to my friends and to God for allowing all our paths to cross for a few special years of daily fellowship and encouragement.

Wonder where your streaming audio went?

2007-06-26T10:37:00.000-06:00

If you enjoy listening to streaming audio at work or home on your computer, a recent 300 percent royalty increase imposed on webcasters is poised to crimp your fun. A "Day of Silence" is underway today, June 26th to protest the increase and raise awareness of the issue.

Thoughts from a family reunion

2007-06-17T20:01:00.000-06:00

Today was the Lyerla family reunion at Giant City State Park. As a kid I looked forward to the reunion every year as a chance to run around with my cousins and see aunts, uncles and other relatives that came in for the occasion. Twenty years and two children later, my enthusiasm has tempered somewhat. It was still great seeing everyone and catching up, but coordinating with my wife to keep track of our girls added a whole new angle to the event.
I did get a chance to pitch washers, and wound up with a great partner who nailed ringers the entire afternoon and pulled us to an undefeated record. I added a few points myself, but definitely found myself in the support role.
One glaring difference between reunions even five years ago and now was the topics of conversations between the cousins my age. Back then we talked about fun stuff; hunting, fishing, music, etc. The first conversation I walked up to this afternoon involved one of my cousins cautioning another about needing to get to a doctor to have something checked out. Growing up stinks! LOL
Anyway, we had a good time seeing everyone, Nancy won a basket full of camping/picnic gear in the drawing at the end, and hopefully we reinforced the importance of family history to our girls. Someday it will be THEIR responsibility to keep the tradition alive.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

2007-06-17T11:18:00.000-06:00

My dad and I went to a Southern Illinois Miners game on Saturday night. A group of men from my dad's church arranged the trip while their wives were at a women's conference in St. Louis. My first impressions of the minor league franchise in Marion was positive. We were able to see a lot of runs scored, the Miners won, and Tim Dorn crushed two home runs over the 400' mark.
The enthusiasm of the crowd was good to see, and I hope they can maintain that level of excitement in future seasons. Tickets and concessions were a little higher than those at Pringles Park here in Jackson, but not as much as a major league park would charge. Traffic going in and coming out was managed effectively, something that truly surprised me.
Another surprise was the number of people I know that were at the game. A friend of mine from high school, a couple we used to go to church with and fellow blogger and friend Chase Abner. I was glad to see the game draw fans from all over southern Illinois.
Seating in Rent-One Park was a little tight, but they do have a "blanket area" down the left-field side that seemed worth checking out. I walked around the concourse to check the view from other seats and found few, if any BAD seats. As we were leaving dad voiced satisfaction by saying he and mom would probably watch another game.

To sum things up in small-town newspaper language, a good time was had by all.

A Whale of a Tale

2007-06-13T14:39:00.000-06:00

Okay, I thought this was pretty cool. Had no idea that whales had such a long lifespan.

Weapon dates bowhead whale to 1800s

A month of silence...

2007-06-11T19:52:00.000-06:00

For anyone who reads my musings, I want to apologize for the lack of content over the past month or so. Mix a little bit of writer's block, some discouragement and a lot of things going on at work this summer and it adds up to the blog slipping my mind. I'll do what I can to keep more current as the summer goes on, if for nothing else than a sounding board.

Citing High Casualty Count, Obama Calls for Withdrawl from Kansas.

2007-05-09T11:42:00.000-06:00

Leave it to a Democrat to exaggerate numbers to make a point.

RICHMOND, Va. - Barack Obama, caught up in the fervor of a campaign speech, drastically overstated the Kansas tornadoes death toll, saying 10,000 had died.

The death toll was 12.

“In case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died — an entire town destroyed,” the Democratic presidential candidate said Tuesday in a speech to 500 people packed into a sweltering Richmond art studio for a fundraiser.

Acknowledging his blunder later:

“There are going to be times when I get tired,” he said. “There are going to be times when I get weary. There are going to be times when I make mistakes.”

