What a great and emotionally draining memorial service!  Each and every person who shared had some wonderful insights about Joe’s life and legacy.  There were lots of moments of laughter amid the tears that were shed.  I imagine that Phil Knight’s comments will get the most airtime.  He didn’t hold back on his thoughts about Joe and the Sandusky scandal.  And I was amazed at Jay Paterno’s composure as he wrapped up the afternoon.

A few thoughts that I wanted to capture:

1.  Jimmy Cefalo talked about Joe’s legacy, nailing it nicely.  It’s not about wins or undefeated seasons or national championships; it’s about influencing others to lead lives that make their world a better place.  He also reminded us of another life lesson:  Hustle.  Something good is going to happen.  That’s a great reminder to work hard and expect a breakthrough.  I needed to hear that.

2.  Cefalo also mentioned that Joe often said “You’re either getting better or you’re getting worse; you can’t stay the same.”  That might be worth remembering.  Self-awareness and evaluation, a teachable spirit, some good mentors…those might come in handy down the line.

3.  Another theme that was repeated often today had to do with the continuation of JoePa’s legacy.  His core values and ethic for life will live on through the young men (and women) that he mentored, those he influenced over the course of his life.  Mike Mauti spoke (without notes!) and was followed by a video montage that closed with the words, “It’s ours to continue.”

4.  Family.  The only times I choked up today were those when SuePa was on the screen.  She hugged all her kids and grandkids.  Photos and video of her beside Joe.  Jay’s comments about the way his dad loved and trusted Sue.  It made me want to go find my wife and kids and give them a hug.

5.  Jay quoted Sophocles: “One must wait until the evening to see how splendid the day has been.”  I don’t imagine that many of us look forward to the evening of our lives, to be at the close of life.  But we will all face that coming event.  I want to live life well, to focus on the things that matter most, which really aren’t things, but people.

The day gave me a lot to think about, a lot to process.  I never met Joe Paterno, but he has touched my life, leaving his mark on me in some distant but meaningful way.  I’m pretty sure that’s the legacy that JoePa leaves behind–he made the world a better place because he found ways to make people better.

Neither did ‘most everybody I know.  The pastors of Calvary were in a meeting at 10am yesterday when the free tickets went online.  3 of us had our laptops out, while a 4th had his wife working on it at home.  None of us were able to get tickets, and the 10,000 seats were gone in a matter of minutes.

Not to worry; we have a plan.

Calvary will be showing the Joe Paterno memorial service tomorrow afternoon on the big screen at 1250 University Drive.  If you didn’t get tickets either, please feel free to join us.

A friend of mine asked me where I thought the line is between honoring someone’s lifework/legacy and elevating them to ICON status.  Are we in danger of crossing that line with the way we’re treating Joe Paterno?

I’m sure that some people have crossed that line.  Paterno’s statue has been turned into a shrine of sorts, with people leaving flowers, cards, and other memorabilia around the statue.  There are some who have/will worship his legacy, his memory.

But there’s nothing wrong with celebrating a life well-lived, a life spent investing in others, a radical generosity that makes a community better.  That’s what Joe Paterno leaves for us, and although I never met him, I am fairly certain that the last thing he’d want is for us to worship him.

If anyone knows how Joe would react to all the attention being focused on him, you’ve got to figure that it’s Tom Bradley, right?  Bradley told SportsGulp, “I know he’s up in heaven looking down saying, ‘Why are they making this fuss?  Don’t they have better things to do?’”

So tomorrow you’re invited to come celebrate the memory of a man who shaped our community, who inspired young men to become great men, who gave so much back to the University that he loved.  Joe Paterno was not perfect; by his own admission he made mistakes and had regrets. But there is no denying that he loved this community and spent himself trying to make Happy Valley a better place.  And that’s what we’ll celebrate.

here’s the video of Stefen Wisniewski’s speech at the candlelight vigil held on the Old Main steps Sunday night.

He closes with these words: We love you, Joe. And it’s my prayer that that father God that you prayed to after each and every game would grant you rest and will let his eternal light shine upon you.

