Tagged

I have been tagged in a blogosphere game of "tag." As one who enjoys a little tomfoolery once in a while, and doesn't mind poking fun of himself (safer this way than someone else doing it), I have decided to play along.

My buddy Billy Coffey at What I Learned Today (http://billycoffey.blogspot.com) was tagged recently and applied the tag to me yesterday. The rules are simple: list six random or weird facts about yourself and then tag six others. As Billy penned, I am both random and weird, so this really shouldn't be too difficult.

My entry consists of six facts that are listed in no certain order:

1.) I have been known to rock pillows to sleep! Being a hard-working guy who used to rise quite early in the morning to get to work, the thing I liked least about babies is when they would wake 75 times in the middle of the night. Taking my turn was always brutal, and one night after my wife elbowed me to get up, I obliged. But I grabbed my pillow, was swaying back and forth saying "Shhhh!!!" to her - only to illicit an irritated response from my wife that the baby was actually in her crib in the other room.

2.) I am quite a sight in a lime-green cocktail dress! (See attached image) Along with a number of other businessmen in our little community, I donned a dress and paraded down the runway this fall in a fundraising effort for the American Heart Association. I am proud to announce that I didn't realize until after the fact that my wig was on backwards! My only regret in this is that I didn't think of sending out Christmas cards with images of others on them like one friend of mine did with me in the center!

3.) My college experience included many things, but mostly playing football and baseball. Part of my education was paid for because I could swing a bat. I didn't say swing AT BATS! A manly man (6-5, 475 pounds - self-deprication works here since that is the topic of the entire piece) by all accounts, I am afraid of bats! So much so that when one decided to swoop through our bedroom in a former residence, a friend had to be called around Midnight to come get that disgusting creature out of my house.

4.) Earphones tend to irritate me! Or is that the call of the official. For a number of years I was a high school football coach who had a hard time with referees and their blatant lack of ability to see what was going on on the field. Missed call after missed call would occasionally result in my headset being thrown to the turf. I thank God I have retired from coaching and that headsets no longer irritate me - wish I could say the same for referees.

5.) God and I communicate on the lawnmower! Some of my favorite moments, the most intimate and deeply spiritual moments with Christ I have ever had, have occurred on my lawnmower. For whatever reason, perhaps it is slowing down to do nothing but communicate with him for the 2-3 hours it takes to mow my acre of ground, we have some of the most amazing times together when I am seated on the mower. My wife doesn't always seem to enjoy these conversations because of where they lead - but I think deep down she loves that He and I chat and/or sing together during these times.

6.) I am somewhat cell-phone challenged! Totally frustrated with my former provider, I recently switched cell service and acquired a new phone. Our eldest daughter is irritated with my phone (as it is far better than hers), which is one of the fun things about it. However, I need to figure out how to lock the keys on occasion. My wife returned home the other day to hear a message on our answering machine - it was me singing the song "Counting on God," at times in unison with my truck stereo, other times in perfect harmony - but there was no sound of the stereo in the background - JUST ME! I love to sing, just a little self-conscious on occasion.

Well, there it is folks. Six random and weird thoughts. Someway, somehow, I tend to experience a little grace and peace in my shortcomings and being able to laugh at myself...hopefully you chuckled a little, too!

In the spirit of continuing this blogosphere game, I tag:

Popcorn - The 5th Food Group

Flirting With Eternity

Red Letter Believers

Jennifer Lee

Scott McQueen at Just a Thought

The Van Otterloo Family