A Life Worth Living

I was speaking with someone the other day about a talk I had just heard from Francis Chan early this month. He is an author and used to be a pastor at a church in California, but recently he has felt lead to serve God in other ways outside the church. For the last two years, he has been one of the main speakers at Passion, which is a non-denomiatioanl ministry geared building up and encouraging college students in their faith. I couldn't tell you everything that he touched on during his message last year, but one question that he asked has kept me stirred up most of the year;

"Are you living your life worthy of the gospel?" 

I had to take a step back and reflect on this question for a minute. Is that my life? This question was based off a passage written by Paul in Philippians 1:18-22 and  27-30. From it we learn several things about a person living their life in line with the gospel of Jesus:

• They believe in the gospel, follow the laws based on the gospel, and lean on gospel promises. 
• They make every effort (live and die for) to honor and make Christ known through their lives.
• They rejoice in making Christ known around them.
• They stand firm in their faith in the gospel themselves and with other Christian believers (one mind and spirit).
• Are not easily shaken by things others opposed to their faith say or do to them.
• They embrace the conflict and suffering in their lives for the sake of Christ. 

Reading this list for the first time, I was like 'Whoa!' Evaluating my relationship with Jesus, I could say that some of those things were true of me, but not all. I am proud to stand for Christ and bring honor to His name, but can I honestly say I made EVERY effort to live or die to make Christ known? For myself, I did do some of these things. And maybe sometimes only when it was convenient for me. Or other times I did have this mind set, but then I was easily distracted by the things going on in my life. I was easily caught up in doing so many other things, living my life worthy of the gospel fell to a quick second or even last place.

I had heard about Chan's book "Crazy Love," which talks about this same idea and topic. God's amazing crazy love for us and what our lives would look like in full awe, fear, and reverence, toward this God who loves us enough to send His Son to die on a cross to accept the penalty for me breaking His commands. A God we say we love. So I bought it, but it like other books, it got lost on my book shelf for the past year. But this question stuck with me and wouldn't go away, "Are you living your life worthy of the gospel?" Did my life reflect the true joy and thankfulness toward a creator who loved me beyond measure? I felt compelled to have my life truly reflect what God desires of those who follow Him. All of me. And not just out of convenience.


So I started reading more of my bible, sometimes feverishly. I felt compelled to drop to my knees when in prayer or singing out to God. At other times wondering why people didn't get excited about really praising God when worshiping at church. Did they want to shout out or clap their hands but felt shy or that others would think that they were weird or uncool for doing so? I know I have felt this way before. I have sometimes wondered if people would think I was too over the top with praising God or that maybe I was putting on a show. All I know are lies I believed for too long. It is ok for us to be jumping up and down when we are singing or crying out to God. Whatever we feel, God gives us the freedom to express in whatever way our love for Him. Blessed are the uncool...


If you are wondering if I ever picked up that book to read it finally, the answer is YES! And it is blowing my mind like I knew it would.So that question that haunted me for over a year now will be with me longer. Whatever it takes to motivate me toward living a life worth living. Outside any books in the bible, I feel like it is already the best book I have read this year. And yes, I know it is still January. It has already been that good. I will take time to reflect my thoughts on it here. But I would say why wait to read my thoughts. You should honestly just go and buy it and start reading it before you get anywhere close to your bookshelf at home.


The video below is of Chan speaking on some of the things I have touched on here. It is 15min long, yet worth the time to listen to fully. And then take a little time yourself to stop and ask yourself, "Do I believe in an creator of all things and people? If no, what is it that holding me back from believing in an all loving God who desires to show great love to all? If yes, am I living worthy of the calling He has placed on my life?   

...To the Least of These

I began a new adventure a few months ago by volunteering with the Cru ministry (formally known as Campus Crusade for Christ) on our campus here at Central Michigan University (CMU). It is a non-denominational campus ministry focused on sharing the gospel of Jesus and being a spiritual resource to students; helping them to understand and grow more in their faith in Jesus.

Students and staff from CMU and Saginaw Valley State University

I was once involved in Cru as a college student. I will share about that experience another time. All to say, it has always been on my heart since college to encourage college students as they are on their spiritual journey. So God amazingly provided the opportunity this semester for me to get involved with the ministry here CMU!


