Life in the Neighborhood



Daniel Striped Tiger

"There is no normal life that is free of pain. It's the very wrestling with our problems that can be the impetus for our growth." -Mr. Rogers

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood... Words that most people are going to recognize - the opening song to Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

I'm confident and man enough to admit I watched this show long past an age where most would quit watching. (Though I know some of you feel me on this one, because you still watch Arthur on PBS now, too.)

Anyway, Mr. Rogers the man was full of wisdom. And that quote at the top really resonates with me. This might as well be a continuation of yesterday's post. No normal life is free of pain. It's a fact that we cannot escape. Life is a big roller coaster ride.

Yet it's in and through that pain where we can experience growth. How so? Well, it's very simple. The pain and the problems humble us. It's hard to think more highly of yourself that you ought to (the definition of pride) when you've fallen off that cliff. The pain and the problems reveal to us our need for help.

Last year was such a time for me. Without turning this blog into a dissertation (big word), an issue for me is dealing with stress in, well, not good ways. More to the point, I tend to keep it bottled up, only for it to blow up in my face. So rather than talk about the stress or something constructive, it was bottled up and eventually became heart palpitations. Which I'm here to say: those suck and are scary to experience.

Needless to say that was a low point. A very low point. And recovering from that low point took a lot of time, learning, and re-learning what I had already learned but failed to act on. You can see more of what I learned here. Without that low point, I wouldn't have truly appreciated the words of Paul in Philippians 4:6-7 nor experienced the peace that does pass understanding. Without that low point, I wouldn't have seen the way I handle stress (because it piled on for a while) and worry. I grew from that low point.

Mr. Rogers got it right. The pain can be the impetus for our growth. Or it can continue to send us spiraling out of control as we continue to believe we have everything under control and don't need help - from above and/or others. If you don't see the need for help, you'll never grow. But if you finally admit that you have no control whatsoever, that's when things can slowly begin turning around.

I promise I'll have something light-hearted posted here soon, but when you get inspired by sunrises and the Neighborhood of Make Believe, you have to write about them.

-D

"But God..."

I snapped this picture on my phone this morning crossing the small skybridge between the parking garage and office building. It fit with what I have been thinking about.


Life is not easy. Let's be honest - it sucks sometimes. There are a lot of times that are not any fun. That's just reality.

The pastor at my church (also a great friend and mentor to me) snapped a picture yesterday that also fit in with I have been thinking about. Yesterday was a cloudy, rainy Monday, but toward late afternoon the skies began clearing. In his picture there were patches of blue breaking through the gray clouds.


Life can throw a lot of gray clouds rain storms hurricanes at us. Storms that shake us and leave us wondering if there is an end in sight. Life has peaks and valleys, but it also has cliffs from which we free fall and keep falling. I know. I've been there. To keep hoping for a bottom that hasn't come yet? It sucks.


The Psalmist in Psalm 73:26 says, "My heart and flesh may fail..." Translation? "I'm defeated. I'm falling. And I'm waiting to hit the bottom." Sound familiar? Stress, worry, money, job, relationships. You name it. Anything can send us free falling.


The Psalmist doesn't stop at, "My heart and flesh may fail..." Our stories don't end at "I'm defeated." The free fall doesn't go on and on.


"... but God..." is what the Psalmist writes. Two words. Six letters. Infinite power. "But God." We don't even have to read the rest of the verse. "But God." Translation? "It's over." The free fall will end. The light is coming. The blue skies are coming.


"... but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever." Yeah, life may suck right now. Yes, the valley is dark and deep. But God is. And that is all we need.


There's a song by Matt Maher called "Alive Again"...

I woke up in darkness
surrounded by silence
oh where, where have I gone?
I woke to reality
losing its grip on me
oh where, where have I gone?
Cause I can see the light
before I see the sunrise
You called and you shouted
broke through my deafness
now I’m breathing in
and breathing out
I’m alive again!
You shattered my darkness
washed away my blindness
now I’m breathing in
and breathing out
I’m alive again!

The skies will clear. The storms will end. Hold onto that glimmer of light that creeps over the horizon, because the darkness will be shattered.


-D

College Football Week 3 Picks Recap

This Week: 1-5

Season to Date: 10-8

-D

RT, Please?