Good words, Stefen. Amen

Kim and Josie made the trek to Danville today for Josie’s first post-op checkup.  The great news is that she has 100% hearing in her left ear!  That’s the ear that was easier, though I’m not sure that “easy” is the right descriptor.  I mean, the doc all but took her ear off her head, drilled into her ear canal, rook some scalp facia to form a new ear drum, and scraped out the inside of her middle ear before closing everything up.  But the bottom line is that Josie can hear!  Praise God for his healing hand and the abilities of Josie’s doctor.  Thanks to those of you who have been praying for her healing.

On the other hand (or ear, as it were) she has no hearing in her right ear.  The doc wants to wait another 6 weeks before passing judgment, but she doesn’t think that the prosthetic is seated in the right place.  There was so much scar tissue in there that it was difficult to tell if she got a good placement.  So there’s a follow-up appointment in 6 weeks to see if there’s any progress.  If there doesn’t seem to be any improvement, Josie will be referred to some specialists in Pittsburgh for a surgery after the end of the school year.

That gives us a lot of time to pray and see what God will do.

I’m amazed at this girl’s great attitude and her ability to go with the flow.  She is perpetually pleasant, and always quick with a smile.  And do you know what she wanted to do once she got home?  She couldn’t wait to hold Charlie!  How precious is that?  She didn’t want to recount the doctor visit or even celebrate her new hearing.  She wanted to hold her little brother and play with him.

I’m telling you, God has blessed us with some great children.

Snow.  We finally got some snow here in central PA.  As the fluffy white stuff began to accumulate Team Sublett (or Kim) went on a Herculean search for the snow pants that we stored somewhere when we lost our garage to a bedroom.  We lost quite a few things in the shuffling, but the bin with the snow gear turned up and the day was saved.

Isaac tells us that he played in the snow all the time in Inner Mongolia.  He’s pretty good at throwing snowballs (see the pic with Sadie being pelted) and rolling snowman parts.  We’ve got a nifty little hill beside our house that’s pretty well suited for the first sledding attempts of the day.  Check out the pic of the 3 kids headed for the telephone pole.  That turned out ok.  Josie’s not quite as skilled a snow-rider.  She stayed on her mount all the way down the steps into Delma’s freshly cleaned driveway (Thanks neighbor Mike!).  I guess God protects the children who don’t have much common sense…

I headed off to a prayer gathering with the CityChurch at Mount Nittany Middle School while the kids tromped back inside for some hot chocolate.  We used to have a laundry room with a door to the outside.  The kids would drop all their wet gear there before heading upstairs.  We lost the laundry room with a door to the remodel, too.  Oh well, I’m not complaining!  We’ve got lots of great bedrooms…

It’s a blast sitting around the supper table talking with our kids, hearing them recount the best and worst of the sled runs, the snowballs that found their mark, and the laughter (or tears) that followed.  Tonight we played a goofy little game.  Sadie and Annabelle are learning the names of all 50 United States.  We took turns, rattling them off in alphabetical order.  We had to help Josie and Isaac when their turns rolled around.  Although Isaac was  definitely trying.  Kim had Pennsylvania, and Isaac followed with a triumphant shout:

Pencil Case!

We laughed for a good 5 minutes.  Ah yes, good times for Team Sublett.

normally you’d be seeing pictures of the snow fun here.  Unfortunately, WP is being bratty and shutting down my browser every time I try to upload pics.  I’ll try again later, but I’m posting this without pics for now…

Lilly is my daughter with a poetic soul.  She’s always got a song going, and she’s started journaling, writing poems that may one day turn into songs.  She’s got this raspy, soulful voice that is uniquely her own, and I love to hear her sing.  We surprised her this Christmas with a guitar of her own, thinking that we might be able to stoke the fires of songwriting and help her express those songs that live in her heart.

She and I started guitar lessons today.  That’s a mighty fine C chord that she’s rockin right there, isn’t it?  And yes, that’s an autograph on that guitar.  I’m not keen on autographs, especially on guitars, but it’s Steven Curtis Chapman‘s autograph, so that’s entirely different!

I don’t know how long it’ll take her to get “good” but I do know that there are no shortcuts. If she’s going to find her inner guitar player it’s going to cost lots of hours.  She’ll have to endure sore fingertips until the callouses form.  But if she develops a love for playing guitar this can open so many new avenues for her.

