Pair o' Dime Props: Coach ------

When I had just turned 15, I was playing my last year of organized baseball. My coach for that year was a good man. He had three boys of his own, (one of which broke my nose on a ground ball, but perhaps that is a story for another day). Anyhow, this guy was nice enough to take me to and from practices during the season because circumstances didn't allow for me to get to practice by other means. Today I want to (sort of) acknowledge my coach for one particular lesson he taught me. One Saturday after practice, I helped him get the equipment put away and he pulled out some tools and went back to the field. There was no one on the grounds, but he began working on the fence and the grass around the fence. Cutting the grass, pulling the fence back down and securing it so balls could not roll underneath, etc. Well, you may know how much I love yard work, so I was probably pretty impatient. I was ready to go. I remember asking him why he was doing it. I don't remember his answer exactly, but it was something along the lines of "it needs to be done." Near the end of the conversation, I remember asking him if he was going to let the youth organization know that he was the one who did this. His answer was along the lines of, "No. There isn't any need to let them know. It just needs to be fixed." That may seem like nothing when you read this now, but hearing this as a self-centered 15 year-old (I think that's redundant), I was blown away! Why on earth would anyone work on something out of charity and not want to be recognized!!?! Well years later I understood, and perhaps he did then too. This morning I was reminded of this coach when I read the following:

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
-Matthew 6:1-4

This gentleman is no longer around. As a matter of fact he died a couple of years after he coached me. Perhaps now, better than Pair o' Dime Props, he's received an infinitely better reward.

PoDS Tips for Successful Lawn Care

Here at Pair o' Dime Shift we wish to provide our readers with 10 times more than our two cent's worth. Well leave it to me to bring you the best in tips for your lawn. (GET IT? "leave" it? HAHAHAH!!).

Let's get one thing straight before we continue. Yard work is one of the most time-consuming (read: time-wasting), annoying, dreadful endeavors one can choose to do. I truly believe that those who enjoy it must be masochists. If you're a masochist by this definition, please do not take offense to the term. I don’t agree with how you spend your time, but I respect you. And if you really enjoy it, I would like to invite you over to my home some sunny Saturday in the near future. I wouldn't want to discourage you enjoying lawn care.

The overall goal of lawn care is simply the following: Minimize the total amount of time, work and money you put into your yard while avoiding the sour looks of all of those on your block.

With this in mind I bring to you the following pointers:

• Never mind keeping up with the Jones'. The goal is to be slightly better than the Smith's. Who are the Smith's you ask? Well they are the ones with the worst looking yard on the block. By being slightly better than the Smith's you will avoid the sour looks given by Mr. and Mrs. Jones.
• The frequency in which you fertilize should be the same as the frequency of neighborhood social gatherings. The goal here is to be sure to fertilize the morning of said gatherings. That way when the subject of lawn car comes up at the event you can mention that you had just dropped fertilizer that morning. You can even consider rolling your eyes when speaking about the Smith's lawn and claim that the reason you have weeds is because Mr. Smith doesn't fertilize his lawn and the wind blows all of the seeds into you yard.
• You should fertilize with the least amount of fertilizer possible. Everybody knows that these chemicals are not good for the environment and you don't want to be labeled as a earth-scorcher like the Jones family down the street do you?
• Minimal frequency and amount of fertilizer will ensure that you will have plenty of nice green weeds in your yard. The goal then is to cut them low. If you cut off all of the leaves, blooms, pods, etc. the stem will look remarkably similar to a blade of grass. Be sure to edge your lawn for the same reason. Grass tends to grow straight up. Weeds often grow sideways. By edging your yard, you again give the illusion of grass.
• Do NOT water your lawn. We have been in a drought here in Charlotte for over a year and water restrictions are in place. Of course the obsessive masochists in my neighborhood have better lawns than me, but barely. I'd like to compare fertilizer and water bills with them. While they're busy watering and fertilizing to make their yard look decent, I'm spending time with my family and making my yard look fair. It's not worth the payoff. Also, when a drought hits, since you have done minimal fertilizing, the obsessive yard-workers now have brown lawns, and your weeds are green and if trimmed nicely might even make your yard look even better.
• When doing yard work, keep the following things in mind. Doing it on a nice cool day, if you have one, is the easiest way to go. However, nice cool days are perfect days to spend doing something fun with your family. You're wasting valuable time by doing it then. You should consider doing it when it's extremely hot and humid. That doesn't seem right, does it? But doing it on an oppressive day is likely to invoke the most pity from your family. After a couple of hours sweating and exhausting every ounce of energy, your significant other is likely going to want you to take it easy for some time. They may bring you drinks, and let you sit down in a cool place for a looooong time. It's counterintuitive I know, but your return will be greater. Trust me. One note of caution though: Wear sunscreen. You could have sweat gallons of water, incurred scrapes and cuts and perhaps even lost blood, but if you have a sunburn and you didn't wear sunscreen, expect no pity. Trust me on this one.
  

Okay, so there you have it. It's not exhaustive, but these are sound tips that should help you in maximizing your quality of life. Since my neighbors don't read my blog and my wife only does occasionally, I think this post should be safe.

