Welcome to Woodville

Go Twins!

woodville — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 21:48:49 +0000

I had a great time following my Minnesota Twins this summer as they roared back to take the AL central divison title from the Detriot Tigers on the last day of the season–the only time they were in first place all season! Last week was good when pitcher Johan Santana won the Cy Young Award, but today is a great day as their first baseman Justin Morneau won the AL Most Valuable Player award! In fact, the Twins had three players voted in the top seven–Catcher Joe Mauer (first catcher in like forever to win the batting title and also has great sideburns) and Santana finished 6th and 7th. Oh yeah, props to Canada for sending Morneau. Our neighbors to the north have given us some great things–Michael J. Fox, Diana Krall (Live in Paris CD is on my top 10 date CDs) and my friends Rich and Jane Weller.

Minnesota Twins–small market, low payroll–but they get it done with hard work! Morneau made $385,000 this past season, $30,000 more than NL MVP Ryan Howard of the Phillies ($350,000) That’s alot of money to me, but almost minimum wage for a baseball player. Get more done with less! I love it!

Thanksgiving thought…

woodville — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 17:35:48 +0000

Forgive me for I have sinned….It’s been 4 days since my last post. Thanksgiving rocks! Family and friends, football, amazing food…who could ask for anything more? My big idea from Sunday’s message was this, “We already have everything we need to take the next step toward becoming what God wants us to become.” We looked at Moses (the guy from the Bible, not the great Coldplay song) as an example. When God wants him to do something amazing, he has all kinds of excuses, but God points out two things–you have me, and you have what’s in your hand. You have everything you need to take the next step. Down the road it will take more, but we will worry about that later.

I have my eye on everything I wish I had, think I need, and God keeps pushing me to use what I have and trust Him for the rest. This year, I keep coming back to thanking God for what He’s provided and seeing that as enough to keeping moving forward on the amzing journey He has placed before me. No excuses–be thankful for what I have and take the next step forward with what I have got. The rest will be there when I need it.

Happy Thanksgiving–and major family announcement to follow!

Entering the big time…

woodville — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 18:48:43 +0000

This is an historic day in Dwight! We have now joined the rest of the civilized world by having a place to buy real coffee! No, don’t get crazy–We didn’t get a Starbucks, but the opening of the Java Stop on historic Rt. 66 is a big thing for this place. It’s not that you couldn’t buy coffee in Dwight, it’s just that the choices were to drink it out of a dirty cup or be asked if “you want fries with that?”

Today, I feel very suburban! This makes me wonder what other changes could be in store for our little town: Youth soccer teams that are not co-ed? Adding a stoplight? Food not covered with gravy? Streets without tractors? The times, they are a changin’!

Change is hard in an area like this. People who have lived here forever take pride in the way of life. People who have moved here from larger areas are looking for simplicity. Leading a changing church can swim against the current of this culture, but my experience has been that people are receptive to the changes when the see the payoff. It’s nice to connect with God and others in new ways, and it’s nice to have a great cafe’ mocha!

The World According to Randy Moss

woodville — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 21:27:03 +0000

I grew up in IL (Pekin) and live in IL (Dwight), but in between, I spent 18 year in Minnesota. There are certain things you acquire a taste for during a long stint in a northern state–things like fleece, down, and the Vikings. I became a huge fan. I am suffering through an up and down season (Yeah, like the Bears are always 8-1 this time of the year. Please!) but some familiar names will always catch my attention. It didn’t bother me to see Dante Culpepper make his big game-changing mistakes this year, because he no longer wears purple.

What really caught my attention was a quote from Randy Moss, that former Viking, current Raider, amazingly talented, underachieving wide receiver. When asked why he was dropping more passes than usual this season, he said, “Maybe because I’m unhappy, and I’m not too much excited about what’s going on, so my concentration and focus level tends to go down when I’m in a bad mood. So all I can say is if you put me in a good situation and make me happy, man, you get good results.”

Moss has been rightly blasted for these comments on sports radio and newspapers, but is this an unusual attitude? It’s pretty easy for me to fall in to the “if only…” mentality. If only I had more staff… more money… more people… more coffee! If I was in a better situation, I could be a better leader, or a better communicator, or a better whatever. My name is not blasted by commentators on ESPN when I do this, I just get a little smaller and less effective.

Welcome to Woodville

woodville — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 20:42:07 +0000

OK Scott, you can get off my back now! I enter the world of blogging at the urging (read: harassment) of a friend. It is my attempt to stop being just a spectator in this global conversation, and become a participant. Everyone has a story. Relationship happens when stories collide over commonality or interest. My story? I am trying to think big in a small place. Can the observations and efforts of a small town leader contribute to the greatest enterprise in the world? I guess there is one way to find out, and so I am climbing out of the bleachers and running out on the field. Please God, don’t let me trip!