Cru host annual Christmas conferences in several regions of the country, allowing for the students to gather together on a lager scale to learn more about and celebrate Jesus. So we packed our bags and road tripped to Indianapolis, IN a couple days after Christmas. We arrived to find about 2,000 students from various colleges in the region ready to learn how God was GREATER than anything and everything we can imagine or go through! Let's just say, it was a great time of mind blowing speakers and worship to God!   

After our second day in Indy, we took to the streets of the city to put our faith in action. Cru partnered with some local churches in the Indianapolis inner city to hand out boxes of food to those in need. I have done this same thing before and it was always and fun and growing experience for me when I was in college. But there was something about this time that was different. I felt that God broke my heart into many pieces after having conversations with several people in the community. They had similar stories - they felt the neighborhoods were not safe for the kids to play in and that they felt they had no support from others inside and out of their community. 

One of my conversations I had was with a single mom of two. She just wanted a place where her kids could play safely without the dangers of drug deals and violence going on nearby. She was worried about how to fully provide for her children while she is without a job. I was so thankful to have met her because listening to her helped me to put things in perspective. I told her that sometimes people have what they think are hard things going on in their lives and it seems like the end of the world. But there are people who really are going through things that are rocking their worlds in ways that IS the worst of the worst. I thought that I had really experienced hard times before, and I have, but here she was living it everyday.  

My heart hurt.       

All I could think of was a verse in Isaiah 1:17 which says, 

"...Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause."   

I desired greatly to help bless this woman in whatever way I possibly could. I couldn't leave without doing something. The problem was that right before knocking on her door, we had just given out our last box of food to another woman. All we had were some small toy presents for her baby. I sent the student who was with me to check down in the car for another box. After some time had passed, I did not know where the student was. So I left to go check myself. I quickly found out that we had no more boxes. Dang it. But I felt it on my heart that we had to check the church for any left over boxes. We went back and found no more boxes on the bus where they had been stored temporarily. I prayed out to God that we would find something, anything to bring back to her. I asked a man just inside the doors of the church if he knew of any left over boxes. He said that he thought someone had brought one back, but was sure that it was gone by now. There was nothing. I didn't know what to do. So I just started walking to the sanctuary, maybe just maybe... The second I walked into the room, I saw one box sitting on the floor. I grabbed it and rolled out of the church.   

Praise you Father! 

I drove with another student and thanked him for dealing with my craziness. I only had one objective in mind... seek justice, correct oppression. As we drove, I shared with him about this woman story which was the cause of me being so stirred up. He reminded me of the passage in the book of Matthew where Jesus is talking to his disciples about what the heart of a true servant of God's looked like, 

"Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it too me" Matt 25:40 

In other words, we are showing true love and worship to the Lord by serving and blessing his people. By providing food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, welcoming strangers, clothes for the naked, visiting the sick and those in prison (Matt 25:35-40) By loving those in need around us, we are showing love to God. There was no other explanation or conversation needed as we went to bless this woman and her children. Praise Him!

I didn't want to share this to puff myself up and have people be proud of what we did that day. I felt it was important to share the heart behind it all. That maybe someone else would be encouraged to be attentive to the needs of others around them. AND to share about how God always provides when there is a need to be met. I believe that God is able to provide whatever we ask in faith. He promises that in His Word. May we all choose to believe in faith that God is able to provide whatever our needs or the needs of others around us.

Before we left the neighborhood where these conversations took place, I took a picture to remember to pray for this place filled with brokenness...lest we forget.

 

Matt 25: 31-48 (full text) 

Learning to Bake

So I attempted to make my first loaves of bread this Christmas. I have to say it was not as scary as some may think. I enjoy cooking for the most part, but I think sometimes thinking of cooking or baking something that takes over an hour doesn't always make me jump up. But the fact to getting to share my creations with friends and family.

The evening of baking began with a zip lock bag full of bread starter for Friendship Amish Bread. My friend made some of this bread for me last year. Hands down the best dessert-like bread I have ever had! So I called her up the other day to get the recipe only to learn that you need the special bag of "starter" to even make it. Thankfully she had an extra bag to share.

