Power of the Story

I enjoy spending some time reflecting on the issues of life. It’s good for me. It keeps me sane when I want to go berserk. So anyway, today I was given that opportunity to do some reflecting and it occurred to me that the story has a lot to do with whatever success I have in life. I do like a good story. I enjoy a good story whether it’s true or not. Indeed some of the best stories are true and are good for helping me along in life and even some of the ones that don’t relate to reality.

When I think about the steps in life that I’m taking at the moment, it is amazing how they fit well with concepts of the story. It is fascinating how they work well in fitting in with so many things. So for example the story of the Beatles and their rise and fall up until that whole 1969/1970 fiasco is just so intriguing. Why did they fall apart the way they did? Why didn’t someone do something earlier to ensure the parting of the ways would be amicable? But in all those questions, what a story!

Then there’s the story of Manchester United. Now I’m not a United fan as you know only too well, and you’re also aware that as a Liverpool supporter, they are meant to be the enemy. Still, I like a good read and I like football so it’s only fair that I read up on some good stories. The story of Manchester United as written by Jim White is a really gripping insight into how the club that started off as a form of recreational relief for workers went onto become the multi-million pound going concern of the early 21^st Century. The ups and downs, ins and outs, figures and personalities, principles and power-plays are not just about football or a city, but relate to elements of life to which we can all relate in some sense. Not only is it about where we were, it informs where we are and where we could go. All imaginatively and creatively outlined for us in the power of a story.

Lets face it a lot of people get concepts better through a story than they would through it being logically outlined and explained in a matter-of-fact way. Even lectures can rise above slumber-ville when inhabited with the characterisation of someone in a story form.

My own love for the word of God was not through the passionate preaching of our church pastor, or through the insistent children’s classes we had to endure back in the day. It all came about reading those interesting stories and even seeing them in comic form about this relationship between God and man, through the story of God and Israel. Then the widening of the relational picture through the mission of Christ and subsequent spreading of the gospel and the stories we read of the bigger pictures in the letters of the New Testament.

Now as I walk through life these stories inform aspects of it and help me to at least appreciate it in the light of a larger story. After all that is all that history records – what role we play in the story and we know that if we don’t learn from the lessons of history in some sad cases we can be in danger of repeating it. Who wants to live a bad ending?

So that’s the story of the story for the day and as you can see I’m glad to be back and blogging on a regular basis. As you also know I’m intrigued to keep on going with the blogging as an exercise in writing and bringing it together in whatever way I can. In the light of these passions and interests expect some more changes in the upcoming future ... but that’s another story!

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Thanks For The Things That Last

As I’ve noted before I’ve just suffered for the umpteenth time the fact that me hard drive has been corrupted seeing the end of a lot of work over 2009 and usually bringing on a season of mourning and great sadness. It did cause considerable inconvenience over the time I was without it and I won’t pretend it didn’t hurt at the time. Yet unlike on previous occasions the feeling of loss wasn’t overwhelming and causing a sense of misery in me life.

Likewise as you may have noticed Liverpool have been doing poorly in the Premier League at a time when we were expecting them to be challengers for the title. Result after result has been disappointing as display after display has been less than good enough. I recall a time when these kind of results would cause considerable misery in my life and make my moods less than pleasant at the best of times. Yet unlike on those previous occasions the feeling of loss wasn’t overwhelming and causing a sense of misery in me life.

The nature of the move we’ve made has been quite traumatic and what it has involved has been really taxing emotionally, physically, relationally and spiritually. It would usually be my style to be thrust into an intense season of depression and inactivity where I feel rejected by those near and dear to me. That would usually bring about questioning and suspicion on anyone and everyone and a seeming inability to get on with my life. Yet unlike on previous occasions the feeling of loss wasn’t overwhelming and causing a sense of misery in me life.

You’ll probably notice a trend in recent events in the life of dmcd and there’s a good reason for that. This came to the fore of things recently. The wife and I were watching Gladiator yesterday. Now when I offered to watch that with her, she was concerned that I actually said Gladiators. Now let’s be clear, I’m not sure if you can two more opposing programme and media concepts as these two. I won’t try to look for similar things of great difference. On the one hand you have a moving tale of loss and retribution and on the other you have a tacky show of ‘athleticism’ with a catchphrase by one of it’s presenters that was ripped off from Red Dwarf.

In any case so we’re watching the movie starring Russell Crowe and enraptured with the story of a general of men who just wants to return to his home – his family, his wife, his precious son. Then because of political conspiracy and the insecurity of a power-hungry weak son, all that he holds dear is ripped away from him. We are left to wonder what can you live for when all you have is gone?

So what am I talking about? The extension of the question is, why invest in something that can be taken away from you so easily? How fragile is life? How temporary are the things around us – like the success of football teams, like hard-drives, like relationships? I’m not saying have a negligent approach to these issues. When it comes to relationships our whole time on this earth is to make the most of them and share those intangible qualities that make them so special. Herein, however, lies the point behind the different approach I’ve had to the above issues.

Those intangible qualities refer to the eternal characteristics of God – what makes a relationship worthwhile? Love. Unconditional, supportive, always faithful, always encouraging and in every sense a force that looks to see the positive and walk through the negative towards that positive. It’s not a tangible quality. It’s not something that is sold at this year’s sales before VAT rises. It’s not something that was being pushed that well when the recent season was being held. It’s not something that is popularised for what it is through the year, although it is often perverted and distorted to lure and entice mugs into their lair.

I’ve been able to cope a little bit better under these and other storms in life because I’m learning that the investment that matters most to me in life is the investment in life with Christ. The crucial elements of life worth living for are the eternal treasures to be found in the Kingdom of God as found in a relationship with Him through His Son by his Spirit with the promise that this will not be ripped away by the insecurities of man and the powers that be, but will last forever. When I invest in something like that, there’s just no way that I can lose, even if hard-drives, football teams and relationships go by the wayside.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Playing Out Of Position

I don’t usually write about football on this blog. I know I did earlier on in the days of this blog, but since the other blog’s come along I’ve tended to share my comments about the sport to that site. Bear with me over this two-parter, if you’re not that way inclined, there is method in the madness behind bringing this subject up on this blog at this time.

