too cold to play? I don't think so

Last Saturday was a chilly one, but we made the most of it.

My buddy Ed called to see if I could round up some young guys to play a little roller hockey--outside! It was about 25 degrees, with ice on the ground. I asked Levi if he'd be interested, and he jumped at the chance. He made a few phone calls, and in no time at all we had 5 of his classmates in the mix. We scrounged around the garage to find skates and sticks for everyone (yes, I have too much gear) and hit the road. Ed met us at the PSU outdoor roller hockey rink with 3 other young guys, and it was game time. 6 v 5, no goalie, the goals on their faces to make it a little tougher to score.

We scrapped the idea of skating when we realized that the ice on the surface would make things a little too difficult for skating. But, man, did we have fun. Once we got started, nobody noticed the cold, and most of us ended up shedding the outer layer of jackets as we got heated up.

Ed is a good hockey player. He plays in the NHL--the Nittany Hockey League. He skates circles around most of us, and handles the puck well. But even more important, Ed makes his team better by getting all the guys involved, even the ones who aren't so skilled. His voice is always heard above the others, shouting encouragement, congratulating the kid who made the pass, cheering every good shot, even those by the other team.

I'm fortunate to call him my friend. He's a leader, an encourager, and a great model of a man who is investing his life well as a follower of Jesus. Good stuff...