So as much fun as I had making the bread and that evening, a cake earlier in the day, and white chicken chili Christmas morning, I couldn't help but take a step back and ask, "Who am I?" I mean, I have liked cooking since I was younger. I started out with egg sandwiches. I even had a line cook job when I was in high school at Big Boy. But now that I am a bit older and am busy with work and traveling, I have found it easier over the years to just pick something up quick and be done. I have invested greatly in the  McDonald's Corp. But now in my 30's, I feel the all of a sudden need to cook more. Is this something that happens when you get older? Or maybe the fact that I have many married friends with kiddos who whip out awesome homemade meals on a consistent bases. They are the ones who I steal these great meal ideas from. 

After spending some time with some of my aunt's this Christmas, I realize that they have never made anything that I didn't like. These women can COOK! I have always known this, but being on my cooking/baking kick, I realize more and more that I need to learn from these master chefs. So I was thinking that I should start making a list of my favorite recipe of theirs and master it so that I can always have a part of them with me. Winning!  

So my thought is this, if you are single and eat out more than you probably should, make a friend (possibly with kiddos) who likes to cook and/or hangout with a relative who is a rock star in the kitchen and you just might just become the next Julia Child. 

Feel free to shoot a recipe my way. I'm up for trying whatever! Next adventure: Pumpkin bread.  

Finished Product = YUM!

"Freedom: Indifference Is Not An Option"

"This very moment, more than 
27 million people 
are trapped in modern day slavery..."

"from young girls and boys trafficked for sexual exploitation, to children abused in factories, to men and women trapped as bonded labor slaves and countless other horrific abuses. This isn’t just a massive statistic…these are people. Real, living, breathing people. Men, women, and children living with no hope of escape or a future." - 268Generation.com

"Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause." Isaiah 1:17

This year, PASSION Ministries is supporting the efforts of the A21 Campaign by educating and giving students from around the country an opportunity take action in the fight to end modern day slavery. Check out the link below to find out more. 

DO SOMETHING NOW

And We Are Back...

Wow, I think that it has been almost eternity since I last posted. I have been playing catch up the last few months since returning from my trip to China. I was not able to post blogs while there since they don't support Google really. With the help of my friend Matt, I have created a site mostly with pics from the trip. Please feel free to check it out!! A little tardy, but better then never right? Let the games begin again...

World University Games Blog

World University Games

The summer months have been a bit of a whirlwind. I have recently traveled to Shenzhen, China, with the USA women's water polo 'B' team. They and hundreds of other athletes from around the world are now arriving in China to compete at these world championships. Kind of like a mini Olympics. Our team arrived yesterday at 0530am, after a bumpy ride over the pacific. The girls and myself are slowly getting used to the time change. We trained in California for 3 days before coming out to China. It was a good time getting to know the team and for them learning to play together. Just as I was adjusting to CA time, we flew to China. All I want to do is eat and sleep. But how could I waste the day in such a special place?

We had our second training today since arriving. The team is really starting to gel together. Afterward, we went as a team to the "Musical Decompression Room," which is an area in the athlete village where athletes can go to bang on drums or play other instruments in order to help de-stress. I wish this existed everywhere!! All to say, it was a blast! Everyone got a turn to share a beat with the group and then everyone would join in with them. I love team bonding! Then it was off to eat lunch. Of course there would be a mini McDonald's located in the cafeteria. Not to mention, team USA provided all teams with $80 worth of McDonald's cash. So much for my cheeseburger fast.

The organizers of team USA have been very generous towards the teams. They have provided extra gear (t-shirts, shoes, sandals, headphones, shorts, etc) to all the USA teams. I was already over weight coming here. Not sure how I 'm going to get everything back home.  I am hoping to post pictures, but I'm not sure that it will be possible, but I will try!! I feel more than blessed to be apart of this experience. Hoping to meet several athletes and support staff as we join in togehter with all the festivities. !   

Empathy

It has been a busy evening of posting blogs! I just posted about a project I have been involved with this summer. Take a moment to check out the link below. 

Village Art Project - Week 4 Empathy

Courtesy Brooke Brown, 2011

Out of the Closet

So it is officially over. The Harry Potter saga that is. I actually just finished watching the last film, 'The Deathly Hallows: Part 2." It was amazing of course! I caught myself clapping at the end of the film along with my fellow Harry Potter fans. I quickly realized that even though there are two parts to this movie, the makers of the film still had to condense things a bit. Dang it! Am I the only movie goer who always wants more of the story? Why must it end??!! I guess if it never ended, one would not have to return to reality. I'm pretty sure most Christians are happy that this trip down sorcery lane has finally come to an end. As for me, I'm ready for more!

