“It is not the critic who counts,
not the man who points out
how the strong man stumbled,
or where the doer of deeds
could have done better.
The credit belongs to the man
who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,
who strives valiantly,
who errs and comes short again and again,
who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions,
and spends himself in a worthy cause,
who at best knows achievement
and who at the worst if he fails
at least fails while daring greatly
so that his place shall never be
with those cold and timid souls
who know neither victory nor defeat.”
- Theodore Roosevelt (From a speech given in Paris at the Sorbonne in 1910)
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” - Michael Jordan
Have you ever been scared to make decision? Too much pressure, too much risk, too much responsibility?
So because you were afraid of the potential damage of making a choice, you didn’t make one?
My favorite basketball player growing up was Michael Jordan. The above picture was taken during the 1997 NBA Finals where he made the game winning and series deciding basket. It was his 6th NBA championship and 6th Finals MVP.
Many have said that is was the best ending possible to a storybook athletic career (unfortunately Jordan returned 2 years later in a forgettable stint with the Washington Wizards).
Too often we don’t win the ‘game’ because we are afraid.
Afraid to fail.
Afraid to lose.
Afraid to make a mistake.
Afraid to miss.
The sad thing is, if we never shoot, we can never win.
To be the people that we are destined to become, we cannot allow the fear of failure to paralyze us.
Reality is we will miss shots and lose games.
But if we keep shooting, our shot will get better, and we will hit a few.
And that last shot can make all the difference.
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” - Robert F. Kennedy
“It is a mistake to suppose that men succeed through success; they much oftener succeed through failures. Precept, study, advice, and example could never have taught them so well as failure has done.” - Samuel Smiles
Being a leader isn’t always what happens at the end of the victorious journey. Often, leadership is most visible in moments of crisis and adversity. In the picture above, Detroit Lions Head Coach Rod Marinelli leaves the field after losing every game in the 2008 NFL season (of the last 24 games the Lions have lost 23).
I am well aware of the laughingstock that the Detroit Lions have become on the football field. They have achieved the dubious distinction of being the only 0-16 team in NFL history. I must admit, I have taken my share of comedic shots at the Lions over the years.
But in spite of all that, I have been impressed. Not with the performance or product on the field, but in how the team and the coaches have shown great character in the midst of adversity. Led by coach Rod Marinelli, the Detroit Lions have been the picture of class on and off the field. They are not pointing fingers, throwing each other ‘under the bus’, or shirking responsibility.
You can’t go 0-16 and expect to keep your job,” said Marinelli, 59, who says he plans to coach elsewhere next season, either in college or the pros. When you don’t have the power to pull the trigger, you’re at the other end of the barrel, you understand. And I hold myself responsible, nobody else. I think when you do that and you leave, you feel very good about yourself.”
Sometimes we shine best when we are at our worst. I think we could all learn something from the leadership of Coach Marinelli.
Stand up, take responsibility, and don’t complain.
In that respect, the coach of a historical loser has been a champion.
I hope you had a great Christmas Holiday. We had a great time with the girls and with our extended family. I will get back to blogging and posting real soon about some of my latest adventures.
“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
-Matt. 2:2
Today December 24th, 2008 I reflected back on some of those excitement filled Christmas Eve nights where I imagined, wished, and dreamed about what I might get on Christmas morning. I thought about some of the most popular and sought after gifts during my childhood.
Some of the names that jump out to me that I can remember were classics like, My Little Pony, Cabbage Patch Kids,Spiderman, Voltron, GI Joe, among others. But there was one gift that stood out from the rest. It was a unique treasure unlike the world had ever seen.
This treasure had a name: Lite Brite. This treasure was originally brought to the masses in 1967. But in the 80’s it was still a very hot item. For those that are not familiar with this plastic masterpiece, the Lite Brite was an amazing contraption that allowed a little kid to become an artist of light. In a few short minutes you could create a “glowing” picture. Through the proper placement of multi-colored translucent plastic pegs through opaque black paper, the world became a different place.
I can remember being at Grandma’s house with my masterpiece of illumination before me and being so excited. There were times when, after putting together something really, really cool….we would turn all the lights and just sit back and really take it all in. The darker the room, the more magnificent the effect of the light.
What I didn’t realize during those moments, is that this was not new. God had made the first ‘Lite Brite’ long before I sat in the dark at my grandmother’s house.
In the midst of the darkness that had befallen humanity, with clashes of governments, the ineffectiveness of the religious establishment, and sinking hopeless was in the atmosphere, He made a star appear. It was an unsual star. It was a star that light up the night. It pointed in the right direction, it was signal and a sign of the greatest gift that had ever been given.
It could be seen for miles.
Matthew’s Gospel tells of men from the east that ran to the star, coming from a great distance to honor the King.
And from that moment, the masses have been running to the light ever since.
