Author: Josh Greene

  • Homecoming 2011 Flag Football game

    I plan on doing a post re-capping all of the great Lord’s Day that was our Homecoming 2011, but until I can get to that here is a picture from yesterday’s 6th Annual Flag Football game. This pic was taken at the end of the day- which was after 2+ hours and 3 games. Some players had left already and the rest of us were exhausted. We sure did have a lot of fun!

  • Lecrae on BET awards cypher

    Tonight on the 2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards show, Lecrae was a part of a cypher. His part was less than a minute long but it was very good. While everyone else was rapping about how great they were, Lecrae rapped about Jesus.

    Here are a few lines I could understand.

    “if you really wanna hate, wait, he got the Word with him, i heard him holla JESUS, the notorious, NO!, the most glorious!”

    “But them awards can’t follow u to the grave, u livin for them whips and chains then u a slave.”

    Here is his part.
    http://youtu.be/SsRUJIovdmA

  • 6th Annual Flag Football Game

    This Sunday, anyone interested in playing is invited to come and play Flag Football with us.

    We will meet there to warm-up around 2 or 2:30, and we plan to begin the game around 3:00pm.

    Here is a link to the post on the church’s website.

    http://fbcfairdale.org/2011/10/annual-flag-football-game/

  • Antelope crushes cyclist

    If you have not seen this video yet, you have got to check it out. This is wild. It happens in South Africa.

    An antelope comes out of nowhere to hit a biker. Awesome footage! Click the link below.

    http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/312615

  • great article on “toughness”

    “Toughness” -by Jay Bilas with ESPN (I love this article. A must-read for any basketball coach. pdf version here http://mdbball.com/Documents/ToughnessbyJayBilas.pdf )

