War of Northern Aggression Lives On

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Karrick Dyer

For some people, it has nothing to do with slavery, racism, and maybe even little to do with history or heritage. An old flag is simply a symbol of modern rebellion.

On a family vacation to North Carolina’s Outer Banks, I lost count of how many Confederate flags I saw flying proudly from the backs of pickup trucks. Some were riding up and down the beach. Some on the roadways. I noticed other motorists and beachgoers giving these flag wavers an enthusiastic thumbs up or a toot of the horn.

I noticed that all of the flag-waving vehicles were from North Carolina or Virginia. Always in pickup trucks. Always a Chevy, Ford, or Dodge. Most had fishing rod holders mounted to the front or rear bumper.

Real Southern Americans.

Fed up with being bullied by the loud minority of our country. The anti-southern movement. A ridiculous awakening that insists we heap shame on their ancestors and blame them for current problems.

Current political climate thrives on separating voters by the perception of “haves” vs. “have-nots”. But generations of people actually believing it’s up to the government to lift them up and hold them up has led to explosive growth in a frightening new segment of the population……the “will-nots”.

These are the blamers and excuse-makers. They look in every direction except the mirror for answers on how to lift themselves up. The path of least resistance is to drag someone else down. And they’re running out of excuses and people to blame. So they have begun digging hard into the past. Somehow past injustice has suddenly become very relevant to current situations.

But it’s only a smokescreen. Just another avoidance of personal responsibility that is so dangerously vanishing in our “I deserve” society.

There really is no end to this whole wave of stupidity. The Confederate flags may come down from government buildings, but it doesn’t stop there. A wholesome show like Dukes of Hazzard is taken off the air. A Nathan Bedford Forrest statue is being taken down in Memphis. NAACP is pushing to have Confederate leaders sandblasted off the face of Stone Mountain in Georgia.

The sentiment is twisting quickly toward the divisive point that all who fought for the Confederacy were horrible men. Their ancestors, and all white southerners in general, owe the rest of the country an apology. Meanwhile, Union soldiers were all choirboys simply because history says they fought for a noble cause.

But the simple truth is that Confederate soldiers did not fight to preserve slavery and Union soldiers did not fight to end it. The reasons wars are fought and the reasons that soldiers choose to fight cannot be blindly joined together.

My guess is that many of those today who have found a moral high ground of acting as if they would have undoubtedly defected from the south to fight for the cause of the Union army……..are the same ones who support baby-killing under the cloud of women’s rights.

Push someone down to make yourself look taller.

I think the southern man doesn’t feel like being pushed down. They owe no apology.

Symbols take on whatever meaning man gives them. The Confederate flag is being pounded like never before as a symbol of racism. But this past week, I saw it as a symbol of rebellion. A rebellion against stupidity and bullying. A time to be louder than the loud minority that is re-shaping the way our country views work and morality.

Get off our backs.

Stop blaming us.

Don’t lift yourself up by trying to push us down.

As I stood on the beach each day fishing with my sons, I silently cheered for each Rebel flag that passed. My youngest son waved, gave them thumbs up, or threw them horns. I eventually followed suit.

People who have lived in harmony with African Americans for their entire lives are suddenly painted in a corner. They now have a real reason to rebel, not against black America, but against senseless bullying, northern ignorance, and shameless political maneuvering.

Maybe the true rebel spirit dictates that a lot of folks would voluntarily put their Confederate flags away as soon as it became their idea to do so. If you shame someone with unsound or twisted information or make demands from a shaky stance of moral high ground……..you’re just fueling the desire for defiance.

Not heritage, not hate. Defiance. Rebellion.

If it’s truly hurtful today, maybe the right person has to speak about it in the right way to achieve the right results. That hasn’t happened yet. The loud logic still deepens the divide and digs the feet of southerners deeper into the sand.