This Christmas, let’s remember the true meaning of the season.
That in the midst of our deepest darkness, we can run to the Light.
When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that last blow that did it, but all that had gone before.-Jacob A. Riis
We must be persistent in our pursuit of God’s dream for our lives.
Hey. I am sitting here watching Sportcenter on ESPN. I can’t believe the San Diego Chargers are still in the AFC playoff race. Wow. Those boys don’t deserve to still be in there conversation.
Anyway, great last Sunday before Christmas.
*It was great seeing the kids up there singing Christmas songs along with our FC2 Christmas Choir.
*The drama telling the story of the ‘Happy Church’ was powerful. It challenged all of us and how we live our life.
*Our church loved my story detailing my Christmas Tree Adventure! I still can’t believe that it happened.
*Thanks to everyone for the amazing gifts and cards given to the Newman family for Christmas. We love you guys.
*God is bringing FC2 in a new dimension of community and togetherness. It is exciting to see.
2 days ago I went Christmas tree shopping by myself. This was after Tiffany and I went earlier in the week to find “the” tree for the 2008 Newman family Christmas.
We couldn’t settle on something that seemed to work.
Either it didn’t look right, cost too much, or Tiffany just wasn’t ‘feeling it’.
But now it was up to me to get the 2008 family tree for Christmas. It was a weighty task. My reputation as a husband and father rest on how well I bore this responsibility.
If I failed, it would be recounted in the annals of our family’s history for years to come.
So after taking the girls to school I began my search. I pulled into the parking lot at a department store that was selling Christmas trees and got out of the car. After taking a stroll through the trees…I settled on a 9 foot Noble Fir.
I got the attention of the tree lady who was busy doing tree stuff to ask about it.
She let me know that it was 50% off and was a good tree. I stepped back and examined it again.
I liked it.
I went back and asked about help to get the tree off the lot and tied to my car.
She let me know that it was up to me and that I really needed a truck.
Cars wouldn’t work.
And I needed to go into the store to purchase the tree.
She pointed to the main building as she did more ‘tree stuff’
I asked if they had some string or rope I could use.
She didn’t have any.
After I persisted she told me that maybe someone in the Garden Center might have something I could use.
So I trudged over to the Garden Center.
The Garden Center guy told me that he used to have plenty of rope until someone stole it.
After I stood there for a few more moments he decided to actually look and happened to find some rope and a pair of scissors.
I walked back to the lot with my weapons in hand.
I contemplated my strategy.
It was all on me.
And even though I wasn’t a handyman, I knew I had to come through.
The pressure mounted.
I lifted the Noble Fir as high as I could, struggling to get it to the roof of the car.
I stepped back and assessed everything.
I opened the windows and began to thread the rope over the tree, through the car and back again.
I did my very best to tie the knots really tight. I didn’t want the tree to fall on my way home.
After 10 min of work, I was finished.
It was a pretty good job ( I must admit).
For a guy who is not Mr. Handy Man, it was a really good job.
Tree secure, knots tights…a true master-piece.
Now it was time to bring the Christmas prize home.
One problem though.
I couldn’t get in the car.
I was so focused on getting the tree tied to the car that I neglected to open the car doors as I did.
In tying the tree to the car, I also tied the car’s doors shut.
I couldn’t get in.
I couldn’t believe it.
I just started laughing out loud.
I didn’t want to untie all the knots and start over again so I did the only thing I could do.
Look at the 1st picture (below), and you can see where this driver, on U.S. Hwy 100 just outside Flagstaff,AZ broke through the guard-rail, on the right side of the culvert, where people are standing on the road, pointing.
The pick-up was traveling about 75 mph, from right to left, when it crashed through the guardrail.
It flipped end-over-end, bounced off and across the culvert outlet, and landed right-side-up on the left side of the culvert, facing the opposite direction from which the driver was traveling.
The 22-year-old driver and his 18-year-old passenger were unhurt, except for minor cuts and bruises.
This 2nd picture (left) shows just how fortunate and blessed they were to be alive.
When I saw this photo I thought: How many times has God rescued me from the Cliff of complete disaster and I didn’t even know it?
Yesterday after going to breakfast with a friend, I ran into Santa and his wife. You never know who you are going to run into during the holiday season.
They said I had been more nice than naughty in 2008.
“It is not the critic who counts,
not the man who points out
how the strong man stumbled,
or where the doer of deeds
could have done better.
The credit belongs to the man
who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,
who strives valiantly,
who errs and comes short again and again,
who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions,
and spends himself in a worthy cause,
who at best knows achievement
and who at the worst if he fails
at least fails while daring greatly
so that his place shall never be
with those cold and timid souls
who know neither victory nor defeat.”
- Theodore Roosevelt (From a speech given in Paris at the Sorbonne in 1910)
Posted in Leadership, Transformation | No Comments »
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” - Michael Jordan
Have you ever been scared to make decision? Too much pressure, too much risk, too much responsibility?
