There goes the neighborhood…..

We are in the process of moving our Church in Westfield (St. Patrick’s) back into Noblesville and into a much larger facility. Sure, there are far better times other than Holy Week to accomplish such tasks, but as the guys who work with me say…..”sometimes we just like to do things the hard way.”

And so it is. We should be completely moved for Easter morning services, and good thing too….it is a pretty well-attended service. I am excited about the prospect of getting there. Scotty was in tonight setting up the music stuff, and this will be a real launch for him as well, as he will be expanding the music beginning that Sunday. It should be pretty cool.
But there is still much to do. We need to move the Sunday School stuff, the kitchen supplies, a few odds and ends, and then the people can move themselves. But it is an exciting time. The facility where we have been this last year is small, and was meant to be what it was, a temporary home. The new facility is three times the size, and reflects not circling the wagons, but driving them into the future. It is something for which we have prayed for for quite some time.
So come and see…..we hold the first service this Sunday at 9:00am. I will be the Celebrant and be delivering the Easter sermon….but don’t let that stop you. St. Patrick’s, like all our missions, is a great place filled with wonderful people. And there is always room for more too. Come on out and join us this Sunday for Easter! The address is 1175 South 10th Street in Noblesville.
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+

I’m learning…….

Sometimes talking with Ben is like trying to reason with a three-year-old, but since he is three I guess I should not be surprised. I just often wish he understood more than he does.

He and I have currently been going around about the movie “Megamind” that we got from Netflix, and that he has watched approximately 7000 times. I want and need to send it back, but Ben seems to struggle with the whole Netflix concept……and not that I really do, but I do know that if I wanted to “rent” a movie for that amount of time that is would be cheaper to hire the actors themselves. Of course “Megamind” stars Will Ferrel, who I used to like….but after he started injecting himself hostilely into politics, I don’t watch a thing he does. (Yes, it is true, I have not even watched “Megamind.”)
But the bottom line is that the movie has gone back and something else should be here tomorrow. Not that I have any time to watch anything, but perhaps someone will.
In the meantime I have been watching a few minutes of the “Power Rangers” with him. And oh yes, he is contrary. The star, the RED Power Ranger, the coolest one, is named Tommy. But Ben says “no.” And when I ask what his name is he says……..Benji.
I am not going to argue……after all, he is three.
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+

Palm Sunday

Today is Palm Sunday, the day the Church celebrates the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. The Bible tells us that people cheered and through garments and branches of palm along His way.

Of course, knowing the end of the story, we know (as HE did) that He was entering Jerusalem in order to be crucified, and in doing so, take away the sins of the world. It is a powerful day, and it is a meaningful day.
And it is a day that we hope to see you all in Church!!
Blessings!
Tommy+

A lot 2 dew……

Well today has been interesting day….

It is the day before the beginning of Holy Week, and although I wanted to be about 30 pounds lighter, yet I am not. And today I have traveled all over the state for both lacrosse and work. Palm Sunday is tomorrow, and I have a lot yet to do. So what seems an arrival at home that should have included rest, becomes a dive into the deep end and a hard swim.
Of course I have been here before, and I know exactly what it means to have all this in front of me. Every journey starts with that first step…..even if it is getting out of the fire!
So at it I will go! I hate to be brief, but that first step is calling……..and I need to take it while I am still awake!
Goodnight my friends and goodnight!
Tommy+

My 1000th post……

Yep, it’s a mile marker I suppose, my 1000th post to this blog…..and it could not come on a worse day. My day ended on the lacrosse field where we played #1 Carmel tonight at Carmel. We were missing SIX starters, which I shared with them at the beginning of game, yet after calling a time out with just three minutes left in the first half, they began to run up the score….and not in anything even close to an ethical or sportsman-type way. I complained twice within that last three minutes, but they just kept at it. SIX goals in less than 3 minutes. It made me sick.

At the half, I went out to the refs and forfeited the game. It was controversial, and perhaps emotional, but if he wants the win that dang bad he can just have it……we were anticipating a loss and a loss by a large margin. They could have beaten us 20 to 0 and I would have kept us out there, but that kind of sportsmanship, in my mind at least, does not belong in sports. My team was upset and still is and that is where my angst is. I hated letting down the girls, but that was just abusive and all wrong. There ARE mercy rules, although none applied here, they were however within a goal of applying. I have known very few coaches in my entire life that do such things….I never played for one or trained under one, and would never.
So my 1000th post is on a sucky night. Tomorrow we play Culver at Culver, and I hope we can move on from today. I am a competitor, and we will compete. Two of the six will be back with us, but we will still be down. I just want it to be a better day.
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+

Happy Birthday or Anniversary to me!

I grew up in an era and a place where it was customary to spank someone on their birthday. And after tonight’s thrashing of my team by the Hamilton Southeastern Bulldogs I was wondering if it really was my birthday after all. You do not play well every game, and tonight that was certainly the case. But in a week that we play 4 top 10 teams in a row with just Sunday off, and tonight being the easiest of those games, it seems we need to adjust and adjust quickly.