Just Buy the Paint

Posted on July 5, 2015 by Karrick Dyer

Don’t make things more complicated than they need to be. Arguments rage over gay marriage and Confederate flags. Christians swing their bibles at non-Christians with an obsession with identifying what sin is. Two thoughts crept into my small brain. 1) The mirror is powerful. Perhaps Satan distracts us with talk of sin while we fail miserably in the area of obedience. Matthew 28:19 “Go and make disciples of all nations” When we look in the mirror, how devoted are we to becoming better disciples? 2) People whose hearts are geared for obedience to God and mission work seem to steer clear of most of the petty bickering that myself and others are constantly drawn into.
My wife, daughters, and oldest son are away in the Dominican Republic on a mission trip this week. One day, their group worked along side a mission organization painting the very modest homes of people that struggled to find their next meal or clean water. My wife posted pictures on Facebook. One picture caught my eye and brought a tear to my eye…..my youngest daughter standing beside a young girl with hand-painted flowers on the side of their home. I noticed the flowers in other pictures on other homes. I’m guessing my girls had something to do with at least some of those personal loving touches.
Just a sobering reminder to their cynical father. Don’t make things more complicated than they need to be. Love. Serve. Trust God. Become the best disciple you can be. Those are the kinds of changes that Christians really need to concern themselves with making. Just a little more paint, I guess.

Just A Dad

“Raising Strong Daughters”,

That was going to be the name of this post.
But the thoughts and reflections have spun out of control.
What started out as four or five little points grows daily (over ten now).
I guess it’s not a coincidence that my oldest daughter turns 18 and leaves for college tomorrow.
It wouldn’t be correct to say that my life is flashing before my eyes.
But I do find myself drifting back to the day she was born (and all points in between). That wild combination of joy and fear. The realization that I was now responsible for the direction of the life of another person. A new awareness of dependence on God.
Eighteen years later……..I wouldn’t enter her in a dishwasher loading contest.
And she struggles with the concept of turning out lights in unoccupied rooms.
But for all those times I uttered that prayer,
“Lord…

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You Can Keep Your Political Correctness & I’ll Keep Raising Racist Kids

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Karrick Dyer

I knew I was in trouble when I bought Kal his rebel flag Lynyrd Skynyrd shirt. Big sister, a high school junior, just looked at me with a puzzled expression, “Dad, is that the only kind they had?”

I had carefully selected this shirt, trying to pick something appropriate for a 9 year-old. “No Maddie, they had others, but most of them were black with whiskey bottles or skull & crossbones.” But I knew what she was getting at. Apparently political correctness had already dug deep into our youth at our local high schools. She had been infiltrated with the belief that the Confederate flag was a symbol of evil, hatred, racism, or whatever label folks have wanted to apply to it in recent years in an attempt to revise history.

It seems like a lot of things these days boil down to folks pretending to do something good when they’re really not……when they really can’t. And all they really do is make things worse. Stir the pot. Worry about a squeaky door on a house that’s burning down.

In the name of political correctness, we have plenty of helpful souls spreading the word, telling everybody else what they SHOULD be offended by. I don’t imagine the American Indians were up in arms 25 years ago about the name of an NFL franchise mascot. It’s a darn good thing some people came along to let them know how offensive it is. Now they can be properly “up in arms” about such an injustice that will surely wreck their lives.

We have become the most easily offended nation in the world. We create problems where there are none. Mountains out of molehills. We deflect blame in the most ridiculous ways.

Those who loudly champion political correctness are the same ones who have systematically driven out society’s moral codes and cast blame in moronic directions when the inevitable decay appears.

Racism is certainly alive today. But it lives in a much different form than it did 40 years ago. Different even than it was 20 years ago. Systematic racism is dying. True racism today lingers on today in the hearts and lives of those who simply make a choice to hate their fellow man. Whites who hate blacks. Blacks who hate whites. Whites who hate Asians. To listen to liberal news and a misguided president, one could easily be fooled into believing that whites are the only racists in the United States.

Obama has set racial harmony back 25 years with constant claims of systematic shortcomings and speaking only of white racism.

He has a gift for magnifying the ways that groups are different but insisting that the groups agree (with him of course). His message continues to be, “the system (white men) is holding you back, and the government is gonna pick you up.” Blame the cops. Blame the whites. Blame the system. Do anything besides challenge people to take responsibility for the course of their own future.

It may be that we just have evolved into having too darn many people thinking about changing the past. Let’s keep white America feeling eternally guilty for events they had nothing to do with 150 years ago. Let’s shamefully convince large groups of people that everything that happens is somebody else’s fault. Let’s create a nation of victims. Debt and debtors. Dividing lines created. Wallowing in the past instead of grasping the future. Symbolic worthless apologies. Lives cursed by dead-end excuses shamefully planted in their path.