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said later that the senator meant to say “at least 10,” instead of 10,000.

The Buttafuoco Legacy

2007-04-30T10:41:00.000-06:00

Joey Buttafuoco was released from jail this weekend after serving a three-month sentence for a parole violation. The CNN headline says Buttafuoco "paid his debt to society". The first thing that came to my mind was can he ever really make up for the countless SNL skits, woeful made-for-TV movies and cliche stand-up gags he is responsible for inspiring?

Just a thought.

Daddy Dearest?

2007-04-20T09:04:00.000-06:00

Alec Baldwin berated his 11-year old daughter in a voice mail left for her after she missed a planned call. Among other things, he called her a "rude, thoughtless pig" who had "humiliated him for the last time".

Real classy there Alec. Not only did this little incident expose the mean, arrogant snot you are behind the Hollywood facade, but also the lack of intelligence you displayed by being recorded saying such things in the first place.

Take a few cues from your brother Stephen. Get yourself straightened out.

The Tragedy at Virginia Tech

2007-04-18T11:27:00.000-06:00

I join anyone with any shred of humanity in passing along deepest condolences and prayers for the faculty, staff, students and family of those senselessly murdered on the morning of April 16th.
As far as commentary on the tragedy it seems there is little more that can be said. News organizations, psychologists and other experts will dissect the life of the shooter for weeks and months to come in hope of understanding why someone would do such a thing.
On his blog "Consumed", Owen Strachan discusses the responsibility of Christians to reach out to the hurting, the lonely and the ignored who could become the next Cho Seung-Hui, Dylan Klebold, Eric Harris or Michael Carneal.

Fellow believers, remember the story of Cho Seung-Hui. Remember him. In one sense, you will never see him. He is dead. But in another sense, you will surely see him. He will have a different face, a different look, and a different mask, but his distress is in most everyone around you. You will not see it, but it will be there. Reach out, brothers and sisters. Speak out. Share the gospel. Proclaim the truth. Minister to the sick. Love the unloved.

Banish the storm.

The entire post can be read here

Now what?

2007-04-12T15:04:00.000-06:00

Don Imus has been fired by CBS. Is this the end of the matter? Imus was wrong, reckless and irresponsible with his words and deserved some level of consequence but I have to wonder if his critics ever thought they would achieve the result they desired. Is justice served now that Imus is, for at least now off the air? CBS pulled the plug, effectively ending the matter and removing themselves from scrutiny or repercussion.

Will accountability be pursued further than Imus? Where is the story now? The headlines, the outrage?

For your consideration...

2007-04-12T12:57:00.000-06:00

In his most recent blog post Chase Abner addresses an anti-abortion protest held on the campus of Southern Illinois University earlier this week. Chase is serving as the interim Director of Baptist Collegiate Ministries at SIU. He includes a letter he wrote to the campus daily newspaper, The Daily Egyptian. The letter does not appear in the online version of the paper, and I would be surprised if it comes out at all. Seems that the last thing a paper like the DE would want is a rational Christian response ruining their article.

One of my favorite movie quotes.

2007-04-11T12:01:00.000-06:00

This is from "Secondhand Lions" starring Michael Caine, Haley Joel Osment and the always awesome Robert Duvall. This speech by Duvall to Osment highlights one of several reasons why this is one of my choice movies.

"Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that power and money, money and power mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil; and I want you to remember this, that love... true love never dies. You remember that, boy. You remember that. Doesn't matter if it's true or not. You see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in."

Think you are having a bad day?

2007-04-10T12:12:00.000-06:00

A piano delivery gone awry in England makes a very expensive pile of kindling.

My first job after leaving active duty was delivering office furniture. On several occasions the delivery conditions were less than ideal and more than once a piece of furniture met a tragic ending. When it happened, it was a sick feeling.

If a picture says a thousand words, I would imagine most of this picture's would be four-letter in nature.