So because you were afraid of the potential damage of making a choice, you didn’t make one?
My favorite basketball player growing up was Michael Jordan. The above picture was taken during the 1997 NBA Finals where he made the game winning and series deciding basket. It was his 6th NBA championship and 6th Finals MVP.
Many have said that is was the best ending possible to a storybook athletic career (unfortunately Jordan returned 2 years later in a forgettable stint with the Washington Wizards).
But what if he didn’t shoot?
What if he held the basketball and didn’t try?
All because he was afraid he would miss?
Too often we don’t win the ‘game’ because we are afraid.
Afraid to fail.
Afraid to lose.
Afraid to make a mistake.
Afraid to miss.
The sad thing is, if we never shoot, we can never win.
To be the people that we are destined to become, we cannot allow the fear of failure to paralyze us.
Reality is we will miss shots and lose games.
But if we keep shooting, our shot will get better, and we will hit a few.
And that last shot can make all the difference.
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” - Robert F. Kennedy
“It is a mistake to suppose that men succeed through success; they much oftener succeed through failures. Precept, study, advice, and example could never have taught them so well as failure has done.” - Samuel Smiles
Posted in Leadership, Sports | No Comments »
Being a leader isn’t always what happens at the end of the victorious journey. Often, leadership is most visible in moments of crisis and adversity. In the picture above, Detroit Lions Head Coach Rod Marinelli leaves the field after losing every game in the 2008 NFL season (of the last 24 games the Lions have lost 23).
I am well aware of the laughingstock that the Detroit Lions have become on the football field. They have achieved the dubious distinction of being the only 0-16 team in NFL history. I must admit, I have taken my share of comedic shots at the Lions over the years.
But in spite of all that, I have been impressed. Not with the performance or product on the field, but in how the team and the coaches have shown great character in the midst of adversity. Led by coach Rod Marinelli, the Detroit Lions have been the picture of class on and off the field. They are not pointing fingers, throwing each other ‘under the bus’, or shirking responsibility.
From today’s Detroit News:
You can’t go 0-16 and expect to keep your job,” said Marinelli, 59, who says he plans to coach elsewhere next season, either in college or the pros. When you don’t have the power to pull the trigger, you’re at the other end of the barrel, you understand. And I hold myself responsible, nobody else. I think when you do that and you leave, you feel very good about yourself.”
Sometimes we shine best when we are at our worst. I think we could all learn something from the leadership of Coach Marinelli.
Stand up, take responsibility, and don’t complain.
In that respect, the coach of a historical loser has been a champion.
Posted in Leadership, Sports | 1 Comment »
I hope you had a great Christmas Holiday. We had a great time with the girls and with our extended family. I will get back to blogging and posting real soon about some of my latest adventures.
Posted in Dream Awake, Family | No Comments »
“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
-Matt. 2:2
Today December 24th, 2008 I reflected back on some of those excitement filled Christmas Eve nights where I imagined, wished, and dreamed about what I might get on Christmas morning. I thought about some of the most popular and sought after gifts during my childhood.
Some of the names that jump out to me that I can remember were classics like, My Little Pony, Cabbage Patch Kids, Spiderman, Voltron, GI Joe, among others. But there was one gift that stood out from the rest. It was a unique treasure unlike the world had ever seen.
This treasure had a name: Lite Brite. This treasure was originally brought to the masses in 1967. But in the 80’s it was still a very hot item. For those that are not familiar with this plastic masterpiece, the Lite Brite was an amazing contraption that allowed a little kid to become an artist of light. In a few short minutes you could create a “glowing” picture. Through the proper placement of multi-colored translucent plastic pegs through opaque black paper, the world became a different place.
I can remember being at Grandma’s house with my masterpiece of illumination before me and being so excited. There were times when, after putting together something really, really cool….we would turn all the lights and just sit back and really take it all in. The darker the room, the more magnificent the effect of the light.
What I didn’t realize during those moments, is that this was not new. God had made the first ‘Lite Brite’ long before I sat in the dark at my grandmother’s house.
In the midst of the darkness that had befallen humanity, with clashes of governments, the ineffectiveness of the religious establishment, and sinking hopeless was in the atmosphere, He made a star appear. It was an unsual star. It was a star that light up the night. It pointed in the right direction, it was signal and a sign of the greatest gift that had ever been given.
It could be seen for miles.
Matthew’s Gospel tells of men from the east that ran to the star, coming from a great distance to honor the King.
And from that moment, the masses have been running to the light ever since.
This Christmas, let’s remember the true meaning of the season.
That in the midst of our deepest darkness, we can run to the Light.
Merry Christmas.
Posted in The Church | 1 Comment »
When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that last blow that did it, but all that had gone before.-Jacob A. Riis
We must be persistent in our pursuit of God’s dream for our lives.
