A Story of sportsmanship

Saw this story today. It's worth reading. Here's the beginning.

"With two runners on base and a strike against her, Sara Tucholsky of Western Oregon University uncorked her best swing and did something she had never done, in high school or college. Her first home run cleared the center-field fence.

But it appeared to be the shortest of dreams come true when she missed first base, started back to tag it and collapsed with a knee injury.

She crawled back to first but could do no more. The first-base coach said she would be called out if her teammates tried to help her. Or, the umpire said, a pinch runner could be called in, and the homer would count as a single.

Then, members of the Central Washington University softball team stunned spectators by carrying Tucholsky around the bases Saturday so the three-run homer would count — an act that contributed to their own elimination from the playoffs."

Link

Full Plate

Things that I need to give attention to this week:
- Riddle Group (working with 4 different churches this week)
- New Church (impossibly long list of things to do)
- Writing - (Editing the second book is underway)
- Emergent Cohort (organization of)
-Family Stuff
What am I forgetting?

Workouts for the Week: April 21-25

Wednesday: "Fran"
Thrusters (squats with an overhead press 95 lbs)
Pullups (I used a rubberband this week, that made pull ups way harder than jumping pullups)

21-15-9 (21 of each, then 15 of each etc)

Crazy heavy this week. 95 lbs is a lot. I wasn't sure I would make it.
My Time: 15:02


Thursday: Rowing Sprints
500 meter Sprints (3 sets) (damper set on 10)
My best time 1:38 (the other two were about 1:48 and 1:52)


Friday: "The Filthy Fifty"
For time:
50 Box jump, 24/20" box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 35lb
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows (hang from bar, lift knees to elbows)
50 Push press, 45 pounds (lift the bar above your head 50 times)
50 Supermans
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders (I substituted 250 single unders on the jump rope)

My time: 41:14

uh. wow. 500 reps. not as hard as Barbara last week, but the Burpees are killers.

anyone want to join me next week for a workout?

My times: 1:38

When moving toward Jesus, moves you away from the church

I sent this out to the team of folks who pray for me this morning.

Yesterday I was talking to a new friend. We’ll call him Tom. Tom and I have know each other since the beginning of the year and I’ve often heard him talk about God, he’s generally working with someone else when I see him, so we rarely get to talk by ourselves. For some reason yesterday I asked if he went to a specific church here in Tulsa. He said, “I used to. Not anymore. We don’t go anywhere. It’s been an intentional decision for me and my family. It’s been hard and I think about my kids and what it means for them all the time. But I take God too seriously.” I told him I understood where he was coming from and he continued. Some people have told me that I’m being rebellious and I occasionally feel guilty for not going. But that’s not God telling me that.”

Tom is a smart guy. When I share this you might think he’s being rebellious, or arrogant, or my emerging friends might say he needs community to understand God. You all may be right.

But we have something to learn from Tom. You and I both. And there are a lot of Tom’s I keep running into my friends.

What do we do when people in the church essentially say, “A move away from the church, is a move toward Jesus.”

I think I know, and guy's like Tom are one more reason we're starting a community who will live with a different rhythm than the status quo.

Can you relate to Tom? I really do want to hear from you....

Before and after closer up

Before and After

Today marks the end of my 12 week competition to loose weight. I'm not going to win the competition. But I'm in the best shape of my adult life and I'm still getting more healthy. I've lost 47 lbs. I'd like to loose 43 more. My body is way different than it was on February 4th when I started this journey. Not finished yet. But enjoying the progress.

Quote for the day

Marko quoted Mencken a few days ago. Here's one of my favorites.

A Sunday school is a prison in which children do penance for the evil conscience of their parents.
H. L. Mencken

Kids Be Gone?

Here's an article one might see as symptomatic of our culture and the teens feeling abandoned by adults.

A wall-mounted gadget designed to drive away loiterers with a shrill, piercing noise audible only to teens and young adults is infuriating civil liberties groups and tormenting young people after being introduced into the United States.

The Mosquito, which targets loiterers, projects a shrill noise audible only to teens and young adults.

Almost 1,000 units of the device, called the Mosquito, have been sold in the United States and Canada after the product debuted last year, according to Daniel Santell, the North America importer of the device sold under the company name Kids Be Gone.

Link

Biblical Seminary Youth Ministry Certificate

I'm really excited about the opportunity to lead these courses. I've been impressed with Biblical Seminary for several years. John Franke is a brilliant and influential thinker on the faculty and Alan Roxburgh Has consulted them on what it looks like to become a missional seminary willing to engage a postmodern world. Word is that Tim Keel pastor here, has done a lot of work with them as well. I'm grateful to Todd Littleton for inviting me to join Biblical and Shapevine to facilitate these 5 courses. Here's the description from Biblical.

A master’s level certificate program offered by Biblical Seminary in partnership with Shapevine for the development of missional leaders around the world.