    I have heard the word “toughness” thrown around a lot lately. Reporters on television,
    radio and in print have opined about a team or player’s “toughness” or quoted a coach
    talking about his team having to be “tougher” to win.
    Then, in almost coordinated fashion, I would watch games and see player upon player
    thumping his chest after a routine play, angrily taunting an opponent after a blocked shot,
    getting into a shouting match with an opposing player, or squaring up nose-to-nose as if a
    fight might ensue. I see players jawing at each other, trying to “intimidate” other players.
    What a waste of time. That is nothing more than fake toughness, and it has no real value.
    I often wonder: Do people really understand what coaches and experienced players mean
    when they emphasize “toughness” in basketball? Or is it just some buzzword that is
    thrown around haphazardly without clear definition or understanding? I thought it was
    the latter, and I wrote a short blog item about it a couple of weeks ago.
    The response I received was overwhelming. Dozens of college basketball coaches called
    to tell me that they had put the article up in the locker room, put it in each player’s locker,
    or had gone over it in detail with their teams.
    Memphis coach John Calipari called to say that he had his players post the definition of
    toughness over their beds because he believed that true “toughness” was the one thing
    that his team needed to develop to reach its potential. I received messages from high
    school coaches who wanted to relay the definition of toughness to their players and
    wanted to talk about it further.
    Well, I got the message that I should expound upon what I consider toughness to be. It
    may not be what you think.
    Toughness is something I had to learn the hard way, and something I had no real idea of
    until I played college basketball. When I played my first game in college, I thought that
    toughness was physical and based on how much punishment I could dish out and how
    much I could take. I thought I was tough.
    I found out pretty quickly that I wasn’t, but I toughened up over time, and I got a pretty
    good understanding of toughness through playing in the ACC, for USA Basketball, in
    NBA training camps, and as a professional basketball player in Europe. I left my playing
    career a heck of a lot tougher than I started it, and my only regret is that I didn’t truly “get
    it” much earlier in my playing career.
    When I faced a tough opponent, I wasn’t worried that I would get hit — I was concerned
    that I would get sealed on ball reversal by a tough post man, or that I would get boxed out
    on every play, or that my assignment would sprint the floor on every possession and get
    something easy on me. The toughest guys I had to guard were the ones who made it
    tough on me.Toughness has nothing to do with size, physical strength or athleticism. Some players
    may be born tough, but I believe that toughness is a skill, and it is a skill that can be
    developed and improved. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo always says, “Players play, but
    tough players win.” He is right. Here are some of the ways true toughness is exhibited in
    basketball:
    Set a good screen: The toughest players to guard are the players who set good screens.
    When you set a good screen, you are improving the chances for a teammate to get open,
    and you are greatly improving your chances of getting open. A good screen can force the
    defense to make a mistake. A lazy or bad screen is a waste of everyone’s time and energy.
    To be a tough player, you need to be a “screener/scorer,” a player who screens hard and
    immediately looks for an opportunity on offense. On the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team, Bob
    Knight made Michael Jordan set a screen before he could get a shot. If it is good enough
    for Jordan, arguably the toughest player ever, it is good enough for you.
    Set up your cut: The toughest players make hard cuts, and set up their cuts. Basketball is
    about deception. Take your defender one way, and then plant the foot opposite of the
    direction you want to go and cut hard. A hard cut may get you a basket, but it may also
    get a teammate a basket. If you do not make a hard cut, you will not get anyone open.
    Setting up your cut, making the proper read of the defense, and making a hard cut require
    alertness, good conditioning and good concentration. Davidson’s Stephen Curry is hardly
    a physical muscle-man, but he is a tough player because he is in constant motion, he
    changes speeds, he sets up his cuts, and he cuts hard. Curry is hard to guard, and he is a
    tough player.
    Talk on defense: The toughest players talk on defense, and communicate with their
    teammates. It is almost impossible to talk on defense and not be in a stance, down and
    ready, with a vision of man and ball. If you talk, you let your teammates know you are
    there, and make them and yourself better defenders. It also lets your opponent know that
    you are fully engaged.
    Jump to the ball: When on defense, the tough defenders move as the ball moves. The
    toughest players move on the flight of the ball, not when it gets to its destination. And the
    toughest players jump to the ball and take away the ball side of the cut. Tough players
    don’t let cutters cut across their face — they make the cutter change his path.