Condolences

2007-04-08T21:41:00.000-06:00

To the family of cartoonist Johnny Hart, creator of B.C. and the Wizard of Id. Mr. Hart went on to meet his Lord on Saturday, April 7.

I can't say I was a steady reader of either strip, but always enjoyed Mr. Hart's work on Easter and other days related to the Christian faith we shared. Much the way Charles Schultz did with Snoopy on veteran's holidays, Mr. Hart had a way of expressing deep meaning in only a few frames. If you've never read any of his work, I encourage you to do a little digging.

Thought this was funny...

2007-04-05T23:08:00.000-06:00

Stumbled onto this site that replaces key words in movie quotes with your name or whatever word you put in, I imagine. This was my first shot, and I think it's a keeper!!! It's 12:10 in the morning and I've got a whitening strip on my top row of teeth, so humor me! LOL

Say hello to my little Leland!

Which movie was this quote from?

Holy Whiplash Batman!!!

2007-04-03T23:07:00.000-06:00

One head coach is back again...

Not sure what the story is here. Hopefully Coach Altman realized how incredibly awesome it is to be a coach in the MVC, and that the Razorbacks are far from the top of the SEC. I think he's made a good choice, and one that will sustain the quality of Missouri Valley basketball. Welcome back, coach!!!

I guess it's not hopeless...

2007-04-03T13:58:00.000-06:00

I like this.

Big news out of the Missouri Valley...

2007-04-02T14:26:00.000-06:00

One head coach is staying...
One head coach is leaving...

SIU ponied up big money to keep a quality coach in Chris Lowery, and I think the money will pay off, despite the normal "Why isn't the money spent on education" gripers. The bottom line is athletics equals revenue through national exposure and playing deep into the post-season.

I'm surprised to see Altman leave Creighton. Last I knew he was untouchable on campus, and the Bluejays won the MVC Tournament this season. They went out in the first round of the NCAA Tournament though, and maybe the Jays see that as a downturn. It will be interesting to see how Coach Altman fares in the SEC and who takes his place in Omaha.

Kid's Programming?

2007-04-02T13:47:00.000-06:00

A shooting at after-event party following the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards injured three people.

According to news reports no arrests have been made, but police are holding one fox-of-interest for questioning...

Seriously though, this is really sad. I remember when Nickelodeon first came on it was crazy kids' shows and cartoons. Now my 3-year old and 7-year old watch it during the day, but after 5 p.m. it turns into some brooding teen angst after hours party. Remember Degrassi Jr. High? Well they're all grown up now! Gang violence, same-sex relationships and weekly "who's cheating on who" storylines are hooking a whole new generation on soap operas.
Police reports say the party was not an official event, but what kind of crowd is Nickelodeon attracting?

Gooooaaaaaallllll!!!

2007-03-14T22:12:00.000-06:00

Nancy and I watched "My Date with Drew" a few nights ago. Long story short, this everyday Joe has a goal of one date with Drew Barrymore, and sets out to make it happen. It's a documentary-true story kind of thing, but overall a good rental.

Anyway, while surfing the web tonight I stumbled, via Google into 43Things.com. Give this site a visit if you've ever bailed on a New Year's Resolution, given up on a goal or listened when someone told you "Don't waste your time."

It's also interesting to see what people around the world want to do with their lives. Some are humorous, some are heartbreaking.

A Song that Came to Mind While Writing the Post that "Walked, then Was Not."

2007-03-14T21:54:00.000-06:00

As I was wrapping up the post I talked about earlier, the song "The Next Time You See Johnny" by Kenny Marks popped into my head.

Bedtime, she sees her son on his knees
And the prayer that she hears
Through the door makes her feel at ease
"Jesus", she hears a young boy pray
"Could You bring back my daddy? ,
I know that You'll find a way.

And the next time You see daddy,
Tell him I'm alright and
There's a fire in my heart for him,
That's always burning bright
Tell him that I pray for him,
Each and every day."

