We are almost six months into the development of Indiana Caverns now. We have faced numerous difficulties including, but not limited to, heat, untimely rain, late deliveries from vendors, sickness, injuries and bureaucratic red tape. Sometimes the frequency and/or magnitude of these problems can effect the psyche to the point that one could seriously consider just pulling up the covers and staying in bed. Thoughts like that have crossed my mind on more than one occasion since May 31st.

With that in mind, I would like to share three great learning opportunities I have been exposed to since Friday evening:

First of all, Friday night I was invited to go see the movie Lincoln. My dad was a Civil War buff, so as a teenager I had read several dozen books about the battles and a couple of books about Lincoln. While I left the theater feeling the director’s representation of Lincoln’s focus during the last four months of the war may have been a little over the top, the movie provided an excellent visual window into the personal pain, melancholy and stress under which Lincoln lived and led. In spite of adversity everywhere he turned, Lincoln overcame, succeeded, saved the country and now belongs to the Ages.

Then on Saturday night my long suffering Vanderbilt Commodore football team exorized one of its demons by beating the “hated Big Orange” soundly on their home field for the first time in 30 years. If you ever want to know the definition of futility, read up on Vanderbilt football as a small private school playing in America’s strongest football conference. Many often wondered why Vandy didn’t drop football or at least get out of the SEC.

Enter James Franklin, the new Vandy football coach, hired in December 2010. James had never been a head coach and took over a team that had gone 4-20 with no wins over an SEC opponent in the previous two years. The Vandy fans were very disappointed with the hire – hoping for a more experienced new head man. This didn’t seem to phase Franklin though. He came in extuding confidence and believing Vandy could not only survive, but thrive in the SEC. This man seemed to believe nothing is impossible and began backing up his words with actions.

Vandy has a small student body and after decades of futility the students were notorious for not supporting football. However in less than two years, Franklin already has Vandy is on the doorstep of overtaking the Tennessee Volunteers in the hearts and minds of many in Nashville, the state capital. Last Thursday found him in the student union asking students to stay on campus an extra day before heading home for the Thanksgiving break to support their Commodores. Some students told him they would like to stay, but they already had their airline tickets (Vandy has a nation-wide student base). He then would ask them if they would call their parents and let him personally speak to them to see if theywould let the student exchange their plane ticket to stay for the game. How many college footbal coaches do you know that would do that? Talk about heart, tenacity and pulling out all the stops.

It worked! After Saturday night, there are a lot more believers. The atmosphere in the Vandy stadium was electric and Franklin’s Dores delivered for their fifth straight win. The fans came early and stayed late. They didn’t want to leave – knowing that something special was taking place and they were part of it. In less than two years, Franklin appears on the verge of the impossible. The Commodores are now 7-4 and going to a bowl for the second year in a row for the first time in school history! Can you imagine the life lessons the seniors on his team have learned the past two years after the futility of their Freshman and Sophomore years? Even the long-suffering Vandy fans are learning that nothing is impossible to those who believe and back it up with action.

Finally, this morning’s sermon at my church, Northside Christian, I hit the trifecta. Tom Franklin, one of the pastors, spoke on suffering. Tom is a recent cancer survivor and his sermon was the best I have ever heard on explaining the hard question of “why”. Then he went on with real life illustrations of how to respond when adversity hits home. The sermon was replete with examples of people who finished well in spite of the very difficult circumstances. If you know someone who is dealing with a major adversity and asking why, you might consider directing them to Northside’s website later this week to watch Tom’s powerful explanation(It takes a few days for the video to be posted).

So you see, it has been a great weekend! Three inspiring and challenging learning opportunities in three totally different venues. Who would have expected it? However tomorrow begins a new work week and I get an opportunity to put to use what I have learned. So do you.