The meaning of the rebel flag truly has evolved. Maybe it really does need to go away. Unfortunately, what may have once been a symbol of southern heritage and pride has been twisted into a symbol of evil. Perception has been methodically changed. That’s how political correctness works. Strange things get demonized (I found out it’s not ok to continue to call a man by his birth name if he becomes a woman at some point in life).

Certain few receive the right to change the rules and sway public perception as the game goes on (liberal media and Hollywood). Strangely enough, those who stick to the same set of standards (some call them morals) are portrayed as fools.

Shame on me……if I continue to cling to my right to flaunt it when I find it is truly hurtful to someone. (as long as they decided on their own it was hurtful).

Shame on you……if you choose to live your life as victim, easily offended by everything that somebody tells you to be offended by.

And the ultimate shame on you…….if you go around telling others what they should be offended by.

Bottom line is that I think it’s a complete nonsensical dang shame that it’s just a matter of weeks before my son could be assumed to be a racist if he wears his Lynyrd Skynyrd shirt. How did that happen? And are the people that are causing that shift really making anything better?

No, they are just shifting. Blaming. Sending thoughts and energy in the wrong direction. Removing flags are empty gestures. It doesn’t change the past. Doesn’t take away slavery……rebel flags don’t glorify slavery as this movement would have us believe.

Most importantly, none of this nonsense really changes people.

Love or hate?

God or no God?

Personally responsible or blaming /dependency?

The answers to these simple questions will determine the course of our country’s future.

We’ll most likely continue to wear rebel flag Skynyrd shirts in my house. I’ll probably buy a few more while I still can. And we’ll also keep loving people. I think that’s better than apologizing for stuff we didn’t do.

And Kal doesn’t know what racism is. He only knows that we all are precious in God’s sight. So shame on anyone who dares to shame him for wearing his favorite shirt!!

Wait Until Your Father Gets Home

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Karrick Dyer

My foot shot out from under me at the speed of sound. My tailbone found the slushy cold pavement with a thud. There’s a good possibility that some salty language escaped my lips as I fell.

When I spoke to my wife before leaving work that day she suggested that maybe I shouldn’t buy a whole truckload of groceries, since I may not be able to navigate my truck up our slick, steep hill in the snow (it had been scraped when the photo was taken). “Oh, I can get up the hill.”

So, with massive quantities of groceries on board, I failed miserably at conquering our hill. After much tire burning, ditch cleaning, and backward sliding, I gave up. I walked to the top of the driveway to get a shovel, just so I could dig out enough to get my truck out of the middle of the driveway. As I walked back toward my truck, my frustration was compounded by the fact that none of my family (most notably my teen daughter and son) had appeared to help me tote groceries into the house.

And then I fell……into a dose of perspective. As I finished my Yosemite Sam grumbling and returned to my feet, I heard footsteps coming behind me. My faithful 9 year-old son Kal approached cheerfully, “Need some help?” Of course I did. He was wearing basketball shoes and no socks in the deep snow. I told him over and over how much I appreciated his help as we made multiple trips up the hill carrying groceries (I may or may not have pointed out those who didn’t show up to help).

When we finished putting groceries away, I noticed a very important detail. An open curtain that normally stays closed.

The reason he was the only one to offer help was that he was the only one in my family that was anxiously waiting and watching for my arrival.

Standing at the door. Looking out of the window. Waiting for dad to get home.

Kal is almost 10 now. That will probably be the last time he ever stands at the window waiting for me to get home. I think it’s one of the most important things for a father of young children to understand; it IS a big deal when you come home. And it’s a big deal when you leave.

It’s likely that your kids are the only people on earth that will ever eagerly watch for your arrival. They are the only ones that will beg to go with you when you leave. Cherish these moments while they last and make the most of them.

Show excitement for coming home. Show excitement for BEING home. When they say, “Daddy, can I go?”, find a way to make the answer “yes”. They won’t always want to be with you. They won’t always want to talk to you.

Someone will guide them. Something will influence them. Let it be you. Consistently.

Don’t worry yourself with trying to impress people that don’t matter. Guide and influence the lives that do matter. Be the best dad you can be….today and every day.

And if “daddy’s home” is still a big deal to somebody in your home……then it better be a big deal to daddy.

Dear Underclassmen…

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Karrick Dyer

Most of my thoughts lately have simply been negative and abrasive and not worth sharing. But my daughter has written I great piece aimed at her peers but certainly applicable to all.