Bedtime, where she taught him to pray
"Now I lay me down to sleep"
Where the words he would say.
"Jesus" she hears him again
And she faces the faith of a child
That's no longer pretend

And the next time You see daddy,
Tell him I'm alright and
There's a fire in my heart for him,
That's always burning bright
Tell him that I pray for him,
Each and every day."

Bedtime, in her room all alone
She feels the Presence of
Someone unseen, someone unknown
"Jesus" she hears herself start
Let the fire of forgiveness
Burn bright in this broken down heart

And the next time You see Johnny,
Tell him it's alright and
There's a fire of forgiveness,
That's always burning bright
There's Someone he can pray to
Each and every night."

Back to Firefox

2007-03-14T21:47:00.000-06:00

Well, if I'd been using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer you would be reading a post about a lesson I learned about prayer from my daughter Madison. Just as I was wrapping up nearly an hour of writing and editing IE crashed, throwing my words into nothingness.

So I'm sending the bloated IE browser back into retirement and updating to the latest version of Firefox. Does it crash on occasion? Sure, but it allows me to resume my session where it crashed. Sometime soon I'll re-write my original post.

Flags at schools across America will be flown at half-mast...

2007-03-09T17:42:00.000-06:00

Sports Illustrated will end delivery of the annual swimsuit issue to schools and libraries. The announcement brings to a close the best perk for being in the Library Club...

Handy Maddie and Tool Belt Tori

2007-03-08T16:21:00.000-06:00

Another Milestone

2007-03-08T16:04:00.000-06:00

This spring Nancy and I enrolled Tori in our church's Mothers Day Out program so Nancy could resume her classwork at Union University. The program allows Nancy to have a few hours on Tuesday and Thursday to attend class without subjecting Tori to a "daycare" environment on a regular basis.
So far Tori loves being able to attend school like her big sister, as seen in this photo from her first day. It continues to amaze me how fast my girls are growing up, and how since the move to Tennessee we've come together as a family. In the past it was too easy to have a babysitter come and watch them when Nancy and I wanted to do something. Now we have become accustomed to taking them with us wherever we go. Nancy and I can tell a big difference in our girls since the move, and in ourselves as well.

2007-03-08T09:21:00.000-06:00

Juan Williams, a well-respected journalist, commentator and author spoke at Union University on March 7th as part of the 2007 Forum series of lectures.

I was able to speak briefly with Mr. Williams following his speech. He was friendly, engaging and took the time to write something extra for those who asked for autographs. While waiting I heard several people mention his talk as one of the best they had heard in the nine years of the event.

As a lover of news, history and current events I really enjoy events like the Union Forums. It gives me a chance to meet people I would normally only read about or see on television.

Another teachable moment

2007-02-27T16:39:00.000-06:00

Honus Wagner and Derek Jeter's respective baseball cards made news today; one is worth millions, one may be worth something in the future.
Baseball cards made the news around our house yesterday. The Children's Minister at our church had lunch with Madison on Monday and gave her a box of baseball cards worthy of kickstarting any kid's collection. It would have never occurred to me a 7-year old girl would be so excited about getting baseball cards, but it made her day. She called my office as soon as she got home to give me the details of her latest treasure, then nearly knocked me over when I got home that evening to show them to me. As I looked through them with her some names were well known, others not so much. Most likely none would be future Honus Wagners, but to have the chance to share a night of sorting baseball cards with my daughter?

Priceless.

Bitter roots run deep...

2007-02-25T17:30:00.000-06:00

A story in the New York Daily News, reports late Senator Strom Thurmond and Rev. Al Sharpton have a notoriously historical linkage.
I think the most shocking comment on this discovery comes from Ellen Senter, the niece of the late senator in a story written for FOXNews.com .

"I doubt you can find many native South Carolinians today whose family, if you traced them back far enough, didn't own slaves," said Senter, 61, of Columbia, S.C., told The Daily News.

