Favorite Super Bowl Ads...

The Super Bowl:

football...half-time show...commercials.

The game was actually a fantastic game...riveting.

The half-time show on the other hand...hmmm.

The commercials didn't seem all that great...but there were a few that I thought were clever and may have gotten a smile or chuckle from me.

That's right...a chuckle.

Here they are those very commercials:

Brett Favre and Hyundai


"Hands off my mama!"


Google


"Mike, you're playing like Betty White out there."


Awesome + Awesome = Awesomer


Which were your favorites?

Trust...

Proverbs 3:5

Can God speak through ESPN?

I'm not saying anything either way...but....

I saw this tattooed on the arm of a basketball player for Oklahoma State University tonight.

For some reason it stuck out.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding.

At least...that's what I think I saw...pretty sure it's what I saw.

I don't know the context...don't know if that is even what was actually on the arm, but it sure looked like Proverbs 3:5.

After doing a Google search of the player's name...looking at images...I couldn't come to any sort of conclusion as to whether or not that is what the tattoo is.

It sure stuck out though....

I am currently trying to figure out how to go about doing something that I feel like I need to do.

I know that the above statement isn't the best sentence nor does it make a whole lot of sense...but as I head into these next couple days...talk to some people...hopefully I can let you in on what I'm thinking.

So...until then...I guess I'll do what Proverbs 3:5 says.

How about that for some confirmation...especially during a basketball game...where I wasn't fully engaged because I was thinking about the possibilities.

No more worry.

Act B...act!

I Thought This Was Pretty Cool...

The Girls...

God's a safe-house for the battered,
a sanctuary during bad times.
The moment you arrive, you relax;
you're never sorry you knocked.
Psalm 9:9

As the basketball season edges ever closer...I continually realize that I am not coaching anymore. I still get called "coach", but am "retired"...more like "taking a break"...for now. I spent five years coaching high school girl's basketball and loved every moment of it. Since the arrival of the baby girl, things have drastically changed. Perspective now has a much greater scope...thus my "retirement." I was part of some great teams though that accomplished some awesome things...set records for wins in a season, players who scored an amazing amount of points, players who went on to play at the collegiate level, and a chance to head into the state tournament twice. I've had the chance to positively affect lives along the way, while hopefully teaching them something about the game of basketball.

It's now fall and the season nears...I'm not an official part of it. The main reasons are the individuals in the picture above. The girls. I love my girls. My wife has been very supportive during those long stretches of road games in Kingston and Perryville (in the same week) and has cooked many an awesome meal for late-night post-game dinners. The baby girl is always ready with a hug and kiss regardless of the day I've had. It doesn't matter how bad we got beat, how bad we played, how bad the school day was...I could always come home and find rest with the girls. God's in the house...and has blessed me with a wonderful wife and awesome baby girl that I love very much.

I'm beginning to appreciate the time I've never had as long as I've been employed at AV. This is the first year that I'm "just" a teacher. It's been rougher than I anticipated, but I'm thankful for the time. My experience with coaching is something I'll never forget and is something that I'll draw upon if or when I re-enter the profession.

Essentially...it comes down to the peace that God can provide it times of chaos, sadness, stress...etc. I'm blessed to have the support that surrounds me. Friends, family, my wife and baby girl...the time I'm getting to spend with them is awesome. Even when life is crazy...rest and peace prevail. Like the Psalm says above...

God's a safe-house for the battered,
a sanctuary during bad times.
The moment you arrive, you relax;
you're never sorry you knocked.
Psalm 9:9

How Awesome is This?

Gotta Love Cards/Cubs...

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What a great night for baseball...the weather was fantastic and I got a chance to have an impromptu date night with Crystal. Even though it was on a school night...it was something that was awesome and much needed. I didn't think about school once...how about that. Also...the Cards won, which Pujols jacked a 3-run homer in the sixth to tie it...then they went on to win in the bottom of the ninth.

It was one of those deals where it wasn't planned but turned out to be a blast...or as a friend of ours has said...B-A-L-S-T.

Hot Hot Hot!

