When is Opening Day?

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball.  I'll tell you what I do.  I stare out the window and wait for spring." ~ Rogers Hornsby

This is one of my favorite baseball quotes, and with the spring-like weather this week, it got me thinking about Opening Day which is about a month away.  But when exactly is the official Opening Day this year, and why isn't more celebrated?

This year MLB is opening the season in Japan with a 2 game series between the A's-Mariners on Wed 3/28 at 5am CST.  Huh?  Why Japan?  Isn't it America's pastime?  I remember MLB did this 4 years ago as well and I never understood why.

Then, we have to wait one full week for what seems should be Opening Day as the newly named Miami Marlins open Marlins Park vs. the defending World Champion Cardinals on Wed 4/4.

Or, do we consider the following day, Thur 4/5, when about half of the major league teams open their season (why not all of them?), including the traditional matinee opener in Cincinnati, along with 6 other games.  The remaining teams open on Fri 4/6.

So, since the games in Japan are official games (not exhibition), Opening Day is 32 days away.  In anticipation of this, I'll begin my 30-day countdown to Opening Day on Monday by sharing one of my 30 favorite baseball quotes each day in countdown fashion via twitter (@vanduzee)

I still question why MLB doesn't try to showcase their sport with a big opening day splash, like the NFL has done in recent years.  Why not feature an East coast/West-coast DH on ESPN (like the NFL Monday Night Football opener)?  Let the defending WS champ play in one of the games and feature the opening of any new ballpark (if there is one) instead of opening in a foreign country at a time when most of America is sleeping.

I'll take it a step further -- let's petition to make Opening Day a national holiday.  This will sound un-Amercian, but let's rename the President's Day holiday and move it to the first Monday in April with a full schedule of Major League Baseball matinee games.  Let me explain my thinking:

• The President's Day holiday is too close to another holiday (just a month after MLK Jr holiday), and with it still being winter, it's hard to take advantage of this 3 day wknd with a planned fun outdoor activity.    
• On the other hand, the first weekend in April could be celebrated as the "Spring Break" for the non-student/working class folks.  Paired up with the Final 4 (on that Sat night and final game on Mon night), MLB could take advantage of this March Madness hoopla and make this proposed "Opening Day holiday/Spring Break 3 day weekend" the ultimate sports weekend by adding the MLB East-coast/West-coast game DH on ESPN on Sunday night followed by a full slate of matinee baseball games leading up the NCAA Final game Monday night.  You've got the day off, go enjoy it at a ballpark.  What's not to like about this idea?  

Maybe just wishful thinking.  But I do believe MLB needs to do a better job in marketing their Opening Day and making it an anticipated tradition for America's pastime.  

Jeremy Lin's faith and success

OK, I just finished watching Jeremy Lin lead the Knicks to another thrilling win over the Mavs.  Lin had 28 pts, 14 assists, 5 steals while logging 46 minutes, and he hit a big 3 pointer over Dirk to seal the victory.  So much has been written about him in the past 2 weeks that there's likely not much I can add that you haven't already heard, but I wanted to share my thoughts on the rise of this new star in the NBA.

My favorite part of Lin's story is his strong faith and the opportunity he has to share it on such a big stage for the world to see - playing in the world's most famous basketball arena, Madison Square Garden in NYC.  I loved Jeremy's post-game quotes the other night after the game winning shot he made in Toronto, calling his rags-to-riches story "a miracle from God":

"Anytime something like this happens, a lot of stuff has to be put into place, and a lot of it is out of my control.  If you look back at my story, doesn't mater where you look, but God's fingerprints are all over the place.  You can try to call it coincidence, but at the end of the day, there are 20, 30 things when you combine them all that had to happen at the right time in order for me to be here.  That's why I call it a miracle."

While I don't believe God favors certain sports teams and athletic achievements, I do believe God has raised Jeremy up giving him the opportunity to shine his light and highlight his basketball skills on the court.  I pray for Jeremy's continued success; that he is not overwhelmed by his new-found superstar status, and that he is not derailed by those who may try to bring him down for whatever reason.  I pray that he is able to be a bold witness for Jesus, and his story influences many others to follow Christ.  Our world needs more stories like his.

I encourage you to read this great essay detailing Lin's rise to stardom and his influence on today's culture  Denison Forum on Truth and Culture    

The closing paragraphs in the attached link talk about the influence both Lin and Tim Tebow have had in sharing their faith publicly.  We are called to be salt and light in this world, and my pastor Shane Stanford often closes his messages with a reminder that goes something like this, "Remember, God's going to angle the path of someone into your path who needs to hear the good news, and I hope that they'll find in each of us generous friends and that they'll see a difference.  Go into the world and be salt and light."