I love football, I love watching the game and having conversations and reading insights and views on the game. I have read quite a number of books on the game, more on the characters of the game and some of the big clubs and important developments particularly in the English game. One aspect of it that can be over-played or under-played is the role of systems and tactics in the game. Some argue that for all the talk about formations and player positions, it is still about 11 guys on the pitch doing what comes instinct win the game. It’s about a ball and those guys trying to score as many as goals as they can whilst trying to stop the opposing side from doing the same thing.

I appreciate this simple analysis of the game and can understand that with regards to some teams they have been assembled because they are good at what they do. The coach/manager recognises that and just looks to utilise that in the game by getting the players to play as they can play and hopefully they will work as a cohesive unit to achieve the aforementioned goal.

There is, however, another perspective on the game that says that the coach/manager plays a more influential role in setting a playing culture with a system that follows based on getting players to understand their role in that system and who can play to that system. The thinking being that if all the players do what they have trained for over the week then they will be able to counter-act the opponents and express themselves in a way that allows them to achieve that goal.

For fans of Liverpool Football Club it’s pretty obvious that Rafa Benitez subscribes to the latter view of the game. This has its merits. The system can make the best of certain key pieces of the jigsaw, so the spine of the team – Reina, Carragher, Mascherano, Gerrard, Torres – when playing in their favoured positions can help see the way Rafa wants to play work effectively. It’s not just a case of neutralising a player in the system, you would have to stop them all from playing.

To make the system work, the accompanying players must also be disciplined in their contribution to the team. This means that certain players who some think may deserve a run in the team don’t get it, because they don’t fit Rafa’s view of the system for the particular game. It also means that certain players may not play either in their favoured position or in their favoured style.

A typical example is Dirk Kuyt who came to the club with a prolific goalscoring record from Holland and was expected to be one of the guys up front knocking them away. As it’s turned out, Rafa has virtually converted the player into a hard working, toiling wide midfielder who comes inside from time to time and can support the attack play when called upon. Dirk has done a tremendous job in applying himself to this task. No one faults his effort and the tireless way he scampers across the park looking to break up opposing attacks and show himself available for the attacking forays of his own team. He is committed and dedicated to his task and as a result, without being as big as Gerrard or Torres, he is also a virtually automatic selection in the team. He fits the system that Rafa’s worked out.

However, as many Liverpool fans may also observe, the optimism that we had at the end of last season has somewhat been deflated like a balloon. Funnily enough it’s because there’s no evidence that we’ve improved on the performance of the latter part of last season and there’s nothing convincing about the way the team and the system operates now. So whereas we lost two games in all of last season, we’ve already doubled that before mid-November and looked nothing like convincing in a number of games. The latest draw with Birmingham virtually throwing away any chance of us winning the Premier League. As pundits often point out, you may not win the League before Christmas, but you can certainly lose it and with the current gap between Liverpool and the league leaders, Chelsea and the unconvincing performances at home and away, there is nothing to suggest that the situation is going to be overturned.

The reasons for this are numerous, including not replacing a vital part of the system – Alonso – and instead playing a rather stultifying system of two anchor midfielders too similar to each other. As well as that we’ve had the injuries to Gerrard and Torres with no ready replacements for them in either position or in alternative system. There is also continued frustration in the sense that certain players are being under-utilised and not played in their best positions. The latter point is understandable if the prevailing system is working, but as it’s patently not the plan B is notable by its absence. In the meantime a number of players of outstanding worth are being somewhat wasted whilst a number of other players are being utilised who with the best intentions in the world are not good enough even for the system, let alone the club.

Thus Liverpool fans suffer another frustrating season of seeing any promise of success drain away to be replaced by the odd resilient performance and the knowing capacity to put a good unbeaten run together only to discover once again it’s too little too late. It is not the fault of the board, as has been used before, neither is it the fault of the players, necessarily with a few exceptions. The responsibility lies at the manager’s door.

Meanwhile it is fascinating to look at the concept of players playing out of position. One who has particularly been highlighted in conversations I’ve had recently is Yossi Benayoun. For West Ham he was a mercurial creative force who would play behind the strikers and gained a reputation for being unpredictable, tricky and a flair player of great ability. His signing for Liverpool was interesting because as well as the excitement of having such a creative player in our midst, there was also a question of where would he play to get the best out of him and allow that to be to the benefit of the team.

As it turned out over the few seasons that he’s been with us he has put in the best effort he could and scored some crucial goals and especially this season has really been a key player in terms of creating things where others around him lack that capacity. In all that, though, it’s been clear that he’s not been playing in his best position. Sometimes this has meant that his contribution has been limited and somewhat frustrated, but like Kuyt he still digs in and does his best. Yet you can’t help but wonder what would happen if he played more often in a place where he could really cause damage to the opposition. So it’s not to say he’s not playing well or playing his part, but it is to say that as long as he’s playing out of position he is not being at his best for the team and the team is somewhat the weaker for it.

Yes, there is the argument of the way the system would have to be rearranged for that to take place, but doesn’t that bring it back to the whole point of a way of team-building? Rather than try and fit players not a system where their best isn’t realised, surely it’s a case of identifying players and flexible systems that allow them to express themselves in a disciplined manner that still brings out their best and bring about the results.

It seems to work for Chelsea where even Joe Cole, who is another you could argue who hasn’t always played in his best position, contributes significantly to a system of play in the Mourinho era, Hiddink season and currently with Ancelotti. You look at the Chelsea team as a whole and it doesn’t look like any of the players are playing out of position, they appear to thrive in the positions they play in and the system promotes their abilities so that they are as prepared to scrap out a result as they are to completely dominate and overpower the opposition. The players fit the system and the system works as the players still play in their favoured position.