She added: "And it is wonderful that (Sharpton) was able to become what he is in spite of what his forefather was."

In spite of what his forefather was? He wasn't a mass murderer. He was a man who, despite being on the wrong side of a horrific part of American history, survived the ordeal and raised a family.

"Once freed, Coleman Sharpton earned a living as an elderly wood hauler, and fathered a son, Coleman Jr., who would go on to be a minister - like his grandson, the Rev. Al."

Senter's comments show me she has become what she is in spite of nearly 150 years of progress. "In spite of what his forefather was." That's a telling word, "was". It tells me she doesn't acknowledge slavery for what it "was", an evil institution that stripped a race of its humanity. Maybe I'm hung up on it, unfairly judging her, but I can't get past that word.

Maybe it's because I'm reminded who I "was" all the time. Through temptation and accusations, Satan brings up my past. He tries to shame me back into chains and rob me of the freedom won by the sacrifice of the Cross.

The FOXNews piece closes with this "One of the late senator's sons, Paul Thurmond, and a nephew, Barry Bishop, declined comment, the Daily News said."

Looks like cousin Ellen should have followed the family on this one.

Redeeming the Time

2007-02-23T15:02:00.000-06:00

As my daughters grow from babies to toddlers to little girls, I'm constantly reminded of the power each moment I have with them carries. When my wife and I tuck them in at night, their first "strategy" for staying awake a little while longer after we pray is to remind us that we didn't tell them a story. One of my favorite songs by Geoff Moore reminds me to take the opportunity to use those "teachable moments" to pass along stories of God's faithfulness and love.

So I hope Mr. Moore won't mind, but I've posted the lyrics here.

A little boy sitting on a metal folding chair,
In what appears to be a Sunday school room.
He could see that shepherd boy, His sling up in the air,
He could feel that giant hit with a boom.
In that room I saw the Red Sea part,
And two by two animals get in the ark.
And Mrs. Keen gently would say,
The God of the past is still God today.

Chorus
So tell me again of the old, old stories.
Tell me again of the faithful who walked,
In the lions' den and the fiery furnace,
Of Noah and rainbows and donkeys that talked.
I don't want to forget so please, tell me again.

Verse Two
A young man sitting at a desk with a wooden chair,
In what appears to be a high school class.
He can see a battlefield there's giants everywhere
saying, "The Bible is a thing of the past".
In this new age you believe what you want to believe.
'Cause god is whatever you want it to be,
And I can hear Mrs. Keen gently say,
The God of the past is still God today.

Chorus
So tell me again of the old, old stories.
Tell me again of the faithful who walked,
In the lions' den and the fiery furnace,
Of Noah and rainbows and donkeys that talked.
I don't want to forget so please, tell me again.

Bridge
How the God of the ages,
Turned history's pages and saw my need.
Tell me again of the shepherds and wise men,
And the star that would lead them to the baby who was born,
So that we could be born again.

Second Chorus
Tell me again of the Gospel story.
Tell me again how the whole world was lost.
How the Only Begotten with grace so amazing,
Gave up His life on an old rugged cross.
I don't want to forget so please, tell me
Tell me again of the old, old stories.
Tell me again of the faithful who walked.
How the Only Begotten, with grace so amazing,
Gave up His life on an old rugged cross.
I don't want to forget so please, tell me again.
I dont' want to forget, so please, tell me again.

Baptist Identity Conference

2007-02-18T22:02:00.000-06:00

For anyone who could not attend I'm posting a link to the Baptist Identity Conference held over the weekend on the campus of Union University. The audio for each presenter is available for listening and download.

Some more Mid-Major credibility...

2007-02-05T15:48:00.000-06:00

The SIU Salukis broke into the Top 25 this week following a win at Wichita State. They make their debut at number 20 in the ESPN/USA Today rankings and 21 in the Associated Press poll.

SIU will play 10th ranked Butler in the headline game of the ESPN Bracketbuster series on February 17th.