Social media. Buzz words that have taken the world by storm the last few years. With good reason, too. Suddenly it's become hip and cool to be on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Instagram, FourSquare, Lifeshare, Pinterest, PPL, ULive, FindMe, and LetsBeFriendsEvenThoughWeNeverLikedEachOtherInHighSchool. (Note: some of those aren't real.)

You get my point. There are a lot of sites out there falling under the "social media" umbrella. All of them try to offer something different. All of them are trying to find their niche in the Interwebs. Which means we the consumers have to find our niche as well.

Therein lies the problem. It's very easy to get caught up in the tidal wave. Of trying to be on every site. Of trying to attract a following on every site. It's middle and high school all over again, trying to fit in with the popular kids and get that all important popularity boost. More followers or friends or likes or +1's mean more people like you. To become popular, you decide to change who you are and write stuff that really isn't you. What good does that do? You're already caught up in the rat race of real life. Why carry that over to social media?

Sure, I've had grand delusions of having a blog read by thousands of people every day with site sponsors or having my witty, sometimes cynical tweets retweeted across the globe. But that would mean changing who I am, or at least who I want you to think I am.

My wife I think has it figured out, at least more than I do. She recently culled her Facebook friends down to 110. From somewhere north of 400. Why? Because she didn't interact with 75% of those people. She didn't care how toasted they got or how they were never happy or blah blah blah. At 110 friends, she's more interactive. She and fellow moms can talk about being moms. She can put up a question and get several responses in an hour. That's the value of social media. Finding your niche and creating community within that niche. If that niche only has 50 people, that's 50 people you can interact with, support, and encourage.

That's my opinion anyway. What's yours?

-D

College Football Week 3 Picks

Some rather important games on the schedule this weekend, including a showdown in Tallahassee that I'm excited about. Onward we go!

LSU @ Mississippi State (+4.5): A Thursday night showdown in the SEC. LSU might be the team to beat in the SEC West (Alabama may disagree of course), and Mississippi State does not want to start the season 0-2 in the division. Thursday night. Home underdog. The cowbells ringing through the night. The only thing I'm worried about is how Les Miles manages to pull out a victory, but we'll ride the Bullies again.
The Pick: Mississippi State 16-13

Auburn @ Clemson (-3.0): It was wild and crazy, but Auburn found a way to stop Mississippi State at the 3-inch line last week. This week, they travel to Clemson, where the battle of the Tigers should again be another crazy game. At some point, Auburn will lose. My expert analysis says they will this week.
The Pick: Clemson 35-27

Tennessee @ Florida (-9.0): This game now is a little more interesting since Tennessee is actually good some people think Florida may be "down" this year. I wish they still had ties in college football, because I would certainly hope for one here. One team will win. One team will lose. I don't really care which one is which.
The Pick: Florida 31-24

Michigan State @ Notre Dame (-4.5): At some point, I'll quit picking Notre Dame games, but picking against them is too fun. They might win finally, but they won't cover.
The Pick: Notre Dame 23-21

Louisville @ Kentucky (-6.0): Let me be perfectly clear. I grew up in Memphis; I cheer for Kentucky; I want Memphis to do well, too. There was absolutely no way Louisville stood a chance at being liked by me. Kentucky will make it 5 straight victories over the Dirty Birds. No question about it.
The Pick: Kentucky 27-17

Game of the Week:
Oklahoma @ Florida State (+3.5): #1 vs. #5. This showdown is going to feature talent all over the field. Jimbo Fisher has the 'Noles on the right track, and a win for the 'Noles would catapult them into BCS consideration. Last year, Oklahoma humiliated FSU in Norman. This year the Seminoles will get revenge.
The Pick: Florida State 34-31

There you have it, my readers. 6 games. 6 picks.

-D

Love in Action

18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (My italics)

Now here's a verse that I think everyone would agree with. It's very easy to tell someone, "I love you." It's slightly more challenging to actually show someone, "I love you."

Why is that? Because love in action requires putting another's interests ahead of our own. Words can be empty and hollow. Actions can't be. They have to be planned out and then carried out. Words can be picked out of thin air. Actions develop in the heart. Love in action means love in the heart.

