Will I Teach Annie?
Last week, my youngest daughter, Annie, who is aged 7, crawled up into my lap. She asked me, "Daddy can you teach me Bible at school like you do the other students?" She was referring to the fact that I teach a Bible class for high school seniors at the Christian academy where she attends.
I responded, "Sweetie, I won't even have your sister, Haleigh, until next year, so it will not be until you are a senior in high school.”
Annie’s humbling response? “Daddy, will you still be alive then?”
While biblically she had a point -- none of us know when we are living our last day -- I knew that was not where she was coming from. I knew she thought I was so old, she was not placing any bets that I'll be around here 10 years from now.
Haleigh is teaching Annie how to play the piano. Think I will be listening to see if she begins to learn how to play TAPS.
I responded, "Sweetie, I won't even have your sister, Haleigh, until next year, so it will not be until you are a senior in high school.”
Annie’s humbling response? “Daddy, will you still be alive then?”
While biblically she had a point -- none of us know when we are living our last day -- I knew that was not where she was coming from. I knew she thought I was so old, she was not placing any bets that I'll be around here 10 years from now.
Haleigh is teaching Annie how to play the piano. Think I will be listening to see if she begins to learn how to play TAPS.
Darkest Before The Dawn
I was inspired this week reading about a coach who was pushing 50 when he finally got a head coaching job. The first two years were moderately successful, but the next two were disasters. Near the end of that fourth season, his team was playing a game with a huge amount at stake. The team had experienced a seven-game losing streak, and desperately needed a win. With less than two minutes remaining in the ballgame, his field goal kicker kicked what appeared to be the game-winning field goal and put his team ahead 17 -- 16.
There was celebration but it was short-lived. A holding penalty was called on the coach's team. The ball was moved back and the field goal kicker nailed it again. Again there was celebration, and again that celebration was followed by another penalty flag. That penalty moved his team out of field-goal range. So they went for it on fourth down and appeared to make the first down. Unfortunately, the coach watched in disbelief as the linesman gave the opponent a favorable spot. The other team received the ball, and shortly thereafter the game was over.
The coach was in utter despair. The job that he sought for his entire adult life was now in jeopardy. Moreover, his team’s dumb mistakes cost them the game. There was a long plane flight home across the country. Sitting in his seat, the coach began crying. Then he began to almost sob in the darkness. The sounds grew so loud, his assistants began shielding him from the rest of the plane, talking loudly so no one would hear him.
About 3:15 in the morning, as the plane was preparing to land, the coach began coming out of his depression. He thought back to when he had been an amateur boxer in college. Once, he had been knocked flat on his back and had to struggle to get up on his knees. Bleeding and bruised, he continued the fight. This moment felt a kinship with that moment. He knew he had to regain his composure, confidence, and direction and press on. And so he did.
Sixteen months later, Bill Walsh coached his San Francisco 49ers to their first Super Bowl win. Four more followed under his leadership, two of those as head coach. Sixteen months. That was all that separated his moment of greatest despair from his moment of greatest triumph.
I read this story in Walsh's final book called THE SCORE TAKES CARE OF ITSELF, which I downloaded on my Kindle reader on my iPhone by the way. Co- written with Steve Jamison and Craig Walsh, I have found it to be substantive and inspiring thus far. Walsh was a Hall of Fame coach, who changed the concept of offensive football and his coaching tree extends further than anyone else's. But his impact transcends the game of football. Probably no one has led the way for the hiring of minorities in the NFL more than Bill Walsh.
This week, though, I was encouraged as I thought about how many times influential and successful people found triumph shortly after their greatest moments of despair. Truly, in the triumphal life, it is often darkest before the dawn.
There was celebration but it was short-lived. A holding penalty was called on the coach's team. The ball was moved back and the field goal kicker nailed it again. Again there was celebration, and again that celebration was followed by another penalty flag. That penalty moved his team out of field-goal range. So they went for it on fourth down and appeared to make the first down. Unfortunately, the coach watched in disbelief as the linesman gave the opponent a favorable spot. The other team received the ball, and shortly thereafter the game was over.
The coach was in utter despair. The job that he sought for his entire adult life was now in jeopardy. Moreover, his team’s dumb mistakes cost them the game. There was a long plane flight home across the country. Sitting in his seat, the coach began crying. Then he began to almost sob in the darkness. The sounds grew so loud, his assistants began shielding him from the rest of the plane, talking loudly so no one would hear him.
About 3:15 in the morning, as the plane was preparing to land, the coach began coming out of his depression. He thought back to when he had been an amateur boxer in college. Once, he had been knocked flat on his back and had to struggle to get up on his knees. Bleeding and bruised, he continued the fight. This moment felt a kinship with that moment. He knew he had to regain his composure, confidence, and direction and press on. And so he did.
Sixteen months later, Bill Walsh coached his San Francisco 49ers to their first Super Bowl win. Four more followed under his leadership, two of those as head coach. Sixteen months. That was all that separated his moment of greatest despair from his moment of greatest triumph.
I read this story in Walsh's final book called THE SCORE TAKES CARE OF ITSELF, which I downloaded on my Kindle reader on my iPhone by the way. Co- written with Steve Jamison and Craig Walsh, I have found it to be substantive and inspiring thus far. Walsh was a Hall of Fame coach, who changed the concept of offensive football and his coaching tree extends further than anyone else's. But his impact transcends the game of football. Probably no one has led the way for the hiring of minorities in the NFL more than Bill Walsh.