    Don’t get screened: No coach can give a player the proper footwork to get through every
    screen. Tough players have a sense of urgency not to get screened and to get through
    screens so that the cutter cannot catch the ball where he wants to. A tough player makes
    the catch difficult.
    Get your hands up: A pass discouraged is just as good as a pass denied. Tough players
    play with their hands up to take away vision, get deflections and to discourage a pass in
    order to allow a teammate to cover up. Cutters and post players will get open, if only for
    a count. If your hands are up, you can keep the passer from seeing a momentary opening.Play the ball, see your man: Most defenders see the ball and hug their man, because they are afraid to get beat. A tough defender plays the ball and sees his man. There is a
    difference.
    Get on the floor: In my first road game as a freshman, there was a loose ball that I
    thought I could pick up and take the other way for an easy one. While I was bending over
    at the waist, one of my opponents dived on the floor and got possession of the ball. My
    coach was livid. We lost possession of the ball because I wasn’t tough enough to get on
    the floor for it. I tried like hell never to get out-toughed like that again.
    The first player to get to the floor is usually the one to come up with any loose ball.Close
    out under control: It is too easy to fly at a shooter and think you are a tough defender. A
    tough defender closes out under control, takes away a straight line drive and takes away
    the shot. A tough player has a sense of urgency but has the discipline to do it the right
    way.
    Post your man, not a spot: Most post players just blindly run to the low block and get
    into a shoving match for a spot on the floor. The toughest post players are posting their
    defensive man. A tough post player is always open, and working to get the ball to the
    proper angle to get a post feed. Tough post players seal on ball reversal and call for the
    ball, and they continue to post strong even if their teammates miss them.
    Run the floor: Tough players sprint the floor, which drags the defense and opens up
    things for others. Tough players run hard and get “easy” baskets, even though there is
    nothing easy about them. Easy baskets are hard to get. Tough players don’t take tough
    shots — they work hard to make them easy.
    Play so hard, your coach has to take you out: I was a really hard worker in high school
    and college. But I worked and trained exceptionally hard to make playing easier. I was
    wrong. I once read that Bob Knight had criticized a player of his by saying, “You just
    want to be comfortable out there!” Well, that was me, and when I read that, it clicked
    with me. I needed to work to increase my capacity for work, not to make it easier to play.
    I needed to work in order to be more productive in my time on the floor. Tough players
    play so hard that their coaches have to take them out to get rest so they can put them back
    in. The toughest players don’t pace themselves.
    Get to your teammate first: When your teammate lays his body on the line to dive on
    the floor or take a charge, the tough players get to him first to help him back up. If your
    teammate misses a free throw, tough players get to him right away. Tough players are
    also great teammates.
    Take responsibility for your teammates: Tough players expect a lot from their
    teammates, but they also put them first. When the bus leaves at 9 a.m., tough players not
    only get themselves there, but they also make sure their teammates are up and get there,
    too. Tough players take responsibility for others in addition to themselves. They makesure their teammates eat first, and they give credit to their teammates before taking it themselves.
    Take a charge: Tough players are in a stance, playing the ball, and alert in coming over
    from the weak side and taking a charge. Tough players understand the difference between
    being in the right spot and being in the right spot with the intention of stopping
    somebody. Some players will look puzzled and say, “But I was in the right spot.” Tough
    players know that they have to get to the right spot with the sense of urgency to stop
    someone. The toughest players never shy away from taking a charge.
    Get in a stance: Tough players don’t play straight up and down and put themselves in the position of having to get ready
    to get ready. Tough players are down in a stance on both ends of the floor, with feet
    staggered and ready to move. Tough players are the aggressor, and the aggressor is in a
    stance.
    Finish plays: Tough players don’t just get fouled, they get fouled and complete the play.
    They don’t give up on a play or assume that a teammate will do it. A tough player plays
    through to the end of the play and works to finish every play.
    Work on your pass: A tough player doesn’t have his passes deflected. A tough player
    gets down, pivots, pass-fakes, and works to get the proper angle to pass away from the
    defense and deliver the ball.
    Throw yourself into your team’s defense: A tough player fills his tank on the defensive
    end, not on offense. A tough player is not deterred by a missed shot. A tough player
    values his performance first by how well he defended.
    Take and give criticism the right way: Tough players can take criticism without feeling
    the need to answer back or give excuses. They are open to getting better and expect to be
