When It's Fourth and Long

Tomorrow Mom, Molly, her friend, and I are going to the Amish quilt auction. I go on and on about it twice a year, so I won't do that again today. I'm really looking forward to it as usual. Molly's excited to share the experience with her friend. It's supposed to be a beautiful day, hopefully not too cold this year.

When It's Fourth and Long by Josh Bidwell is the autobiography of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers punter and former member of the Green Bay Packers. Bidwell was struck down by testicular cancer when he was 23 and had just signed on with the Packers. He kicked the cancer and it strengthened his faith in God and his love for then girlfriend now wife Bethany. The child of a divorce, Bidwell has lived through some rough times in his life, and he's very honest about his mother's battles with addiction and his own struggle with anger. His pride in his wife and two sons brings a smile to my face. He tells a few good tales about playing with the Packers, but really focuses on his deep friendship with Ryan Longwell. His story is inspiring and very moving; his writing isn't poetic, but he's the type of guy you would want your daughter to bring home. This would be an excellent book for someone who loves sports but normally wouldn't read a book about faith and God. It's nice to read about an athlete who recognizes the impact his celebrity can have and wants to do good with it.

Congratulations to Sherry Scimemi! She won a copy of Mark Batterson's Wild Goose Chase. I'll have another contest in two weeks. Have a great weekend!