This week, though, I was encouraged as I thought about how many times influential and successful people found triumph shortly after their greatest moments of despair. Truly, in the triumphal life, it is often darkest before the dawn.
Math Sense
Now that I have mastered quantum mechanics (ha ha), I am turning my attention to my enormous ignorance of mathematics. I use the word “ignorance” with intention. I have spent the bulk of my life ignoring mathematics, much to my chagrin.
When I was in high school, I think I took every math course offered. At the time, I was preparing for dental school—as if—and taking math was what you did. I took two years of algebra, a year of geometry, and a year of trigonometry, calculus, and elementary analysis. I can honestly tell you that I remember—drum roll please—absolutely nothing from the courses. Four years, and I remember absolutely nothing.
I take that back. I do remember one thing. I remember, deciding in those classes, if I ever taught one day, and a student asked a question, I would never answer by simply repeating what I said the first time and then move on without making sure the student had any semblance of understanding.
I found a book the other day at a book sale—a hardback book— for a quarter. It’s called BRIDGES TO INFINITY THE HUMAN SIDE OF MATHEMATICS. It was written in 1983. What caught my attention was it was written by Michael Guillen. I first got to know him on Good Morning America, as their consultant on science and technology. He communicated so well, I was shocked to discover he was also a very good scientist and mathematician, having taught as a mathematical physicist at Cornell University.
I am hoping he, at last, can open up my mental doors to the world of math. My kids, bless their hearts, I am sure are hoping so too. I am absolutely no help with their math homework.
“Dad, what’s 2 + 2?”
“I don’t know, ask your mother.”
When I was in high school, I think I took every math course offered. At the time, I was preparing for dental school—as if—and taking math was what you did. I took two years of algebra, a year of geometry, and a year of trigonometry, calculus, and elementary analysis. I can honestly tell you that I remember—drum roll please—absolutely nothing from the courses. Four years, and I remember absolutely nothing.
I take that back. I do remember one thing. I remember, deciding in those classes, if I ever taught one day, and a student asked a question, I would never answer by simply repeating what I said the first time and then move on without making sure the student had any semblance of understanding.
I found a book the other day at a book sale—a hardback book— for a quarter. It’s called BRIDGES TO INFINITY THE HUMAN SIDE OF MATHEMATICS. It was written in 1983. What caught my attention was it was written by Michael Guillen. I first got to know him on Good Morning America, as their consultant on science and technology. He communicated so well, I was shocked to discover he was also a very good scientist and mathematician, having taught as a mathematical physicist at Cornell University.
I am hoping he, at last, can open up my mental doors to the world of math. My kids, bless their hearts, I am sure are hoping so too. I am absolutely no help with their math homework.
“Dad, what’s 2 + 2?”
“I don’t know, ask your mother.”
Five things I think I think (a tip of the hat to Peter King for this idea)
1. KLTV Channel 7 did a marvelous job on the story of Morgan Ashbreck and the ETCA volleyball team. The segment is a weekly one called POWER OF PRAYER. Morgan, teammates Hannah Henderson and Jessica Mitchell, along with Coach Diane Preston, were interviewed and were very impactful. If you missed it, here is a link:
http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11512901
http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11512901
2. The apocalyptic movie, 2012, was released last week. It is based upon the concept of an ancient Mayan calendar predicting the end of the world in 2012. This was confirmed this week when Oprah announced she is ending her talk show in 2011.
3. I finished the book, THE YEAR OF LIVING BIBLICALLY, this week. Written by A. J. Jacobs—one of my favorite writers—it chronicles the events of his life as he sought to obey the Bible as literally as possible for one full year.
Jacobs has a sharp sense of humor. Recounting his search for just the right biblical translation, he tells of talking with a salesman at a huge bookstore in midtown Manhattan. The salesman shows Jacobs various translations, but being a secularist, points to the one Bible he thinks Jacobs might want. It is one of those Bibles that is designed to look like a SEVENTEEN magazine.
The salesman says, "This one's good if you're on the subway and are too embarrassed to be seen reading the Bible. Because no one will ever know it's a Bible." Jacobs reflects, "It's an odd and poignant selling point. You know you're in a secular city when it's considered more acceptable for grown men to read teen girls magazine than the Bible."
Jacobs describes his challenge of fulfilling the 10 Commandments, loving his neighbor, and most difficult of all, seeking to avoid wearing clothes made of mixed fibers. All is not humor, however. He describes in devastating detail his discovery of the death of a neighbor named Nancy. Nancy lived alone and had no family. Jacobs sense of guilt is palatable. His account of Nancy is sad and depressing because it seems so real and true to our 21st-century world.
If you are looking for a book that is fun, that will help you learn more about the Bible and about biblical times, and if you want to hear a commentary on our contemporary culture from a secular Jew, this book is for you.
4. I hope everyone has a marvelous Thanksgiving next week.
5. Happy anniversary, Mrs. E. I am looking forward to our early celebration. December 10th, we will be married for 21 years. These have been unquestionably the best years of my life, and I cannot imagine life without you.
Have a Great Weekend!
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