    challenged and hear tough things. You will never again in your life have the opportunity
    you have now at the college level: a coaching staff that is totally and completely
    dedicated to making you and your team better. Tough players listen and are not afraid to
    say what other teammates may not want to hear, but need to hear.
    Show strength in your body language: Tough players project confidence and security
    with their body language. They do not hang their heads, do not react negatively to a
    mistake of a teammate, and do not whine and complain to officials. Tough players project
    strength, and do not cause their teammates to worry about them. Tough players do their
    jobs, and their body language communicates that to their teammates — and to their
    opponents.
    Catch and face: Teams that press and trap are banking on the receiver’s falling apart and
    making a mistake. When pressed, tough players set up their cuts, cut hard to an open area
    and present themselves as a receiver to the passer. Tough players catch, face the defense,and make the right read and play, and they do it with poise. Tough players do not just catch and dribble; they catch and face.
    Don’t get split: If you trap, a tough player gets shoulder-to-shoulder with his teammate
    and does not allow the handler to split the trap and gain an advantage on the back side of
    the trap.
    Be alert: Tough players are not “cool.” Tough players are alert and active, and tough
    players communicate with teammates so that they are alert, too. Tough players echo
    commands until everyone is on the same page. They understand the best teams play five
    as one. Tough players are alert in transition and get back to protect the basket and the 3-
    point line. Tough players don’t just run back to find their man, they run back to stop the
    ball and protect the basket.
    Concentrate, and encourage your teammates to concentrate: Concentration is a skill,
    and tough players work hard to concentrate on every play. Tough players go as hard as
    they can for as long as they can.
    It’s not your shot; it’s our shot: Tough players don’t take bad shots, and they certainly
    don’t worry about getting “my” shots. Tough players work for good shots and understand
    that it is not “my” shot, it is “our” shot. Tough players celebrate when “we” score.
    Box out and go to the glass every time: Tough players are disciplined enough to lay a
    body on someone. They make first contact and go after the ball. And tough players do it
    on every possession, not just when they feel like it. They understand defense is not
    complete until they secure the ball.
    Take responsibility for your actions: Tough players make no excuses. They take
    responsibility for their actions. Take James Johnson for example. With 17 seconds to go
    in Wake’s game against Duke on Wednesday, Jon Scheyer missed a 3-pointer that
    bounced right to Johnson. But instead of aggressively pursuing the ball with a sense of
    urgency, Johnson stood there and waited for the ball to come to him. It never did.
    Scheyer grabbed it, called a timeout and the Blue Devils hit a game-tying shot on a
    possession they never should’ve had. Going after the loose ball is toughness — and
    Johnson didn’t show it on that play. But what happened next? He re-focused, slipped a
    screen for the winning basket, and after the game — when he could’ve been basking only
    in the glow of victory — manned up to the mistake that could’ve cost his team the win.
    “That was my responsibility — I should have had that,” Johnson said of the goof. No
    excuses. Shouldering the responsibility. That’s toughness.
    Look your coaches and teammates in the eye: Tough players never drop their heads.
    They always look coaches and teammates in the eye, because if they are talking, it is
    important to them and to you.
    Move on to the next play: Tough players don’t waste time celebrating a good play or
    lamenting a bad one. They understand that basketball is too fast a game to waste time and
    opportunities with celebratory gestures or angry reactions. Tough players move on to the
    next play. They know that the most important play in any game is the next one.
    Be hard to play against, and easy to play with: Tough players make their teammates’
    jobs easier, and their opponents’ jobs tougher.
    Make every game important: Tough players don’t categorize opponents and games.
    They know that if they are playing, it is important. Tough players understand that if they
    want to play in championship games, they must treat every game as a championship
    game.
    Make getting better every day your goal: Tough players come to work every day to get
    better, and keep their horizons short. They meet victory and defeat the same way: They
    get up the next day and go to work to be better than they were the day before. Tough
    players hate losing but are not shaken or deterred by a loss. Tough players enjoy winning
    but are never satisfied. For tough players, a championship or a trophy is not a goal; it is a
    destination. The goal is to get better every day.
    When I was playing, the players I respected most were not the best or most talented
    players. The players I respected most were the toughest players. I don’t remember
    anything about the players who talked a good game or blocked a shot and acted like a
    fool. I remember the players who were tough to play against.
    Anybody can talk. Not anybody can be tough.
  • The Global God Who Gives the Great Commission