One brief glimpse of power

This weekend we had quite the storm. I love thunderstorms. There is something neat about watching sheets of rain come down while feeling the house shake from the occasional crack of thunder. It's awesome! My son, Chris, loves all precipitation. He is infatuated with the radar and we are all but convinced he will be a meteorologist. He loves it more than I do.

Saturday and Sunday both had some impressive storm activity, but Saturday was the most intense when it comes to lightening. As the storm rolled in we sat on the front porch and counted between the lightning flashes to see how far the lightening was from us; four seconds, three seconds, four seconds, five seconds...all of them very intense. I marveled at the power of the storm. It was enjoyable to watch the intensity and strength. Then it happened. The almost simultaneous flash and crack! My adrenaline rapidly increased, and I said, "OK buddy, let's watch the rest of this from inside!" This was probably less than a mile from the house. I had been closer to strikes before, but I don't know if I had ever seen such a crisp bright bolt as the one I saw Saturday, and the thunder crack shook the house - and me. Wow!

All this just to say, that as I stood in the window looking out at the intense power of the storm and the jump I had just had, I realized that I very much take for granted the power of God. That at one moment I could be thankful for the opportunity to watch a wonderful storm. To marvel at the power God has in nature and then in the next moment be completely awestruck to the point of fear. This is just a fraction of what the Almighty can do! I think I understand better what it means to praise and fear God at the same time from that one storm this weekend.

Technology isn't all it's cracked up to be

What with email, texting, wireless technology, text editors and DVRs, you'd think we were set, right? Well, I'm a little disappointed. Lately, I've been listening to my radio and when I miss something there isn't an option to rewind and listen to it again. Sheesh! Why is this the case. I have it on my VCR, DVD, DVR, CD and even old Cassette players. This is ridiculous!

Oh, and another thing. Why is it when I write in my journal in the morning and make a typo, there is no red line under the misspelled word? Intolerable!!!

There is no excuse for these things not being available. I'm entitled to this!

Once these minor advances take place, THEN I might be impressed. I'm looking forward to this. Oh, and when someone cuts me off while I'm driving, I really think I should be able to fire a red shell at them to knock them off the road. Then we'd really be getting somewhere!!!

First Love

A common feature here on Pair o' Dime Shift, is the "second hand" sermon point* from my weekend church service. This past week my pastor preached on Revelation 2:1-7 where Jesus addresses the church in Ephesus. He had some good things to say about this church, however, what he was most concerned about was that they had lost their "First Love." In this case, it appears that the Ephesian Christians were good at discernment and intolerance for evil, but had lost sight of their First Love, which is Jesus.

Essentially, we can get so caught up in "doing" that we forget the "why" behind the actions. It's quite the challenge really. It's so easy to say, "Hey, today I'm going to go work at a homeless shelter or sing carols at a retirement home because that's what I'm suppose to do." You don't have to be a Christian to do that. Our "First Love" wants us to desire Him and as a byproduct serve others. It can be easy to go through the motions of our earthly relationships. The kiss hello, the time spent together, etc. can become routine and essentially meaningless. Jesus challenged, well, essentially threatened to take away the Ephesian Church's "lamp stand" if they did not return to their First Love.

My pastor went on to ask the question of what a "first love" looks like. Perhaps we should look at what we would do for someone we are in love with. This is what Jesus wants. It's not the busyness of serving or ministry. It's the passion and desire to know him better. We do this through actions, but not in actions alone. When we're in love we would drop everything for that person. We would forsake many responsibilities for their sake. We would take risks to the point of death. We would be completely content just to be present with them. This is where the challenge lies. It's easy to see where the application is, but so extremely difficult to put it into action.



*You usually only get one point from me. It's typically all I hold on to on a Sunday morning. It's not my pastor's shortcoming...it's mine. So analogous to gossip, you only get part of the truth. I'm doing what I can but the sermons can be heard online as well.

Pair o' Dime Props: Fathers

It's been a few days since I've posted, but I can't let this day go without acknowledging dad's. Father's who engage in the lives of both their children and the mothers of their children provide a stable environment for all. To me, there is something special about a male role model. I was not fortunate enough to grow up with my dad, and although there are things about him that were good, this post is to give thanks to men in my past who have mentored me in some way. Some of them aren't even old enough to be my dad, but they modeled behaviors and/or shared their heart in a way that impacted who I've become. (The positive bits of who I've become :-) ). So today, I raise a glass to the following people:

Tom Spittal
Ralph Small
Dave Bratton
Loren Freshwater
John Theis
Don Mechlem
Tony Bonacci
George Jonson
David Ziels
LeMont Jacobs

These men have shown me how they raise their children, treated me like their son, or shared with me godly wisdom that has helped mold my spiritual life. All of which I count as treasures and today, I am thankful that I have known them.

