Mike learns football from a first grader!

Driving home tonight with first grader, Addison, was a lesson in Football.  He plays up on a second grade little league team and is the center.  During the discussion he explained a play they use called a "bootleg".   He says that the receiver runs down the field in a pattern that makes a "boot" while the quarterback who has the ball runs a pattern the shape of a "leg".  At the right time the QB throws the ball to the receiver and that makes it a "boot leg".  

That's a little different than I remember it from the old days, but maybe I forgot!

Population 485

If your wanting a good read that is a slice of life, try "Population 485, Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time" by Michael Perry.  I was just scanning iTunes  Books  and it popped up and so I downloaded it.  Mr. Perry is a humorist who is writing about his return to his hometown, New Auburn, Wisconsin.  He writes for such periodicals as Esquire and the New York Times Magazine.

The book starts with 3 or 4 short stories about Riding with Long Haul Truckers, Why Elvis lives on, and other gems. Then the main course that discusses his decision to move back home to write and in the process joins the volunteer fire department. All the characters are real as are the stories.  It is a short book but was a fun read.  If you know small town life, you will like this book.

 Michael Perry

The Time Keeper

"The Secret of Life is enjoying the passage of time."   James Taylor

"The Time Keeper" is the latest fiction by Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie).  Mr. Albom is a very different writer.  While his stories are varied, he deals with life, living and the very deep reasons for our existence.  In three interrelated stories he deals with how you and I miss much of life because of how we treat the "idea of time".   We think time is so valuable that we use every possible device to communicate and at the same "time" miss what is before us.

"Who by worrying can add a single hour to his life."  Jesus

The book starts with the man who made the first clock.  It adds a 16 year old girl who is in love for the first time with a popular boy who leads her on.  Then it adds a billionaire who is dying but wants to live forever.  Then it gets good.

"The thing about time is that time isn't really REAL. It's all on your point of view,"  James Taylor

Great book if you like to think!

On Preaching 2

When I preached last Sunday, I walked to the edge of politics. I am one who believes that politics has NO place in the CHURCH family or  Worship.  I think I said so in a few words. The jest of my words were that we belong to Jesus and not the Democratic or Republican Parties.  We would do much more to help the world by "being Jesus to our neighbors" than taking partisan sides.  Jesus said that we should give to Caesar what is his and to God what is his and it is ALL GOD's!

I tried as much as possible to say NO MATTER WHO IS ELECTED GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL!

Then after church I had two different people come up to me and say, "I know what you said BUT can you tell me who you think I should vote for?"

They didn't listen close!

Another even said, "I can tell by the sermon, you must be a Republican."

I didn't know I was THAT good!  Or more likely they were on medicine.

Bad Marketing

I have been reading "Architectural Record" magazine since college. It has been a most anticipated arrival each month for the last 492 months. It used to be an expensive subscription, but a few years ago they became the official magazine of the American Institute of Architects. All AIA members got it for free!

In the last year  or so the AIA dropped their affiliation with AR.  And they went back to subscription only. To date I haven't resubscribed though it get monthly discount offers for as little as $26 a year.  Here's the deal that offer comes with the magazine.  I get 4 copies of "Architectural Record" every month with a sticker attached for me to subscribe so that I can receive it!

I probably would if they stopped sending it, but I have received copies for the last 16 months!

I hope the add sales keep up!

On Preaching

Our church family is between ministers. Several in the church are taking turns as "replacement preachers" until the real one is hired.  It's sort of like the NFL Ref holdout. We are "Temps"!

I can tell you one thing though!  Next time someone says preaching is an easy job because you only have to preach once a week. "How hard could that be?"  Well, I can't speak for any of the others,but I have had over a month to prepare and it consumed me!   

Today was my day in the box! (My turn to preach!)  In my head I probably have about 7 versions of that talk and it was a constant  process of: I better not say that Mr. X will be offended; If I say that  I will have to take about 10 more minutes to explain;  BUT if I leave that out the point will be watered down. Yikes! This is hard.  O know why it is a full time gig.  All that I went through was for one random Sunday.  What if I had to do it EVERY WEEK! 

I'll keep my day job.

The Words

Many of us dream of writing a best selling book. I have even tried my hand and have about four  different ideas swimming in my head.  

My movie of the week is "The Words". This is a layered movie.

It is a story about a story inside another story.  The movie is PG40. The overall story is about the choices we make in life and living with the consequences.  A writer who can't get published finds an old manuscript in a briefcase at a Paris antique store.  He types it as his own and becomes an instant best seller.  Life is good until he meets the real writer.  Now there are two stories.   But No, these stories are narrated by the author of another book.

The movie stars Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Irons, and Dennis Quaid as the three writers.  This movie will provoke discussion on your way home.   I liked it a lot even though "Rotten Tomatoes" gave it an 18 for lack of originality!  

I give it ***1/2 stars. 2012 movie 32

Ordering it up!

Pulling up to Drive Up screen.

Voice:  "Order when you are ready."

Me:  "I want a three piece dinner, extra crispy with wedges and cold slaw with a large Diet Pepsi."

Voice:  "What kind of Meal?"

Me: "Three Piece, extra Crispy"

Voice:  " Do you want Crispy, Original or Baked?"

Me: "Extra Crispy!"

Voice:  What sides?"

ME:  "WEDGES AND COLD SLAW, PLE-EASE!"

Voice: "Did you want a drink?"

Me: "Large Diet Pepsi"

Voice: "What size?"

ME: "LARGE"

"Thank You"

Premium Rush

You know how I tend to look down on movies that are full of chase scenes and special effects and no story?  Well this one is a little different.  "Premium Rush" lives up to its name.  The movie is about bicycle couriers that work in Manhattan, NYC.  They ride through the grid locked traffic to deliver items that just can't be emailed or faxed and they do it fast. A premium rush is a package of high priority that earns the deliverer more money.  This story takes place in one afternoon.  It is a tense, wild ride that had me needing a rest when it was over.  The camera work and graphics were great.  The acting is good.  No A-list people but the screen is filled with actors you have seen many times.

The story is simple. An important package needs to be delivered in 2 hours across town and there are people who want to intercept it.

It is a great ride!

I give it ***stars   2012 Movie 31