Watching Me Watching You

Posted on May 17, 2015 by Karrick Dyer

If we expect our children to become adults who work hard when nobody is watching, it’s important to take time when they are children, to notice when they are working hard and doing their best.

I spent some time Friday night watching my nine year-old son Kal participating in the Center Shot archery program at our church. It’s his second year in the program, but he has no other archery experience. More potential than skill. What he knows about archery, he has learned through this program (his dad knows zilch).

I always watch him shoot at the target, but sometimes two kids are shooting at the same target. I can’t always tell which arrows are his from a distance. So I usually just watch his body language and facial expressions and see how closely he’s listening to instructions. Sometimes he looks my way in the back of the church gym during the night, but usually not.

I wasn’t paying particularly close attention at one point because he had just finished shooting all of his arrows into the target. I might have even been distracted by casual conversation with someone seated next to me. But I looked up just in time to see Kal, looking back at me proudly. He was pulling his arrows out of the target, but he was saving the best for last. His hand waited on the arrow that stuck perfectly in the middle of the target. Kal wasn’t going to pull it out until he was sure his dad had seen it (“look Dad, I did it”). As soon as we made eye contact and I gave him a thumbs up, he pulled it out and went about his business.

I didn’t carry out any notable “dad feat”. I just sat in a folding chair. But it made me think of kids that hit a bullseye and turn around looking for encouragement or approval…….and nobody’s there, time after time.

Today I watched my daughter Maddie run in her regional track meet. The 800M run is her top event and her best chance to advance to the state meet for the first time (1st & 2nd place qualify). She came into the meet as the 5th seed in region (I think?). As a 16 year-old junior, Maddie and I have shared hundreds and hundreds of athletic contests, many of those with me as her coach at youth and middle school levels.

But in high school, I have tried to be a quiet presence of support, hiding in the shadows. As a father of a teenage girl, the thought enters your mind that your daughter probably won’t even notice anymore if you’re not at her events (and does she even care if you come?). When Maddie was on the track today, I had no reason to believe she even knew where I was.

I stood by myself at a spot just outside the track, about 75 yards beyond the finish line. She looked strong as she passed me on the 2nd and final lap. She moved up from 5th place to a strong 2nd place finish on the lap, finishing 5 seconds better than her season’s best time.

Silently from a distance I watched. I wondered if she would look my way. I delighted in the joy in her face, felt a sense of pride in her laughter and sportsmanship among the other runners. And then she shocked me. Maddie looked across the track at me like she knew exactly where I was the whole time……grinning at me from ear to ear giving me a big thumbs up (“I did it Dad!!!”).

I know it sounds cliche’ and cheesy but don’t underestimate the value of just being there. Kids just want to be noticed when they do something good. They need encouragement to continue on when they think they’re doing poorly.

As our kids grow older, will our kids choose us as parents to share their triumphs with? Will they give up on something too soon because we weren’t there to help them believe in themselves?

Some kids feel constant pressure to be the best on the court, track, or field. Kids that are playing to please somebody else are miserable.

But kids that look over their shoulder for support, encouragement, and direction…….and always find it, are something else entirely.

SECURE!

Whatever your kids are doing, just find a way to be there. They don’t need you to be there to tell them how they can do it better. They just need you to celebrate when they do it well (or give a a great effort, of course).

I’m Right and You’re Wrong…..The Bible Tells Me So

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Karrick Dyer

Honest question. If you have to tell somebody you’re a Christian………should you even bother telling them you’re a Christian?

John 13 NIV -//

³⁴“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Early followers of Christ were known for their love for one another. What are Christians known for today, either fairly or unfairly?

We’re pretty judgmental.

We cast a lot of stones.

We’re pretty good at digging up scripture that pertains to what someone else is doing wrong.

We get hung up on 4-letter words, beer-drinking, proper dress, and gay marriage.

We’re pretty good about downplaying the importance of the words of James 3 about taming the tongue.

Christians have a pretty massive presence on social media on the argument scene. But some truths spoken in poor spirit in large doses to large audiences (and properly twisted by media) do much more harm than good.

We behave as if we are in charge of the deliverance of grace, and we’re stingy with it.

We’ve twisted the perception of what being a Christian is.

