On Sunday, I started reading Tony Dungy’s (the coach of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts) memoir, “Quiet Strength:  The principles, practices, and priorities of a winning life.”  I thought I’d share with you some of the highlights of the book:

Intro, pg. xiv – “It’s the journey that matters.  Learning is more important than the test.  Practice well, and the games will take care of themselves.”

“Success is uncommon and not to be enjoyed by the common man.  I’m looking for uncommon people because we want to be successful, not average.” (by his football coach, Coach Stoll at U of Minnesota)  “The truth is that most people have a better chance to be uncommon by effort than by natural gifts.”
pg. 29

“Winning would create greater potential than talk alone.”  pg. 95

“Champions are champions not because they do anything extraordinary but because they do the ordinary things better than anyone else.” (Coach Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers)  pg. 105

“I told them we expected several things of them:
*Be a pro.
*Act like a champion.
*Respond to adversity, don’t react.
*Be on time.  Being late means either it’s not important to you or you can’t be relied upon.”
*Execute.  Do what you’re supposed to do when you’re supposed to do it.  Not almost, all the way.  Not most of the time.  All the time.
*Take ownership.”
pg 116

“Excellence that feels it has to be proclaimed. by the mere fact of its proclamation admits the doubt of its existence.” (his mother, CleoMae Dungy) pg. 151

“Parents, hug your kids-every chance you get.” (at the funeral of his 18 year old son, Jamie)

“Leaving the game plan is a sign of panic, and panic is not in the game plan.” pg. 267

“People will tell you that in the playoffs we have to ‘raise our game to another level’ whatever that means.  The perception is that New England does this, and that they have such success in the playoffs because they do something special or better.  But here’s the reality:  New England does so well because in the playoffs they play exactly like they play in the regular season.  Smart.  Energetic.  Passionate.  Disciplined.  And then when the other team gets uptight and self-destructs, New England keeps doing what they do.” ( to his players before the 2006 AFC Championship Game) pg 282-283

“And so we press on.  We press on with our memories, our hearts buoyed by a God who loves us and wants us to know Him deeply.  We press on with our sense that life’s not always fair.  And we press on with the knowledge-and assurance-that even though we can’t see all of God’s plan, He is there, at work and in charge, loving us.” pg. 297

What’s the memoir that you’ve read that I “have to read”?

This is a part of Randy Elrod’s Watercooler Wednesday.

Carie, my wife, took this picture with my new phone.  I cropped a thing or two out and this is what we came up with.

The tree in the background will eventually have apples.

I’m extremely pleased to make this picture part of Randy Elrod’s Watercooler Wednesday.  Today…Oh yeah…I’m hangin’ by the cooler.
I don’t often take nature pictures, I’m most often found inside. But yesterday in New England was the first really beautiful day we have had in quite some time.  And as I walked around my house, I saw this flower, which in fact was the only flower that had sprung up within eye sight.  I had to show you what the first flower in my culture looked like this year.

Anyone else excited about spring time actually happening in New England?

This is not a fuzzy picture, this is snow on the ground outside of my house this morning.
And that is a robin, signifying the return of spring.
What do you think I should do today?  Fly a kite or go snowboarding?

As I write this, I want you to know that I’m not angry and I’m not bitter at any particular Christian sect or group.  How’s that for a starter?

I wanted to write today about a phenomenon that exists in American Christianity of which I have thought about frequently and am attempting to change.  It’s an iron curtain, but not one of guns and hatred, but one of comfort.  This iron curtain is a spiritual one and rests not in Europe, Asia, or Africa, but just south of New York.  The curtain divides the northeast (and specifically New England) from the rest of the United States.

I moved here 10 years ago, being born in Northwest Ohio, going to college in Florida, and living for short periods of time in Tucson and Atlanta.  Almost immediately God gave me a passion for this area and for the people in Massachusetts. 

Outside of this place, the Northeast is looked at as a place that could do with or without God, a place that is cold to the gospel, and a place filled with rude people who drive as arrogantly as they talk (so 1 out of 3 ain’t bad).  But since I moved here, what I’ve found is people in love with the truth.  Not what they’ve been taught.  Not what they’ve been told.  Not necessarily with the traditions they’ve grown up with (though they have them too).  But the truth.

So here’s the thing I’m trying to figure out.  If this place is so cold to the gospel, then why would more people from this beloved “Christian culture Bible belt thing” we have going on from Florida to Idaho, not be moving their families away from this subculture in our society – one of affluence and comfort, to a very difficult place where it’s gonna take 5 years to see any kind of fruit?

I love going to conferences like Catalyst and C3 and other such venues to get fired up about what God is doing, but when I do, I wonder how many of these pastors or leaders or lawyers or teachers or whoever would be a great asset to our difficult task of reaching people with the gospel in the Northeast.

There are people going to the Middle East and Asia and the Philippines and third world countries by the scores.  And tons and tons of Christ followers are moving to some super-growing cities like Charlotte or Columbus (Ohio, not Gerorgia) to start churches.  But I don’t exactly see people lining up to make their way into New England (one of the great technology areas in the US, by the way).

And so we try to place a band-aid on a bullet wound.  The southern baptists, who I respect in a great way and believe are doing some great things, send their college students on yearly mission trips to New England colleges.  By the time the college grads are finished, many of them hate the winter,and despise working so hard to have 30 students come to their things when back home there was 100.  So in the end, they are seduced by the community back home.

What we need up here is talented men and women, the best and most creative people that places like California, Florida, and Texas have to offer(preferably people who are not cry babies when it’s cold), who will come and utilize those gifts here, even though they would probably be leaving their family and friends for a place not quite as cozy as home.  (But I do believe I recall Christ calling people that direction in Scripture)

People like Steve, who has brought his family here from Missouri, and worked through a lot of hard times in the process.  Or Anthony, who left the comforts of Pennsylvania in the late 90’s and who has now started 4 other churches besides the successful one he pastors now.  Or this church in Boston, which originated from a group of people that were sent from this church in Chicago because of the vision of this pastor and have done quite nicely for themselves.

I say all this today because I believe that the iron curtain that divides New England from the rest of the country is one-sided.  This area is ready for the gospel.  Not a subculture.  Not a conference. Not a political ideology.  Not even a Christian radio station (we can check that out on the internet if we really want to).  But the gospel.

And if there’s anything I can do to make your stay here more comfortable, just say the word.

Until next time…