1.  For the second straight year, the New England Patriots are the most disliked team in the NFL according to a new poll.  Close to the Pats in second are my Dallas Cowboys, which begs this question, “if Dallas would have made it to the Super Bowl this year, would anyone have watched?”

2.  Café X, the first fully mechanized coffee shop in the US, opened this week in San Francisco.  Instead of humans as baristas, this new café employs a Mitsubishi 6-axis industrial robot to make and deliver your favorite coffee concoction. 

3.  February starts tomorrow and with that comes baseball as pitchers and catchers begin reporting to their camps in Florida and Arizona in a couple of weeks.  Speaking of baseball, the average life-span of a major-league baseball in a game is 5-7 pitches.  In case you are interested, MLB spends $5.5 million per year just on baseballs.
 
4.  I started reading the book ‘Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney’.   One quote that hit me hard is this: “Don’t try to win every battle. While leaders need to be persistent and determined in the face of resistance, they also have to be flexible enough to fine-tune their vision at every step. The resisters might have very good reasons for opposing your plan, so listen to them carefully. You can’t fall on your sword for every issue, so it’s crucial to know when to let go and save your energy to fight another day. Ask yourself whether you’re fighting for a truly worthwhile goal or because you can’t admit you were wrong or you have to win, no matter what.”
 
5.  Mark Johnson is a fan of professional golfer Sergio Garcia.  For 206 straight days, he tweeted Sergio a message containing the same request: he wanted to be his caddie.  On day 207, Garcia tweeted him back and said Johnson will be on the bag for the British Masters pro-am. There’s something to be said for persistence. 
 
6. Golf + Super Bowl = Bets.  Here are some actual wagers you can make before the big game on Sunday: Which will be higher –

• Phil Mickelson’s fourth-round score (Phoenix Open) or Patriots rushing yards
• Justin Thomas’s fourth-round score (Phoenix Open) or Julian Edelman’s receiving yards
• Tiger Woods’s fourth-round birdies (Dubai Desert Classic) or combined FGs in Super Bowl

 
7.  Do you know the difference between a cemetery and a graveyard?  A graveyard adjoins a church, whereas a cemetery does not.  Now you know.
 
8.  Saw this quote recently: “At the office, you don’t say, ‘If I just show up, the projects will get done and my clients will be happy.’ You work for it. In a true partnership, you have to put in the effort to make your partner happy.”
 
9.  Don’t forget to watch Puppy Bowl XIII at 3:00 PM this Sunday on Animal Planet where team Fluff takes on Team Ruff.  A couple of the key players, uh puppies, for each team are Lucky, Buttons and Parfait for team Fluff and Puddles, Stormy and Bizmark for team Ruff.
 
10.  Even though the Patriots may be the most hated NFL team, a former player’s Super Bowl ring gave new life to 24 orphans in Thailand.  I urge you to read this story about former Patriots player Jerod Cherry and how is sacrificial heart and servant's attitude helped those in need.

Have a great week everyone.

1. Without looking at google, what was Sesame Street’s Oscar the Grouch’s original color?  Green, red, blue, orange or purple?  The answer is somewhere below this line. 

2. Two players on the PGA Tour this year each shot a round of 59 this season, which begs the question “are courses too easy for the pros”?  Not so when you consider Web.com (developmental tour) player Greg Eason who shot three rounds in the 90s recently.  Granted, the weather conditions were poor in both tour stops in the Bahamas, but a pro golfer shooting in the 90s gives even me hope.  On the par 5 18th hole, he shot a decuple bogey (10 over par for you not up on your golf terms).   The good news is that on his next round, he shot a 68.

3.  Handshakes were originally meant to make sure that the person you were meeting wasn’t carrying a concealed weapon. The hand clasp proved that your hand was empty and shaking was meant to dislodge any weapons hiding up the sleeve.

4.  When asked what would you choose to be your only meal for the rest of your life, President Obama said a Cheddar cheeseburger.  President Trump’s favorite meal you ask?  It’s meatloaf.

5. ESPN is planning on canceling The Sports Reporters, the sports debate show that first aired in 1988 in May.  The show was hosted by legendary sportswriter Dick Schaap, who hosted the show until his death in 2001. Schaap was replaced by longtime ESPN broadcaster John Saunders, who hosted until his death last year.  Although I watched this show regularly in the 1990s and 2000s, I seldom tuned in lately.  All good things – as they say – come to an end.