For instance, love in action could mean emptying the dishwasher without being prompted (something I could do more of). It could mean getting the baby ready for bed and sitting with her while your wife has some time to herself. Love in action means figuring out what makes your friend/spouse/whoever feel most loved. This book and its other iterations give great insight into the basic ways people both give and receive love.

The bottom line is that we must show love to those we love. The words that come out of our mouth must line up with our actions. If there's a disconnect, the meaning of those words or actions loses value.

Let us not forget the example of love: "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him."

Have a great day!

-D

College Football Week 2 Picks Recap

Time to recap and see what that Monopoly money did for me.

Central Michigan @ Kentucky - I predicted 28-14, and the final score was 27-13. For almost 3 quarters, fans in the Commonwealth were left wondering how a 6-win season was even possible. Then the offense came to life, and a fourth and goal from the 1 touchdown provided the 14-point margin of victory. (1-0)

Mississippi State @ Auburn - Were it not for another game that night, this may have been the game of the day, a back and forth affair of momentum swings and money changing hands. Mississippi State lost the Cam Newton sweepstakes last year, and they wound up about 3 inches short of a tying touchdown as time expired this year. I said it would be close, and it certainly was. (2-0)

Alabama @ Penn State - SEC speed. That's all you really need to say here. Alabama's defense is strong, and if the offense can do just enough, they'll be right there in the chase for the BCS championship. (3-0)

Cincinnati @ Tennessee - By all accounts, the Bruce Pearl Bobblehead Day was successful, but everyone seems to be denying that they received his BBQ book. Strange. Maybe this week someone will post a picture of it. Oh yeah, UT won big. Blah blah blah. (3-1)

Memphis @ Arkansas State - At some point, Memphis really just needs to consider donating the football team to my alma mater - Christian Brothers University and using the tax refund to buy out R.C. Johnson's contract. Either that, or not schedule Sun Belt conference teams.  (4-1)

Notre Dame @ Michigan - Game. Of. The. Day. Michigan scrambles from 17 down to take the lead in the fourth, only to see Notre Dame score with 30 seconds left, only for them to completely blow an assignment and give up a huge pass play and then touchdown with 2 seconds left to lose 35-31. This continues to prove my point: Notre Dame is overrated. (5-1)

This Week: 5-1

Season-to-Date: 9-3

More winners from this weekend: America.

Have a great week!

-D

College Football Week 2 Picks

As we all know, today is Saturday, and that means that it's time to place your bets...

Central Michigan @ Kentucky (-10.5): Normally I try not to pick games of the teams I actually like, but I'm making exceptions this week. Kentucky beat Western Kentucky 14-3 in a game that was every bit as exciting as a 14-3 game sounds. I say the Cats respond this week, maybe by even scoring more than 2 touchdowns.
The Pick: Kentucky 28-14

Mississippi State @ Auburn (+6.0): You'd think winning a game 156-9 last week would prove how great your team is. But when the team on the end of that beat down is Memphis, you have take it with a grain of salt, because Memphis could make a broken toaster look good. Auburn somehow paid off escaped with a win over Utah State. That will not happen this time, but it will be close.
The Pick: Mississippi State 31-28

Alabama @ Penn State (+10.5): Alabama's defense looked pretty stout last weekend against some team from the Midwest. The Crimson Tide travel to Happy Valley now to face the Nittany Lions in a battle of odd colors. JoePa is coaching from the grave press box again (I think). Not that it will matter.
The Pick: Alabama 28-10

Cincinnati @ Tennessee (-4.5): One of my other rules is try not to pick games involving teams I can't stand. We're making an exception this week. It's Bruce Pearl Bobblehead Day at Neyland. The first 25,000 fans get a free bobblehead and barbecue book signed by Bruce himself.
The Pick: Cincinnati 27-23

Memphis @ Arkansas State (-17.0): I can't believe the line on this one. (Thinks back to last week.) Oh, wait, yes I can.
The Pick: Arkansas State 42-20

Game of the Week:
Notre Dame @ Michigan (+3.5): We'll call this one the Lightning Bowl, since both teams were affected by storms last Saturday. The University of Michigan finally joins the 20th century by adding a night game for the first time ever. Notre Dame is still overrated.
The Pick: Michigan 35-28

There you have it, ladies and gents. 6 games. 6 picks. 6 chances to ruin your kid's college savings.