Day 30: Celebrate With a Kick!!

It's time to celebrate a small milestone. I have reached day 30 with P90X!! Wasn't sure at first how far I was going to make it. When people say that this program is hard, they are not joking. I have done many challenging things in my lifetime (i.e. Army basic training), but this almost doesn't compare. I think mostly because I am a bit older than I was when I joined the military. The body doesn't respond to physical activity like it did in my late teens and early twenties. The thing that has remained the same and/or has gotten better over the years is my will. Without that, I don't think that I would have the strength to get through most things. I'm competitive by nature, so that doesn't hurt either when trying to accomplish something.

Day 12: Carb Attack

One more day until I finish my second week of P90X. They creators of this program are not lying when they say that this is an extreme fitness plan. Yes, the exercises are challenging, but that isn't the hardest part. We not for me at least. I have been active most of my life, not to mention that I was once in the Army. Not that fitness comes easy to me, by no means. It's the challenge that motivates me. Though waking up everyday at 5am to exercises might seem like a drag, it isn't the hardest part. What about the part that the workouts are all at least 60min or longer? No. Honestly the hardest part for me has been the diet plan.

I Hate It!! But I love It!

What a crazy week it was last week. I decided to start doing the P90X. Pretty sure you have probably seen the infomercial. Basic idea: Your body and way of life will be changed in 90 days. No major equipment necessary. After seeing the commercials so many times, I decided to finally check it out for myself. Prefect that I have time this summer and friends who want to do it with me. Did I mention that we are doing it at 0545am most days? Yeah, but this is good for me since I normally am up at that hour for work during the semesters. My plan: going to do it for 60 days. Why? Well, I leave for a big trip in just under 60 days. But, I am really enjoying it so far. Most likely I'll continue for the last 30 days. We'll see.

For those not too familiar, the workouts mostly consist of body weight training for specific muscle groups. It is encouraged to use a pull up bar and free weights or bands. I can't do very many pull ups, so it has been good to start with bands. Each workout really targets what it says it will. I can't remember my upper back being sore after working out. But after doing the back and legs workout, I was sore there for sure. Most of the workouts, ok ALL the workouts last about an hour. There is also a 90min yoga session. I don't remember sweating during a yoga session before! I feel that I call out to Jesus mostly during the ab session. It has become a love/hate relationship. If I want to shape up those abs, I gotta bring it!

A nutrition plan is included that helps you to become better educated on what foods will best help your training and allow for pounds to be shed. I have yet to commit to this plan. Mostly because I didn't prepare beforehand. Didn't make sense to throw away food. I think Tony Horton (creator of P90X) would disagree. But I have already made major changes like not eating out. I have not eaten out since starting the program. If you know me, I love to eat out. I eat out most of my meals. I have also been drinking A LOT of milk, more than I probably have in a short time span. Basically I'm using the milk as a recovery drink. It's packed with whey protein which is great for recovering muscles after exercise.

Don't think that I will be posting a before or after picture on this site. I don't think that anyone should be exposed to that...jk! I think that my current build would be considered "athletic." So my major goals are to get washboard abs and learn better eating habits. I figure I should have already been doing this since I'm an athletic trainer. I have always jokingly called myself a hypocrite of my profession. But no more! Now that I'm 30, it's time to make a change. I will try to post more regularly as I continue to BRING IT! I hope that you too are inspired to get active if you are not already.         

Natalia's Story

Christians Gone Wild

By now, you have probably heard about the woe's of Jim Tressel (recently the former head coach of Ohio State University). And if you don't know, you probably don't care about sports, or at least sports in the mid-west. Tressel just recently lost his cushy head coaching position after it was found out that he had clearly lied to the NCAA about knowing of certain violations in which his athletes had been involved in. This of course is a big deal in the world of college athletics. For us folks in the mid-west, this is a HUGE deal.

Why? Here's a little background...