Posted in Transformation | No Comments »
Hey. I am sitting here watching Sportcenter on ESPN. I can’t believe the San Diego Chargers are still in the AFC playoff race. Wow. Those boys don’t deserve to still be in there conversation.
Anyway, great last Sunday before Christmas.
*It was great seeing the kids up there singing Christmas songs along with our FC2 Christmas Choir.
*The drama telling the story of the ‘Happy Church’ was powerful. It challenged all of us and how we live our life.
*Our church loved my story detailing my Christmas Tree Adventure! I still can’t believe that it happened.
*Thanks to everyone for the amazing gifts and cards given to the Newman family for Christmas. We love you guys.
*God is bringing FC2 in a new dimension of community and togetherness. It is exciting to see.
*See you on Wed. at our Christmas Eve Communion.
Posted in The Church | No Comments »
2 days ago I went Christmas tree shopping by myself. This was after Tiffany and I went earlier in the week to find “the” tree for the 2008 Newman family Christmas.
We couldn’t settle on something that seemed to work.
Either it didn’t look right, cost too much, or Tiffany just wasn’t ‘feeling it’.
But now it was up to me to get the 2008 family tree for Christmas. It was a weighty task. My reputation as a husband and father rest on how well I bore this responsibility.
If I failed, it would be recounted in the annals of our family’s history for years to come.
So after taking the girls to school I began my search. I pulled into the parking lot at a department store that was selling Christmas trees and got out of the car. After taking a stroll through the trees…I settled on a 9 foot Noble Fir.
I got the attention of the tree lady who was busy doing tree stuff to ask about it.
She let me know that it was 50% off and was a good tree. I stepped back and examined it again.
I liked it.
I went back and asked about help to get the tree off the lot and tied to my car.
She let me know that it was up to me and that I really needed a truck.
Cars wouldn’t work.
And I needed to go into the store to purchase the tree.
She pointed to the main building as she did more ‘tree stuff’
I asked if they had some string or rope I could use.
She didn’t have any.
After I persisted she told me that maybe someone in the Garden Center might have something I could use.
So I trudged over to the Garden Center.
The Garden Center guy told me that he used to have plenty of rope until someone stole it.
After I stood there for a few more moments he decided to actually look and happened to find some rope and a pair of scissors.
I walked back to the lot with my weapons in hand.
I contemplated my strategy.
It was all on me.
And even though I wasn’t a handyman, I knew I had to come through.
The pressure mounted.
I lifted the Noble Fir as high as I could, struggling to get it to the roof of the car.
I stepped back and assessed everything.
I opened the windows and began to thread the rope over the tree, through the car and back again.
I did my very best to tie the knots really tight. I didn’t want the tree to fall on my way home.
After 10 min of work, I was finished.
It was a pretty good job ( I must admit).
For a guy who is not Mr. Handy Man, it was a really good job.
Tree secure, knots tights…a true master-piece.
Now it was time to bring the Christmas prize home.
One problem though.
I couldn’t get in the car.
I was so focused on getting the tree tied to the car that I neglected to open the car doors as I did.
In tying the tree to the car, I also tied the car’s doors shut.
I couldn’t get in.
I couldn’t believe it.
I just started laughing out loud.
I didn’t want to untie all the knots and start over again so I did the only thing I could do.
I climbed through the car window, Dukes of Hazzard style.
When I finally got home, I climbed out the window and dragged the tree through the doorway.
And when the girls saw the tree after school was over, they were so happy they squealed with delight.
Dad was a Hero.
And Dad loves being the family Hero.
Even if the journey there was a little awkward and weird.
Posted in Relationships, Family | 4 Comments »
An inspirational story that will touch your heart about creating memories and making an impact in the lives of others.
Posted in Relationships, Leadership, Creativity/Innovation | No Comments »
Look at the 1st picture (below), and you can see where this driver, on U.S. Hwy 100 just outside Flagstaff,AZ broke through the guard-rail, on the right side of the culvert, where people are standing on the road, pointing.
The pick-up was traveling about 75 mph, from right to left, when it crashed through the guardrail.
It flipped end-over-end, bounced off and across the culvert outlet, and landed right-side-up on the left side of the culvert, facing the opposite direction from which the driver was traveling.
The 22-year-old driver and his 18-year-old passenger were unhurt, except for minor cuts and bruises.
When I saw this photo I thought: How many times has God rescued me from the Cliff of complete disaster and I didn’t even know it?
Posted in Uncategorized, Media/Culture | 1 Comment »
Yesterday after going to breakfast with a friend, I ran into Santa and his wife. You never know who you are going to run into during the holiday season.
They said I had been more nice than naughty in 2008.
That was a relief.
I thought I was in trouble.
Posted in Relationships | 1 Comment »