How long can the Pack avoid Aaron Rodgers as starter?

2007-02-02T13:39:00.000-06:00

Brett's back in 2007

Thoughts, anyone?

Silence is deadly...

2007-01-31T09:39:00.000-06:00

For those of you who read this, I wanted to apologize for not keeping up very well with new material. Things at work got busy, preparations for the Spring semester to square away, so I've been preoccupied. Also I haven't had much to post about the last couple of weeks.I didn't want to obsess on one subject, the Bears in the Superbowl for instance. Turns out I thought so much about what to write that I didn't write anything.

Ugh...

2007-01-21T16:47:00.000-06:00

Can anything show how far the NFC has fallen than the idea that Rex Grossman will be quarterbacking in the Superbowl? I see another snorefest on the horizon, reminiscent of the Ravens-Giants in, what year was that, anyway? Exactly.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream...

2007-01-18T22:57:00.000-06:00

I think the look in Tori's eyes say it all. She's allergic to milk, eggs and nuts, so ice cream has been a big no-no, but for her 3rd birthday party we found soy ice cream bars. Needless to say, she DEVOURED it.

Reggie Bush taking a devastating hit from Sheldon Brown

2007-01-16T02:32:00.001-06:00

Truly one of those hits that make every person watching this game cringe.

The best play of the Saints-Eagles game, at least from where I sat, was a 5-yard touchdown run by Deuce McAllister. Just when you think he is going to be stopped short of the goal line the Saints' offensive line rises to the moment and allows him to grind out the final 2 yards. The determination shown by this play shows the team as a whole has put their losing years behind them for now.

Biff's Question Song (Stand-up Comedy)

2007-01-10T09:04:00.001-06:00

More of Tom Wilson

The Daughter Song (Tom Wilson Stand-up Comedy)

2007-01-10T09:01:00.001-06:00

Abe my friend, as the father of three boys you'll miss out on giving this speech. On the other hand, tell Connor, Ike and Eli that they had better understand...

You know, I almost believed him.

2007-01-03T15:28:00.000-06:00

Nick Saban has given up his shot to be the next Don Shula to be the next Mike Shula of the Crimson Tide. Saban gave the Miami Dolphins notice he was leaving to take the head coaching position at the University of Alabama. I'm not necessarily a fan of the Dolphins or the LSU Tigers, but if I were, I'd be a little ticked at this point.

Here's a good article by Pat Forde at ESPN about the price of integrity.

Watch your Barack..I mean back, Senator!

2007-01-03T12:30:00.000-06:00

I hope this doesn't get flagged as a threat message because of the title. Of course that would be a way to get web hits...

Now that Senator Barack Obama is a serious contender for the Democratic presidential nomination it's only natural that he come under closer scrutiny. Two stories over the past couple of weeks threaten to tarnish the reputation of a man who rattled the windows of Washington and skyrocketed to A-list political affluence. The first linked an intern in Senator Obama's office to questionable character Tony Rezko. Shot two came with an article focusing on his admission of drug use in a memoir he published 11 years ago.

At first glance it would seem like the Republican spin machine is shooting to derail the Obama campaign by making the Senator think twice about entering a full-scale run at the White House. On the other hand, could it be someone in his own party, a Senator Clinton, perhaps? She faced no serious obstacles in the way of challengers to a post she sees as rightly hers until the emergence of the young senator from Illinois.

Why do I think this? Two reasons really, both stemming from the stories; the timing of one and the origin of another. Let's begin with the timing of the drug use admission. Senator Obama won the Illinois seat vacated by Republican Peter Fitzgerald. His Republican opponent Jack Ryan dropped out of the race following an embarrassing revelation from court documents of his divorce from actress Jeri Ryan. The Republican party, scrambling for a candidate to run what would most likely be a lost race against a strong Obama campaign, named conservative commentator Alan Keyes in a move reminiscent of Hillary Clinton's relocation to the Big Apple. Keyes came out firing, most notably with the claim that Jesus wouldn't vote for Barack Obama because of his voting record. Don't you think if the Keyes campaign had Obama's memoir admission it would have been open season? Even if it didn't do any damage, it would at least merit a mention.

