What a great concept. NOW! What an under-utilized dynamic. As Christians, men, fathers, sons, brothers, co-workers, neighbors, and in any role where we touch someone else’s life, how do I maximize NOW!? It made me stop and think.

Greg called me to a deeper focus on this recently. In his October sermon on laity Sunday, he made two points that I have adopted. I will paraphrase but by no means can repeat his exact powerful delivery.

1. We are ordinary people living in God’s great creation. Have we asked him to help us achieve extraordinary results for his Kingdom? It could be for your church, to lead someone to Christ or helping an average Joe on the street.

• What a great prayer in itself. Rising above ordinary is tough. Good is the enemy of Great. We have to ask, we have to believe, we have to put a shoulder to the stone and we have to do it unceasingly.
• Personally, the elite ultra-successful people I have been around or studied have two common traits: relentless pursuit and systematic routine. As an ordinary person, if I could harness a little of those two and prayerfully ask to be an ordinary person wanting to achieve extraordinary results: What could I then do for God?

2. Instead of asking to be blessed, ask our Father to allow us to be a blessing for others.

• Being capitalistic beings, this is one we need to condition ourselves on. This will take a while. Practice. Practice. Practice.
• A great way to start a prayer. A great way to keep you grounded.
• Unselfishness will only lead to goodness. What if we could develop a great prayer chain for each other? Luke 11:9-10 gives us direction. 9. So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

NOW! is a big deal. Here’s why. The next decision or action we make is always the most important. How many of us would like to take back prior decisions? The answer is always the next one – which is today’s. This permeates in all we do. We can’t reverse yesterday and scripture says we can’t add an extra hour worrying about tomorrow. Today is enough we’re told.

This has made me think about how can I maximize my relationship with my wife and enjoy every once of time with my daughter. It heightens my resolve to provide them leadership along with spiritual and financial well-being; and as a family provide service to others as we are called. Preparation and mental imaging of success have to be moved to the front. Starting with the end in mind takes a whole new meaning.

The modern day NOW! guy is Tiger. He does his one singular trade better than anybody else on Earth does their one thing. His caddie, Steve Williams, made an interesting point the first week of December when he made international headlines for bashing Phil Mickelson. Stevie also caddied for Greg Norman before Tiger came calling in 1997 after winning the Master’s with Fluff Cowan. He said that Greg Norman and Tiger’s shot making ability are on equal par. The key is that Tiger completely forgets every bad shot he makes and moves on to the next one. Greg Norman, he said, couldn’t forget a bad shot for the whole year. Let’s each pray to minimize the bad shots and forget the one’s we would like to have back.

As a guy with some form of untested A.D.D., NOW! hits home with me. I hope it does for you too.

- DOUGLAS

The December 15 cover of Sports Illustrated features Florida Gator QB Tim Tebow after he rallied the Gators past Alabama with two fourth quarter touchdowns to win the SEC Championship and gain a berth in the BCS title game. In that game as throughout his 3-year career Tim wore Phil 4:13 on his eye black patches. The reference is to Paul’s letter to the Philippians. The NIV version says “I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” What power-laden words. What an even more powerful message on a guy who has already won a national championship as a freshman, became the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy and now will be playing for his second national title. In today’s world I wonder how the message plays to the masses?

As a proud Virginia Tech Hokie graduate I get a second-straight trip to the Orange Bowl so I’ve got no dog in the hunt at the BCS title game. Two things have me pulling for Tebow. Wearing his Faith, literally, on college football’s biggest stage. And second… I like outta the norm offenses. Urban Meyer plugged in Tebow as a throw-back single-wing QB in their spread offense. Same thing Army did when they dominated in the early 1940’s. In football, innovation is dredging up something that’s been done but fallen out of flavor.

I came to know Philippians 4:13 in the early 90s when a mentor gave me a copy of Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking. It is without a doubt one of the best books ever written. Phil 4:13 has been one of the belief pillars of my Faith. It has carried me through a lot of crunch times. I’ve stuck it on a card in my wallet to carry it with me at all times. In 2002, during the height of the 2001-02 bear market I made a career leap to financial planning from public relations. Phil 4:13 and a bunch of sweat equity carried me. The verse has also been a common thread for my wife and I. As I look back through life’s journey the practice of ‘the deeper the problem, the deeper the prayer’ and Phil 4:13 have always led the way.

Seeing Tim wear Phil 4:13 does my heart good. The son of missionaries, he spent last summer on a whirlwind tour of third-world countries. Even though I don’t particularly care for the Florida Gators, Tim is a story that makes you say “yeah!” When he goes to the NFL next year it will be interesting to see how he will continue his faith message. On-field signage on uniforms and players is deeply guarded by the NFL league office. I hope he finds a way.

In the meantime I wish Tim Tebow well against the Sooners. Oklahoma has the highest scoring offense in the history of major college football. The Gators answered every challenge in the rugged SEC. Should be an awesome game.

I hope Tim gets to glare his eye black in the spotlight one more time.

- Douglas

I don’t care what Mike and Mike say every morning on ESPN radio, they don’t know nearly as much as I do when it comes to building a superior fantasy football team.  I can prove my elite status by disclosing my finishing positions: (note: we run a 12 team league)

I have logged these finishes:

5th, 8th, 11th, 8th.

So yes… you guessed it.  I stink.  However, like all other years, I have excuses.  My star players go out with injuries… or truthfully, I don’t have a clue about what I’m doing.  I watch football, I know the player’s names, and I understand the strategy of football… or so I think.  This year our group of 12 guys are gearing up for another fantasy football season and it truly shows how incapable we all are at evaluating talent and predicting the future.  A few of us will actually pronoounce our draft strategy is supreme and no others can compare.  The remaining managers in our league hold their cards close to the vest, and then there’s always 1 guy whose throwing around Red Herrings trying to get us to chase a wild first round pick.

This season, like all others, leave us with one truth in living rooms and offices all across the country…all fantasy football owners believe that “their draft” was the best in the nation, and that no one is as clever as they are.  For me, I just hope my guys stay healthy, and my stat tracker stays online every Sunday.

It’s magic… and it’s go time.  The anticipation of the live draft is nearly as exciting as Christmas Morning as a 12 year old.  I can’t wait.  I’m certain that this is my year… and I will rise out of mediocrity and reign supreme in our league this year.  I just hope my decision to draft a kicker in the first round is enough to pull me through!

For those of you who are looking for some advice…. throw a dart.  For those of you who attend church and find some conflict with Sunday Football and Sunday Services… invite your Pastor to be in your league: a guarantee you’ll be home on time to make last minute line-up changes. (very crafty.)

Suit up, draft well, and may the best team win (and not be a girl).  Amen.