Month: January 2006

  • Golf Dreams


    This year I am trying something new with my golf game. I have gone ahead and joined a golf club. There are a few advantages to being a member at a golf club. The club I am joining is about 40 minutes away from my house – and is called ‘The Legacy.’ The advantages to joining a club include – getting the tee times you want when you want them, unlimited play for a fixed price, playing on a nicer course etc. etc.


    I am really excited. Last year I brought my handicap down to 18 – and my goal for this season is to bring it down to 12. Last year I went from a 28 to an 18, so I hope to make the next jump. Believe it or not the jump from 18 to 12 is much harder than the jump from 28 to 18. Why am I writing about a sport that I will not be able to play in ernest until April 1st? Because I have to. I have a category for Golf and I have no posts about golf – that can’t happen. So, this is my post to make sure the Golf category gets populated. JVD

  • Oh Dennis…

    This is a short article I stumbled across today as I was making the rounds on the internet papers I peruse on a daily basis:


    Dennis Rodman was shocked, then indignant, after he was voted off the British TV reality show “Celebrity Big Brother” on Wednesday.

    The former NBA star, 44, spent the last three weeks sharing a house with other celebrities, including former Baywatch star Traci Bingham. Despite entertaining viewers, Rodman’s popularity dropped when he verbally attacked fellow contestant Chantelle Hougton.


    After Rodman said goodbye to each of the housemates and left, he marched straight to the studio for his exit interview.

    “This is a game, this a show … just because I’ve been evicted, I’m still a star, I’m still famous. I don’t give a damn what you guys think of me, I’m a star. I’m here to stay.”

    That’s the Rodman we know and love.


    Now, I have a lot I could say about this news piece.  One, it is a sad commentary on Dennis that he is clinging to a very fleeting fame and is indignant about it.  Does it strike anyone else as sad that if at some point in your life you have to say “I’m a star, I’m here to stay.”  Usually people who are really famous (whatever that means) don’t have to say they are a star.  Tomorrow though I could write a blog entry on how I think I am star and maybe some of you would believe me, but probably not because, again, those who are truly famous would not have to make the case that they are. 

    I watched Dennis play basketball in the late 80′s for the Detroit Pistons, he was a hustle player who was one of the best rebounders I have ever seen.  Then I watched him play for the Chicago Bulls in the mid-90′s and again, help a team win championships.  Now I watch him on MTV, and the E channel struggling with they years of addiction to drugs and alcohol.  Sad, really sad.  I hope he finds something that fills the hole that is obviously in his heart and soul.  JVD

  • Half of Life is showing up –

    Minneapolis, MN

    Last night I accompanied Danielle to an Indiana University alumni event.  My wife attended and graduated IU Bloomington and is a loyal Hoosier fan.  I am a big time University of Illinois fan, and do not routinely route for the Indiana Hoosiers.  But, my wife is helping restart the Minneapolis chapter of the Indiana Alumni chapter, so I agreed to accompany her to this event.  We drove to the Sheraton Hotel in Minneapolis and none of her colleagues were there yet.  I was thinking to myself, oh great a night of meeting people who I don’t know when I would maybe just want to be at home watching a movie. 

    But, I was wrong.  After people started showing up it was a great time of chatting with different people and hearing how they connected to IU, and what they do for a living etc. etc.  It is good to get out and meet people.  I have the Gallup StrengthsFinder strength of Woo, which stands for ‘Winning others over,’ and I was putting it to good use.  Then, in the most random part of the evening we were asked to drive the guest of honor back to his hotel. 
    Rick Greenspan is the athletic director for Indiana and he needed a ride from the Sheraton to the Hyatt.  Rick and his daughter came with Danielle and I as we drove across Minneapolis.  Rick and I chatted about college coaches, the difference between D-1 schools and D-3 schools and a variety of topics.  He was such a nice guy, it was an enjoyable time. 

    Half of Life is just showing up.  JVD

  • Living insignificantly is worse than dying early.

  • Its not about me, but its about me?


    Seems like a conundrum right?  Well – for the last few years through some character training I have been going through I have come to the realization in life, that it is not about me.  This was a big revelation for someone who has my personality where it can easily be all about me. 


    To be honest, some days it still can be about me. This is something I constantly think about and try and correct, but some days selfishness still gets me.  I have a feeling I am not the only one.  But, on other days it needs to be about me – how I am reacting to other people. Let me share a story.


    For some time now I have observed someone I know and it seems like every time this person opens their mouth I just cringe. I have been asking myself lately, why do I do that?  Is it about the person who appears very needy and can suck the life out of people around them? Or, is it about how I am reacting to that person because of something that is inside my own brain and heart?  Or - is it both?  Probably the latter – both.


    So what can I do with that today?  I can be a loving person to the person I am referencing, and that love may be expressed from a distance with very limited interaction.   I can watch my own heart and mind to see how I react to people and situations – and then have peace that I am doing the right thing.


    I don’t know if this problem resonates with any of you – but just wanted to process through it a bit – and I feel like I have made some progress already.  JVD

  • Great start, but it is a long season.


    Yesterday after flying back from Seattle on the red-eye I arrived in Minneapolis at 6:00 am.  I was picked up at the airport by my wonderful wife and I promptly came home and slept for a few more hours.  Danielle and I then got up, went for a run and then I headed off to coach my Junior Olympic Girls Volleyball team here in Minnesota.  My girls started off the season 3-0  a few weeks ago and this was our second competition.  The second competition we were put in a higher bracket because we did well last time.  This power league was more like a mini-tournament of 8 teams and we were the number 1 seed. 


