I Don't Have the Answers, But I Know What to Do

My heart hurts.

Maybe it's my head.

No, it's my soul.

You know the thing you can't measure.

Yet, you're gonna tell me it's the chemicals in my brain.

It's not.

It's the inherent truth that I know this isn't how it's supposed to be.

It's all part of God's plan, so they say.

But I don't get it, and I don't want to hear it.

God either does it or allows it.

But that doesn't mean, I can understand Him.

Why does evil exist?

I have some answers, but they're not good.

As a believer, I have to try to explain it.

But as a non-believer, you have to explain it and everything else.

So I will rely on the understanding that I can't understand it all.

I will lean into the pain and hurt to grow.

And I will do all I can to help those going through the same thing.

Do I have the answers?

No.

But I know what to do.

That is to love, pray, love, help, love, fight, and love.

God forgive us for we know not what we do..... 

Do Something or Please, Please....Just Be Quiet

 I don't love guns. 

They make me nervous. 

They're loud, they're dangerous, and I am not a fan.

Yet, I own one, and I believe that under the 2nd amendment, you should, too.

I have always believed and still do believe that guns are not the problem, it's a rotting to the core culture.

But I am tired.

I am tired of mass shootings.

I am tired of children being murdered for being at school.

And I am tired of both political parties doing nothing.

One side continually points out it isn't the guns fault, it's the people doing the shooting that is at fault, and I agree.

The other side continually blames the other side after one of these things happens and then does nothing saying that their hands are tied because of the other side's beliefs.

Yet. the side who wants something done has been in power before and did little to nothing.

I am not in favor of executive orders for much of anything, but I am tired of the grandstanding.

The current President is of the party who gives speeches and blames the other side of the aisle.

His outraged emotional speech last night was moving....but it's time to do something.

Radical change comes from radical action.

This current President, must enact an exeuctive order banning assault rifles, or he needs to either be quiet or admit, he only speaks to get votes.

It's sickening.

It's depressing.

And we need to do something....

Something............................................................

I Am Tired...but Just for Today, for Now

Today is not a good day. It isn't a bad one either.

But nothing specific going on, just worn out. 

Worn out psychologically.

I feel as if I am doing nothing and feeling overwhelmed all at the same time.

I want to travel.

I want to help.

I want to disappear into the woods.

I want to walk the train tracks and camp out along the way.

I want to go to the beach.

I want to run basketball camps for poor children.

I want to go and stay for a month at a time.

I want unlimited funds so I can go where I want, do what I want, any time that I want.

It is selfish, I know, but I want to be able to give my time and money to those I don't see every single day of my life.

I know I am making a difference, at least I hope I am, here, but the monotony of the every day is....tiring. 

I have tried for the last two years to be positive in negative situations, that even that is "old".

I am tired today of the same, of the me, of who I am and what I can and cannot do.

But tomorrow is another day, heck, I may even be better in a couple hours.

You make of life what you want it to be.

I am tired right now, but I know how special and blessed I am to have the family I do, the job I do, the friends that I do.

Even typing this out has helped some.

Some.

Always Accused, Often Answering, Always Presumed

Indiana is a choice state when it comes to attending public schools. You may attend any school you want as long as there is room and they let you in.

If you are lucky enough to be located in a suburban area in the middle of a county close to an urban area and somewhat at the center of the wheel when it comes to other suburban and rural schools, you should feel good. And your school has a good reputation academically and extracurricular wise, you will get many transfers into your school.

If you are good at sports and athletes transfer in, WHETHER THEY MOVE INTO YOUR DISTRICT OR NOT, you will catch grief.

If you are a semi-personable person and the parents you are around ask you about your school and your culture, you will be called a recruiter...if you actually like the place you work and tell them about all the success you can have at that school. 

I have gotten multiple flyers from other schools and corporations "recruiting" my two student-athletes. I throw them away, you're wasting your money with me, but I get it. You are trying to get students into your building to help pay for things (money follows the student in Indiana).

In fact, there are many people who are not happy with all the transfers we get at our school and tend to point out things they don't like. Yet, when you ask a simple question where they have done the same thing (maybe not as many, but you can find them), they act as if they're innocent and have followed the rules.

Yes, so have we. 

So stop.

You're wrong.

And I do expect that if this article is found, you will spread it around on your good ole boys text group and bad mouth me and my school, then smile when in public.

Finally, any time you would like to hear the truth and not the assumptions of your opinions, I would love to speak with you.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday...The Cross, The Sadness/Doubt/Fear, The Empty Tomb

Today is Good Friday, it is the day that is remembered as the day that Jesus was convicted, tortured and sent to die on a cross. 

It was a horrific death, if you don't know, you might think it was just being nailed to the cross that was the pain, and that was awful, but usually someone on a cross died from asphyxiation. 

They would lower their diaphragm and could not breathe, so they would have to pull themselves up on the nails to get air into their lungs. 

Eventually, you would become so exhausted that you died from that asphyxiation. A terrible death. 

If they death took too long, Roman soldiers would stab you to finish you off quicker.

That's just a small explanation of what Jesus went through on Friday.

We often celebrate or remember Friday and Sunday in the Christian faith. Sunday, the tomb is empty, Jesus has overcome death and has taken on the punishment we deserve. He died for us.

But Saturday has kind of intrigued me the last few years.

Imagine your leader in many ways being murdered on Friday and yet unaware that Sunday is coming.

Imagine the sadness, the doubt, the fear by His followers on Saturday.

The absolute sickness and depression that would have engulfed them, I think we can only imagine.

The Sunday comes and the happiness and fulfillment that Jesus is back, He is alive.

Now imagine that without lives?

How often have we been so sad, so full of doubt, so fearful and yet, we make it through often with the help of The Holy Spirit?!

If you're reading this, you have overcome every single bad day or time of your life and are living and hopefully thriving.

So use this time whenever you feel lost!

You can be mad, sad, depressed, upset, whatever....but Sunday exists and it is coming.

Is it Ok for Athletes to Cry After a Loss?

Short answer: Yes.

Longer answer: Yes, because...

Crying after a loss is not a bad thing, in fact, I believe it's a good thing. 

It shows a few things, one, you care. 

Two, that you've put in a lot of time and not getting the reward you think you deserve is...ok. 

Third, you must be able to get that emotion out without throwing things, hitting anything, or hurting yourself.

Tears are ok...they're good. 

My kids have played a lot of different sports, my wife and I did, too and we all did or have competed. We have given it as much as we can, and we care. We wanted to win, not because losing would make us losers (ok, maybe that's one of my problems, but anyway), but because they are keeping score and if they do then it matters to win.

That gets me to point two. We put a lot of time and effort into sports, really anything, it doesn't have to be sports. By putting that time and effort into it and then competing during the event, if you do not win, it hurts. And it shows you are a competitor, not a baby.

Finally, with point one and two, when that time comes that you lose, it is better to cry than to hurt yourself, break something and show everyone how NOT TO deal with adversity.

Cry...cry it out.

Then get back to work so that you don't feel that again, which you probably will, but it's time to get back to work to improve. 

And show that you are mentally tough that you can be down, but you will get back up again, and again and again and again....