What was my week like? It was a blur of sports broadcasts, unexpected animal encounters, and moments of reflection. Here are a few short stories from the past seven days.
The fall section sports schedule is in full swing, and it’s always an adventure.
The Raccoon Incident
Last Tuesday, Dick Newman and I were driving back from Lakeview after broadcasting the Eagles and Lakers section football playoff game. I was driving, so Dick—the ever-vigilant drivers ed instructor—warned me to be on the lookout for deer on the road. We were on Highway 40 just outside of Madison when it wasn’t a deer, but three large raccoons that darted out of the ditch. I hit all three of them head-on! When I finally got home, I saw my front bumper was tore up pretty bad. Stupid raccoons!

A Press Box Buffet!
Running late Saturday afternoon, I finally entered the press box at RB Clay Field in Dawson for the Blackjacks and Lakers football game. The room was already full of people, but what immediately caught my eye was something new: two tables full of food and snacks! This never happens during the regular season. I was pleasantly surprised and immediately was invited to dig in and help myself. It was a regular buffet—little weenies, meatballs, chips and salsa, cookies, candy, and more! I have a feeling Tony Aaefedt had a lot to do with that. Duane and I did plenty of snacking during the broadcast.

A State Trip & New Facilities

On Thursday, I was at the Madison Country Club for the Section 3A Cross Country meet. With over 100 runners for both the girls’ and boys’ races, there were lots of people watching. KLQP broadcasted the awards ceremony and did interviews afterward. A fun interview was with the winner of the girls’ race, Elsie Leopold, a 9th grader who ran the 3.1 miles in a personal best of 19 minutes and 9 seconds. The LQPV-DB girls placed second and are going to state! The girls were ecstatic when we had them on the radio. It was also great to catch up with my friend PJ from Wabasso, he does a great job covering Rabbit sports and Samantha, who writes for the Marshall Newspaper.

Canby’s New Digs:

Friday brought a treat when I finally got to see the new upgrades to the Canby High School. My broadcasting area is completely new, and I love it. I now have a dedicated table, a very comfortable chair, and—the best part—I get to take the elevator up to the press area. The close proximity of the restrooms is a bonus! I’m loving the new setup.

This past week also offered a few great personal moments.

A Mission Trip Memory
While in Canby, Mandy (Schmidt) sat next to me in the press area with one of her children. It was great to see her again. Mandy and I went on a mission trip to Mexico together a long time ago—I think it was back in 2011. She was a teenager then, and we went with about 30 other people. Today she is a mom of two. When I got home, I started looking at my old mission trip pictures and found one of Mandy and me handing out Bibles in a remote area of Hermosillo, Mexico. I’ve definitely gained a little weight since that pic!

Oops! A Late Anniversary Text

I have to confess to a minor parenting fail: I texted my daughter Brianna on Wednesday wishing her and her husband Seth a Happy Anniversary. She texted back: “Thanks dad, but it was yesterday!!” I laughed in embarrassment and texted back “oops, sorry.”

Hooked on a Book

Finally, I have to brag: I’m reading a book! Yes, me. I rarely read books, but this one has me completely hooked and obsessed. It’s called Looking for the One by Dave McIver, who preached at the community church service at the LQP County fair. It’s about being led by the Holy Spirit and ministering to people—specifically, to “look for the one” who needs help or needs to hear about Jesus. Each chapter is a story about Dave’s encounters, and it’s fantastic.

Those are some of the experiences that filled up my past week. Hope you enjoyed the stories!
What was the most exciting or surprising thing that happened in your world this week?