Exploring A Secret Beach
Yesterday I explored a “secret” beach in Northern California with Cru, my oldest son. My Great-Grandparents, my Grandparents, and my parents all used to hold bonfires on this beach. I’m a 5th generation Northern Californian and I love living here.
Climbing Mt. Rainier and Telling Men About Jesus
Eight months ago a friend from college invited me to climb Mt. Rainier with 7 other men and talk to the men about Jesus. That’s my kind of an adventure.
The adventure happens next week. I’ll turn 33 on the mountain (September 14th), the day before we make our bid for the summit.
Then, when I return, we launch Garden City Church on Sunday September 18th.
I appreciate your prayers, while on the mountain and off, as I tell people about Jesus.
So Fun!
Before having kids I was an avid downhill mountain biker, riding intense downhill courses several times a week. It was my favorite thing to do. I had a lot of fun and I had a lot of injuries. I only entered two races, one of which I didn’t finish because I broke my bike, shoulder, and helmet in a bad crash.
Watching this video made me really miss downhill/free-ride biking (I never did anything as intense as this rider). If you enjoy this kind of riding, this is such a fun video, you feel like you’re on the bike.
VCA 2010 RACE RUN from changoman on Vimeo.
This is Straight-Up Awesome
“This is Straight-up Awesome” is the only title I could think of for this post. Watch this video (get through the first minute of advertisements) to see straight-up awesomeness in action. I hadn’t heard of “Gymkhana” until seeing this video. There’s no need to drive like this, but this would be so fun to do.
PS. Note that the car is a Subaru. Every man should drive a Subaru.
The San Francisco 49ers’ Next Coach?
I grew up on the 49ers. I’ve been a lifelong fan. Growing up, Sundays were for church and 49ers football (in that order). Every Sunday afternoon my grandpa, my dad, my brother, and I placed bets on Sunday’s games. In those days you always bet on the Niners.
But the past decade has not been a good one for the Niners. Head Coach Mike Singletary was recently relieved of his duties, which I’m still sad about. Mike Singletary is a great guy. Five years ago Singletary’s son played on the same lacrosse team as my brother in-law (who was living with us at the time), and I enjoyed getting to know Singletary a bit at practices and games. He impressed me on TV as a boy when I watched him play for the Bears, and he impressed me in person.
The other person who impresses me is Kim Singletary, Mike’s wife. Read Kim Singletary’s excellent blog post reflecting on their transition out of the 49ers and their great faith in our great God.
Soon the Niners will decide on a new Head Coach. Most believe Stanford Head Football Coach, Jim Harbaugh, is the lead candidate. It’s been incredible to watch the program Harbaugh has built at Stanford the past four years. We live ten minutes up the road from Stanford and have made it to as many home games as possible. It’s been an exciting four years of Stanford football. I hope the 49ers select Harbaugh, and I hope Harbaugh selects the 49ers.
Today’s San Jose Mercury News states the reasons the two parties are interested in each other:
Here is why Harbaugh is the 49ers’ top candidate:
They feel they have a roster that can win immediately, if they find a quarterback, and Harbaugh is a longtime former NFL quarterback who has masterfully developed Andrew Luck into the potential No. 1 draft pick. Harbaugh isn’t your usual college coach. He runs a physical, prostyle offense, has unique player-personnel skills and at Stanford assembled a staff filled with ex-NFL assistants.In exit meetings with their players, 49ers management was told time after time that the team needed organization and an offensive identity.Here is why Harbaugh could see the 49ers as his best option: He already has achieved as much as is possible at Stanford, and Harbaugh always has envisioned winning a Super Bowl, which he did not do as a player.That apparently is what largely kept Harbaugh from accepting the bid from Michigan and what would lure him away from Stanford — the chance to win a Lombardi Trophy. Harbaugh would like to stay on the West Coast and also would prefer to be in the NFC, away from potential yearly clashes with his brother, John, coach of the playoff-bound Baltimore Ravens. Harbaugh cherishes the relationship he cultivated at Stanford with Bill Walsh, and loves the idea of following Walsh’s footsteps from Stanford to the 49ers. With the 49ers at a very weak place — and in dire need of excitement on the buildup to a new stadium — Harbaugh can practically name his price and set up the personnel staff to his wishes.
Who do you hope to see as the next 49ers Head Coach?
When I was 21 I Pulled a Dead Body Out of a Lake
When I was 21 years old I pulled a dead body out of a lake. That experience changed my life.
I tell the story in this sermon I preached last week at CityLife Church in Boston: Believe the Blessing, Then Go Change the World (Genesis 32:22-31).
5 Years Ago My Wife’s Leg Was Ripped Open in South Africa
I just came across an old video…
Five years ago my wife and I traveled to South Africa to visit family, explore, and celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary. On day five of the trip, while on a run together in the middle of nowhere on the outskirts of Kruger National Park, Taylor had a bad fall.
It didn’t look like a bad fall. Taylor sat on the ground, putting pressure on her leg with her hands. She hadn’t looked at her leg yet. We both thought she had a small cut.
I ran to Taylor, and I looked at her leg. Before I could tie my t-shirt around the wound, Taylor saw the hole in her leg and almost fainted. I piggybacked Taylor the half mile back to our middle-of-nowhere-hotel. I reached the edge of the hotel property, set Taylor down on a curb, sprinted to get our car, sped back to the curb and loaded Taylor into the car, then drove to the nearest gas station. This was my first day driving in South Africa, I was still getting used to shifting gears with my left hand, driving on the other side of the road, and navigating the dirt roads loaded with pot holes.
Fifteen minutes later we reached a gas station. A kind lady at the gas station looked up a doctor’s cell phone number in the phone book. I dialed the number. The doctor picked up. I told him the problem. He told me to meet him at his clinic in fifteen minutes. The gas station lady hoped in her car and guided me to the doctor’s clinic.
He was a good doctor. Five years later, Taylor’s scar is barely visible. I married a tough woman.
Below are portions of what we caught on tape that day. It was a day we will never forget.
Warning: this isn’t pretty
New Mavericks Photos
Eight days ago a big swell hit Mavericks (which is 15 minutes from my home). The big names flew in overnight from Hawaii to surf it. My brother in-law, Thom, got a call at 4am from Surfline to photograph the session.
Go to The Seventh Movement to check out Thom’s amazing photos.
Be Generous in Giving Your Life to the Lord
I wish, finally, to address you, dear young people, and to repeat these words to you with affection: be generous in giving your life to the Lord. Do not be afraid! You have nothing to fear, because God is the Lord of history and of the universe. Let grow in you the desire for great and noble projects. Nourish a sense of solidarity: these are the sign of the divine action in your heart. Place at the use of your communities the talents, which Providence has lavished on you. The more ready you are to give yourself to God and others, the more you will discover the authentic meaning of life. God expects much of you!
-Pope John Paul II, August 15, 1995, Message for the XXXIII World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Quoted in Darrow Miller, Lifework.
