LovePrints Dr. John Butler Always present. Always adding to..

Love in action. Action in love. Love out loud.

Life is constantly adding to, giving to, and showing us what is for us.

There are people placed purposefully and specifically in our lives to add to. When God leans in your direction, jump in his hand and enjoy his grace.

I met Dr. John Butler many years ago while taping a Redskins Magazine Plus television show. John is the voice behind its theme song, and one day sat down on the set to add some of his amazing spirit to that week’s show. Tony McGee and Doc Walker smiled so fully that I knew something good was in store. I was stunned. How was this not in my life already? I knew the theme song, I just did not know who it came from, and where he came from. I was going to learn tonight!

Fast forward ten years later, and we were sill friends. We talked life, faith, and football. We talked families and communities and chances. I don’t know if you have ever been in the presence of true good. I always wanted to be better around him. I wanted to DO better around him.

When I was blessed enough with a life’s love who chose to spend the rest of her life with me, I thought of who to invite, and at the top of the list was John. I asked him if he would sing at the ceremony. I asked, and he said yes. He did what John does, he ADDED TO. He introduced me to Charles and Cynthia Williams, who added to. (Thank you!) These two amazing souls walked into our lives and added to. On our special day, they made everything perfect. PERFECT. The Nationals Park in Washington, DC let us use it as the place, and when the ceremony began, John sang. HE SANG! Charles led us through the ceremony and it was PERFECT!

Two years later, life had a gut punch in store for us. My mother passed away, and I was spinning. My head and spirit were cloudy. Enter Dr. Butler. He offered to show up at mom’s service. HE SHOWED UP! He gave a church of mourners his voice, his strength, his faith, and his word.

Life moved again, and took my family to Houston. Even in distance, John is present! He is constantly in motion for good, always a strong board of support, and a vacuum of good. This man of God is consistently in place and prepared with purpose.

This Man of God, New Orleans Saints fan, and friend has been there for me. I just wanted to thank him for his LovePrints on me and my life.

At my lowest, you picked me up. At my strongest, you shined the light. Every day, you love.

You action in love, and you action in love.

Thank you.

LovePrints- Coach Eric Larkins John Cooper School

Great people make great coaches. Great coaches make great people. Love in Action. Action in love.

A loveprint is the constant and consist covering of those around you in love. So much so, that nothing else can stick. Nothing else can exist. A vacuum so filled with love that nothing else can occupy it. Acts of kindness, purpose, and love.

I am a combination of many great coaches. Many great people. I have coaching brothers and sisters all over the country. All over the world. No matter where I moved, there was a magnet putting me in the company of great people. It happened when I moved to Texas. Again.

I left Virginia, and behind me was a great collection of people who were family to me. They cared, they mattered, and they had purpose. They loved. Leaving that place created a hole in the fabric. I have heard the phrase “Grow where you are planted”. I try to live with that in mind. God has never put me anywhere I could not grow, or anywhere that I would be alone.

When I got to Texas, I was coming off a coaching high, and wanted to stay active. I found a school with extremely impressive academics, some great coaches and leadership, and a spot for me to coach three sports. I jumped in immediately, and found some new family to work with and alongside.

I tear up just typing this. God continues to put amazing people in my path, for my journey. I seem to find these coaching brothers who understand the right why, the right how, and the right priority. It gave me great strength to know that I was among great people doing great things for great reasons.

There was another multiple sport coach who gave me light. He gave me strength. Someone to trust. Someone to walk with. He was smart, charismatic, strong, Godly, and he had a ridiculous lefty crossover. (the crossover is almost as strong as his faith. ALMOST). He coached with his heart, he was steady with his hand, and his smile made every player trust his word. His actions always matched his word. Vital.

At the end of basketball season, I started having trouble with my back. I leaned on Coach Larkins for support, strength, and he never wavered. At the end of the school year, I had major surgery on my spine. The surgery had complications that put me at risk and in the ICU. My health was under fire, and I was leaning on a strong faith that kept giving me answers. Things took a darker turn, and the hospital feared the worst. I was weakening and wavering as they added procedures that concerned me, and I was in trouble. I was calling out loudly for faith to strengthen me, and I got a visit from Eric at my lowest point. How did he know? He and his amazing wife Jan showed up at the ICU and held my hand, hugged my wife, and prayed with me, for me. I cried. I could not believe that the right persons with the right words and smiles showed up right on time. They gave me the strength to get through the procedures, get out of ICU, and get home. A year later, I am healing, getting strong, and never forgetting.

I do not know what I did to deserve the great people in my life. Eric and Jan and family are constant smiles in my heart. I try to say thank you enough, and they would say “no worries”, but I will try. One of the working orders of LovePrints is “loving and learning through sports”. Well, I am honoring that today.

At least today, you will know how thankful and appreciative of you, your wife, and your faith. I appreciate who you are, what you do, and why. God brought you into my life, sports was the vehicle, and my heart is forever indebted. Thank you for your prayers, your words, and your work.