Developed by Mark Riddle
http://www.theriddlegroup.com

This fully online program lets you earn a certificate in youth ministry without leaving your current ministry context. The five-course certificate can be completed in less than two years.

Youth Certification Link

Idiocy: See Jonesville Church of God's Sign

It reads,

OBAMA OSAMA
HUMM
ARE THEY BROTHERS

Link

Unguarded Moments of Weariness

My friend muses on is relationship with his eldest daughter off at college for her birthday. Rob is a gifted writer and Scot McKnight once wrote me saying that Rob had insights into the people like few do. Here's my favorite part of Rob's reflection.

Today is my older daughter’s birthday. How I tell her that I love her is between the two of us; it is her choice to share those words if and as she chooses. But how would I tell you how much I love her?

I’d tell you about worshipping with my little girl (who is now neither little or a girl) yesterday. She’s a kid who burns the candle at both ends, and does so long into the night. Between her studies, her activities, her friendships, and now a boyfriend as well, she pretty much always has something going. She is tired, and in unguarded moments the weariness shows for those who know how to look for it—and sometimes even to those who don’t. But she makes time for her old man, and for the Old Man (to use an ageist and sexist reference to our Creator that I hope you will grant me the grace to pardon), and both are gifts I do not take lightly.

She is also old enough now to have learned the hard way at least a little bit of something about life’s disappointments, heartache, sorrow, and loss. She has learned these things because she has cultivated the ability to care deeply; to be mindful of others, of what is important in the world, and of how the two intersect in her relationships. Ours is one of those relationships, and though our relationship could easily take a back seat at this stage in her life, she is careful (care full) to do more than conveniently work me in as she can, making the effort and sacrifice necessary to share her life with mine and allowing me to share mine with her. Is there any greater privilege one human being can give another than that?

The line, "She is tired, and in unguarded moments the weariness shows for those who know how to look for it" made my eyes swell. I can picture this for my kids. Can you? A busy room might not notice the fragile subtleness of our children, but a caring father does. Here is a father who knows his daughter because he's watched her for years and has insight only a father can have. In a world where kids are ignored, or abandoned because of over involved and over committed parents, this is a nice change of pace.

Here's Rob's whole post.

What did you learn today?

All of us are on a journey.
What did you learn today?
Post a comment.

Quote of the Day

If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original.

- Ken Robinson

er...

From a pro-tibet rally in San Fran.

Either California needs to improve their history curricula or someone skipped that day.
Either way, I wish this pic showed the persons face who made it.

(ht to Andrew Sullivan)

Workout: April 14-20

Ok, so several folks said they wanted to see my workouts still. So I'll include one post a week for a while and see how that goes. This post doesn't include the cardio I do on most tuesday's and thursdays.

Monday: "Karen"

150 wall balls for time. (20lb ball/ 10 ft mark) My time 12:24.

Wednesday: "Barbara"

20 jumping pull ups
30 pushups
40 situps
50 squats

(5 rounds for time)
My time: 47:47

Killer workout. (700 total reps.) Never done anything like that before.

Friday: 6 minutes of goodness followed by 1 min. of rest.
(4 rounds)
1 minute of Box Jumps 20 inches
1 minutes of Ring Rows
1 min. of Knees to Elbows (hang from a bar and touch the two)
1 min. of jump rope
1 min. of Burpees
1 min. of sprint rowing
1 min. break

"Red Shirts"

It's a tragic tale that plays out countless times every day on re-runs of classic Star Trek. Captain Kirk & Co. beam down to an alien planet. They come under attack by some malevolent energy being or dudes in rubber suits. Security crewmen wearing red shirts get vaporized, stabbed and poisoned by booby-trapped flowers.

Being a "Red Shirt" on the USS Enterprise is one of the most dangerous jobs in any (imaginary) military. Don't believe me? SiteLogic founder Matt Bailey crunched the numbers: 13.7% of Kirk's crew died during their three-year televised mission. 73% of the deaths were Red Shirts.

What might save Red Shirts' lives?

Link

I'd like one please

In case I haven't mentioned it here, I'd like one of these please.
It's not so much for me as it is the environment.




Link

An Observation: APril 18

It's impossible to blow air out your nose and suck air in your mouth at the same time.

What do you think of this...

What do you think it's trying to say?

Whatever Happened to PacMan?

(via Jordon)

The New CD for my boys.

Every once in a while I make a CD for the boys to listen to.
Here's their latest compilation:

1. Over the Hills and Far Away - Led Zeppelin - Zach really wanted this one. He's becoming a classic rock fan. Some kids can identify cars as they drive by, others can list sports stars they like and who they play for. Zach can tell you when Zeppelin is on the radio. He doesn't get to hear the whole catalogue... in fact this is his first Zep song on a disk. He's excited. Of course who wouldn't be? Do you remember your first Zep song?

