Years ago when I first started coaching high school players, I made the mistake of throwing far too much at them in a short period of time.  After just getting out of college, I tried to install things my players were not even close to being able to implement, but concepts that seem familiar and easy to me.  

Fourth and five, with less than a minute in the game, and Peyton Manning had one more play to make something happen. He took the snap, rolled to his right, lofted a pass to Dallas Clark and…it was dropped. The Colts will not defend their Super Bowl Champion title. Immediate disappointment set in for players, coaches and fans. There were questions asked, but not many answers.

When you see a glass half-filled with water, what do you think? Is it half empty, or is it half full? It all depends on your perspective. So many different circumstances and situations happen in life. Uncertainties and challenges make life difficult, but attitude or perspective can make a positive difference. If you have the right perspective you can experience God's presence, power, promises and peace.

In Philippians 4:9, Paul said to learn from him, to put into practice the right perspective of faith in God no matter what your situation. There are three things we can learn from Paul when it comes to proper perspective.

Larry Bird and Magic Johnson received plenty of coverage on last night’s NCAA Championship game with the anniversary of their classic game. Recently, I saw an interview where Magic Johnson was talking with LeBron James about the young man’s success in the league. The conversation eventually turned to former players who did so well in competition that they were simply known by one name or nickname. Athletes like MJ, Tiger, Junior, Kobe, Sweetness, Shaq, Magic, Dr. J, and now LeBron. James was honored to be considered part of such high athletic royalty, and he hopes that he will be around to see the next one-named guy come on the scene.

When you are playing a sport, teammates are the most important people with you on the court or field. Sometimes it’s hard to love them, and it can be even harder to stand up for what you believe in when you are around them. The devil is always around, wearing a disguise, making it harder for you to stand up for your beliefs. He can even be wearing the same jersey as you.

I learned this lesson during my basketball season. I was the newbie, the one no one knew. On the day of tryouts I only knew one other girl. Yes, I saw the others in the hall, but I didn’t talk to them. It was hard to start a new season with only a couple real friends.

In reviewing results from New Year’s road races this year, I noticed a few that were prediction runs. Unlike typical road races, the awards in a prediction run do not go to the person with the fastest overall time or for an age group. The winner in a prediction run is the one who finishes with the time closest to what they listed before the race started.

I fell in love with my wife in 1993. In 1999, I fell in love with our first child, Jaycee. Then, in 2002, a new love entered my life when I was tricked into running a marathon. And I have been addicted to long-distance running ever since. I have completed the Oklahoma City Marathon and the Gardens of the Gods 10-Miler. What is significant about this addiction is that I had absolutely no running history before 2002. In college I was an All-Conference, 305-pound offensive lineman. I once told a running back that if he ran more than 40 yards, he better have some sort of moves because I was done blocking after 40 yards. But, oddly, the running addiction has gotten a hold of me.

Hockey Chat:  There is a term in hockey known as being “back on your heels”.  It means to be playing lazily and timidly.  Hockey is not a game for the weak hearted because it takes desire to want the puck, strength to work and win board battles, and clear mindedness to know the right plays to make.  

Hockey Chat:  On the business side of hockey, it’s all personal.  Although the good players create a fun game to watch, many teams (all that I know of) spend time with the community as well.  In turn the community spends money on tickets and merchandise which in turn goes back into the players salaries.  Both the players and fans appreciate each other and enjoy the relationship.  If the players were rude and disowned the fans then the fans would fall away and not support the team.

Before He was ever crucified, Jesus gave the perfect summary of the foundation of Christianity. I just saw this in His Word for the very first time. I was thinking about Easter and thinking about the cross, when I remembered something Jesus said in Matthew 22:34-40.