Takeaways from Downline Summit

On Friday night and Saturday I joined 1,500 other men for the 3rd annual Downline Summit.  The theme of this year's event was Legendary - examining discipleship in the light of the Great Commission as commanded by the One True Legend, Jesus Christ.  I was inspired and encouraged by all of the speakers who God raised up to teach and lead us through the principles of biblical discipleship.  Here are a few  key takeaways I will strive to follow and live out:  

Bryan Loritts, lead pastor at Fellowship Memphis Church, led us off with a great, yet simple, definition of discipleship.  Discipleship is the process of producing reproducers of Jesus Christ.  In Matthew 10:1-4, Jesus is giving shape to his team.  Note in v.1, he called the 12 "disciples", and in v.2, he called them "apostles".  Disciples are "learners"; apostles are "ones who are sent" (doers).  Learning and doing repeated over and over is the process, and Bryan used a great illustration of how golfer Phil Mickelson (a right hander) learned how to golf by mirroring this learning and doing approach from his father, which resulted in him becoming a left-handed golfer.

Dennis Rainey, President and CEO of Family Life, called us to Step Up to Courageous Manhood, walking us through the 5 steps of a man:  boyhood, adolescence, manhood, mentor and patriarch.  Dennis recalled the 4 principles of Biblical manhood; a man is to: Reject Passivity, Accept Responsibility, Lead Courageously, and Invest Eternally, and he added a 5th, Love Sacrificially.  In the mentoring stage, every man needs to have a mentor and be a mentor.    Or in the other words, every man needs a Paul, Barnabas and a Timothy in their life!  

Ronnie Stevens kicked us off early Saturday morning.  I was looking forward to hearing him teach as I really enjoyed his teachings on Acts last year in Downline.  He taught from Luke 5:4-11 where Jesus calls his first disciples to follow him.  Reading from this passage, Ronnie illustrated 7 goals of discipleship, narrowing it down to 1 explicit goal:  catching of men.  This "catching of men" (or bringing people into the kingdom of God through a relationship with Jesus), builds on the analogy of catching fish in v.10 as these fishermen (Simon Peter, James and John) were doing when Jesus encountered them.  Ronnie clearly pointed out the message here:  Fish don't want to be caught.  That's why you have to catch them!  

Next we heard from JB Selecman and Ron Surgeon as they gave a lay perspective on disciple-making.  It's not just Christian education - transferring the truth of God into a another man, but it's also accompanied by the cultivation of a life-on-life relationship with that individual.  In short, disciple-making is truth and life transference in the context of an authentic relationship.

The conference workshops I attended had an emphasis on discipleship in the home.  Dennis Rainey shared his experiences/challenges in the raising of his 6 children.  The scripture passage he modeled comes from Ephesians 6:1-4  


Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.


Dennis spoke on the priority of discipling your children and he communicated 5 principles of courageous parenting using examples from his own life:  Courage to repent, to connect, to protect, to correct, and to direct.  Kennon Vaughan delivered a great talk on discipleship in the home during the early stages of childhood with practical examples that he and Kathryn are using with their 3 boys (all under the age of 4!)

Kennon closed the conference looking at Jesus' final words to his disciples in Matthew 28:16-20, and implored us to live out the Great Commission as a lifestyle.  And, to catch a vision for discipleship not as a duty, but a delight; not merely a responsibility but rather a privilege.  

In closing, I'll part with a quick note on Super Bowl 46.  I'm excited about the match up, and you could make an argument for either team but I'm rooting for the Patriots to avenge their upsetting loss 4 years ago.  Besides the commercials, I'll be paying close attention to the numbers this year as I hope to score big in my SB squares contest which will payout $500 per quarter.  Although I think the game will be really close, I'm predicting (hoping) a score along the lines of NE 34 NY26, or NE 35 NY 21 would be just as good.  Enjoy the game!

Make Your Own Luck

On Monday night the Grizzlies came back from being down 18 in the 4th quarter for a remarkable win at Golden State.  In a post-game interview Rudy Gay looked into the camera with this closing message, "Kids out there, make your own luck.  Make your own luck."

Luck is defined as:

1. the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities  2. good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance

So what did Rudy mean by make your own luck?  I've been reflecting on this quote over the week.  To me it means being intentional; being proactive rather than reactive; being aware of your situation and having a plan in place to succeed and make a positive impact.  There have been times in my life when I felt like I was just going through the motions, reacting to life as it comes.  But lately I have been focusing my vision on how God is leading me to live out my life more fully.  In the past year I have been more aware of how God is working out His plan for my life through both the trials and opportunities that I experience.

As I'm reading through Genesis, I'm seeing the works of God around me through Joseph's story.  Joseph was taken through adversity for 17 years - rejection by his brothers, enslavement in Egypt, imprisonment, yet he had a strong faith.  Through the trials, he was able to see how God was preparing him for tasks he could have never imagined.  Joseph's good fortune, or luck, played out through his unwavering faith in God and his obedience to follow God's leading, despite the adversity faced and extended time.

So, back to Rudy Gay.  On Thursday night as the 1st qtr was winding down in LA, Rudy's prophetic quote played out in this half court buzzer beater.  After witnessing it, you can imagine what my first thought was.