We spend too much energy trying to get people to agree with us while failing to devote ourselves to becoming like Christ.

Some battles are worth fighting and God’s truths can’t be compromised.

But Jesus commanded His disciples to be known by their love, not by their ability to quote scripture as a weapon to condemn others or win arguments.

“LOVE ONE ANOTHER. BY THIS EVERYONE WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES”

If we have to tell somebody we’re a Christian, maybe we shouldn’t bother telling them. Maybe we should seek to understand more, surrender more, love more. Be transformed. Then others will know we are Christians by our love, and they will want to follow who we follow.

Everyone that we encounter, every single day, its’ safe to assume…….”God wants me to love this person.” It’s not always easy (obviously). Sometimes we have to walk away and pray and try again another day…..day after day.

The Bible’s a pretty big book so I guess that gives us a lot of chances to make things a lot more complicated than they should be. But I think Jesus is called Savior for a reason. He changes lives and He saves people. Followers of Jesus are supposed to lead the lost to Him. We don’t have to change anybody or win an argument first (I’m sure somebody will argue me on this). We have to lead a life that makes others want to follow who we follow.

I think that those who love most, just has Jesus commanded, stand the greatest chance of influencing those who need Jesus most.

Love is greater than knowledge. So don’t get hung up on being “right” as an excuse for actions that aren’t Christ-like.

Are My Kids Gonna Recognize and Avoid That Big Pile of Poo?

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Karrick Dyer

Right from wrong. Truth. All parents want their kids to recognize these things. How will our children choose what is right? How will they define what is right? How will they become critical thinkers?

Ultimately, will they develop good decision-making skills?

It won’t happen by accident. Blessed with young children in your home? Embrace opportunities early on to not only teach right from wrong, but also to demonstrate truths, values, and worldviews that will form the foundation of their ability to make good decisions as they mature.

When my kids were small I made a habit of pushing their buttons of critical thinking by giving them small doses of impossibilities. Tell them you think a puzzle piece goes somewhere it can’t possibly go. Tell them to try the square peg in the round hole. Watch their reactions, guide them toward finding the truth for themselves and toward correct solutions to problems without blindly accepting everything they are told. They don’t have to “question everything” but they do need to assess the value and truth of things as they grow. Crap or not crap?

The bad news is that the world is full of lies. But…..the good news is that the world is full of lies. Teaching moments come in large doses these days. Failure is a great teacher. TV and social media flood our lives with perfect examples of “how not to do things”.

Be ready to engage in conversations with your kids about the aftermath of bad decisions and the complete crisis of truth. If you are a believer in the truths of the Holy Bible, then you must help your kids figure out daily how to apply these truths in a broken world……….to recognize crap when they see it, to realize when things have no value.

Parents who are silent in these areas risk seeing their kids’ system of values shaped instead by a culture that spews this garbage and more:

-Life is supposed to be fair.

-Other people owe me something. Personal responsibility amounts to talking about what other people should be providing for me.

-There is great value in physical appearance, along with the attention and approval of others.

-If you don’t like the rules, re-shape them to meet your own desires.

-Instant gratification always outweighs patience, obedience, and hard work. You can start at the top.

-If you fail, it must be somebody else’s fault. Nothing wrong with blaming and excuse making.

-Lying is ok as long as you compare yourself to “worse acts”. Results are more important than honesty and integrity.

-If you fail to embrace a decaying system of truth and morality, you must be a hater, bigot, sexist, racist.

-The president controls jobs and the economy and my prospect of work.

-It’s of utmost importance, not only to be right, but to convince others that you are right and they are wrong.

-Bruce Jenner……nah, not even opening that one up.

-It’s ok for Christians to spew venom toward and gossip about their brothers behind their backs……as long as they don’t use 4-letter words while they’re doing it.

There is an abundance of crap out there and it changes every day. As parents, arm yourself with prayer and truth each day. Eyes and ears open. Be intentional when your kids are young. Set out to not only arm them with truth but instill in them a desire to choose it and live it.

Philippians 4

⁸Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Recognize the pile of poo. Steer away from it. Steer others away.

Just “People Watchin” at the Final Four

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Karrick Dyer

The man in the row in front of us could have possibly been dead for all we knew. His lifeless 30-something body didn’t show much interest in moving when those around him were yelling, shaking, and smacking him. Slight panic ensued in section 612 of Lucas Oil Stadium.