Now...if you click on the aforementioned title of this post, it will direct you to a video on Youtube done by Appalachian State University...awesome promotion if you ask me. If I didn't already have my degrees'...okay, to the post. I am just returning from a Cardinal's game and man...it was hot. The picture here illustrates the lack of any sort of moving air. Notice the flag is not moving.

It was fun though. Good food combined with good times. A baseball game is a great opportunity to talk to somebody. I went with my father-in-law and it gave us a good chance to talk about all kinds of things. There were also other people around us doing the same thing. Watching some Cardinal baseball and building relationships. They actually won...I've gone a couple times this year and they've lost those games so I was excited to see a winning game...a couple home runs even (1 by Joe Mather and 2 by Ryan Ludwick). Be intentional about being a breath of fresh air...be yourself...the way God made you.

Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.
James 3:17-18

Another Summer's Night at Busch Stadium...this time Sarala came along

Gee. We call Sarala "Gee." One of the first discernible things she ever said was "gee..." so we call her "Gee." Okay, we were crazy and decided to take her to her first Cardinal's game. She's already been to one concert (a singer/songwriter show...so not crazy loud...but she's been) and she did quite well. She's going to be two in August so I figured we'd go for it.

I thought we'd get rained out considering we showed up downtown to park and the rain was in downpour mode. We decided to park, hang out a minute to see what happens. Luckily it stopped so we went in. We had seats in the first base field box...but not too close. Things flying off the field can be scary...especially with the small child around.

She had fun...did awesome. The Cards' got beat though...beat pretty bad too.
Awww...the Buckman Family...


The look on her face explains how the game itself was going...

Just look at the scoreboard...seriously?

I thought that Pujols may hit home-run #300 here...turns out he hit it the next night on the Fourth...Cubs won 2-1

I love this picture...

A Summer's Night at Busch Stadium...

Here are some pictures from the bleachers...Cards/Mets...Cards lost 7-4, but I got to see Ankiel blast a home run

The Chuck-It...

If you have a larger dog and don't have a "Chuck-It", you need to get one. It's this plastic handle thing that allows you to throw a tennis ball a lot further than you would by using normal throwing abilities. It also allows you to pick up the ball without getting all the slobber and stuff on your hands. This is pretty much what we do on a daily basis...take Sarala and Montana out and about and let them run around. Sarala loves to play with the dog. She'll try to throw the ball using the Chuck-It...but it's almost bigger than she is.

Use your free time wisely. Get out there and enjoy the sun, weather, God's creation.

Celtics Basketball = Beautiful!

I haven't watched NBA basketball in a long time...a couple years to be honest. When your a high school basketball coach...you've pretty much had enough basketball once March Madness ends.

I've been watching this year's NBA Finals between the Celtics and the Lakers and it has me loving NBA basketball once again. It's got me yelling at the TV...pumping the fist;)

Specifically, I'm loving the Boston Celtics. They play defense and do a pretty good job of it. The intensity and desire...you could see it in their body language as they won the championship tonight in stunning fashion. They destroyed the Lakers. Wow!

The ball movement, defense, execution of offense, awareness, shooting, rebounding...they just flat out-played the Lakers. The game is being played the way it's supposed to be played. It makes me miss coaching basketball...the craziness of district championships and state sectional games. The chance to lead a group of kids to play to their potential...there's nothing like it. In my five years of coaching I was involved in three district championship games (we won 2 of those 3) and 2 state sectional games (lost both to a St. Louis team...which that team went on to get either 1st or 4th in state). There isn't much that can match it. I love it. We didn't end out our season this year like we wanted...but still...it was a great season. A good year to go out on...23-5.

Doc Rivers is a great coach with a great group of players under him. It makes the fact that they won even better...!

An Amazing Group of Girls...

I received a gift yesterday from my JV team. It was a scrapbook that contained a personal message from each team member. Wow! It about brought tears to my eyes. It came at a perfect time when I was needing some encouragement. It's like God put his arm around me and reminded me about the blessings of a life well lived and that everything is glorious. Everything is under His control. The girls I coached this year taught me as much as I taught them. We not only played some good basketball, I tried to impart life lessons on them. I'm excited for this group of girls...to go on and continue playing basketball, and to go on to do exciting things. They are an amazing group of kids that I've watched grow into young women. I will definitely be there on the sidelines next year cheering them on.