What this has to do with anything beyond football analysis and a sense of disillusionment about the team I love will be explored in the next part of this two-parter.

In the meantime, consider the following. What the football picture brings to mind is the question of fitting in a place and system. Which is more important, the individual or the system? Can individualism be allowed to blossom without hindrance and create an effective and developing society? Can a community with a strong sense of overriding purpose truly appreciate and bring out the best in the individual? Especially in the context of being relational beings is there something in recognising who we are not just as an individual but in the larger context of family, community and society as a whole?

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Food, Focus, Football and Changes

Quite a lot to put out tonight and it’s a job to keep it all in perspective, but I’ll give it me best shot.

First of all there is a saying that in terms of the meals of the day that it’s best to have breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. I’ve never really lived by that ethic at all always looking forward to dinner like a king, lunch like a prince and breakfast like the pauper’s apprentice. Still, today I enjoyed the benefits of such a lifestyle.

Not sure if I’ve told you, but my dearly beloved mother is currently with us here in Stoke-on-Trent. That means she cooks. Authrine has no problem with that at all and doesn’t see it as a slight to her cooking. In fact I get the impression she sees it as a weight off her domestic responsibilities. In any case the mother cooks and of late she has been feeding me as if I needed to be bolstered with the goodness that comes with heaps of food. Seriously two full plates of food are not unusual for meals whilst the rest of the family muddle through their single plate. She loves me, I guess. I’m not complaining.

This has a bearing, though, for Sunday breakfasts because such is the filling nature of those breakfasts that I seriously don’t have to think about eating again for the rest of the day. That was definitely the case yesterday when another one of her beauties had me almost out for the count for the rest of the day. It was bad enough that I had a real long relaxing soak in a bath, to come out of that into the kind of breakfast that I received; I was seriously of no use to anyone until I had a two hour nap!

Anyway, because of that I seriously didn’t need anything to eat for the rest of the day and we came back home from the party rather late as I may have mentioned. So this morning now, Mum wants to make the most of the food that’s been coming in so sets up a breakfast for me. Well you shouldn’t need me to tell you how big that breakfast was. And as a result again I did not require another meal for the rest of the day.

I got some chips from a chip shop and it was meant to be a large portion but it was fairly pathetically small in content for a large portion, but even that didn’t bother me as the morning’s shipment would see me through with that minimal top up.

Moral of the story – if you’re filled up properly in the day it should last you for the rest of the day. That’s not just about the importance of breakfast – that’s about the importance of feasting full of the Spirit to be able to motor through the day because you’ve been filled.

Also as a sub-plot moral – it’s good to have a generous, loving mother on your side and an equally kind and loving wife only too willing to allow the mother to get on with what she does best so that her son can keep on trucking through the day.

Believe or not, that’s not the main reason for blogging this evening.

I had the privilege of watching Liverpool vs. Aston Villa at my mate Matt’s house this evening. Last season we watched the equivalent fixture in a pub in Shelton (a district of Stoke-on-Trent for those who live outside the centre of the known universe). In that match Villa was soundly thrashed 5-0 by Liverpool.

On this occasion Villa deservedly walked away from Anfield with the three points for the first time in about eight years. They won 3-1 and it was no less than their performance merited.

Now you may recall that I’ve resolved to look at my approach to football in the light of looking to honour God in that pursuit, so it’s not about being emotionally distraught at the result of a football match or getting over analytical on what that means for events still to be decided over the next nine months. What it does provide is good entertainment for watching the match with a friend.

Young Matt, you see, is a Villa fan and although he’s relatively young in the Lord, he’s not young in the Villa and as an engrained fan it too everything in him not to gloat at the victory. Although that did not stop him celebrating at the key turning points in the match. It was amusing watching him endeavour to compose himself as we related further just to see if I was still alright and needed anything … like tissues. All good quality fun and a privilege as I said to just watch it with the brother at his crib.

I could go into analysis about why Liverpool lost the match, but there’s a principle in it that has bearings for far more significant issues. I link that, however, to the reading that I was doing as I walked from Matt’s house back to my own. As you may know I love reading and I especially enjoy reading whilst walking if I can manage to do that on a long journey from one place to another. Doing so increases the reading time – which is a good thing, and also drastically cuts down on any transport costs that may have been incurred had I sought a taxi or public transport.

So as I stated in a previous blog I’m reading McKinstry’s bio on Sir Alf Ramsey and it has reached the point where Ramsey has taken a small provincial club like Ipswich and got them promoted up through the Third to the Second to the First Division and now in their first season in the top flight they win the League Championship itself to the surprise of all the pundits. Such a remarkable achievement eventually gets him recognition from the FA who approaches him to become the next England manager back in 1962.

One of the provisos of accepting the post is that he completes the 1962/63 season with Ipswich. It is during that season that the Champions suffer dramatically and the principle to which I’m referring emerges. A critique of Ramsey is that he remains too loyal to the players and the system that won him the Championship. By now other clubs have sussed it out and are taking points off the team. The decline sets in so that the season after he leaves the club gets relegated.

So what is the principle in question? It is this – what gets you somewhere is not necessarily what will keep you somewhere. Different methods are required at different stages to maintain growth otherwise stagnancy sets in and worse still rather than progressing we regress.

McKinstry points out that Ramsey’s loyalty to players and systems would also be at the heart of his downfall as England manager. The link to the Liverpool match is that although Rafa adjusted tactics, he was slow to change them sufficiently sticking to a system that no longer met the need of the time. Such loyalty to such a system when you don’t really have the personnel for it can lead to results like the one tonight.

Likewise every day’s challenges have a specific tactic that will ensure success in that day. That particular tactic, however, is not applicable to the following day, or even the day after that. The overall objective remains – to grow – but the method in which that is done must be relevant to the circumstances.