The young people in your path are blessed indeed. So are the adults. Sometimes the streets are your pulpits. And sometimes, it’s a hospital bed in ICU. Thank you.

Great coaches make great people. Great people make great coaches.

Love in action. Action in love.

LovePrints in Action. Arkansas Razorbacks Football and Superfan

Loving and Learning through sports. I have often said that sports can bridge most things if used properly. If athletes use their goodness to make others better, it should be the definition of winning. To cover the next person we see in so much love that nothing else can stick. To leave them so covered in love that they have more to share with the next person they meet, and then the next, and so on. I use the words love in action. Action in love. Love out loud. Fandom is love. Cheering is love. Hugging is love. Smiles are love.

Watch this video all the way through. Look what we can do for each other. Look at what love can do.

LovePrints- A thank you to heroes

Love in action. Action in love. Love out loud.

The idea of LovePrints is simply covering the world in love. Covering those in your path in so much love that nothing else can stick. Covering others in so much love that they have to take their love and your love, and cover others in it. One act at a time. Repeated.

A perfect example of this is todays heroes. The Woodlands Central Firemen. Chief Alan Benson, Lt. Jason Hansberger, Firefighters and Paramedics Adrian Dinges, Tyler Knutson, and Richard Reeg, Pat Bradley, and their team of partners in service are shining examples of heroes. They rally for the local residents in need, and in my case, saved my life.

A year ago, I had spinal fusion surgery. The day after I was released from the hospital, I was using my walker to move around as instructed by the doctors when I realized that something was wrong. I sat on the edge of my bed, and while I put on a sleeping mask, my wife called 911.

They arrived at our new neighborhood in minutes, calming me, my wife, and quickly got me together and on the way to the hospital. Quickly. Calmly. Together. They talked me through it, assuring me, and putting me at complete ease. Before I knew it, that had me on the wagon and in the doctors and nurses hands for help and diagnosis.

A few months later, I made a point to track them down. I was told that due to privacy rules, they are often in the dark about how the people they rescue turn out. Having blood clots and a saddle embolism put me on the extreme end of probable outcomes. Because they did everything they could, I am still here. I made a point to track them down. I showed up at the firehouse after trying three other firehouses, and I had found the right place. The right heroes. I took them some treats wrapped in hugs. I promised to return.

Today, I returned. I brought them enough food for three days. Steak, chicken, burgers, potatoes, corn, and fruits. I even had some brownies thrown in just in case. If I gave them more, it would not be enough. They gathered around and let me talk. I thanked them. If I thanked them a thousand times, it would not be enough. I tried.

I gave each of them a LovePrints bracelet for themselves. I gave each of them a second one for anyone that they cared about, or someone they crossed paths with who was having a tougher day than they were. Pictures, handshakes, and hugs later, I left them. I took a moment to gather myself as tears rolled down my cheek. I looked back, and then up, and said several more thanks.

The next time you get a moment, say thank you to those people who give of themselves for us all. Those first responders, live savers, caretakers, rescuers, and heroes. Those who make tough situations better. Those who answer when you call to do just what you need for things to be better.

Do not wait. You know what to do. They deserve it. You deserve it. You both will feel better once you do.

Go

Love.

Charlottesville is love. And, loved.

Great people make great towns. Great towns make great people. Love in action. Action in love.

Love. Out. Loud.

Charlottesville, Virginia. Have you been there? It is quite beautiful. Elegant. Epic. It is home to some amazing people. It is home to some amazing scholars. It is home to some amazing athletes. It is an amazing town.

Charlottesville is now a hashtag. Not for the million reasons the people of Charlottesville would choose. Or even have nightmares about. It is home to the University of Virginia. Picturesque, a home to scholars and thinkers, writers and readers, creators and innovators, entrepreneurs and corporate leaders, Presidents and Generals. It is awe inspiring from inside and out.

Charlottesville is now a hashtag. For reasons hard to fathom, almost as hard to accept, and unbelievably painful. It is now the talking point for extremes, the pathway for horrible decisions, and a reminder of what was, what is, and what simply can not be.

Charlottesville is lovely. It is loving. It is powerful. It is brilliant. It is all of ours.

Charlottesville is bruised. It is in pain. It is standing in the mirror evaluating its good. And bad.

Charlottesville will now take that look and make a decision. Who is it?

Is it this? Or that? Is it going to reclaim its own name? Is it going to say who it is loudly? Will it go silent?

My thought is that Charlottesville will stand, straighten its back, stick its chest out, and hold its head high.

My thought is that Charlottesville will proudly proclaim that it is what we who know Charlottesville already know.

Charlottesville is love. And, loved.

Charlottesville is be love in action. Charlottesville will action in love.

Charlottesville will love out loud.

That is who Charlottesville is.

Love, and loved.

We are Charlottesville.