She may never find herself on the stage of an auditorium.  The odds are against her recording a hit song.  But if she finds that she’s able to capture the melodies that are in her heart and give them a voice, an expression…

Some wise person once told me that you can count the number of seeds in an apple, but you can’t count the number of apples in a seed.  I’m hoping that we’ve planted a seed in Lilly that will bear fruit in songs of praise, in the songs of her heart.

I love the fact that some of my children are musically inclined.  I want to encourage them, to help them, to challenge them to mine the depths of the things that they’re interested in.it in songs of praise, songs that pour from her heart.

I’ve been walking around with a scab on my forehead since Sunday afternoon.

In the course of normal human interaction, I figure I’ve talked to probably 50 people since Sunday afternoon.  Other than my family, one person has asked about the scab.

Is that how things are supposed to go, or am I to gather that folks in general are
a) uninterested in facial scarring,
b) expecting me to turn up with a scabby forehead, or
c) too busy to even notice?

Since you didn’t ask, I’ll offer an explanation.

I was trying to detach a couple of bungee cords from around the box we store the drum kit hardware in so that I could strap down the dollies for the ride back to the church.  The box is stored under a shelf.  As I got the bungee unhooked, I straightened up too early, bumping the back of my head on the 2×4 shelf support.  Reacting to the bump on the back of my head, I flinched downward, catching the metal corner of the hardware box.

Have you ever taken a blow to the ridge of your eye socket?  Well, now I have.  It took me to my knees.  Levi and AC were helping load the trailer, and they saw it unfold.  They kindly waited to see if I was knocked out before starting to laugh at my clumsiness.  I was more embarrassed than hurt.  By the time we got home the bump on my forehead had begun to swell.  Kim compassionately offered that it looked like a third eye.

I immediately tried to contact Sidney Crosby’s doctors to see if I had a concussion.  I don’t think I’ll be able to skate again until I pass the concussion tests.

Fortunately, there’s no limitations on leading worship with a concussion.  Or for being clumsy.  I don’t think it’ll leave a scar, which is too bad.  Scars are cool, and if I have to suffer the ignominy of bumping my head and face I’d at least like to get a cool scar out of the deal.

How ’bout you?  Got any cool scar stories that you want to share?

2 years ago your mother and I met you for the first time.  On the bus ride over to the Adoption Registry Center, our guide (Amy) told us to expect the worst.  You were an older child, probably afraid of Americans, not wanting to leave China.  She said you’d cry, maybe even throw a fit, and that you definitely wouldn’t want to come with us.  Instead, you walked out with a smile, said, “Hello Mommy, hello Daddy” and kissed our cheeks!

I loved you before I even met you.

We spent the next few days getting to know you, laughing and playing together, hanging out with the Roux family (another adoptive family who brought their kids to China).  You didn’t speak much English, but we were able to communicate.  Even then we could sense that you were meant for us.

Over the past 2 years we’ve had the pleasure of watching you grow into a beautiful, smart, and sensitive young lady.  You have been part of Team Sublett from your first day, and we’ve enjoyed every minute of the journey.

There have been bumps in the road as we’ve learned to communicate.  You’ve come a long way, overcome innumerable obstacles, and have been a blessing to our family.  Because of the grace and poise you showed through your transition into Team Sublett, we had the confidence to try adoption now 3 more times.  You are a great daughter, a tremendous sister, and a constant bright spot in my life.  It honestly feels like you’ve been part of our family forever.

Thank you for loving us, for opening your heart to us, for trusting us, for being willing to let down your guard and show your emotions.  You still cry at the slightest sense of letting us down.  But you also giggle like a silly school girl when you get rolling.  You are an incredible young lady, and I am a dad most-blessed.  God has shaped our heart through you!

If you want to read the blog posts from the actual day we got you (gotcha day) and see some pictures, click here and here and here.

Here are the pictures that got things started for us, followed by a recent one.

We love you, Annabelle, and can’t imagine what life would be like without you!

Team Sublett seems to have fallen into a rhythm.  There’s not been any real drama, no major announcements, nothing absolutely earth-shattering to report.  2012 has been pretty quiet, which is just fine by me.