    The Global God Who Gives the Great Commission.

    If you can, please please please find an hour to watch this sermon.

    I loved it.

    It is Louie Giglio preaching at the Desiring God National Conference 2011 from earlier this month. It contains one of the coolest, neatest things I have ever seen in which Giglio combines the sound of stars and galaxies with the sounds of whales with the sounds of humans. Breathtaking! Brought me to tears!

    Check it out!

  • how do you hear it?

    In Luke 8, Jesus tells a parable that applies to everybody.

    He says that everytime the Word of God is spoken, or spread, there are 4 different ways that it is received or heard.

    1. Never wanted to. Some people hear the word and nothing happens. They hear but never want to respond to God.
    2. Used to want to. Some people hear the word and get excited. They receive it joyfully. But there is no root in them, and so eventually it dies out. Then they hear and dont want God.
    3. Want to but won’t or can’t. Some people hear the word and begin responding. But then worldly cares and persecution arise and choke them out. So their faith dies.  Then they hear the word and want to follow God, but won’t do it or cannot do it because everything is stronger or more important.
    4. Wants to and does. Lastly, some people hear the word and they respond by doing the word. They obey God. Jesus goes on to say this person bears fruit hundredfold. They hear the word and do the word.

    This passage is also seen in Matthew 13 and Mark 4. It is incredible because it addresses everybody. Jesus is the best teacher ever. Only he could tell a story that means and effects so much.

    So which are you? #1, #2, #3 or #4? How do you hear the word? What does the hearing the word of God do to you?

    “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Luke 8:8

  • Fair Float

    Last week was the Fairdale Fair. Saturday during the Fair, there is a Fairdale Parade. Its a lot of fun. While every year that I have been here our church has participated in the parade, this is the first year in a long time that we have had a float in the parade. Here is our float.

    Our family (boys expecially) loved riding in the parade and throwing out the candy to all the people.

  • life is ‘not’ good

    Life is NOT good.

    Ever seen this logo before? Its a clothing brand. Ever worn it before? Ever thought this before?

    I used to think that life was good. For the most part my life has been pretty good. But as I keep growing up and experiencing more and more of life, I am more and more aware that life is not good. I am serious, and I mean that.

    Here is what I think: Life is not good. Life can sometimes be good and sometimes be really really not good. God is good.

    Many times people love to say, or wear, or post a status that says ‘life is good.’ But often times that very same person on another day, or even hour, will be quick to say how awful life is at the moment. So what they really meant is not that “life is good” but more like “life is good sometimes.” Well if you begin to measure whether it is good or bad more often, which would it be?

    God is good and He brings good things into our lives on a regular basis.

    “every good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” -James 1:16

    What are people meaning when they say that life is good?

    Whats our comfort

    Lets think about the 28 year old who gets a phone call saying that his 55 year old father just fell over dead due to a massive heart attack.
    Or what about the 22 year old lady working long hours yet still sturggling to make ends meet who has three young children at home and a man who has completely abandoned them.
    Or what about the 48 year old man who in all his misery is so addicted to alcohol that he sleeps on park benches and spends every penny he can find on more alcohol.
    Or what about the Father and Mother who have a son who is addicted to drugs, already messed up his entire life and is on the verge of overdose and suicide.
    Or what about the young babies and kids who have been left out on the streets because their families cannot take care of them and they nothing else to do with them.
    Or what about the millions of young girls around the world who are being forced into sex-trafficking.

    The list goes on and on of examples. Real life examples. I didnt have to make those up because as a community guy I know people who are right now in situations just like those. Would we even begin to try and speak the word “Life is good” in their presence? Would you want to be wearing that t-shirt if you were helping them? Oh the arrogance!

    I think folks, and especially Christians and churches, need to think through this. We are wrong when we declare that life is good. When we say this, we lose focus and misplace the “good”. Life is not good. God is good. When life is bad, we should turn to God and trust Him that He is good and He can carry us through it. When life seems good, we should turn to God and be humbled, undeserving, and thank Him for the blessing. We never stop at saying Life is Good. If it seems good to you, then that is wonderful and God has been good to you. Don’t take it for granted.

    Their is such a display of misunderstanding life and gifts when we take things for granted. All things are gifts. Nothing is a given. Don’t take it for granted.

    (Don’t get me wrong. I am not a pessimist. I am very high on life. I love to live life. I am excited to live. I am big into positive thinking and the glass is most often half-full to me, but all because of God. I see it through God. Everything good is good because of Him. Everything bad has the hope that God can change things.)

    “Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you” -Psalm 63:3

    It is not the goodness of life that should be causing us to smile and make t-shirts. It is the goodness of the God who gives life. Let us praise him because His love for us in Christ is better than life.

  • bike ride with all 3 sons

    Check out my bike, kids seat, and trailer. JJ, Eli & Noah love loading up and going for rides around Fairdale. It is great fun.