But back to the spankings……today is NOT my BIRTH day, but today just happens to be a birthday of sorts. Three years ago I suffered a stroke that really changed my life forever. Oddly enough, I did not remember that it was today, but I got a nice “I’m really glad you didn’t die” email from my wife that sparked my memory. Ironically, memory is an issue for me, but I thought it was kind of neat that I misplaced the day……I enjoy the days I do not think about it.
So today is also my 3rd birthday or 3rd anniversary, depending upon how one sees it…..but all I know is that not one of you bought me a gift! Oh sure, my good friend HSE Head Coach Ashley Grant (I do love her she is great) made sure I got the spanking, though I would have preferred a nice card and a Noblesville win. Tomorrow is Carmel, and they are only number 1, but it is not any type of birthday for me…..so I hope to see a different result.
Anyway, it is off to bed for me. I am thankful to be alive, but this is a day I am going to try and forget!
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+

Tree-ed off……

No, not really, but I am still behind. I do hope however to catch up by week’s end. What that means however, I do not know. As clergy, I am never quite sure how to define the week. Biblically, the week’s end is Sunday….a day of “rest,”…….right!

Anyway we were able to get home tonight and get a start on the lawn and such. Without any snags I should have it mowed, fertilized, and seeded….that’s right, buy week’s end. (As big as it is that could mean next February.)
But part of the fun was not only letting Ben drive the tractor a bit, but we also put him up in a tree. I am sorry the picture is so lousy, but I sent Stephanie my cell phone. It was probably the Cadillac of technology, but I was clearly a Pinto guy. I knew how to text, call, and take pictures. If I did anything else, like appointments, I would screw up my calendar and address book. So I am back to using an old Blackberry (perhaps the same model Jesus used….it is OLD) but at least I am not screwing up anything but pictures.
Anyway, it finally got too dark to work….thank God! Off to bed only to wake up and do it again tomorrow!
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+

On the cusp……

With lacrosse season in full swing, my life will not be my own till the end of May. Practices and games, games and practices, it will seem like there is no break till the end. Last year at this point we were nursing a lot of injury. This year, though it exists, it is much less severe than the last.

The fun part is that it really all comes down to this. All the hard work and effort come down to walking out onto a field and trying to beat a team that has worked just as hard to beat you. I have a team with a lot of heart and skill this year. Only God knows where it will take us.
Tomorrow will be our last practice before playing the most difficult part of our schedule. We play HSE at home on Thursday, then Carmel Friday, Culver Saturday, and Guerin on Monday….all away. If we survive that we will have a few practices to prepare for our next games.
But I am excited it is here. Tomorrow the new girls will receive their home uniforms so they can wear the jerseys to school on Thursday. I know they cannot wait.
And in all truth, neither can I!
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+

Woof….

Yep, I would say she missed us. When the cat climbs into Scotty’s un-unpacked suitcase, it is a clear sign she intends to not let us leave again. And of course the dog’s return this morning was like a scene from a movie. I would love to think it is me that they miss, but quite honestly I do not think I am on the radar. Maybe in time I will work myself back up in the rankings…..you can’t always have a great year.

But despite my personal rankings, I find myself WAY BEHIND. I returned calls most of the day, and am only about half way through them. I hope to catch up with that tomorrow, but that may be optimistic. Our (the women’s lacrosse team) home opener is on Thursday, and practice today showed me again just how far vacation can back things up. These next few days will be pretty busy.
Oh but I can take it. I guess I have gotten quite accustomed to working amidst the high seas. It’s not a great analogy for a guy like me who doesn’t really care for the ocean, but I think you get the picture. I have been blessed (or cursed) with the ability to deal with a lot of pressure. It’s not that I care to be here, it’s just that I can.
But I need to get ahead of it all this week for sure. I understand my request to move Holy Week back a few months was denied…….and Palm Sunday is just 6 short days away.
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+

All good things must come to an end…..

Yep, we finally left Stephanie and Missouri behind today and I am typing this from my office at home in Indiana. It is so hard to say goodbye, and each time it doesn’t seem easier, but harder. Steph has a great life in Missouri and WONDERFUL friends. That is good too, since her friends in high school were wonderful too. But I just do not like having to miss her so much.

Her brothers were with us on this trip as well as Scotty’s girlfriend who Scotty picked up at the St. Louis airport. We all ate out a lot and almost always in larger groups. I am a firm believer in helping the poor college students out in getting some good food. I am sure none were as bad as me (I sold my plasma (blood) to buy macaroni and cheese (or beer)) But we enjoyed their company as well as Steph’s. It was so much fun.
We also say Lindenwood take all four games over the weekend and finish (pre-tournament) at #5 nationally. Steph started two of the four games and played in them all. It is quite an accomplishment for a freshman, and she will be off in a few weeks for Arizona to play in the Nationals. It is an exciting time.
Sadly, I cannot be there. My team will be playing then as well, and I will be on the field with them. I am certain Steph understands. And my thoughts and prayers will be with all of them there.
But soon it will all be over and she will be home for the summer. And I know we cannot wait….especially Ben. He loves his big sister and all the “college girls.” I am certain many of them will be passing through to see him (and hopefully us) this summer!
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+