Super Bowl 46 picks

I'm looking forward to the games tomorrow.  Intriguing match ups and some good story lines in play...the possible rematch of SB 42 between the Patriots and Giants seems to be the favorite, and of course the potential of a Harbaugh Bowl pitting brothers John (Ravens) vs. Jim (Niners).  Or, what about the possibility of Baltimore (former home of the Colts) winning the SB in Indy in the year the Colts had what was surely their worst season ever?

After going 4-0 against the line with my Wild card picks, I went 1-3 last wknd.  Here's how I see the games playing out.

Patriots -7   Defense wins championships is the old adage and many say this is where Baltimore has the advantage; however, I'm going with the high scoring Patriots at home.  The Patriots have averaged 37 points in their past 9 games (all wins), and the Ravens have had some dog games on the road this year, including an early season loss in Nashville and bad losses on the road to Jacksonville, Seattle and SD.  I like NE 35-20.

49ers -2'  The forecast is for rain tomorrow making it likely a game that will be won by the running game.  SF was best in the league at stopping the run this year.  The Giants are on some kind of roll winning their past 4 in dominant fashion, but prior to that they had lost 5 of 6.  I like what Jim Harbaugh has done in turning the 49ers around in one season, so I'm going with the Niners in a close game won by a FG, something like 16-13.

Tim Tebow's faith and persecution

"Tebowing" has replaced praying in today's pop culture?

So much has been said and written about Tim Tebow in the past several months that I wanted to weigh in with some thoughts.  In Denver he has been called the Mile High Messiah for turning around a team that started the season 1-4 and leading the Broncos to several improbable come from behind wins, a playoff berth, and last weekend's upset over the heavily favored Steelers.  I watched that game (on my birthday) with great interest and I was very happy with the outcome.  Of course many in the media have questioned Tim Tebow's unorthodox QB skills, and at the center of his rise in stardom is his outward expression of his faith.      

When asked to defend why he is so open in expressing his faith, I like how Tim responded:  "If you're married and you have a wife, and you really love your wife, is it good enough to only say to your wife 'I love her' the day you get married?  Or should you tell her every single day when you wake up and every opportunity?  That's how I feel about my relationship with Jesus Christ is that it is the most important thing in my life."  


Furthermore, Jesus tells his disciples (and all followers of Christ) to "let your light shine before me, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).  Critics of Tebow have taken a stance in the media suggesting he should tone it down, and others are just waiting to pounce on him when he fails.  Why is our culture so prone to do this?  Well, the Bible tells us that we will face persecution for our faith. 


In my current study of Acts, chapter 12 begins with the persecution of 2 disciples -- James is killed and Peter imprisoned for their faith.  In fact, we learn that all 12 of Jesus' disciples were martyred for their faith (John was actually exiled to the island of Patmos and died alone).  The early church faced violent opposition to the Gospel, and today, a quick google search reveals that approximately 100 million people around the world are suffering because of persecution as a result of their faith in Jesus.  Of the 196 countries in the world, it is believed that half of these countries actively persecute Christians in one way or another, and in about 50 of these countries it is really bad, namely in North Korea, the Philippines and many Muslim countries.  So in this context, I'm thankful I live in country where we - and Tim Tebow - are merely ridiculed for our faith and not killed or denied fundamental human rights.  


Tonight I will be rooting for Tim Tebow and Broncos to pull off the upset of the Patriots who are favored by 2 touchdowns.  But what I hope most for is another miraculous comeback or a spectacular play by Tebow that could only be explained through his undeniable faith in Christ.  As Chris Vernon tweeted last weekend after Tebow completed an 80 yard pass to seal the overtime victory, "You are witnessing the death of atheism".

Good to Great

"Good to Great" by Jim Collins is a book that was given to me years ago when I worked at ALSAC after one of our annual meetings, and the book has received much praise in the workplace.  It's one of those books I've been meaning to read as I have been reading more books, particularly books on personal development and Christian growth, over the past few years than I ever have before in my life.  In short, the book studies what makes successful companies not just good, but great.  In our society, we naturally aspire to be great, not just good.  

This book was referenced yesterday by Sandy Willson in our study of Acts.  In chapter 11, a passage on Barnabas, he is referred to as a "good man" (11:24).  In the Bible, a number of people are referred to as being great -- from Samson, to Goliath, to King Herod, the nation of Babylon, and you could go on naming others attributed with greatness.  Even the disciples argued before Jesus over who among them was the greatest.  However, as Sandy pointed out, only 2 people in the Bible are singled out as being good:  Barnabas (whose name means "son of encouragement"), and Joseph of Arimathea, who is mentioned in Luke 23:50 as "a good and righteous man" who asked for the body of Jesus and wrapped him in linen and laid him in the tomb.

Throughout the Bible, goodness is consistently associated with God's character, creation and providence.  When the rich young man approached Jesus in Mark 10:17 and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  Jesus responded, "Why do you call me good?  No one is good except God alone."

In contrasting good to great as Jim Collins does in his book, I'll have to remember the Bible's emphasis on aspiring to just be good.