    Being the number 1 seed is a blessing and a curse.  Blessing because you play a weaker team first, curse because if you don’t finish first, you did not live up to your seed. Well – we went along and won our first game, we were a bit rusty but we played ‘well enough to win.’  At this point I was starting to get tired, but had a hot pretzel and that woke me up.


    Our second game was against a better team and our girls played better and really took it to this team.  Our club philosophy is one where we try to play everyone, although not necessarily in equal amounts.  So, everyone has different roles on the team.  But sometimes to help someone get better the team has to pick it up for one player.  We were able to do this and still win. 


    Our third game did not start until around 8:00 pm and I could tell the girls were getting tired – long day and two matches already in the books.  So, I talked to them and encouraged them to finish well, and to dig down so we could possibly finish in 1st place out of our 8 team pool.  This team was the best team we had played all day.  They had two girls who could really hit the ball hard so I was weary of that for our team.  Our girls gutted out a 2-0 victory winning 26-24 in the last game.  So, we were able to finish first and move to 6-0 on the season – pretty exciting.  More throughout the season.  For more information about our volleyball club & program check out http://www.mnselect.com   My team is the 16-3 team.  JVD


  • Blogging at 1:00 AM

    What does one blog about at 1:00 am in the Seattle airport?  I guess we are about to find out.  Hold on kids, it could get a bit rough back there.  Today I worked with Leadership Vision at Timberlake Church in the Seattle area.  It was a good event, and I got to meet some cool folks – even people who read my blog – that is always a surreal deal when you meet people and they know quite a bit about you before you ever talk to them.  It was good meet AJ, Erin and others over the weekend. 


    I also got to hang out with Alex who is a good friend and colleague who I really enjoy spending time with.  Alex has been a huge influence on me and once complimented me in front of a large group (including my future wife) – thanks Alex, your words helped me win Danielle over – for that I am forever in your debt!  Alex shared some of his vision for Voxtropolis - the new city of voices, you all can check out my new blog at www.josephdworak.voxtropolis.com  We also got to check out a new movie – “The End of the Spear” which is a fascinating flick about some missionaries who were killed by native people in Ecuador.  Really recommend the movie.  Great to see you Alex! 


    I have really hit the jackpot here at the Seattle Tacoma airport – I have free wireless by the Northwest World Club, so take that $10 access charge by Wayport!  Free internet for everyone!  Hmm what else can I ramble on about.  Seattle is way to grey for me to ever live in I think.  But, it is really pretty and has super tall trees.  Ok I think I am at the point where I might not be super effective in communicating with you all anymore.  Peace and Power – your buddy – JVD

  • You gotta give it away – Bono

    Tonight I sat listening to presentations about leadership, strengths, and character.  The thing I realized tonight is that life is about giving myself away to other people, some who will never even know I helped them.  As the great prophet Bono once said, “You gotta give it away,”  you too must give it away. 

    As I sit within 15 minutes of the richest man on the face of the earth (I am in Redmond, WA near Bill Gates), I realize I am the luckiest man on the face of the earth.  The only way I will stay that lucky is to give it away.  To my wife, to my friends, to those I don’t know, to anyone I can help.  I can help them through how I was created uniquely for a purpose.  “I gotta give it away”  – JVD

  • Coaching

    As many of you know, I am now coaching a junior olympics club volleyball team consisting of mainly 16 year old sophomores in high school.  They are a fun group to work with and, for the most part, try really hard in practice.  It is always a stark reminder to myself that everyone is motivated differently, based on how they are wired.  Some of us are goal oriented, some of us compare ourselves to other people and then push to be better than those who we are comparing ourselves to.  Some people need a helping hand to get moving, others will figure it out on their own. 

    As I grow and learn how to motivate this group of 10 athletes, I need to remember to have patience with all of them.  Yesterday we had a practice that was partly good, and then lost focus at the end.  We have a power league coming up this Sunday and we are not as sharp as I hoped we would be going into the power league.  Now, the last time we played in a power league my girls rose up above their practice level and went 3-0.  This time we are being moved up to a higher flight of teams, so we will need to find a new level to stay undefeated. 

    This is all to say, I just want them to get better as volleyball players, and more importantly people.  This means I will play girls who do not always give us the best chance to win, so they can play.  I can usually accomplish this by using them in non-deciding situations, or for parts of games.  It is a fine balance.  Our
    club philosophy is to find a role for everyone, some people’s roles smaller than others, but none the less, a role. 

    As I sit here waiting for
    Leadership Vision to get started today here in Seattle.  I am pondering this and other topics, but really should just get started on my homework for class.  Amazing how many things I will find to do before I start my homework.  JVD

  • A lesson from the past

    Today I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Virgil Olson speak here at Bethel Seminary.  Dr. Olson started as a student here in 1938 and ended up teaching here for some 30 years between the college and seminary.  He is close to 90 years old and spoke today at an installation service for a new professor.  He spoke about standing on the shoulders of those who came before us.  The man was totally sharp and with it, and I learned a lot from him. 


    1)  Always pay tribute to those who helped you get where you are today


    2)  Be grateful


    3)  Stay sharp


    If I can do those few things for the rest of my life, I will be on a good track.  Dr. Olson is inspiring, I was moved by his candor, wit, intelligence and grace as he spoke today.  All the while he is 89 years old!  I have 68 more years of living before I get to be his age – if I make it – I hope I can be like Dr. Olson when I get there.  Thanks Dr. Olson, you inspired me today.  JVD