We have to be sensitive to divine instructions to allow us to know how to approach every day, not by relying on yesterday’s methods alone, but seeing what wisdom there is for today through God’s Word. Otherwise we run the danger of not progressing, but stagnating and regressing.

Its application in my life is that I’m clear that I’m all about glorifying God in body with all I have in me. To do that, I need to focus on the author and finisher of my faith – Jesus Christ. In order to do that, however, I need to be filled by, led by and able to walk in the Spirit that rose JC from the grave. Getting all of that done is to be on the look-out for the daily bread God provides me every day in my YMCA work, in my family life, in my church interactions, in the books I read, football matches I watch, conversations I have, food I eat – especially at breakfast, etc.

Being responsive in this fashion allows me to know when my season is to bring forth fruit and then work in line with the season that I’m in.

Just wanted to share that with you.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

How Can I Manage?

I’ll probably be in a better position to give a review of February after tomorrow, when I intend to prayerfully look back on what kind of month it’s been and the lesson learnt.

For now I want to point out the new series beginning on me other blog as well as a brief update on future developments for the blogging and other e-activities. As you would have noticed there have been one or two changes in me blogging portfolio but here are some explanations. First of all, February saw the beginning of Life Journey Notes taking over where Daily Thoughts left off.

Where Among Friends is concerned I am slowly transitioning from Blogger to WordPress. I am grateful for Blogger especially in starting me off on the whole buzz so long ago. I’ve been viewing WordPress for some time and as you know I’ve been a bit more active with the StokeCOG blog. I am impressed with what features and functions are on there and now I’m seriously considering what that could mean for the other blogs. This is a work in review and updates will be given as and when possible. There maybe some significant changes by the end of the month.

I was really pleased with the number of inputs over the month of February which built well on the start to the year in January. I trust that March will continue the theme as I intend to make the most of the opportunities to write and develop the craft.

Over on LJN I’m starting a new series based on journeying through the book after Psalms over this month. Titled March Through Proverbs every day is looking at each chapter in this book on wisdom to get just that – wisdom. Wisdom is becoming all the more critical in my life at present. I am noticing that I’m not managing everything well and feel that to be effective and productive in all aspects of my life good management is key. Good management comes from being able to know what to do and when. Being able to know what to do and when based on information at your disposal and a good understanding at any given time is a good definition of wisdom. James later on gives the assurance that if I’m lacking in wisdom then I can ask God who is only too willing to generously download a substantial portion. I need it – I’m asking for it and as life would have it God has given this opportune time to go through this book and reconnect with Him to be wise in the ways of the world.

In a world where management is a hot topic especially in the arena of my favourite sport – football – the parallels with my life are only too apparent. I have time, skills, money, relationships, responsibilities and other resources that I must use properly in order to bring out the desired outcome for the benefit of many and importantly the glory of God. I recognise some aspects could do with more prayer and more considered and proactive applications. So it won’t be just a case of writing the posts, but monitoring the different incremental changes that I go through in life to manage things better, like my time and my priorities.

My life cannot be a case of the tail wagging the dog and with various pulls on my life it can often feel the case, but a new day has dawned and the God of all wisdom is waiting to lead me to a better way of doing things.

I use this chance to mention I’m actually happy about Manchester United winning the League Cup. Neither am I surprised that Liverpool have actually lost a League match for the first time since November seriously denting their chances of winning the league and promptly being overtaken on goal difference by Chelsea. I look at the league table now and feel that it makes more sense – it’s a lot more realistic. The race for 4th place is looking interesting and I hope Aston Villa can hold on despite the recent result.

The reason why I’m happy for Manchester United is because it is only right that the best team win the trophies if they are able to do so. I’m not convinced that this United side or squad is the best in their history, but they are definitely ahead of their domestic rivals. I don’t mind if they become the first side to do the domestic treble. I doubt if they will do the quintuple, because the result against Inter actually did the Italian side a favour more than United. If they had scored an away goal they would have the upper hand. Now Inter go back and play at United, knowing they can afford to play a tight game at Old Trafford, and should they score an away goal it would put the cat amongst the pigeons. It is by no means a foregone conclusion and even if they dispatch of the Serie A leaders there are far too many quality sides still left in the competition.

Although Liverpool is seriously underachieving in the League, Rafa knows his way around the Champions League and we would pose more of a threat. As for the league, I’m not downhearted at all because it is something I was expecting. To hear Rafa talk about not scoring enough goals and that being a problem is so daft an observation by a man whose system of football and team selections and formations never convinced anyone of scoring tons of goals. We will flatter to deceive again this season because of his obstinate take on team selection.

That’s life and bad management though, and it’s for me to learn from these errors and make sure whether it’s with a team that I’m a part of or in my own private life I similarly don’t mess up in terms of making the right selections. Back round to the whole need for wisdom.

For His Name's Sake
Shalom
dmcd

Re-Evaluations

Today (Thursday) I came across a valuable lesson of God in appreciating things from a different perspective – through re-evaluations.

My dear friend Steve Wood is a Liverpool fan. You will be aware that I too support Liverpool, but this brother really does worship Liverpool Football Club. I am but an amateur in comparison to what this brother does. I got to catch up with him for the first time in a fair few weeks. He gave his refreshingly optimistic opinion that Liverpool are still up for winning the league. His rationale was fair – apparently if you look at the run-ins to the end of the last three seasons Liverpool have done better than Manchester United. Indeed over the calendar year 2008 Liverpool accumulated more points than Manchester United and where they let themselves down was in having such a shocking middle of the season that by the end we were just too far away. Now we are still within touching distance of the Red Devils and are yet to play them at Old Trafford and so if we were to follow the pattern of the last few years then winning the top trophy is not beyond us.

Now that’s Steve’s view of which he is certain and that is what makes me love the guy – that sense of certainty. I remain to be convinced myself and as I’ve shared elsewhere I am of the opinion that the trophy won’t be leaving the cabinet room of the Theatre of Dreams.