6. Lady Gaga will be entertaining at halftime of this year’s Super Bowl and if the insurance underwriters approve, she will perform part of the act on the roof of NRG Stadium (Houston).  She always pushes the envelope, doesn’t she?

7. I know you are dying to know what is the latest food craze in Russia.  Well, I’ll tell you…it’s the ‘River-Rat’ burger, which is made out the animal called a nutria, a two-foot long non-invasive rat.  It sells for $8.50 in case you are traveling to Moscow soon.

8. We are just 380 days away from the start of the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.   To order tickets, go here: https://www.pyeongchang2018.com/horizon/eng/index.asp

9. The words month, walrus, blub, wasp, husband and orange are words that don’t rhyme with anything at all.

10. Fox Sports reporter Erin Andrews revealed recently that she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in early September 2016. After two surgeries, she heard the words in November that she wanted to hear, “cancer free.”  Only her TV crew knew she was battling cancer during the football season until now.  This story has extra meaning for me because for the first time, I am revealing that I was diagnosed with Kidney cancer in late August, underwent two surgeries and was told in early October that I am clear of cancer. And while I was fighting cancer, I too was patrolling the football sidelines as a TV reporter for BRCTV-11, just like Erin was for Fox Sports.  Someday, I would like to meet her just to say, “I know exactly what you were going through.”
​
Have a great week everyone!  And remember, every day is indeed a gift…make the most of it.  

1.  If people don’t read the Bible, at least they can read you.  Think about that for a moment.

2.  Speaking of reading, a new study has revealed that millennials lead all other generations in reading.  And, they prefer print books to e-books.

3.  The cost to raise a child from birth to age 18 in the US is $233,000.

4.  Speaking again of reading, the books I am reading right now are as follows:  To Pixar and Beyond by Lawrence Levy – It’s a book about the author’s journey with Steve Jobs to make entertainment history. Tommy’s Honor by Kevin Cook – It’s a book about the Old Tom Morris and the Young Tom Morris, golf’s founding father and son. It is my goal to read and finish a new book every 10 days.

5.  The 24th season of “Dancing with the Stars” premieres on March 20.  I have grown over time to like this show.

6.  The original iPhone sold for $499.00 and had 4GB of storage. Since going on sale in 2007, Apple has sold more than one billion iPhones.  Apple wanted Verizon to be the exclusive wireless carrier for the iPhone upon its launch, but Verizon turned it down because Apple wouldn’t agree to put the Verizon logo on the iPhone.  So therefore, Steve Jobs called AT&T, which agreed to the no logo demand.

7.  I may be in the minority, but I love watching the PGA Tour on television and dare I say it, even listening to events on the radio. 

8.  The American Housing Survey reported recently that 18 percent of households in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro area reported having seen mice or rats within the past year, which is the highest area in the nation.  We’re #1!  We’re #1!

9.  Donald Trump tweeted this:  @Ivanka Trump is great, a woman with real character and class."  The only problem is that @Ivanka is the twitter handle for Ivanka Majic of Brighton, England. Opps!

10. “Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, and dreams are forever.”  Walt Disney.

1.  Thought to ponder -- It’s not what happens to you…it’s how you react to it.
 
2.  Why are there “self-help” sections of books in bookstores, but rarely are their sections or even books on “Helping Others”. We need to start sharing ideas and empathizing with others.

3.  Pat Benatar is 64 today.  Yup, I’m (getting) old.

4.  Currently docked in Maryland, the boat Seafood captained by Rodney Dangerfield in the movie “Caddyshack” is now on sale for $129,000. “Hey. You scratched my anchor”.

5.  The national debt is almost $20 trillion.  So, what is the government spending its $20T on?  Well…$300K studying whether boys spent more time playing with Transformers than girls did with Barbies…$3.4M for hamster cage matches…$3.5M study on why people are afraid of the dentist…$500K to see how long a fish can exercise on a treadmill…$150K for a gingerbread making workshop….and…$35,000 for a glow in the dark marijuana joint to encourage people to not drive when high.  It’s your money.