My 15 year-old son and I made the trip to Indianapolis for this year’s NCAA Final Four hoping to see our Kentucky Wildcats finish off a perfect 40-0 season. Those hopes were dashed with a semi-final loss to Wisconsin on Saturday night. Unlike many UK fans, we stuck around for Monday’s final between Duke and Wisconsin.

There may not be a greater place on earth for fathers and sons to bond simply by sharing the wealth of worthless information and basketball history that lives in the streets of a Final Four. And for this dad, it was an opportunity to squash the image that I’m completely oblivious to my surroundings (because I sort of am).

Unleashing a wealth of basketball history to an interested youngster came easy while walking on the streets of Indy. Basketball personalities, past and present were everywhere, in real life and on the sides of buildings.

Perhaps the truest (and most comical) father/son bonding came simply from people watching on the streets. Walking around different sections of the downtown area on gameday and having conversations about different types of people and all the crazy stuff going on.

The party blocks-so full of beer drinkers getting primed for the game that you can barely walk through- but you walk your son through it all anyway……..this is how you don’t act son.

The “I wanna get on TV” sections. ESPN, etc setup at various places with people always desperately trying to get on TV.

The ticket peddlers. NO, JUST BECAUSE I’M WEARING A UK SHIRT, I DON’T HAVE A TICKET TO SELL SINCE WE LOST!!!

The beggars and street performers just trying to capitalize on all the extra foot traffic.

The police officers, patiently dealing with all the drunken geniuses blundering in the streets.

My son was impressed with my ability to spot random people in the crowded streets since I usually can’t find my way back to where we park our car without his help.

“There’s the guys that sat by us at the semi-finals.”

“There’s the guy your uncle sold his tickets to at IHOP.”

“There’s the guys that sat across from us at Cracker Barrel this morning.”

“That was Heshimu Evans.” (played on 1998 UK championship team).

Dad……you, like notice people, don’t you?

Yes.

Back in section 612. Top level of Lucas Oil Stadium. Only 2 rows separate us from the very top.

During the first half, a commotion to my left draws my attention. My son, Karrick Ryne and all others to his left have quickly risen to their feet as a lady in front of them, in a panic, is trying in vain to return her adult son to consciousness. She shakes, smacks, calls his name. His head falls straight back. He looks to be in serious trouble.

“Somebody needs to go get someone!”

I hear an older lady say from the row behind me.

Three rows of people are on their feet now, most of them doing the exact thing I was doing…….watching, and waiting to see if someone else was going to do something.

The guy still wasn’t moving.

But Karrick Ryne was. He left his spot in the center of the row without speaking and pushed past me, flew out of our row, and went down 19 rows, two at a time, disappearing into the concourse looking for assistance.

Shortly after KR went out of sight, the man showed signs of life, opening his eyes, and raising back up in his seat somewhat. His friends/family gave him water. He started assuring them he was ok. Guy was sweating heavily now. I turned to the man sitting beside me and suggested that the man was most likely drunk. Figured those seated in front of him were in danger of getting puked on before the game was over.

KR returned to his seat, visibly shaken. I praised him for doing the right thing and acting quickly. He kept shrugging his shoulders wondering if he’d overreacted (an older gentleman behind us actually placed a 911 call) and wondered if the first aid folks were ever going to come.

KR just kept watching, waiting, and wondering. This was all new territory for him. For me, I was just getting irritated at this “sick” man now and his whole group who had failed to at least turn around and acknowledge the fact that my son had sprinted for help because half our section thought he was in serious medical distress.

Two ladies finally appeared at the bottom of our section some 8 minutes later, carrying first aid bags. Passed out guy and the three people with him pretended to not see them! They were going to act like nothing happened. My whole row wasn’t buying it. We all raised our arms and pointed to say, “right here dude”. Passed out guy pleaded his case for only a minute before leaving with the EMT’s. He never returned.

A crisis was started by someone’s poor judgement. Their problem became the problem of others. Their subsequent actions showed that they were perfectly willing to be blind to those around them…….the beauty of drunkenness.

In that moment of crisis, when a man was sitting motionless in his seat, it was the adults who were frozen in place. In the back of our minds, most of us stood watching and hoping someone else would go for help. But no one did. Some of us may have had that immediate thought in the back of our minds, “it’s probably self-inflicted, I’m not getting involved.”