Hallway Etiquette

Recently I moved across campus to a building near some different "clients" of mine. These are people I support or associate with who now see me when I step out of my office. Now I don't know if this is just me, but I'm beginning to get annoyed with what appears to be a lack of Hallway etiquette. Let me explain. I don't have a large number of subordinates in a closed space where my job is such that I manage by walking around. Therefore, if I am walking in the halls, it's for a purpose other than to casually ask clients how things are going. I'm on a mission of some sort. So allow me to enlighten and express myself at the same time:

• If I am coming in to my office with a bag of hot fast food around lunch time, it is not an invitation to say hello, walk in with me and proceed to talk to me for 30 minutes. My office is cold and the food is initially warm. I would like for it to stay that way all the way down my throat!
• If I am leaving my office and passing your office towards the men's room, please do me a favor and at the very least, wait until I'm coming back out of the men's room! I still don't care for being stopped and asked work-related questions, but have a little compassion.
• If I walk by the window of your office while you are waiting to ambush me, well...just don't.

The rule of thumb is to either call or come knock on my door. At least meet me on my own turf. Otherwise I may be afraid to even leave my office, and I don't think the university will pay for my own personal restroom and Chick-Fil-A restaurant.

There, I'm done. Thank you for "listening."

Our first Dinner Debate

With an 8 and 5 year old at the table, I think today we had our first family debate today. A friendly debate it was although my 8 year old and his mom found themselves on different sides of it. No insults were thrown but there has been no real resolution or even compromise. The debate rages on. The question: Is Clifford an indoor dog or an outdoor dog? I think I know the answer, but I don't want to take sides.

Pair o' Dime Props: Ken Griffey Jr.

It's time to give credit to one of the best baseball players of our time. Yesterday, Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 600th Home Run in a game against Florida Marlins. Griffey, is now the fourth, along with Willie Mays, Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron, NATURAL baseball player to reach this milestone. The guy loves his wife and kids and is nothing but class.

Congratulations Ken!

Watch the video while listening to Hall of Fame announcer, Marty Brennaman, make the call.

Read more about Ken Griffey's accomplishment.

Ivy League Whiners

I can't help but share this. This was on Morning Edition (NPR) this morning. I'm less than encouraged that some of these future leaders of the free world were disappointed that J. K. Rowling was their commencement speaker. I'm not a Potter fan, but goodness...

Your choice, you can read it, or click on the listen link on the article page. I'd opt for the second if possible.

Burning Question: Stress

Here's the question for today. What is more stressful: Stress due to excessive busyness of our conscious life or stress due to intensity/drama of our conscious life?

I'd give you my current opinion, but I don't have the time right now.

Pair o' Dime Props: Back Creek Christian Academy (ACSI)

Today was my oldest son's last day of his first year at Back Creek Christian Academy. He finished second grade and we were proud of how we did. This school, it's mission and it's staff have been nothing but respectful and loving to the students and parents they serve. From the moment we met their principal, Janet Ballard, to Christopher's last day in Mrs. Roundtree's 2nd grade class, we have felt well-served by this school. Next year we have the privilege of sending both of our sons here.
On a similar note, I was looking at the results of our son's achievement tests for the year and noticed that they have percentile scores related to the national average as well as the ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) average. This was interesting to me because the percentile scores are lower within ACSI. What this says is that ACSI students perform better than the national average. This is NOT the primary reason we send our son to a Christian school, but it is encouraging to know that he can be challenged by the curriculum in an ACSI accredited school.

More advice for job hunters

I am currently reviewing aplications for a specific job at my university. In a previous post I have offered up tips primarily on interviewing. Today I have a few more along the lines of applications and cover letters:

• Avoid typos on the name field of your application
• When applying for a job in academe, do not mention your desire to work for the "company."
• In the first sentence of your cover letter, you may want refrain from fragments.
• Never overestimate your writing skills. Proofreading is highly recommended.
• Reading generic cover letters is sort of like eating fat free cheese.
• Not having a cover letter is like eating air.

Song of Praise (and Conviction)

There is one song we sing at church that I absolutely love and yet it stops me in my tracks every time I sing it. I would think that anyone who is a Christian and is used to self-examining will sing the song "Everyday" and either be incredibly challenged or if they're like me, feel a little bit like a hypocrite while singing it. I love singing it because it's a challenge that will last my lifetime.

Everyday

What to say, Lord? It's
You who gave me life and I
Can't explain just how
Much You mean to me now
That You have saved me, Lord
I give all that I am to You
That everyday I can
Be a light that shines Your name

Everyday, Lord, I'll
Learn to stand upon Your word
And I pray that I
That I might come to know You more
That You would guide me with every single step I take, that
Everyday I can
Be Your light unto the world

Everyday, it's You I live for
Everyday, I'll follow after You
Everyday, I'll walk with You, my Lord

It's You I live for, everyday
It's You I live for, everyday
It's You I live for, everyday
It's You I live for, everyday

Burning Question: Is Franklin Graham correct in this recent statement?

This morning I read an article in the Charlotte Observer entitled "Graham discourages 'illegal' evangelizing in China." Although I can't say I agree with Franklin Graham's statement, I think I might be able to understand why he may have made it. Considering he has been invited there and not censored in what he said, I think it would be tough for him to officially encourage "illegal evangelism." However, I think it may have been best if he didn't say anything. As a leader, and in my opinion, an "elder" of the church, I cannot think of any circumstances where it would be wise for him to tell people not to share the Gospel