I was born and raised in the great lake state of Michigan. I will be forever proud that I can show you where I live just by holding up the palm of my hand and pointing. Who else can do that? There are too many things to love about this state. But I think the one thing that makes Michigan stand out is the multiple number of sport rivalries people of this state involve themselves in. I figure when it snows for 5-6 months of the year, people need sports to distract them from the lack of natural vitamin D production. Hands down the most well known rivalry exists between Michigan vs Ohio State. I grew up loving all sport teams from the University of Michigan. Blue through and through! Anything Ohio State is considered blasphemous. Seriously, there are stories where people from both states travel to the other and will not stop for gas so to not contribute financially to the state. Quite possibly a myth, but who knows for sure.    

Memorial Day

Being that it is Memorial Day, I felt that it was only fitting to share this video. Because of my military roots, I've listened to this song too many times to count, but it still means a lot to me. I feel that it is important to remember those who have given their lives for this country. Thank you to those in uniform today! God Bless America!

And Justice For All...

For the past four months, I have been studying the book of Isaiah with some pretty cool women. I think my initial expectations were that I would learn about more history of the Bible and even some prophecy. Quite possibly making me the biggest geek, but excited nonetheless. I would later learn that God had much more planned for me than a history lesson.

Lucky for you, I am not going to give a thorough analysis of this 63 chapter book! In all honesty, I think the first and last chapters sum up most, if not the whole book. But that can left for a future debate. The verse that struck a cord with me was indeed from the first chapter:

"...learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause." Isaiah 1:17

I was spurred to want to put my faith in action, more than I had before. But what? I live in a small town, so I was not that familiar with the opportunities available to reach out to those in need. My first thoughts were I needed to find a shelter in town to give of my time and possibly money. Something. Anything. I guess I didn't fully understand the verse when I read it the first couple times. But God wasn't just saying to give money to the homeless or go work at a food shelter. No, the message was very clear: seek to also provide justice for those who are not able to do it themselves. Plead the widow's cause...

That's A Wrap...

After braving tornado sirens, the throwing of javelins in the dark (who would be a judge for that?), a track lite with the headlights of Gators, and 80 degree weather that dropped to 50 degrees a day later, my 2011 track season has finally come to a close.  So I thought I would share some of my favorite pics/memories from the year. Enjoy!

Restoring Unity

It is interesting that even as a Christian, it is easy to forget sometimes that our lives are not about us. We are called by Christ to love and serve those around us, yet we tend to think about life from the "me" perspective. The Rally to Restore Unity has been a great reminder of that my life is not my own. Thanks Rachel! I have had an opportunity to learn more about different beliefs within Christianity. I may not agree with you on everything, but I'm always up for a healthy (friendly) debate about it :o) I believe that we can all agree on this passage here:

"And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life ?" 26 And He said to him, "What is written in the Law ? How does it read to you?" 27 And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND ; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 28 And He said to him, "You have answered correctly ; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE." (Luke 10:25-28) 

Let's all choose to LIVE! I hope you get a moment today to ponder this passage and learn some new things yourself. Maybe you will even be inspired to spread a little love to that person sitting next to you.



Click HERE to Give Someone Clean Water!!

First Reactions

The last 24 hours have been quite overwhelming with the news of the death of Osama Bin Laden. I was prompted to write this after reading an insightful blog. (check it out here) --> rachelheldevans.com The author asked the following question at the end:

What was your first reaction to the news of Osama Bin Laden’s death? What was your reaction upon further reflection?  

My first reaction was WHAT? Basically, I was was speechless. I sat there watching the crowds grow in front of the White House cheering and singing pro-American songs/anthems. Then all of a sudden I became emotional. I was like" Are these feelings of patriotism? No, I quickly realized it had stirred up my emotions of 9/11 from 10 years ago. It had caused me to remember that day. None of my friends or family were directly affected, but for whatever reason, it is still a bit hard for me today to even watch the memorials about it.

I saw a lot of posts on Facebook of people poking fun at it, cracking jokes about it, rejoicing about it.... it honestly made me feel uneasy. I'm not perfect by any means. Trust me, I have had more than my fair share of the taste of my foot in my mouth. But after ingesting a lot of information from TV and the Internet, my response to a friend's post on the Internet was this: "Like anyone, I want nothing more than for justice to be done. In the end I know and believe that God will bring justice to those who have gone against His will. To those who have committed crimes they might think they have gotten away with. This is an important development, but I'm uneasy right now about full out rejoicing. It is nice to see people coming together though..."  