The young mind is a clean slate, not poisoned by things we are “certain” of. Not hindered by watching and analyzing everything to death before acting. Perhaps these same things poison an adult Christians’ ability to live by faith and not by sight. When someone cried out, “somebody needs to get somebody”, KR was the only one in our immediate area under the age of 30. And he’s also the only one that moved. The rest of us were busy thinking……..and watching.

That’s one way I’m glad he’s not like his dad. For all the times that he has looked to his dad for a cue for the right thing to do……he looked quickly to me this time and saw that I wasn’t going to do it. So he did it himself.

Yeah, I’m a people watcher. I guess it’s a good thing I’m not an EMT.

END NOTE: The first stadium worker that Karrick Ryne approached to tell about an unresponsive person in our section told him to go find somebody else because they were on break. You can’t make this stuff up.

Daddy, Are You Crying?

Posted on March 22, 2015 by Karrick Dyer

I first saw Georgia State head coach Ron Hunter when he was injured in a post-game celebration after leading his team to an NCAA tournament berth by winning the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. I’m pretty sure his injury was the result of an embrace with his son, who happens to be a high-scoring guard on this team. In post game interviews, he seemed like a breath of fresh air. Little did we know how much better this story was going to get in the coming days.

When the big dance tipped off on Thursday afternoon, instead of loosely following my bracket picks from work, I was home in bed with a migraine by the time the first game reached halftime. I was rudely awakened later in the afternoon by the loud yelling from another part of my house by my high school freshman son. I was disoriented but I knew what must be happening…….the first huge upset of March Madness. Obviously, it’s frowned upon to make loud unnecessary outbursts when dad has a migraine. But when I finally arose from my slumber, and my son excitedly told me about 14-seed Georgia State’s improbable upset of 3-seed Baylor on R.J. Hunter’s bomb in the final seconds (and Ron’s topple off the stool) I decided to withhold my wrath.

I fell in love with Ron Hunter’s coaching style, his fashion style (or lack of over-concern for it), his child-like excitement, and his humility. But what has drawn me to him most is his bond with his son. It’s easy to fall in love with the underdog stories each year, as most of us do. And each year it seems that a new coach wins over the country with a colorful personality. Perhaps the most lovable thing about Ron Hunter is his absence of “swagger”.

If you’re an 18 year-old prospect, maybe swagger is high on your list of coaching qualities. But if you’re just a dad, and a basketball fan and a fan of integrity, your ears perk up when a Ron Hunter shows up in the spotlight.

The phrase that keeps coming up in interviews is

“I love this kid”.

Over and over. He loves his son. He loves all his players. His love is not based on their ability to pull out last second wins. The last second wins only provide him a national stage to proclaim his love and pride for his players. He pours his energy into taking them to a place they never dreamed possible…..with the passion of a coach and the heart of a father.

There’s something special about March Madness. And there’s something special about a father coaching their son (or daughter). When you combine the two, it creates special moments to go beyond basketball.

I’ve coached all four of my kids on some level of sports.

One lesson that you hope every player walks away from their sports experience with is this:

At the end of each game, take pride in your effort. Win or lose, walk off the court or field with your head held high knowing you did all you could do to help your team win.

I sat watching Georgia State vs Xavier on Saturday night, trying not to let myself get too excited about the possibility of a Ga St. win. But I couldn’t help myself. This was my team. I was emotionally attached to this father/son combination and underdog story. I found myself yelling at the TV and reacting with dejection each time Xavier made a big shot down the stretch.

My oldest daughter, a freshman college soccer player was home for spring break, and happened to be the only one in the room with me as the game wound down. Ron Hunter took his son R.J. out of the game in the final seconds of their disappointing defeat.

R.J. raced off the floor with his head held high, knowing he’d given his all. He also knew he’d made his father proud. Father and son embraced. All I could say was “Aww”, but I guess my voice cracked.

My daughter Macy said, “daddy, are you crying?”……..”shut up Macy”

I wasn’t the only one. In the postgame press conference what caught my attention most was the shift in Ron Hunter’s voice as he was talking about the game and his team’s unlikely postseason run. He completely broke down……..when his words changed from coach to dad. The same……but different. And so special.

I love this man…….

You can watch the interview below if you haven’t already seen it. Hope to see him back next year.