Final Four.

It is more than three months away until the NCAA basketball season culminates with the 2009 Final Four to be held in Detroit, MI.  But tomorrow the “final four” will officially be a reality for me—the fourth and final ankle surgery this year.

The road to the “final four” has not always been easy, but it has been good. I would not trade it for anything. Only God could have scripted this year.   “Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?” (Lamentations 3:37-38)

He has been abundantly faithful in so many ways: insurance coverage for all the surgeries (the first one went through an appeals process and was ultimately paid); progressive healing; safety through driving with a left foot accelerator for six months; protection navigating on crutches since March and through the recent ice and snow here in Chicago; competent doctors, medical staff and physical therapists, but, most importantly the opportunity to encourage and share the love of Christ with others through the gospel. “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).

With surgeries done in March, June, and September I am “ready to roll” with the last one tomorrow, December 30.

This post is dedicated to Erik and Bryan Apinis. Erik had the nickname, “Four”, during college. Not sure how he got it? Both of these guys were a part of my church’s college ministry when they were students at Wheaton College. They impacted me in my walk with the Lord.  “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverb 27:17).  Both their mom, first, and then their dad battled cancer and are now at home with the Lord. I had the honor to know their dad, but I never met their mom. I look forward to seeing them in Heaven.

Through these trials Erik and Bryan resolved to trust in their Heavenly Father. They model Paul’s closing words to the church in Corinth, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14). Erik, his wife, Jen, and kids reside in the Baltimore, MD area and Bryan, his wife, Kathryn, and kids live in the Atlanta, GA suburbs. I am thankful to be a part of the road they walked during their time at Wheaton.

Ready for the “Final Four”!

Bryan, me, Erik along with our good friend, Steve Hobbs.

Pre-Winter Classic.

Hockey is back in Chicago!  Not that it ever left, but there has been a drought of a quality hockey team that could reach the playoffs with the potential to contend for the Stanley Cup in awhile.

On Friday night, December 26, my dad and I saw the Chicago Blackhawks handily defeat the Philadelphia Flyers, 5-1. The victory, before a franchise record 22,712 fans in attendance, tied a Blackhawks franchise record of eight straight wins.

Now the big talk and hottest ticket around Chicago is the upcoming Winter Classic slated for January 1 at Wrigley Field (Home of the Chicago Cubs) between the Blackhawks and their archrival Detroit Red Wings. The game will be broadcast on New Year’s Day (12 noon, central time) on NBC.

Only a week ago we had 20”+ of snow on the ground with -20 to -30 wind chills (Fahrenheit). Workers preparing the rink in Wrigley Field took some days off because it was so cold. Then over the weekend we were close to record high temperatures of 60 degrees with more than 2” inches of rain.  All the snow is gone!

When we arrived in the United Center on Saturday, the temperature in the building was colder than the 47 degrees outside.  Now we’re back to more seasonable weather.  Game time highs for the Winter Classic on New Year’s are forecasted in the 20’s.

Who is He in Yonder Stall?

Do you have a favorite Christmas hymn or song? Maybe it is Joy to the World, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night, or The Hallelujah chorus.  One hymn that captures my heart at Christmas is “Who is He in Yonder Stall?”  This hymn by Benjamin Hanby poignantly captures the person and deity of Jesus Christ—His birth, miraculous earthly ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, and eternal reign.

Who is He in yonder stall 


At whose feet the shepherds fall? 


Who is He in deep distress 


Fasting in the wilderness?

Who is He the people bless 


For His words of gentleness? 


Who is He to Whom they bring 

All the sick and sorrowing?

(Refrain)

Refrain

'Tis the Lord, O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord, the King of glory;

At his feet we humbly fall,

Crown him, crown him Lord of all!

Who is He that stands and weeps 

At the grave where Lazarus sleeps?

Who is He the gathering throng 


Greet with loud triumphant song?

(Refrain)

Lo! at midnight, who is He 


Prays in dark Gethsemane?

Who is He on yonder tree 


Dies in grief and agony?

(Refrain)

Who is He that from the grave 


Comes to heal and help and save? 


Who is He that from His throne 


Rules through all the world alone?

(Refrain)

Playing Every Game Like It's My Last.

Over a month ago, nine-time NBA All-Star Allen Iverson was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the Detroit Pistons for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess.  An article about the trade and his debut with his new team playing against the New Jersey Nets was reported in the Saturday, November 8 issue of The New York Times.

