"Life Bracketology"



I won’t lie. Today -- the first day of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament -- is perhaps my favorite day of the year. I absolutely love the “madness” of this time of year. I’ll admit I am glued to my television for every moment of every game.

I’ve got snacks (sensible ones, I AM 40 after all) already lined up, the plasma screen dusted off, necessary work taken care of and appropriate lounging attire selected. I also have my brackets filled out and my online “pools” filled with friends.

It is interesting to me, millions of people fill out brackets each year...and no one ever gets them perfectly correct. I know I never do.

In fact, the odds of picking a perfect bracket: 9.2 quintillion-to-1.

That means if a person could fill out 1 bracket per second, it will take 20 times longer than the universe has existed to get a perfect one!

Yet, those staggering odds against reaching perfection never seem to deter hardcore fans and casual observers alike from prognosticating. While they know they’ll never be perfect, they’re still more than willing to be participants.

My method of bracket selection is perhaps a bit unique. I’ve had good success -- having won various pools I’ve been in probably 6 or 7 times in the last 10 years -- but my approach may not be the most rational.

I’m a huge Duke University fan. I simply love that program -- the way it is run, the student-athletes who are recruited, the coaching staff, the approach to the game, the style of play...even the blue in their uniforms. For those reasons, I think Duke is going to win every year. I begin my brackets by assuming Duke is going to cut down the nets. I believe in them. They’re “in my heart” (pardon the cheesiness, but that’s how I feel).

From that point on, honestly, I just go with my gut. I fill out ONE bracket. I usually do it in about 10 minutes or less. I never look back, I never try to correct or redo things. I understand I’m not going to be perfect. I also understand I believe in Duke so much that they’re my team. With those two things in mind I forge boldly ahead. It seems to work for me.

I’m pretty sure it is an approach which works well in life, too.

The odds of me living a perfect life are even worse than 9.2 quintillion-to-1. It just isn’t going to happen. I WILL make mistakes. The sooner I come to grips with that, the better off I’ll be. Knowing that allows me to not try to “micromanage” things.

The fact that I am thoroughly convined Duke will be each year’s champion helps, too. I know in whom I believe. They go on the center line each time...the rest is just “details”.

In my life Christ is central. I believe in Him, in His ways, in His modes, means, methods and meanings. He’s always my champion...no matter what or who else seems to be a popular pick.

So I approach my life knowing I’m fallible, but making each decision based upon Christ being number one. Everything else simply builds off these two truths: I’m not perfect, He is supreme.

I’d blog more but the games will be starting soon -- I have to get my game face on (you know, bleary-eyes from staring at the screen, immovable grin from having a day of basketball ahead of me).

I hope you all do well with your bracket picks this year.

FEELING 40



I turned 40 yesterday.

Funny, I expected to feel differently than I did prior to reaching that milestone.

I don’t.

There must be something to be said about working with students on a daily basis. While they can definitely cause premature awareness of age, they may actually help stave off actual aging (“young at heart” and all that, you know).

However, my body certainly shows its age -- wrinkes, rolls, swellings, involuntary odd sounds, etc. I sadly do find myself starting sentences with: “When I was your age...” or “I remember when...” Styles I wore in high school are making a resurgence (Lord, help us all). Music I listened to is now being played on “oldies” and “classic rock” stations.

Yet, with the exception of an occasional inability to get up from a chair without the help of momentum, I don’t feel particularly old. Several well-meaning friends even reminded me yesterday that “age is just a number” and “you’re only as old as you feel”, etc. Such statements may seem trite...but also prove to be true.

That got me to thinking...

...it amazes me how many things in our lives are simply done by “feel”. We judge a great deal of what we do (or don’t do) solely upon how we “feel” about it or how it “feels” to us.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we should never, ever “listen” to our feelings...not at all. What I am saying, though, is let’s not forget that some things defy feeling...some things just “are” -- whether we “feel” them or not.

Fact is, I am 40. That’s officially middle-aged. I’m supposed to start scheduling regular trips to the doctor to be poked and prodded in ways I’d rather not even think about...because I am 40. I may not “feel” 40. I may not even “look” 40 (although I’d definitely debate that). Nevertheless, I AM 40.

The most important thing in my life is my personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus. I am a Christian. I am even a “reverend” (genuflecting is appreciated but unnecessary). There is an awful lot of “feeling” involved in the type of faith experience with which I am mostly closely connected. We “feel” the presence of God at times and in various places. We “feel” moved to worship by certain atmospheres and arrangements of songs we like. We “feel” supported when joined together with like-minded believers. We “feel” a great many things associated with faith.

My Bible says God can not only “save” me, but He “declares” me to be “right(eous)”. It has NOTHING to do with what I “feel”.

The whole transaction of God sending Jesus, then Jesus sinlessly living, being crucified, buried and raised minimizes my need to “feel” anything.

It makes it possible for me to just “be” right with God -- even when I’m not “feeling it”. Because, through Christ, God declares me to be right, I AM...whether I “feel” it or not.

It makes me sad when I see people abandon their walk of faith because they’re just not getting the type of feeling they think they need to get. It is even more sad to me when people refuse to even begin a walk of faith because they don’t “feel” the need. I’m not disregarding the fact that we can feel things...I just don’t think feeling is always necessary.

Trusting...
Believing...
Knowing...
Acting...

...those are all more important (to me) than “feeling” anything when it comes to my relationship with God. I’d much rather live by what God SAYS then what I FEEL.

Like I said, whether I “feel” it or not, I AM 40. It would be beneficial for me to remember that...and let it start impacting the way I live. I’m not in the market for a good rocking chair or burial plot quite yet...but I DO have to realize that I AM 40. The way I care for my body, the way I handle relationships, the way I view the world around me...all those things need to be flavored by 40.

I ought to do the same thing with my personal righteousness through Christ. Even on those days I don’t “feel” it, I need to remember it IS true. And then I need to let it impact the way I care for my body, the way I handle relationships, the way I view the world around me...and much more.

I don’t “feel” 40 today.

I don’t particularly “feel” righteous today, either.

But, I AM both...

...so I’d better start acting like it.

IF A BLOG IS POSTED IN THE WOODS...

Sitting with my laptop pondering my first-ever "blog" is a bit strange for me.

In many ways this is long overdue.  After all, I am, by trade, a "communicator"...so why wouldn't I also be a blogger.  Makes sense, doesn't it?  

See, that's where the strangeness comes in...

I may be a "communicator" but I'm also almost thoroughly convinced I don't have anything worth saying.  That poses a bit of a problem.  

Okay, maybe that's not entirely accurate.  Perhaps it would be more apt to say I am not wholly persuaded that anything I have to say will ever truly be "heard".  Thus the title of this blog:  "If a blog is posted in the woods..."

...a take-off of the philosophical query about trees falling and no one hearing them, you remember, right? 

So, I'm going to TRY this.  

I simply hope and pray that SOMEone reads what I write.

I am not going to be one of those self-absorbed bloggers who truly thinks the world revolves around my musings.  I am hoping to not be one of those perpetually-pathetic bloggers, either -- you know, the ones seeking affirmation from nameless, faceless strangers.  My ultimate goal is to simply "connect" -- with someone, anyone, who may want to be entertained, edified, exhorted or maybe even equipped.

The frequency, duration and content of my blogs will undoubtedly be sporadic, unpredictable and random...

...but you wouldn't have it any other way, would you?

Check back.