I'll post more tomorrow...

The Lyerla Home Extreme Makeover

2006-12-22T00:10:00.001-06:00

The Lyerla House Makeover

Merry Christmas

2006-12-18T23:27:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite Christmas songs, courtesy of Alan Jackson and the late Keith Whitley. Enjoy.

Skewed View?

2006-12-18T19:54:00.000-06:00

Those wacky folks at "The View" continue to amaze. Joy Behar, probably feeling like Rosie is stealing her thunder, chimed in on Time's person of the year and suggested that Montana senator Tim Johnson's stroke was caused by the Republican party in order to gain control of the Senate.
At what point does Barbara Walters begin to feel a tinge of responsibility for this insanity?

Fun with Picasa

2006-12-18T18:47:00.000-06:00

Our oldest daughter Madison had her Christmas program at Bells Elementary today. Here is a picture of the grand event. The gym was packed to capacity, and it's great to see a community come out in force to support their local school's programs.

Rosie's Apology

2006-12-15T10:23:00.000-06:00

Rosie O'Donnell apologized for earlier remarks that were seen by many to be insulting to the Chinese. But does this really sound like an apology, or more of a "don't be a crybaby"?

"You know it was never (my) intent to mock," O'Donnell said on Thursday's show, "and I'm sorry for those people who felt hurt or were teased on the playground."

"But I'm also gonna give you a fair warning that there's a good chance I'll do something like that again, probably in the next week -- not on purpose. Only 'cause it's how my brain works."

It's how her brain works? Could the same be said about comments from Mel Gibson or Michael Richards? Rosie's apology is a glaring example of the "I'm sorry I got caught" mindset. She takes no responsibility for her actions, there is no remorse, and in fact says she'll most likely be doing it again. What an arrogant thing to say!

For future reference Rosie baby, just copy and paste this on your next press release.

"I'm sorry. What I said or did was wrong, and I apologize for the hurt it caused. I accept full responsibility for my actions and ask for forgiveness from those who were hurt by what I did."

Picking up from last night...

2006-12-13T22:49:00.001-06:00

Leonard Pitts, while I don't always agree with his politics, wrote a piece a few years back concerning the opening of a dance club that opened a little over a mile from the gates of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The strength of his words and the images they create make the piece one of my favorites even to this day. I'll post the link below and recommend you give it a few minutes of your time.

"What we saw there left us chastened, sobered, stopped . . . and determined that humanity must be more than this, better than this. The words came, unbidden. Never again, we said. Never again."

My wife's grandpa saw. As a soldier in the 103th Infantry Division he helped to liberate the concentration camps at Landsberg. Tell him that the images that still wake him over 60 years later were contrived propaganda. The liberation is well documented here.

But the old people have lived to see how impotent is our resolve, how flimsy our memory, how weak our words. They've lived to see Holocaust deniers and ethnic cleansing, the rise of neo-Nazis in Germany, white supremacists drilling with guns in the American woods. - Pitts

The cliche says, and truthfully so, that those who forget their history are destined to repeat it. But to remember only for fear of repeating it is not acceptable. There are some things that need to be remembered simply because it would be a sin to forget. Soon the witnesses will be gone, and the story that would die with them is too unbelievable, too atrocious to allow to be passed off as myth, legend or apocryphal tale. Children must learn about it in school. Parents who've heard their grandparents tell of it must not fear passing it on, generation after generation. The David Dukes of the nation and the world must be opposed by a million voices shouting "No! Not ever will you and your kind be allowed to spread such hateful venom." To forget or grow apathetic and allow the seeds of doubt to take root would be shameful.

