Manning, IA 1989-99

I've wanted to continue to look at the journey we've been on through the years, and look at a few of things we've been blessed with and I've learned at our stops with the different places my career path has taken us.

Today, we revisit Manning, IA, where we spent 10 wonderful years.  In no particular order, here's some of the things we were blessed with:

1. The birth of AJ and Abby, both right there in town, at the Manning hospital. 
2. We bought our first house. 
3. We made some life long friends from Manning. They include some of my former students and players who are now approaching "middle age" and friends from our church family in Carroll.  People, that to this day, I know we could call and they would drop what they are doing and come to help us if needed.  We have so many great friendships from those 10 years.  
4.  I spent 8 years playing with a group called the "Blues Brothers" that played old rock and roll music.  I also started singing Southern Gospel quartet music with 3 guys from the Carroll church, and we still get together once a year in the spring 20+ years later to sing and enjoy a weekend together in Carroll.

Here's a few things I learned that have stuck with me from that time:

1. I had an honest principal who told me the truth, and probably made more of an impact on me than anyone else in my professional career.  After my first year at Manning, he had me come into his office and very bluntly told me that I had to expect more discipline from the players and students, and if I didn't, I wouldn't succeed.  He told me I had the knowledge to be a good coach, but if I didn't demand discipline and take care and control of my program, it wouldn't work.  To this day I not only believe that to be true from a teaching/coaching philosophy standpoint, but I also have tried to be very honest in my approach as a leader.  I don't often say things with the most tact, but I do try to be honest and open with those that I'm leading.  
2. As part of being in the Blues Brothers I learned how to play piano in a whole new way.  I had never learned how to play music from a chord chart before, and the leader of the group, a very talented piano player, taught me how to do that.  I learned how to play more fills in music from those chords, how to play with some more expression, and it's a skill I use all of the time now playing, and leading, worship music.  

We have so many fond memories from that decade in Manning.  I began to develop a desire to become an athletic director at that time, but knew that I may not ever have the opportunity to do so there because of the man who was doing the job so capably there at that time.  That turned out to be correct.  Floyd retired just a couple of years ago after a fantastic career there.  I started to take a few classes toward my degree at that time too, but the timing of coaching basketball, having young children, and having to go to another town at night, just wasn't a good combination, so that educational pursuit got put on hold.  

After 10 good years there I remember sitting in our house, thinking about what the future might hold, when Jeremiah 29:11 really came alive to me for the first time.  It was about that time that I learned of an opening at a Christian College in Norfolk, NE and we were called to go there.  

We continue to be so grateful for the blessing that our time in Manning was to our family and the part the experiences played in our journey to where we are right now professionally and personally.