I am not a big fan of Iverson's character, age 33, with a career average of 27.7 points per game and third all-time in average points per game only behind Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain.  Iverson has a storied history of run-ins with the law, not being a team player nor a role model for kids to follow.  But what caught my attention at the end of the article was what he said about how he plays the game of basketball.  Iverson said, “They (referring to his Detroit Pistons teammates) know what I’m about.  I’ve played against those guys for years.  They know what I bring to the table and vice versa.  But my whole thing is to go out on the court and do what I’ve been doing my whole career, and that’s playing every game like it’s my last.”

I think Iverson's got an important aspect about life that is easy to forget.  He recognizes time is fleeting.  Life is short.  He is not going to be here forever.  Each game could be the last one he plays in his professional NBA career.  

Do I live with the mindset that today could be my last?  If I do, would I live it any differently than I do now?

How would you live today if it were your last?

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16

National Champions.

A little over a week ago, 12/6/08, Messiah College Men and Women’s Soccer Teams won the Division III Soccer National Championship in Greensboro, NC. Combined with the men’s championship, the Falcons’ women’s title gives the school its second dual-championship in soccer.  Messiah is the only NCAA institution – regardless of level – to accomplish the feat.

This was the sixth national championship in the last nine years for the men’s team as they posted championships in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006 seasons.  They have now won more national championships in division III soccer than any other school.  The road to this year’s championship was anything but easy.  Two post-season games were decided in double overtime and the championship game was won on penalty kicks, 3-0.

Messiah women’s soccer team convincingly ran the table through their 2008 regular season going undefeated. They carried that streak through post-season play.  The championship game with Wheaton College was a re-match of the 2007 championship game that Wheaton won when they beat Messiah 1-0.  This year it was a different story.  Messiah provided a 5-0 pounding of Wheaton, the largest margin of victory in the 23-year history of the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer National Championship game.

I had the opportunity to see my alma mater play in the annual Wheaton College Men’s Bob Baptista Soccer Tournament last August.  Little did I know that their season would end in another national championship!

More Than Enough.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him” (Lamentations 3:24).

As I reflect on a year of God’s goodness, I am grateful that Jesus Christ is enough. He is all I need—"my portion."  With Him there is unswerving, unshakable and undeniable hope.  Period.

In his book, Grief & Pain in the Plan of God, Walter Kaiser comments on Lamentations 3, “Therefore, we can say with full assurance: ‘I will hope in Him.’  This chapter is indeed about hope, but not hope as a wish with a slight degree of certainty that we will ever obtain or receive anything; this hope carries solid confidence and the highest degree of certainty because it is well-grounded in the God of all grace, mercy, and faithfulness.  His love and mercy to us are unending.”

Yet, my heart wanders.  Pulled by my own flesh, I daily battle pursuing the desires of the flesh that do not satisfy versus the thirst quenching, all-satisfying communion with Christ.  “Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14).

God, as always, is faithful.  "God who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful" (1 Corinthians 1:9).  Here are some of the things that I am praising Him for:

Salvation in Jesus Christ.  “If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared” (Psalm 130:3-4).

Sweet times of fellowship with the Lord in His Word.  “You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to obey your words. I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise” (Psalm 119:57-58).

God’s all sufficient grace and healing during surgery, recovery, and rehab. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Financial and physical provision.  God has provided the means to cover a myriad of medical bills to loving parents that have allowed me to recover in their home amidst being on crutches for the year. “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God”  (Proverbs 30:7-9).

My first surgery in March was not immediately covered by insurance.  It went through an appeals process.  Through it God answered prayer and the surgery was finally covered.  If this did not happen, the subsequent surgeries in June, September and here in December may not have been covered either. 

In a very small way, the fellowship in the sharing of His sufferings. “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:8-10).

Opportunities to share and show the love of Christ through the Gospel.  “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).

Gifted physicians, medical staff, and physical therapists. Their assistance in my life this year has been significant as I look forward to walking again free of pain.

Prayer.  I have seen God work this year through prayer like never before in my life.  I am grateful for so many who have, are and will be praying for me.  From extra strength after surgery during recovery to quick healing to opportunities to share the Gospel and encourage others in their walk with the Lord.  "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16b)