2. Boom - P. O. D. - The boys just think this sounds cool. And it does. A great one from the boys from SD.

3. Follow Me Now - Alvin and the Chipmunks -They're kids right?

4. All that Matters - Addison Road - AR played played at the Planet Wisdom here in Tulsa and Zach got to hang out back stage where they were. But he remembers their music.

5. More - Andrew Peterson - Ok. So the kids didn't ask for this one. They kind of liked it when I played it for them, but this is more of me trying to feed them some good music.

6. My Best Friend - Weezer - My kids like Weezer. My name is Jonas is on Guitar Hero 3 so they play it often. Plus who doesn't want music by a band named Weezer when you are 7 or 10?

7. The Old Apartment - Bare Naked Ladies - A great song froma a great band that Zach liked more than Jaden.

8. O Death - Ralph Stanley - From the Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack, this haunting a cappella song is wonderful... and amusing for the boys. A little Zepplin, a song by Weezer and now and old man singing about "the ice cold hands taking hold of me."

9. In the Jailhouse Now - Soggy Bottom Boys - Do I really need to tell you why the boys like this song?

10. Indian War Whoop - John Hartford - They thought that this was unique. But I'm guessing with won't get the play of BOOM!

Got kids? Nephews? What are they listening to?

Less workout posts

So I've been blogging a lot about my workouts and little else over the past few weeks.. this has probably become annoying so I'm going to post less on that.

Final Edit

Ok. based on what I know about the process.
So I think that I've completed my final edit on the "Inside the Mind of Youth Pastors" book. I could be wrong. But I think I'm done. I'm going to read it over the next few days, but it feels great to be done!

An Historic Day

Yesterday was an historic day in the Riddle household.
It was the first time, in 14 years of marriage, that I beat Pam in the family Bracket contest during march madness.

A good day indeed.

Workout 4-8-08: "Tabata This"

Tabata This:
Row for calories
Pushups
Squats
Pullups
Situps

You do 8 sets of 20 seconds on/10 seconds off for rowing; then you rest one minute; then you do 8 sets of 20 seconds on/10 seconds for pushups; then you rest one minute, etc. The whole workout should take 24 minutes (4 minutes per Tabata interval per exercise, 1 minute of rest between exercise).

Take the lowest number you do in a 20 second set and add them together to get your total:

My number 34.
It would have been higher, but I didn't get a score for my pullups as I was puking for the final 4 sets of pullups.

Contextless Links

A Quality Letter from Kamp Krusty... Read the whole thing!
Zach Lind of Jimmy Eat World explains Ken Wilber here.
Jim Hancock shows a food fight here.
Mike Novelli posts a video of his church... ok. not his church but first umc.. funny stuff.
Dan takes Becky to Springsteen and posts some thoughts here.
Pete Rollins posts on the poor. He' s thinker.
This is interesting.

Kansas versus Memphis

Memphis will win.
It won't really be close.
But I'm pulling for KU.

Also.
How great is it to be Bill Self today?

Another Great Quote

“Somewhere we know that without silence words lose their meaning, that without listening speaking no longer heals, that without distance closeness cannot cure”

- Henri Nouwen

Father Son Time

Driving to a campout with my 10 yr old Zach this weekend I was reminded of one of my favorite movie scenes and the pressure dad's often feel to engage their kids in meaningful ways.

We had an hour and a half drive to get to the campsite and while in the car I have something in me that declares I should be having some kind of meaningful conversation with Zach during the drive. I love my son and we talk a lot, but these special times together don't come around that often. Too often for me this means forced conversation.

These days Zach likes music a lot and so we listen to music together as we drive.
This reminds me of a great movie scene in Good Will Hunting. Where four best friends are in the car driving, no dialogue, just driving and little music. The scene goes on and on. More driving. No dialogue. and it's beautiful.

That was Zach and I in the car on Saturday. Listening and driving. Talking everyonce in a while. But enjoying each others company, with no words.

It was good.

Quote for the Day

A NY Times article on the assassination of a priest in Baghdad and the safety of Christians there leaves me wondering few things.

Here's the quote:

The invasion had caused only harm for Iraq’s Christians, he said.

“I heartily believe that we were living better under the old regime. No one could threaten the Christians then.”

Link

Workout:4-4-08: "Cindy"

"Cindy" workout

5 pullups ( I had a small jump in each)
10 pushups
15 squats

As many rounds as you can do in 20 minutes.

I did 11.

High puke factor.

How can I pray for you.

Is there anything you need prayer for?
I'd love the opportunity to pray for you, your family and/or your situation.
email me or post a comment and perhaps others will join as well.



mark@theriddlegroup.com

Have you seen this?

Shapevine Pretty cool stuff.

Workout: 4-2-08

Turkish Get up

5 with each arm
5 rounds
25 lb dumbell

It really sounds easy. It even looks easy. and while it's not the hardest thing I've done with crossfit. I can tell my shoulders are going to be sore.

A great workout you can do at home.

It's not real exciting to watch, but here what they look like.