"Fifty-five years ago, a shocked and reverent world made a promise to the survivors of the Holocaust . . . a promise that was implicit, but no less real for that. We would remember, forever. We would not allow this suffering to be in vain." - Pitts

LookSmart's FindArticles - `Never again' becomes `maybe never again'

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The, Oct 12, 2000, by LEONARD PITTS

We Cannot Forget. We Must Not Forget.

2006-12-12T23:37:00.000-06:00

This story caught my eye as I was looking over FoxNews' website this evening. My first thought was "Is this the freedom that I signed up to protect?". The David Dukes and Fred Phelps' of the world?

As I read further I learned that this "meeting of the minds" occurred in Tehran, not on American soil. I realize however that Holocaust deniers, however absurd and reprehensible teach in our classrooms, sit in positions of authority and speak, perhaps not in the public arena, but among others who share their vile and twisted ideas. Whether driven by hatred, fear or a false sense of superiority, they all seem to view the Holocaust as a conspiracy, a fabrication or an exaggeration.

These groups pose an obvious danger. They thrive on bigotry, ignorance and hatred and use these things to spread their cause. In the world today they are held in check by the fact that no matter what they claim, too many witnesses to the atrocities are still alive to refute the lies and propaganda. But what happens in five, ten, twenty years?

I'll have more to add tomorrow...

Can it really be that simple?

2006-12-12T12:44:00.000-06:00

My Palm PDA has been giving me fits lately. I came across the link for a revolutionary PDA design a while ago and bookmarked the page to explore further. The PDA is versatile, compatible with everything and expandable modules allow you to store all kinds of information. Best of all, it's free!!! Check it out here, PocketMod and let me know what you think of it!

Hollywood morality strikes again...

2006-12-12T12:36:00.000-06:00

Girls just wanna have fun, I suppose. Our society takes marriage so lightly today that it borders on and often crosses into, mockery of a God-ordained design.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ~ Gal. 6:7 (NIV)

A double standard?

2006-12-11T14:43:00.000-06:00

So how long will people at "The View" let Rosie's mouth and attitude run out of control? Each time she says something stupid she is allowed to hide behind her defenses; being a lesbian, activist or a comic (or any mixing of the three). If someone of more conservative ilk, her co-panelist Elizabeth Hasselbeck, for instance, said something of that nature, she would have been painted as a bigot by the others on the show. Confronted by her critics, Rosie blew off her comments via her spokesperson.

"She's a comedian in addition to being a talk show co-host," Cindi Berger, O'Donnell's spokeswoman, said in a statement. "I certainly hope that one day they will be able to grasp her humor."

Ah, Babs, why don't you just close up "The View"?

Better to Burn Out...

2006-12-09T21:10:00.000-06:00

Last night I bought Petra's Ultimate Collection. Petra led the way for the artists that form the backbone of Christian music today, and the 2 CD set following their retirement is a fitting testament to what made them great. The 31 songs on the CD's are a good mix of classic Petra and their more recent hits. There are some others that I would have included from their older albums; "Back to the Streets", "Fools Gold" and "Road to Zion" come immediately to mind.
I was introduced to Petra in 1990 when I saw the video for "Beyond Belief" on Real Videos. My next payday I bought the cassette, and Petra had their newest fan.

Many would say that Petra outstayed their welcome, releasing countless "Best of" compilations. When they did release new albums, it seemed to lack the 'zing' of their older hits. As much as I would like to see them do what they have done for over 30 years for 30 more, it's best to know when to let it go. I'm sure they're still capable of rocking, but what more is there to prove?

Now if only #4 were listening....

Scary Stuff

2006-12-08T15:47:00.000-06:00

This hits a little close to home. A whackjob with a few grenades is just as big a threat as big terror cells. Thankfully he was caught before his little "jihad" got underway.

Oh no. No, no, no, no......

2006-12-07T11:05:00.000-06:00

They wouldn't, would they? Barry Bonds...a Cardinal.

Remembering Infamy

2006-12-07T07:19:00.000-06:00

For those who have forgotten.