-D

College Football Week 1 Picks Recap

After a weekend full of touchdowns and lightning delays, it is time to check in and see why you shouldn't rely on my analysis...

Kent State @ Alabama - Alabama wins 48-7. I figured the Tide would roll (pun intended) over the Golden Flashes. A dominating defense will need to be ready for Happy Valley this weekend. (1-0)

South Florida @ Notre Dame - South Florida wins 23-20. Look, I don't care who's coaching the Irish. I'm sure all Notre Dame people are nice. But when will the people who vote on these polls realize Notre Dame is ranked at least 10 spots too high every season. I thought ND would struggle, not shoot themselves in the foot over and over.  (2-0)

UCLA @ Houston - Houston wins 38-34. I said 35-31 Houston. That's pretty darn good. You'd think I could do this picking thing for a living.  (3-0)

BYU @ Ole Miss - BYU wins 14-13. We saw some Stormin' Mormon fans at the Memphis Zoo yesterday. The cougars smiled at them; the black bears growled at them; and I was surprised they made it out of The Grove.  (3-1)

Boise State vs. Georgia - Boise State wins 35-21. Even Georgia's snazzy uniforms could not stop the Broncos. The Boise Bandwagon will be full again this year.  (4-1)

Oregon vs. LSU - LSU wins 40-27. Maybe Les Miles is sane, and we're the ones who are crazy. I don't know. But he gets the job done. Oregon had too many turnovers but did have the coolest uniforms of the weekend.  (4-2)

Season to Date: 4-2

More winners from this weekend: Mississippi State's offensive ratings, Auburn's special teams' coach, Rice's band ($EC)

Other losers this weekend: The Larry Porter Revolution, Maryland's helmets, UK's wide receivers, and Tennessee (because I'm the author of this post)

-D

College Football Week 1 Picks

Do you hear that sound? The one that's been getting louder and louder since August? It's the sound of college football. With it comes a new season of incorrect picks and sarcastic, witty commentary. I'll be picking against the spread this year, which means a disclaimer that you should never place any wagers on any games based on these selections and analysis. With that out of the way, I'll be getting the spread for each game from here, using the "BETONLINE.COM" numbers. So let's get to the picks!

Kent State @ Alabama (-38.0): It's been an emotional 4 months for the city of Tuscaloosa in the aftermath of the worst tornado outbreak in history. Football season (and a highly-ranked team) will provide some relief and distraction from the rebuilding process. Emotions will be high, and the Tide should cruise to a W.
The Pick: Alabama 49-7

South Florida @ Notre Dame (-11.0): Year 2 of the Brian Kelly Experiment. I don't know much about either team. What I do know is this seems like a game where the Irish will struggle. I don't know why, but that's the sort of analysis you get when you come here.
The Pick: Notre Dame 27-23

UCLA @ Houston (-2.5): Houston has a QB who has a chance to break all sorts of NCAA passing records this season. It's like when you play NCAA __ on your favorite console and do nothing but throw the ball and blitz. Not that I've ever done that.
The Pick: Houston 35-31

BYU @ Ole Miss (+3.0): (Trying to resist jokes about Mormons in The Grove.) BYU's first season as an independent begins at place where Southern Belles and preppy prep school guys learn to live on their own and learn the limits of, well, The Grove. Can the Black Bears get it done? Can the Stormin' Mormons make it of Oxford 1-0? Can I add any more questions to this analysis?
The Pick: BYU 31-24

And we have two games of the week this week! A double feature on this opening weekend!
Boise State vs. Georgia (+3.0): You either love Boise State or hate them like you hate little fluffy kittens and Santa Claus. The BCS hopefuls need this win to establish themselves as party-crashers. Coach Richt needs this win to cool off the hotseat in Athens. I think you know where this pick is going...
The Pick: Boise State 34-28

Oregon vs. LSU (+4.0): This one will be fun. Two teams ranked in the top 5. Two teams with some off-field distractions this summer. Two teams with BCS titles dancing in their heads. Ducks vs. Tigers. Pac-12 (that's weird to type) speed vs. SEC speed. Who prevails? Quack quack!
The Pick: Oregon 33-25


There you have it, my friends. 6 games. 6 picks. 6 reasons why I'm not quitting my day job! Enjoy your long Labor Day weekend, and be safe!

-D