Having said that I’m still not convinced that Stoke City will stay in the Premier League but I have heard two decent comments which have suggested that with their decent home form and the fact that they have played the tough sides they have a great run-in that could see them stay up. So the ideal situation for all parties concerned is for the Reds to clinch the top trophy and for Stoke City to somehow miraculously stay up.

I am putting it on record that if Tony Pulis manages to keep the side in the Premier League he should get Manager of the Year. Don’t get me wrong, I think Stoke City play the ugliest football in the top division and would find it fitting that they return to the Championship from an aesthetic perspective. I appreciate the fact, however, that for the sake of regeneration in the city and general morale it is in the best interests of all for the club to stay in the Premier League. There again I was reminded then of other views of looking at thins that can better inform the way that I look at things.

Then the conversation with my dear friend Steve touched on the achievement of David Beckham in equalling Bobby Moore’s outfield record caps for England. I am not a Beckham fan and feel he’s overrated to the extent that I felt it was an indictment on English football that the brother has got so many caps. Steve and then another top bloke Steve Bailey chipped in to suggest that actually Beckham could only make it if there was something there. It is true that he is a hard worker and I conceded that there is something for marketing people to put their hat on and there is good reason why he has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid and now AC Milan arguably the three biggest teams in Europe (although I’m sure Juventus, Barcelona and Bayern Munich would want a say in that).

Although I maintained my difference of opinion it did make me think. At the end of the day it’s not Beckham’s fault that he’s come about in this time in history. He has created a lot of seminal moments in English football history over the last ten years. It is not Beckham’s fault that no other English right-sided midfielder has been able to make a case to be in the side. It is not Beckham’s fault that no other England player over those 10 years has impacted football with his style of play like Beckham. The brother has worked hard and got his results. It’s like the Madonna factor – it’s not natural talent, flair or gifting, it is about making the most of what you have and putting it to good effect to the appeal of those who look on. I cannot begrudge a brother that.

On further contemplation and reflection I do not begrudge him that. I congratulate him on his significant achievement – good for him. So what that proved was that the measure by which we assess things and people has to be carefully considered because it maybe a case that for this season and in this time particular players rise to the top. It does not have to mean they are the best in the world or the best ever, but credit where it’s due. That again allowed me to be careful how I perceive things.

The final episode that reinforced this was a training session in which I participated this evening. It was looking at mental health and engaged in wits definition, its mentors and where it has grown. That required quite a number of difficult terms and potentially long-winded explanations. Thankfully people engaged with the session to prevent it becoming too tedious.

Yet I have to confess that I found the session somewhat boring and mundane – there was something about the presentation material that was not engaging and the content itself, although highly informative, was just dull and far too wordy. (Yeah, you read that right, Mr. Wordsmith who was born with a dictionary in his mouth and a thesaurus in his ear found something with too many words.) Usually such an experience would leave me rather cheesed off at a waste of an evening.

As I walked home, though, reflecting on it I heard God point out that walking with Him is not about doing everything that’s glitz and glamour and razzmatazz. God is not only found in the exciting and the thrilling. Just because it’s loud and bouncy does not mean it is straight from above. It is in the mundane and routine that God can speak and as followers of Him we need to look for Him there. Even in that which appears mundane and boring I must look for God’s presence there and rejoice in it so that I can see life in something that on the face of things appears lifeless.

God was at the training session – there was a lot that I was not aware of like an accurate definition of schizophrenia. It also highlighted how relative the issue of mental health is and how based it is on political and social trends. It also highlighted the anthropocentric nature of mentoring and the mental health care situation which promotes a level of relativism that is subtle but dangerous when left unchecked bringing to the fore again some of the reservations I have about the modern trend towards the therapeutic as the answer for all ills. It then challenges me to find the godly alternative – indeed the original way designed by the Heavenly Father by which we can find and relish wholeness in body, mind and spirit and how communally we can express that through the community of grace.

All of which re-emphasises again how important it is to see things from a different perspective so that we can get the depth and richness from something that we would have missed out on had we left it to our own stuck-up, prejudicial ways. Thank God for the light. Thank God for hard-working men. Thank God for shining even to make the boring and mundane the source of the profound by His Presence.

For His Name's Sake
Shalom
dmcd

Time, Team and Trust

Good. Those 24 hours were necessary to get a better grip on what I was going to rant on yesterday. I love football. I’m not ashamed to say that. It has been a glorious expression of many of the better qualities of life to me and has not been so much of an escape as an affirmation of some of my better capacities. As a result sometimes football informs my faith and nowadays my faith tends to inform my football. Often I would refer to Manchester United in derogatory terms for they are the foresworn enemies of Liverpool Football Club. Now I’m a lot more comfortable having a rapport with people and using the enemy lines to affirm our shared interest in the beautiful game. Facts don’t get in the way of enjoying things and now I don’t have to get involved in bitter rivalry, rather I can have fun and actually not take things so seriously.

Usually.

On Monday, however, that fun aspect went right out of the window. Tony Adams and Felipe Scolari were summarily dismissed from their managerial positions at Portsmouth and Chelsea respectively. These were managers who were not given a full season to establish their credentials at their clubs. These are managers who have suffered because of the frightening and unrealistic demands of the clubs in question. I can tell such was my rage at such ludicrous decisions that I went on a five page bender of text spilling my guts on how it upset me.

Now 24 hours later processing this through the lens of faith, here is really my issue. To do anything right and for success in anything in life calls for three T’s – Time, Team and Trust. All three are necessary and work together to produce the goods. Without one of these ingredients the cake deflates. What is apparently the case in these situations is that the managers have been denied one or more of these assets. The most important one though is trust. You’ll notice how much easier it is to say you love someone than it is to say you trust someone.

