John Force, one of the top NHRA drag racers, crashed today with Kenny Bernstein here in Texas.  Force’s car actually splits in two peices and he has to be airlifted to Baylor Hospital.  As of the last report I saw on ESPN2, he broke both legs (as of 6pm CST he was going in to surgery to repair the compound fractures in his legs), dislocated and broke his left wrist, and broke several fingers on his right hand.  As soon as ESPN makes the video available on YouTube, I’ll post it here.  The wreck was horrific.  What it looks like happened was when Bernstein pulled his chute, something broke, shot across the track, hit Force’s car, split his car in two peices, the front portion of Force’s car crosses the track and takes out Bernstiens car (who is ok).  Bernstein’s car’s chassis flies off the track (the whole thing) and yet Bernstein walks away with a headache.  You can read about the incident HERE.

The following article came from the Harold Tribune:  Europe:

 DOCTOR WINS SUIT AGAINST JEHOVAH’S WHITNESS: A St. Petersburg doctor has won a lawsuit filed after the father of a three-year-old boy refused to permit a life-saving operation on his son to remove a brain tumor. The man is a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a religious group that considers the blood transfusions necessary during the operation sinful. After winning the suit, the doctor, Igor Yakovenko, preformed the operation. He threatened further legal action if the father continued to interfere in his son’s medical treatment.

Ok, several questions:

1)  Is it right for the Doctor to take the rights of the father of the child away in this case and disrespect the man’s beliefs?

2)  Should any government step in when a child’s life is in medical danger when it goes against the families religious beliefs?

I really want to know what you think about this one.  It’s not as easy an answer as you think! 

This video shows two things.  First, it show that Simon Cowell (the American Idol judge who cannot be pleased) can, in fact, be taken off-guard and completely shocked.  But more importantly, God saw fit to give Pavarotti’s voice to another.  With some practice, he could be absolutely great!  By the way, Paul Potts won “Britain’s Got Talent” and is now touring.

We mourn the loss of the greatest voice the world has ever known.  Luciano Pavarotti lost his battle with pancreatic cancer this morning in his home in Italy.  He was best known as one of the “Three Tenors” and was one of my favorite singers of all-time.  I dedicate this video Thursday in remembrance of the late, great Pavarotti.

I’m sick.  The sickest I’ve been in a long time.  It’s times like this that make you realize how much people do for you.  I couldn’t do it without my life-partner, my best friend, my wife… Rennee.  Babe, this is for you.

I am always evaluating and re-evaluating my life and life goals.  I try to be very careful who I let speak into my life.  I don’t know about you, but I’m the kind of person who believes you are who you hang with.  It’s true, in the past I have made some bad choices friend-wise.  But as I got older I tried to be more careful who I befriend.

The other day I wrote down my life goals and gave them to a couple of my mentors.  These are men who are successful in their own rites.  They got back to me and I was blown away by what one of them said.  He said, "These are great things to achieve.  I will help you any way I can.  So let me start by telling you what I see in your life."  He proceeded to probe deeply into something I have never thought much of.  He told me that he sees how I can sit in a room with some of the most powerful business men and women in the world and not give hoot what they think, but if you stick me in a room full of pastors whom I admire, I buckle under the pressure and can’t function properly.  He then went on to explain that it was probably the way I was raised (being a PK and all) and that the people who were always in my life were Pastors and church executives.  I wasn’t raised in a business world (something that has proved useful over time).  So I don’t put businessmen on pedestals, I put men like Erwin McManus, Mark Driscol, and Bob Roberts on pedestals.  Not in a bad way, mind you.  I respect the men the way they deserve.  They worked very hard to get to where they are.  They have wisdom and knowledge that most do not.  I do realize they are just men like me (I just wish I was a man more like them).

It’s healthy to have hero’s in your own profession.  It’s not healthy to think they are superheroes or idols.  I have men in my profession whom I aspire to be like.  That’s the point of having mentors, coaches, and friends who are further down the road than you.  Bob taught me an invaluable lesson last year.  If you want to get to know someone, call them, no matter who they are, and tell them you’ll buy them lunch if you could just ask them a few questions.  It may take some time, but eventually you can make it happen.  Sure, it will cost you a plane ticket and a lunch, but it’s worth the investment.  I’m getting ready to do that with a few guys I want to meet.  I’ll let you know how that goes.

So, do you like where you are in life?  Do you have life goals?  Do they match your spouse’s life goals?  Are the people who you let speak into your life pulling you up or dragging you down?  It never ceases to amaze me when I hear people say they hate their jobs, or they jump from job to job, or they complain about life in general.  No one cares.  Except you.  Only you can change that.  Don’t like where you are?  Move.  Don’t like your job?  Quit (but I’d have a life-plan before you do so).  Plan your life… or you’ll die disappointed and a disappointment.  I thank God he’s allowed some very influential people into my life who have only enriched life beyond anything I’ve ever expected.  Thank you Bob, Omar, Mike, Dennis, Chris,  and most importantly Dad.

Here are my life goals:

When I am of retirement age, what are the 5 things I want to be able to say I accomplished with my life? 

1.  My kids love the Lord and serve Him with what they do, be it a housewife, Dr., lawyer, nurse, or whatever.

2.  I was true to my wife and kids and always put their needs before my wants.

3.  I influence Christian leaders around the world for greater Kingdom Impact.

4.  I mentored/coached/discipled dozens, if not hundreds of young men for Kingdom impact.

5.  My wife, children/grandchildren are taken care of financially if I died. 

This time off to think has got my creative juices flowin’ once again.  My mind is swirling with blog topics, things that have happened the past 3 weeks, and many happenings with the fam.  I have a few things to get off my chest.  I know I’m back early… but this can’t wait (or I’d forget).  Kyla and I went to the grocery store this morning and it was packed.  People crawling around Kroger’s like ants!  Should’a waited until after the holiday weekend to go shopping.  Anyhow, kids were running amok and my Kyla (who is a ball of energy in her own right) was being a perfect lady.  I had a boy about the age of 9 or 10 run around the corner right into me.  He fell back to the ground and I offered to help him up.  He just looked at my hand and said, "Watch where you’re going!"  and then ran back to his mom… or grandma… it’s hard to tell which with the average age of parents in the DFW area at about 65 (an over-exageration, I know.  But it’s darn close to that). 

It got me to thinking, what happened to manners in America?  What happened to "respect your elders" and "yes" and "no sir’s"?  And we wonder what is wrong with teen’s and young adults.  I was brought up to say "Yes ma’am", take your hat off when you pray, to stand up when a woman approaches or leaves the table, and to look people in the eye.  Traits I would hope my girls would look for in a potential husband one day… but my hopes for that is quickly diminishing.  It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a parent enforce good manners in their children.  I actually heard a parent say one time that they thought it was inhumane to make their kids say "yes ma’am".  WHAT THE…???  And you wonder why your kids walk all over you???  You get ticked when your kids act like apes in public???  That’s the epitome of asinine!  Discipline your kids for cryin’ out loud!  That’s more than giving them time out’s and spankings.  That’s teaching them table manners, respect for others, and a healthy fear of authority.  God is all about authoritative structures.  But that’s for another time.  MAN!  It’s good to be back!