You know it occurred to me that “that vision thing” keeps coming up.  You may recall that around 15 years ago, a president named George Bush dismissed criticism that he was pursuing short-sighted policies by saying he lacked the “vision thing.”

Now with Romeo on the hot seat in Cleveland after an embarrassing, pitiful loss at the hand of cross-state rival a team formerly known as the “Bungals”.  Romeo’s “vision” is also being questioned.  Cleveland was shutout by the 32nd ranked (worst) defense in the National Football League and possibly even worse than that they  failed to maintain their composure.  Rumors are flying that Romeo has “lost control” of the team or he is losing his “players”. 

Crennel shows no signs of losing his appetite for the job.  Asked to identify his vision, he said:

“I want this team to be competitive within the division and have an opportunity to play for the division championship.

“I would like to get to the playoffs and have an opportunity to play in the Super Bowl. That’s probably not going to happen this year, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t happen next year.

“If I have the opportunity to continue, I’ll plan to do that next year.”

Romeo has already “fired” one of his coordinators this season.  He is a defensive specialist.  There is no one on his staff who has offensive credentials.  There is no experience either on the coaching staff or in the players on the offensive side of the ball.  He needs help and I don’t think it will come from within. 

I would have to say it does not look good for Romeo.  The players are coming out in his defense and the management team has been silent.  The owner tries to maintain his ties with the fans and he can see that the fan base has become apathetic.  Apathy to me is a clear sign of deeper problems.  The General Manager is holding a “scheduled media availability session” today.  Didn’t that used to be called a “press conference”? 

When did we lose our ability to “call ‘em as we sees ‘em”? 

The Bible tells us in Amos chapter 3:

Witnesses against Guilty Israel

 3 Can two people walk together
      without agreeing on the direction?
 4 Does a lion ever roar in a thicket
      without first finding a victim?
   Does a young lion growl in its den
      without first catching its prey?
 5 Does a bird ever get caught in a trap
      that has no bait?
   Does a trap spring shut
      when there’s nothing to catch?
 6 When the ram’s horn blows a warning,
      shouldn’t the people be alarmed?
   Does disaster come to a city
      unless the Lord has planned it?

Sounds alot to me like we need to give things the “duck test”, that is “If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it must be a duck”.  

I was looking for some insight into the situation or for a feel for what is going on in Cleveland.  Despite having a pretty good feel by reading my favourite sports writers are saying, I searched for some Cleveland Brown blogs to try and get a feel for what others are saying about the situation.  I was directed to one blog that had no recent comments and was hosted by an organization “browns.scouts.com“.  The reason they had no comments is because they can find no one to moderate or write the blog.  Now that is apathy! 

Randy Lerner gets the message.  When he sees 40,000 empty orange seats by the end of the 3rd quarter, he gets the message.  They say there is no voting in Pro-Football.  Well I say there is and just like in other organizations, people vote with their fannies.  I look for plenty of votes this coming Sunday in Cleveland.  I have a couple of votes myself.  Let’s give this thing the duck test and see what the results are…

IDYBT, IMBO…

You know it occurred to me.  I just love reading my two devotionals along with my other daily readings.   Some days they just reach out and grab you.  Other days they slap you across the face.  Some days I just don’t get it.  Those are the ones I try and tag and go back to another day.  A couple of years ago, less than one day apart, I was turned on to Oswald Chambers by two different brothers in the Lord, Jack Blayer and Rosco P. Hawkins.  Since that time I have read his devotional “My Utmost for His Highest” on a daily basis and have provided copies to several of my dearest brothers and sisters in the Lord. 

We read “Grace for the Moment” by Max Lucado for a couple of years and when looking for a new one the lady at Sounds-of-Light in Adrian suggested the Blackaby Devotional, “Experiencing God Day by Day”

“Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.”
ECCLESIASTES 4:9-10

“From the beginning of time, God made it clear that it is not good for His people to be alone (Gen. 2:18). God designed us to cooperate. Throughout the Scriptures He speaks of His people as a community that accomplishes more together than separately. God did not create us as isolated individuals, each seeking to achieve our own goals. Rather, the success of our endeavors depends upon our interdependence. This is why He established the Church and released His Holy Spirit to empower the community of believers to spread the gospel. We are to be a kingdom of priests (1 Pet. 2:9).

During difficult times it is critical that we are walking in fellowship with other Christians. When a crisis hits, it is overwhelming to face it alone. But if we have cultivated supportive friendships, we will find strength in the comfort and encouragement of those who care about us. Interdependence is also a safeguard for us when we are lured by temptation. The consistent testimony of those who have fallen to temptation is that they isolated themselves from other believers and were not held accountable by Christian friends.

If you are not a part of a caring community of believers, you are missing out on what God designed you for. You are also in danger of falling into sin. You must link your life with others who are seeking God’s will. Seek to be a person who willingly joins others in carrying out God’s assignments. Strive to be the source of support and encouragement that those around you need.”

You can learn more about Dr. Blackaby, his writings, and his ministry at www.blackaby.org, or write:

 So today I encourage you to be shallow and profound this day.  IDYBT, IMBO!!

Flu season begins with preschoolers, study confirms

WASHINGTON (AP) — Preschoolers may signal the arrival of flu season: Thirty days after hacking 3- and 4-year-olds start showing up in doctors’ offices and emergency rooms, flu-ridden adults follow.

It’s a provocative discovery sure to bolster growing calls to vaccinate more healthy children against influenza — to help keep the misery from spreading.

Moreover, researchers using a system that almost instantly tracks Boston-area health care found that a spike in respiratory illness among youngsters under 5 predicts that about five weeks later, influenza-related deaths among the elderly will peak.

The study doesn’t prove preschoolers actually drive each winter’s flu epidemic, just that they’re harbingers for waves of illness.

“What we think is most likely is that 3- and 4-year-olds are early spreaders of influenza because of the preschool setting,” said John Brownstein, an epidemiologist at Children’s Hospital of Boston and co-author of the new study.

Brownstein calls the close quarters of preschool and day care, full of kids who don’t yet cover their sneezes and are apt to pick their noses, “hotbeds of infection.”

Regular schools are too, caution other experts who cite evidence that school-age children may be the biggest influenza spreaders. Older children may have better hygiene, but the 5- to 18-year-old population is much larger and more active in the community, giving them greater contact with the elderly who are most vulnerable to influenza, explains flu specialist Ira Longini, a biostatistician at Emory University.

Consider:

• Some 85% of school-age children in Tecumseh, Mich., were vaccinated just before the 1968 influenza pandemic, resulting in 67% less flu-like illness in that community than in a neighboring one.

You know it occurred to me today.  I don’t think I know anybody that actually graduated from UM!

I know lots of people that either work there or follow their sports teams.  I am sure I must know someone who is  UM graduate.

 So please let me know!  I graduated from The Ohio State University in1980, just 9 short years after I graduated high school.  I enjoyed college I have lots of stories I could share and a few I would not.

So if you are a UM grad sign in!!  I declare you blessed today.  I must be off!!!