Trust is not an empty sentiment. Trust is the intentional whole-hearted investment of something of worth into someone to produce something. I trust you, therefore I invest myself in your heart and expect you to produce confidentiality where necessary. I trust you and prove it by giving something of worth, something useful for the task at hand. Now what happens when I don’t get what is necessary, when it can be given, is that I’m disabled from the task at hand. That trust that is necessary if something is going to be productive. The time then follows because of the understanding in the relationship – what can anyone do in six months? What can anyone do in three months? In a football club where it’s taken people years to be successful. These decisions are so counter-productive and if you know your best people are against you that breaks up the whole thing about team. So you don’t trust, there’s no team and there’s little surprise that there’s no time. This however breeds a dangerous environment for anyone coming in there.

With the reports about the players not being supportive either, this is not the type of condition that you would want to expect people to thrive in. So for both Chelsea and Portsmouth the developments are retrogressive steps which they will live to regret. I feel for the fans especially of Portsmouth – the Chelsea ones have been spoilt by Mourinho and are now deluded. I especially feel it for Tony Adams who has appeared to be such a decent guy and if you really want to trust the guy you’ve got to give him time to set his business his way and if you don’t have the time – don’t hire the guy!! As for Scolari – that poor brother is just another victim in the quest of the new Jesus Gil – Roman Abramovic – to conquer all. He will learn eventually that successful teams are not made that way by which time the club will be seriously ruined. This is all because he doesn’t take time to build team based on trust.

May we learn from these experiences and thank God who trusts us with life and His Son and His Spirit to produce in due season.

(For the full splurge of writing that I had on yesterday see what I put over here.)

For His Name's Sake
Shalom
dmcd

Life: In It To Win It – Not Just To Avoid Defeat

I don’t know what it is with me recently but I’m finding that my writing groove can pop up late at night. It’s almost 1am as I start writing this and I’m sure I’ll cat at least the beginning of Criminal Intent when it starts at 1am. Here I am though having had me late night meal and settling with Robinson’s Summer Fruits diluted by Sainsbury’s cheap Ginger Beer.

I’ve just watched the highlights of the FA Cup replays that have happened this week especially tonight’s games. Wonderful comeback from Derby County and I hope Nigel Clough is given time to turn that club around. Congratulations on Aston Villa winning as well, I really hope they go far.

Liverpool losing a game isn’t actually that regular a feat. For all the griping that I’ve had about the brother and all the draws we’ve had we haven’t actually lost a match for quite some time in fact since we lost against Tottenham back in November. That’s 16 games undefeated which is nothing to easily dismiss. Neither is the number of draws in that run, but that’s beside the point. We actually haven’t lost a game in a while. So to lose is actually disappointing.

Check me, though. I wasn’t gutted. I wasn’t despondent. Most importantly I wasn’t surprised. This will get to the heart of what I’m getting at in this issue. It’s one thing to be hard to beat; it’s another thing completely to be feared because of the ability to win games.

Teams against Manchester United are afraid of getting beaten badly and so put up salvage jobs. Teams against Arsenal used to in the same way be afraid of being trounced and so put up virtual 10 man defences. Mourinho’s Chelsea at its peak with Robben and Duff as well as Drogba and Lampard also frightened the pants off of teams aware that they would grind them down. Be that as it may, for the impressive record Liverpool has this season and the wiles of Rafael Benitez, few are the teams that dread facing them. indeed none of the teams in the Premier League fear us. This is because we start from a position of being hard to beat because we don’t want to lose.

It is a similar case to the source of how Blackburn has remained unbeaten since Sam Allardyce took over. That’s the reason why he should have been manager from the start of the season when Hughes went to Man City. Allardyce will not give you glittering, quick passing, mass-scoring football, but he starts from the position of building a team that is hard to beat because they first of all don’t want to lose. That was at the heart of his success at Bolton. The only reason he failed at Newcastle was because applying those principles at a place like Newcastle with what’s expected of their teams and especially some of the team selections and formations made it hard to stomach. Now I can appreciate the fans not necessarily going for him because of that. Yet it didn’t make him a bad manager and his time at Blackburn should prove that.

That basis though – hard to beat because we don’t want to lose – is not the basis on which leagues are won. Chelsea was hard to beat not just because they didn’t want to lose but because Mourinho developed a system that kept them solid with creative outlets to set them on their winning ways. This was not just expressed through Robben and Duff but through releasing Lampard to blossom into the free-scoring midfielder that he is. Similarly Manchester United have prided themselves on a tradition of good attacking football which has been pushed through McClair, Hughes, Sharpe, Scholes, Beckham, Cantona, Cole, Sherringham, Solskjaer, Yorke, Van Nistelrooy, Rooney, Ronaldo and one of the most consistent proponents of attacking football over his tenure the much admired Ryan Giggs. Their defensive records haven’t been that shabby but up until their recent record breaking run it wasn’t the highlight of a Man United side. So their ethos was always going out to win first. That’s why the last ten winners of the top trophy have more often than not been the best attacking sides in the League. The blip in this pattern in the Premier League years was Blackburn Rovers, but even they had Shearer, Sutton, Wilcox and Ripley which not a shabby attacking force.

This is all that to highlight a genuine philosophy in life; succeeding not beginning with avoiding losing. To succeed is to begin with the intent on winning and building the basis on which to win. Being hard to beat and having strong defences may assure you of safety and sustenance to an extent, but it will not win you the major trophies in life.

Liverpool will find this out when it comes to winning the top prize you have to go out to win with every game. I look at the side’s set-up and it’s not that way built at all – our attacking outlets are Gerrard and Torres. Rieira or Babel provides width and Kuyt works hard on the other flank but the main approach play is fairly one-dimensional and predictable. Shut that down and you’re at least preventing the team having goal-scoring opportunities. You may not score yourselves, unless it’s from a set-piece, but you won’t fear an onslaught of a particularly offensive team.