Isaac and Annabelle are playing basketball through the YMCA.  Their teams are both 0-2, which is a bummer.  But they’re learning the game and having fun.  You should come watch them play some Saturday.  Neither of them has scored a point yet, but they are defensive specialists.  It’s kind of funny listening to the young PSU students coaching Isaac shout instructions to him!  We’re working on basic English, and they’re calling out advanced basketball terms to him!  He gets the basic idea, though.

Kim’s latest endeavor has been teaching the Chinese to play Settlers of Catan.  They all like it, but Annabelle LOVES it!  She gets the giggles when Kim agrees to play after supper.   I’m pretty sure that Kim wins almost every game now, but Josie won in her first attempt.  She had no clue what she was doing, no strategy, no plan.  Has anyone else noticed that first-timers seem to win pretty often?

Our Team Sublett daily Bible time is still going strong.  Levi missed this morning, as he had to be at the school at 6:45 for a field trip to the Holocaust Museum in DC. (He said the whole experience was pretty disturbing.)  I’m realizing that King Solomon dropped a lot of knowledge and wisdom on us his one-a-day writings (one chapter each day, 31 chapters, there’s your month.)  I’m encouraging the children to either latch on to a single thought that really stands out or look for the big picture.  Kim said today that she’s glad we’re doing this, that it’s the best thing we’ve done as a family to grow together.

That’s pretty cool, dontcha think?

Tonight our worship team met for a few minutes before rehearsal to talk about what the Lord is teaching us as we study the scriptures.  A few of us are working through the LifeJournal Bible in a year plan, so we’re reading the same passages.  I really enjoy our times of talk, even as much as I do worshiping with the team as we rehearse.

As we talked Laura Cornish brought up all the whack-jobs that we’ve encountered as we’ve read through the first 20 or so chapters of Genesis.  Every family is dysfunctional.  There are liars and cheats, manipulators and cowards.  From Adam and Eve to Noah and his sons to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob–it’s been one lone string of lies, sexual sin, and selfish behavior that results in (or comes from) brokenness.  Laura asked something like, “Why couldn’t one person get it right?”

I guess it’s because we’re all broken inside, stained and corrupted by sin.  Thank God for Jesus, who took our sin and offers us freedom!  In the truck on the way home from a tutoring session, Josie asked me what freedom means, and I got to re-tell her about the sacrifice of Jesus. Even for those of us who know Jesus, sometimes those chains of our sinful nature seem awfully difficult to escape.

We shared a new song last week at midtown that has been ringing in my heart ever since. We’re going to do it again this week.  Give it a listen…

There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain. I’m still learning about the chains in my life that need to be broken. What are the chains in your life?

Mark Batterson has written some books that have absolutely connected with me.  He recently released his latest, The Circle Maker.  When he offered to send me one for free (he posted the offer on his blog–it’s not like Batterson is sending me personal email!) I jumped at the chance.  His writing has influenced me, and his style connects with me.

A few days later the kindly mailman dropped off a package for me.  I was expecting a mass-market paperback.  Instead, Batterson sent out a hard back copy of his book.

I haven’t started it yet, but I will tomorrow.  The big idea of the book (from the back cover) is learning to pray in a new way by drawing circles around your dreams, your family, your problems, and, most importantly, God’s promises.

I’ve got a family, some problems, and a book that tells me God’s promises.  The thing that I’m lacking is a dream.  To be honest, that’s a little unsettling.  For most of my life I wanted to be a youth pastor.  I went to school to learn how to do that, got a degree in youth ministry, and spent 20 years living that dream.

Now I’m not.

I’ve been encountering this “dream” talk in lots of places.  Seth Barnes writes about the dream life with regularity.  He even posted an ebook about it.  I’ve heard Dan Nold (my pastor) talk about it recently, most recently at Leadership Advance.  Now Batterson is helping me “pray circles around your biggest dreams and greatest fears.”

I’m excited, because I’ve been frustrated with myself lately.  It’s not that I don’t have plenty on my plate to keep me busy.  And make no mistake about it–my life is GOOD!  I have a wonderful (and beautiful) wife, incredible children, a great church, solid friends…But there’s a huge difference between being busy and being fully alive.  I believe that we need a God-given dream in our hearts, a calling to pursue, a cause to champion…I know that I need to hear from God about his dream for me.

I’ll let you know how the book resonates with me, and (hopefully) I’ll have something to tell you about what God says to me about my dream.