6.  Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stirs up anger.”

7.  Yes, I want to go to U2’s Joshua Tree tour this summer with my wife.  I saw them last in 2011 with Tina at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.  If anyone wants to buy me tickets, please email me at timothyreedy@gmail.com.
 
8. Kuerig is working on an instant beer and cocktail machine.  It will work like this:  Pop in a pod. Press a button. Then, enjoy a frosty, freshly-dispensed beer. 

9.  A Michigan man was fined $128 for warming up his car in his girlfriend's driveway. He said he was away from the vehicle for five minutes and “… had no clue that this was a law, an ordinance.".  "You're putting the public at risk," Roseville police Chief James Berlin" said. "This is purely a public safety issue."  Wow.

10. Let’s go Cowboys!!!

Building on Yesterday: Reflections of My Father R Ronald Reedy
Nov. 22, 2016 – Trinity EC Church, Lititz PA
Tim Reedy

“He was not an ordinary man.  He was distinct because of his devotion to God, his church and his community.  He left his footprints on the sands of time.  He gave of himself 100% to what he ever aspired.  His thoughtful influence will be greatly missed by his church and his community.  To be missed is to be valued.  His faith went to work.  His life encouraged others to become Christians.  He was on call and responded with a ready ‘here I am’.  He passed this way and left a blessing in the hearts of those who knew him.”

The young boy, probably 8-10 years old, was up early on this summer morning. He ran to the window and most likely, saw the sun rising in the east, warming the air.  “Mom, I’m going up to the flats today.  I heard that there is this man saying some pretty cool things about loving one another.  He even heals people. I can’t miss that.”  “Okay honey,” said his mother.  “Just be careful.  And, before you leave, I’m packing you a basket of food for lunch.”

It was a summer day just like any other summer day in 1947 --- warm morning, dry, birds chirping…perfect.  A little boy on S. Spruce St would be seen running to his front door on these types of summer mornings shouting, “he’s here!”  “Ok, Ok.  Calm down.  You’ll wake the neighbors”, his mother would say repeatedly.  “Hi Uncle Luce!!  Gonne’ be a great day watching the trains,” the boy yelled from inside the screen door.   “Have a wonderful time.  I love you,” said his mom as he sprinted out the door grasping his uncle’s arm in one hand and a lunch pail in the other.
 
And just like that, in the blink of an eye, the uncle and his 8-year old nephew, would walk hand in hand two and a half blocks due south.  When they arrived at their destination, the Lititz Springs Park, they would find a bench next to the railroad tracks and settle in for the day, to watch the railroad workers and engineers switch the freight cars bound for Wilbur Chocolate and the nearby lumber yard.  And, at certain times throughout the day, they would enjoy watching the passenger trains come to the train station. 
Sprinkled amidst the screeching of the box cars and the engineers’ yells, my dad and his uncle talked about Lititz, trains and family.  While only 8 at the time, my dad most certainly listened intently, while munching on a sandwich. He took everything - the beauty of the park and the lessons being given.

My father would write in his journal some two months before his death that these weekly trips to the park forged his passion for the community park he loved, the park’s history, and the history of the Reading Railroad.  Most importantly, these trips to the park taught him about the importance of having conversations with anyone and everyone. Listen before you speak, my dad would say.

The true measure of a gift is what you gave up to give it. 

The boy – we don’t even know his name - whom Peter found in the crowd with five loaves of bread and two fishes, gave everything he had to help others - his lunch.  It tells us in the Bible that the loaves we made out of barley, telling us that he was poor.  He gave his meal in order for Jesus to perform a miracle to feed everyone.  And his act of kindness was recorded in all four gospels of the Bible for all to read.
 
Uncle Lucien never lived to see what my father became: a husband, a father, a storyteller, a historian and an administrator.  Lucien gave up his time to educate his nephew.  His simple act of kindness helped make the man we honor today. What a gift my great-great uncle Lucien gave my dad --- and us.

My dad used to tell me that small acts of kindness create ripple effects throughout the streets and towns of Lititz and points beyond.  These ripples can transcend one day, one year, 30 years and over generations.

When you make someone’s day, you don’t just make his or her day, because there is a good chance that they will make someone else’s day. 