To win in life go out with your best attacking plays and creative outlets. Sure, have a strong defence but like all successful teams only use that as a platform on which all the attacking prowess is on display and able to attack through various avenues never being stifled in one outlet but causing a threat through a number of plays. You’ll notice that it’s when you try to save your life – avoid defeat – that’s when you lose it. When you lose yourself though – that’s when you gain everything. Life is not about avoiding defeat – it’s about giving your best even if it costs you so that you can gain all the more.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd

New Month - New Things

So January’s over and it has been an interesting way to start 2009. No doubt that the centre of attention was the community launch and dedication service for the new COG Training and Conference Centre. It’s taken up a lot of time and energy and now that it’s out of the way and over with I want to focus on other projects and plans. Especially to do with making the most of this writing gig.

I am pleased that there have been so many posts in January particularly here and other on Among Friends. Sure a large contingent has been YouTube posts, but along with the launch of some other small writing initiatives in the forthcoming days, weeks and months that should change. I’m too ashamed of having YouTube posts on this one especially as I’m committed to writing as much as I can explain the point behind the posts. I love writing, though, and I’m a big fan of being able to connect what I’m reading and seeing with the writing stuff that I’m putting together. So having spent January bogged down with whatever I was bogged down with, although there’s no let up in activity I do hope to be able to spend more time this month setting stuff up for the busy spring season ahead.

February is such a funny month, especially now there’s no leap-year bonus day. It’s here and over with before you know it. The highlight of the month, obviously, is the mid-month love-fest that our dear Roman friends introduced to the cultural scheme of things. I’ve never bought into it myself despite apparently being a married man. So I don’t intend to start now. Sure we can do the talk about love over the month as it’s an opportune time, but really I am not into all that love-hearts business. Having said that the missus has worked herself close to a frazzle … again … so I hope there’ll be an opportunity to get some time away together that may happen to coincide with a certain time of the month.

There are a lot of decent movies either out at the moment or about to come out over the coming months and so I hope to be able to watch them and review them here as well. On Saturday night I managed to watch Slumdog Millionaire and I’ll be posting a review on that either tonight or realistically tomorrow. I’m also hoping to check out Frost/Nixon very soon and then I’ll be checking out The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I like reading, I like movies, I like writing, so it makes sense that I enjoy my life by making the most of these opportunities not only for my sake but also to share with others, like readers of the blog.

There’s also the continuing football season which sees Liverpool return to European football with the small matter of playing Euro giants Real Madrid to make any progress in the Champions League. Now following last month’s infamous Rafa Rant, you’d think I would be overjoyed at Liverpool’s 2-0 win today against Chelsea. I’m sure you would think I would be thrilled to bits that we have been able to do the double over the nearest threat to Old Trafford over the last three seasons. You would think that and you would be horribly wrong. That result actually makes it easier for United to retain the title and here’s the thinking. Our inability to win games has already given Man United the onus. They have a game in hand which on winning will take them five points clear and trust me, they’ll win the game in hand. Hey, even in the unlikely event that they drop two or hilariously three points they have the advantage and the experience to see this home. If Chelsea were the nearest competitors I would say there was hope. As it is the hopes of the rest of the league now fall on us to do what we haven’t even sniffed at since 1990. I have little hope that we can do it because it’s not about beating Man Utd and Chelsea, it’s about beating Stoke City, Hull City, Wigan, Everton, Portsmouth, Blackburn and Bolton Wanderers. It’s then about beating other teams as well and by doing so then and only then do we have a hope. I remain to be convinced that we are capable of going on such a run. I was reflecting however on how things are turning at the club and Rafa’s ongoing petition for more control. I am not thrilled by his approach, but I do understand his desire for control and when it’s given then he can take total responsibility for the club’s development. So if we succeed it’s down to him and if we don’t then we also know what that will mean. Come on though, Robbie Keane not good enough to be in the first team squad? Win or no win that kind of decision does no one any favours neither in the long run will it contribute to us winning further games. As I understand we beat a team with 10 men. Would we have beaten them with 11? So that will be something to endure for months ahead.

In the middle and through all of that there remains my commitment to endeavouring to follow Jesus. I have started the Michael Parkinson autobiography ‘Parkie’ and its prologue looks at a turning point for Parkinson that led for him to get to where he was. As I read it I was again reminded of the episode of Peter’s restoration to the ministry by Jesus in John 21. There are turning points in life that sets us up for the rest of our journey. I know it’s a big deal to make the most of our ‘free will’ and in today’s society choice is God, but one of the things I realise is that when certain decisions are made a certain path is almost decreed for you – there is no choice, especially when you have been chosen. Jesus’ remark to Peter near the end of the chapter is a singular calling point for me. It’s not about what other people do, it’s not about other people’s agenda it’s simply about following Jesus. I am excited about the things that have already happened this year and what is about to happen, but as I realised at a key turning point in my life back in 2006, it doesn’t mean a thing unless my only desire is Him and to follow Him. I hope the journey will be worth while tracking for you as faith and life combine to produce further episodes in the weird and wonderful world of ur man cd.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd

DMCD's Rafa Rant

Things didn’t quite work out as planned for Saturday. Ray and I didn’t end up watching the match, although I’m sure he’s over the moon about the result. Although it makes me all the more eager to see Stoke get relegated because that’s just the sad kinda guy I am. Anyway following the performance before United played Chelsea I’d gone to great lengths to express my feelings on the whole situation that’s cropped up following Rafa’s recent comments. After the match I have something more to say.

(Comments Before The Match)

When Rafael Benitez first came to the club I was hopeful and optimistic as I am with every fresh wave at Liverpool Football Club. His record at Valencia had at least shown that he was capable of turning a club going nowhere into serious challengers for honours. At Liverpool he had the chance to turn a club flattering to deceive in claiming real honours into champions. By champions I’m referring specifically to the Premiership.