I have learned some things about myself and others through this. Not all good and not all bad. In the end, I am thankful for God's love and forgiveness for me, a sinner. My friend Dan said it best, "I also do not fail to realize that in God's sovereignty Bin Laden's eternity is exactly as it should be. But by God's grace, mine would be the same...."

Hopefully you have had some time to reflect yourself. I'm a music person, so I tend to reflect on things with through the aid of a song. I went to bed listening to "Your Love is Strong" by Jon Foreman. Take a listen.

Your turn. What was and what is your reaction? 

God's Challenge

I was recently invited a week ago to attend a prayer walk in downtown Detroit. I was excited about sharing in this opportunity with my friends. But then the report of rain all day came. Not just that, but cold too. I'm not gonna lie, my first thoughts then were, "I think we should stay home." But I glad that we didn't. It was hands down the highlight of my year so far! Why? For one God was present. Do I need to go on? It was just amazing to come together with other Christians (about 20,000 that is!!) and pause in the middle of our busy lives to praise the name of God. But it didn't end there. We then walked almost 2 miles Adoring God, Confessing our sins, speaking our Thanks towards Him, and sending our Supplications (petitions) to Him (ACTS). It was powerful to see many people from so many different walks of life come to this event. Different races, cultures, and ages. Some stopped along the walk route to pray. My heart was filled with joy as I observed parents and their children praying on the side of the road. Another time of joy was when I was singing "Shout to the Lord" by myself. A random girl who was walking beside me joined in with. One other highlight was hearing an older woman praying out loud, continually praising God, asking Him to rebuild this city. Wow! My thought was, "Why doesn't this stuff happen all the time?"  When else in downtown Detroit are a mob of people so kind toward one another?? I included a video just below that gives a glimpse of the day.

At the closing of the event, the pastor leading said this: "Let this not end here. Let this work that began here continue through us as we actively serve the community." I felt challenged. Challenged to step up and put my faith in action. Not just singing some songs and talking about how awesome God is, but to share the love of Christ to others. Allowing God to work IN and THROUGH me. I don't know what this looks like right now, but I desire to look for every opportunity that God might use me in to show His love to others. How about you? Are you allowing God to affect your life in this way?


"He [God] says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant ... I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth." Isaiah 49:6 

I am encouraged and I hope that you are too. My prayer is that we would stop acting as Christians and actually BE Christ followers! Are you up to the challenge? If so, let's move!!!
     

I had to include the video below. It was during this song that the clouds began to part (picture on right). I remember thanking God for being present there with all of us and allowing the sun to shine on us as we sung how great He is! It wouldn't have mattered if the rain was falling, because God was there. Enjoy!

Michigan Water Polo

Head coach Matt Anderson

 

After a crazy busy 2 months of indoor track, spring break '11 dropped down on us. Prefect timing too! I tool most of the time to rest and catch up on random tasks. Very much needed. I also got to snowboard a little with an old friend. But I would say the highlight would be my trip to Ann Arbor (or A2). They hosted a tournament from the east coast. The east coast is not too famous for its water polo. The caliber of play/competition is a bit inferior to the west. This most likely is due to more opportunities that are presented in along the west coast. And with our snow and cold, not too many people desire to come play a water sport here. But the University of Michigan water polo team is setting the bar high by shooting for their 4th consecutive Eastern Championship this year. This is their ticket to the national championships!

For those not familiar with water polo, the best way to describe it would be soccer in water. But, you use your hands. It is pretty intense under the water. An occasional elbow or kick into the body. Very hands on. Constant swimming and treading water for long periods of time. Playing takes place indoors or out. If outside, it could be blazing hot or raining. I love basketball, but you never have these kind of conditions.

I think why I feel in love with the sport, other than working with a great team and staff, is that it is a tough sport to play that gets little attention. And there is great respect between teams and coaches although the competition is intense. This obsession lead to working with the USA Jr. National team last August. I am hoping to go on another trip with USA water polo again soon. I'll keep you in the know. If you want to catch some polo action, U of M will be playing Indiana on March 26th on Big Ten Network, 2pm. Hail to the Victors!!      

Getting ready to start

Ryan the media guy and friend doing his thang

With the seniors. Love these ladies!

The officials wear all white in games. Interesting...

With the USA Jr. National Team at the UANA Games in Miami