Two boys – one who gave all that he had to feed others and one who gave all that he had so that people will remember the past – were separated by some 2,000 years, but their mark on history lives on.  A boy’s packed lunch was used to feed multitudes of people after hearing a man speak about God’s love.  A man’s uncle gave his time so that a little boy could learn about history and relationship building.  Those chats by the park bench spurred that boy to take an interest in history, which he wrote down for current and future generations to read.

Never underestimate the powerful act of kindness, one act of courage, one act of generosity, one conversation, one compliment or one divine appointment because you never know where it will lead. 

My dad taught me that you don’t have to know where those acts of kindness lead, just that it goes somewhere.  
The generations will come and go.  My father’s greatest legacy is that he worked hard to foster relationships so that the next generation will be better than his. 

How will you affect the next one?  Answer – by building on today to shape a better tomorrow. 

In other words, build on yesterday to make yourself, your family and your society better. That’s what my father did. 

“He was not an ordinary man.  He was distinct because of his devotion to God, his church and his community.  He left his footprints on the sands of time.  He gave of himself 100% to what he ever aspired.  His thoughtful influence will be greatly missed by his church and his community.  To be missed is to be valued.  His faith went to work.  His life encouraged others to become Christians.  He was on call and responded with a ready ‘here I am’.  He passed this way and left a blessing in the hearts of those who knew him.”
The preceding – I read this when I first started talking – was written by a pastor as a tribute to my grandfather when he died in 1987.  It also fits my dad, doesn’t it?

The love my grandpa Reedy had for others moved from his generation to my dad’s.  And I’m doing everything I can as a husband, father, brother, uncle and community leader to keep the love going.
My dad told one time that his best friend was his dad.  To me, a true friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.  I can confidently say that my father was a true friend to me.

So, what have we learned from my father’s life? It’s this: 

People matter. Relationships matter. Good conversations matter. True friendship matters. Kindness matters. And, use your God-given gifts to help others.  
 
That’s what my dad did.  He touched so many lives as evidenced by the outpouring of support that my family and I have experience since he died. 

My challenge to you today is to honor my dad by touching people’s lives in a positive manner as he did for 77 years.

And, take what you learned yesterday and build for a better tomorrow.  

Simply put, BUILD ON YESTERDAY.
 

1.  This is my favorite week in the world of sports: NCAA Men’s Basketball final; Opening Day in Baseball; and of course, the Masters: A Tradition Unlike Any Other.

2.  Cool animal facts 1 - A blue whale’s tongue is massive and can weigh as much as 8,000 lbs. 

3.  Nine Presidents were nominated in contested conventions:  William Henry Harrison (1840); James K Polk (1844); Franklin Pierce (1852); Abraham Lincoln (1860); Rutherford B Hayes (1876); James A Garfield (1880); Benjamin Harrison (1888); Woodrow Wilson (1912); and Warren G Harding (1920)

4.  For the 2016 season, every NFL team will play at least one Thursday night game.  And, each team in these Thursday night games will wear the “Color Rush” uniforms, such as all orange for the Bengals or al green for the Packers.

5.  The first internet domain name registered was symbolics.com – in 1985.  Where has the time gone?

6.  Cool animal facts 2 - All oysters are born male but most change their gender to female after about a year and can switch back at will. An oyster is therefore able to produce both eggs and sperms.

7. Congratulations to Allen Iverson on his election to the Basketball Hall of Fame – well deserved. His tattoos and cornrows may have been ahead of the curve, which alienated some old school fans; but, he always gave it his all when playing against taller players making him a true old school player.

8.  According to the Wall Street Journal’s forecasts, Apple will sell its billionth iPhone sometime this July.  In November 2014, Apple sold its one billionth iOS gadget (iPod, iPhone, iPad).

9.  Said Gutseriev and Khadija Uzhakhovs married in Moscow last weekend, which featured performances by Sting, Jennifer Lopez and Enrique Iglesias.  The total cost for the wedding?  $1 Billion.  The wedding dress cost $26,000 and of course any wedding wouldn’t be complete without a fireworks display.​

10. Cool animal facts 3 - Male gentoo penguins look for the smoothest, shiniest pebble to present to females of their choice. If the female accepts, she takes the pebble and places it in her nest, accepting the male as her mate.