Now I was under no illusions. When Jose Mourinho won the Premiership in his first season at Chelsea, regardless of the millions spent on players, it was still a huge achievement. I cannot think off the top of my head of another manager achieving such a feat (although ironically given more time, the last guys to do it were both Liverpool managers – I believe Kenny Dalglish won it and also Joe Fagan won it in their first seasons at the club). When Rafa took over Liverpool, only a fan on hallucinogenic substances would have thought we could have won the Premiership in his first season. So as with any brother in their first season we’re just giving the guy a chance to settle in and see what his intents are.

Since then, however, his time at the club has been mostly about riding the crest of a Champions League victory and an FA Cup win without ever really threatening to win the Premier League. So he gets us to the Champions League final again, so what? Where it really matters he has not got us anywhere nearer to winning the main league. He’s been able to garner support during the issue of club ownership and support, but let’s face it for every Mascherano who’s thrived at the club – when he plays – there are perhaps three or four players that have not worked out. He has been frustrating for me to see as he’s been so annoyingly inconsistent whilst persisting with a rotation strategy that leaves me baffled.

We’re four points clear at the top of the table having beaten both Chelsea and Manchester United. You would have thought I’d have been happy with that position. The joke is that I’m actually not at all convinced that we deserve to be there or are playing well enough to stay there. Yesterday’s result typified that. Chelsea go to Britannia and play them off the park in their 3-0 win. Manchester United go there and are able to mess about for a bit before killing the game off and taking a typical 1-0 win home with them. We go there playing a club in the bottom three. A club who are one of the favourites for relegation and play ugly football playing a side who away from home know what it takes to suck up pressure and hit on the break to take the points that are necessary.

I was very confident that we would win that 3-0 without any problem. Not that we would play them off the park – we haven’t done that to another team for months. Just that Stoke are up for the beating to a club like us. So to come away from there only taking a point and failing to score against them again is unacceptable. It really isn’t good enough. If we dare win the Premier League with results like that and the other draws we’ve managed then it really is an indictment on the quality of the League especially proper champion winning teams like Chelsea and Manchester United.

I am very interested in the result of the game today and actually the best result for us is a Chelsea win. If United win it will give them immense confidence in their own ability and gather momentum in addressing their games in hand to overhaul the points difference between them and us. If it’s a draw the pressure still remains on us to make the most of our advantage and United can approach their games in hand with confidence that they’ve negotiated one of their rivals and not lost and can catch up with them whilst putting pressure on us. Chelsea beating United leaves the Red Devils with actual work to do if they want to make an indent on the outcome – not to say they couldn’t do it, but just to say that they would have to work even harder. It’s a result I can live with on two levels – one I don’t want Manchester United to win the Premier League which leads to two that if we don’t win it I’m happy for Chelsea to win it especially with the grief that they’ve had to endure since Mourinho left.

So all that would be bad enough to have to deal with. Then Rafael for reasons known only to him chooses to launch an attack on Sir Alex Ferguson. Here’s the thing – there’s just no need for it. It doesn’t help us at all. It only fuels Alex’s passion to win it to stuff another one to us. Regardless of however true the statement is, it’s just so counter-productive I seriously wonder what is going on in his head to say something like that. Look, everyone knows that Alex Ferguson has got away with loads of stuff in his time in football. That’s been the case for years – once the point in bringing it up now? For what? The FA to do something about it? More chance of hell freezing over. The comments were just so tragic that I seriously question Mr. Benitez’ judgement.

Sure, if we win the Premier League I’ll have to eat humble pie and admit that for all of my suspicion the brother has it in him to win the things that matter. That’s a long way away. That’s a trip to Old Trafford away. That’s a confrontation with Chelsea away. That is not a certainty by any stretch. If we don’t win it, then it should raise questions again about Rafael. He’s had plenty of chances to win it. He’s been able to pump money to investing in the squad but we’re not anywhere near the Chelsea and Manchester United standard. We got a great keeper, great defender, great holding midfielder, great midfielder and a great striker but we need to have better quality in other areas. Check the BBC’s Phil McNulty and his opinion on the issue in light of the game. Paul Wilson’s comments on the issue also make sense.

(Comments after the match)

So Manchester United put Chelsea to the sword. Beating your nearest rivals 3-0 at home sends a clear signal to the rest of the league that you are more than capable of reclaiming their crown. I still feel sorry for the grief Phil Scolari is getting from the fans, but I guess that comes with the high expectations from the club – unrealistically high especially because of how much has been invested in the club. That should be room for hope for clubs like Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa to catch up with Chelsea as reality bites for them that success is not as easy as a few hundred million coming in. For Scolari, this season should be given for him to get settled into the league and then as of next season judge him by results, i.e. what trophies have you won. Obviously since when has the football world ever followed wisdom in its dealings, so why should I expect it to start now?

For United it’s great news – it gives them great confidence for the games ahead. For Liverpool – the ball is back in our court, if we can keep our nerve and remain solid at the back and take the chances we make then perhaps we can make this title race interesting. Nothing is impossible in this game. As a fan I can hope for the best. As a footballer observer with a bit of a knowledge of the game I can see the trophy staying at Old Trafford for another season – which is fair enough because it’s all about the best team winning.

I was thinking as I was walking home from church tonight. (What you didn’t think I’d slip in something about Christ in this whole entry? You obviously don’t know who I am!) I was thinking about how sometimes we ask for more stuff when we haven’t really made the best of the stuff we already have. Ferguson has been successful because he’s made the best of the players he has. Benitez has yet to emulate that success because he has not. There’s no point in asking for more stuff unless you prove yourself with the stuff you already have and I’m very certain Rafa has not made the most of the players at his disposal – Babel is wasted; Pennant is leaving because he wasn’t really given a fair run in the team; it is an absolute crime the way Keane has been used this season to date and players have come and gone who have never been given a chance to prove themselves. In essence Rafael has not to date made the most of what he has and if he doesn’t soon then it’s only fair that certain questions are asked and he is held accountable even as the parable of the talents highlights – you waste it, you lose it, you use it well you get more than you bargained for!

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd