Bube's Afternoon

 

Bube's Afternoon

What we do is always noticed by others. This is from January 23, 2014.
We played our last game of the season this afternoon and we won 38-30. It was a tough day for me- my last time coaching my five eighth graders in a game, even though we will still practice during first period until the end of the school year. I'm going to miss my eighth graders. Natalia, Elizabeth, and Sarena were new to us this year. Madison completed her second tour of duty with me and it was Jenna's third. We started all five of the eighth graders even though only two of them normally are on the court at the tip. I was surprised that we came out flat but that's girls for you. We had an emotional pre-game talk in which both myself and our Head of School, Greg Glenn, told all twelve of the players how proud we are of them and for them. At half time, we honored the 8th graders with a ceremony and since one of the girl's folks had been held up, I was the stand in escort. I've never been a dad before. Do I have to pay for her wedding in ten years???

A strange thing happened midway through the second half- the game came to a complete stand-still. One of our kids- I forget who- took a shot from the right side and it wedged between the rim and the backboard. The rule states that under those circumstances, a jump ball is called and the alternate arrow is in effect to determine possession. That was simple enough but there was another issue. How do we get the ball down? Neither of the referees were physically capable and none of the dads appeared to have any ups in their legs. I was dressed up and not stretched so that's my excuse. The normal protocol would be to throw another basketball to dislodge it but at half time, we lock all the basketballs up in the locker room. To send someone to retrieve another basketball might have taken two minutes and the game needed to continue. That's when I saw Bube. Bube Mokolo is a senior in our boys' basketball program. He was in the bleachers at the far end of the gym. I called to him and he ran to the other end, launched his 6'4" frame off the floor, and knocked the ball loose, earning himself a nice round of applause from fans of both teams. The game resumed and like I mentioned, we won and our season is history.

Bube's moment, it was a simple thing. He didn't come to our game expecting anything memorable to happen- he just likes basketball. And when he was called upon, he delivered. That's the way life works, isn't it? We never know when we'll be needed by a friend or a coach or a stranger. I think it's our Christian duty to be on call for the world, to do small necessary tasks within our capabilities and time constraints. Availability is not listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit but it makes a nice companion to the list. Helpful people are at a premium in a world of breakneck living and increased isolation. So, always have your kicks ready to save a basketball in distress. Oh, and Bube wasn't finished for the evening. After all the players and parents and officials had gone home to beat the incoming storm, I watched Bube assist our Athletic Director, Morris Gurnell, move the bleachers which are only partly mechanical back to their resting place against the wall. Then he rolled up the carpet that serves as a walkway in front of those bleachers. I'd say he had a very serviceable day. This would be a better world if more of us opened our eyes and simply followed Bube's example. It's breathtakingly simple.

Applicable quote of the day:
"Leadership is about being a servant first."
Allen West

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Honest Truth

 

The Honest Truth

                                                                           

I learn a great deal from my international students! This is from January 21, 2014. 
Nichole was flushed coming into class today. She has PE right before her 7th period Bible 1 class and Coach Ott is making them work! She turned in the card she started in class on Friday for Josh Hernandez' grandmother whose husband passed on Christmas Day. Nichole's card was beautiful and elegant and thoughtful. When I asked her how long it took to make the card, Nichole told me three days but  I think she probably meant parts of three days. You see, Nichole is from China and like many international students, the nuances of English are problematic. I have no problem with the nuances of Mandarin- my vocabulary consists of US, hello, thank you, a little, and watermelon. (We ate watermelon frequently in the orphanage where I stayed for a month in rural Hunan Province!) Nicole is an absolutely wonderful young lady, the kind of youngster who makes teaching a joy and not just a paycheck!

I have two students who keep me hopping in my seventh period class which is predominantly international teenagers from Asia with the occasional student from Ecuador and Tanzania thrown in for good measure. One is Nichole and the other is Leo, who is also from China. They constantly ask for definitions during quizzes and I am happy to oblige. I particularly enjoy Nichole's,  "Excuse me, please??" always prefaced with a huge smile when she needs clarification on a term on her quiz. She is so dedicated to her schoolwork and wants it to be perfect. I don't think I'm breaking any confidentiality laws by revealing her grade went up seven points from the first nine weeks to the second and she has maintained that high A average through the first ten grades of this new third nine weeks.

Today, our quiz covered John 4:1-26, one of Jesus' famous encounters, the one with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well in the village of Sychar. Question 1 read as follows:
14. Jesus tells her that God wants people to worship Him in ____________ and ______________.
With my background of having a church of Christ preacher for a dad, I could have answered that correctly by age four. The right answers are, of course, spirit and truth. After we had finished grading the quizzes, Nichole approached me with a smile on her face and "Excuse me, please??" She had her sheet of the side by side translations of the verses in English and Mandarin and explained that she used the word honest instead of the word truth  because that's how she interpreted it in her native language. Now, I'm flexible but I really am picky with quizzes because that's the best way to insure the students read the Word closely. I told her I would look at it and I did and her wrong answer just became correct. Do you see that symbol at the top of the page? That's the traditional Chinese symbol for honesty but I only know that because Google tells me so. I know one might be able to make a case that something can be true and not be honest and vice versa but that's not the point. Don't we use honest truth as an example of redundancy? Here's another lesson I heard from Dad; the Bereans were noble in Acts 17:11 because they searched the Scriptures daily. That's what Nichole and many of her classmates are doing daily- searching the Scriptures. That's pretty noble to me. And in case you are wondering, the online Merriam-Webster explains noble as having, showing, or coming from personal qualities that people admire (such as honesty, generosity, courage, etc.) I like that word in red there towards the end- sounds like the definition of someone I know.

Applicable quote of the day:
"It is discouraging how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit."
Noel Coward 

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Recidivists In Our Midst

 

The Recidivists In Our Midst

Sometimes, we use big words in my classes! This entry, from January 19, 2014, is about one of them!
I'm going to spend a good deal of time tomorrow during our MLK Holiday break grading tests from my five sections. On Friday, we took the first test of the second semester. The final question of the exam was this:
Define: recidivism __________________________
The answer I expected was to be a repeat offender. I referenced Larry Frank, the prison minster for my congregation and how he works with the incarcerated. (Larry's daughter, the awesome Maggie, is in my sixth period class and I am confident she made an A+ on the test!) I explain that recidivism is a term most often used in regards to inmates returning to prison after they have been paroled. Who would want to go back to the loss of freedom and often dangerous conditions? And yet so many do. We talk about our personal struggle with sin. I ask how many have sinned, prayed for forgiveness, vowing never to do it again.........and then we do it again. Most raise their hands and perhaps we all should. Sin, at least certain sins, seem to almost have an addictive nature to us, even though we try to resist and we know we will be hurt in the long run. The ancients had the same fight. In Romans 7:15, Paul wrote,
" I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."
My students would all say AMEN even though I am sure many have never read Romans. But fortunately, Paul does not stop there, at the intersection of despair and hopelessness. Look at what he pens ten verses later!
 ^"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?  Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
We can escape the prison of guilt and shame through the blessing of the Savior who arranged for my pardon through the ultimate sacrifice. We can be set free! Tear down the bars.

Applicable quote of the day:
"The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible."
Dwight L. Moody

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Truman Doctrine

 

The Truman Doctrine

This blog, from January 20, 2014, is about one of the best movies I've ever seen.
A number of years ago, I made a promise to myself that I would never watch another Jim Carrey movie. What I saw in Ace Ventura was enough to make me realize his brand of humor was not funny in my book. (I also made the same promise not to watch anything by Martin Lawrence for the same reason.) And yet, I broke the oath I took to myself a number of years ago and watched The Truman Show, starring none other than Jim Carrey. Here's a rundown if you've never watched this 1998 film. Carrey brilliantly plays Truman Burbank whose life is a reality television show and everyone on earth knows it except Truman. All the people in his life are actors and every move is scripted. Shot in a dome, the 24 hour per day show has no ads and makes money only though product placement. At age thirty, though, Truman becomes suspicious of his life and tries to escape, leading to a confrontation with the producer/director, a man named Christof who is played by Ed Harris. Honestly, I had forgotten much of the movie in the close to fifteen years since I rented it and had to do a Cliff Notes-like search online as a refresher.  Last week, as I do on a daily basis, I searched for a film clip to begin class and I wanted one about making choices. I found this clip from The Truman Show on wingclips.com, a fantastic website with a myriad of short clips which provoke thought on a number of  Christian based themes. If you wouldn't mind, click on the link below (or copy and paste if need be) and watch what my students watched last week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZMZYrdXtP0&list=PL86FC5F0AD263028C&index=9

We talked about living in a world where you are protected and safe but is that really living? We referenced The Wizard Of OZ, a common view of many of the nature of God, an old man who pulls strings behind the clouds and thunder. Contrast Truman's world with the world we know, the one where we find heartache and disaster but also joy and fulfillment and most of all, freedom. Christof believed Truman could not leave because of fear, the same obstacle many of us face in our daily lives. Christof was wrong, I take it, because he underestimated the human spirit and he underestimated Truman. Our God created His children for worship and greatness but along with the free will He placed in our hearts comes the capacity to fail... and the capacity to get back on our feet. In that regard, our lives are really reality, and we can't be afraid to walk through the open doors He has placed in front of us.

Applicable quote of the day:
“Because to take away a man's freedom of choice, even his freedom to make the wrong choice, is to manipulate him as though he were a puppet and not a person.”
Madeleine L'Engle

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Being There

 

Being There

Taraka is all grown up now! But a few years ago, she played basketball for me in middle school!  Here is a story I wrote about her on September 23, 2007.

Every evening when I call my father in the nursing home, I tell him what happened during the day for me. Five times per week, this means reporting on life at school. Friday night, I told him about one of the girls on my basketball team and he informed me that she deserves for me to write about her. Knowing the Biblical references to Honor your father and mother, I am compelled to obey Dad. This is the story.

Early in the school year, my basketball team works primarily on skill and fundamental development, including a heavy dose of footwork. On Fridays, however, we play. On Fridays, I divide the kids up and we have a simulated game called Continuous Four On Four. It is played full court and if your team scores, you come back the other direction against a fresh defensive team. If you get a steal or rebound on defense, you come the other way as the new offensive team. The girls really like it because drills become boring and this game is very competitive. On the way to school Friday, I was mentally making up teams. I had to factor in one less girl because Taraka, one of my eighth graders, was undergoing an appendectomy that day. As I came down at 7:35 AM to prepare for first period workout which starts at 7:40, I wondered who who do Taraka's job of getting out the Hula Hoop when we stack it up. (See Hula Hoop Rules, 6-20-09.) As the girls huddled to pray, I looked up....and there stood Taraka! I was startled, asking if she wasn't still scheduled for surgery. This was Taraka's reply:
"I am but it isn't until three o'clock."
Take into account that Friday was an abbreviated day due to it being the end of the six weeks and that classes were only thirty minutes in duration instead of forty-six. Take into account that everyone expected Taraka to stay at home and focus on the surgery. Take into account whatever you will but when school started, Taraka was present and she completed the day as if it were any other. Some might argue that appendectomies are routine but I believe no surgery is routine, especially when it involves a child and especially when it involves you. I had hernia surgery more than a decade ago and I guarantee I didn't think it was routine when they put the IV drip in my arm to knock me out. Taraka appeared to be very calm throughout the day. She was prayed for, believe me.This is what I take out of the situation:
1. Taraka thinks school is important.
2. Taraka's parents think school is important.
Taraka is a terrific student, one of the best in my Bible classes. Last week, she was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. I don't have her younger brother, Terrell, in class but based on teacher comments, he is following in big sister's footsteps. In Deuteronomy 6, Moses was instructing the Israelites in the manner in which they should pass on the importance of the commandments:
"Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
Let me paraphrase Moses: model the behavior the Lord wants in front of your kids. We imitate what is constantly before our eyes. Obviously, Taraka's folks think it's important for her to be in school if at all possible. Since Westbury Christian is a private school, Taraka's mother and father pay us to teach their youngsters. We don't give refunds when a child is absent. They want their money's worth. On Friday, there was no doubt they got it.

Applicable quote of the day:
"America's future will be determined by the home and the school. The child becomes largely what he is taught; hence, we must watch what we teach and how we live."
Jane Addams

PS: Please pray for Taraka to have a quick recovery!

God bless,
Steve/ Taraka's teacher and coach
Luke 18:1

All That Glitters.....

 

All That Glitters.....

Beware of glitter! This is from February 5, 2018!
On my holiday trip to Kansas to spend Christmas and New Years with family, I packed enough clothes for almost two weeks. I probably could have made it for the duration of my vacation but there is always the matter of how many consecutive days you can wear a pair of jeans. Since I only own three pairs of Levis, I thought it wise to do laundry the day I relocated from Dave and Sally's house to Scott and Karen's home. Sally was gracious and helped show me how- it's one of the more complicated machines I've used and I'e used plenty in my coaching career! But when I pulled my clothes out of the dryer, I found a problem. When I turned a long sleeve, black tennis t-shirt, a gift from Dave a few years back, right side out, it was covered with glitter! Stuck to the stomach area was a small green Christmas tree that was the source of the glitter. How it got there I have no idea but these things happen in a house where a bunch of children have been celebrating the season! At least, it was inside the shirt and none found a dwelling on the other garments. The damage was confined!

My mother was big on warning me about the others my age I would be hanging around. You know, the bad company, good morals sermon. Stuff sticks to you and you are influenced maybe without the realization and probably without the intention to be altered. You smell like smoke when you are around smokers. You pick up phrases from your circle of friends. It doesn't take much exposure- read Jesus' teachings on yeast. The source of the glitter was tiny- and I thought it was interesting that it was evenly distributed on my shirt. My great nieces would have loved the accidental design but I washed it before I wore it again. Glitter is for little girls.

Don't get me wrong- I'm not anti-glitter. I really liked the glitter pens some of  my female students wrote with several years ago; it was easy to read! Last Friday morning, as we began our eighth grade voluntary Bible review for our latest test, Jill walked in with glitter in her hair. Then I saw Alex had some sparkles as did Kennedy. I asked the source- they all said it came from Erin! (Erin, along with Jill, is painting our latest ceiling tiles. Jill will paint Jesus and Peter walking on water and Erin, the glitter queen, is portraying Jesus raising  the daughter of Jairus from the dead.) For some reason, Erin thought Friday would be a terrific day to brighten up herself and her classmates so she did. It was harmless and fun for them. They were happier which made me happier. Thank goodness, we aren't all the same. I want no part of that sparkly stuff but I can still rejoice with those that do. It's a gender thing, I think, but also an age thing if you check the quote posted below. It's the first week in February but today, I received an end of the year report/picture/holiday card from one of my favorite families. I knew to be careful opening it because the good sister always fills her mail with sparkly confetti. It made me smile because this family spreads the aroma of Christ wherever they go. Goodness spreads but then again, so does bad. Love spreads but so does hate. Happiness is shared but so is the flu. I don't want glitter sticking to me but I do want love and goodness and happiness. Glitter reflects the light; what do I reflect? I pray it's the glory of the risen savior. That won't wash out in the laundry.
 
Applicable quote of the day:
I think once you're past 30, you shouldn't wear a lot of glitter.
Chloe Sevigny

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Truth According To JVG

 

The Truth According To JVG

I could listen to this guy all day! This is from February 4, 2018.

I did something last night I haven't done all year- I watched an NBA game. The hometown Houston Rockets are having an incredible season and they were playing in prime time versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, the squad anchored by the incomparable Lebron James. To my delight, ABC had their best announcers working the contest; Mike Breen, former NB.A All Star Mark Jackson, and my favorite ex-coach, Jeff Van Gundy. In the past, I would frequently hear Van Gundy on the radio in Houston when he coached the Rockets for a number of years. To say he is entertaining is an understatement but I find him entertaining and at times profound, not a usual combination. If there was any commentator I would pay to listen to, it would be JVG as he is commonly referred to. There is no nearby second. (Well, I do get a kick out of Charles Barkley.)

Last night's game wasn't close. At one time, the Rockets, playing on the Cavalier's floor, held a thirty-seven point lead on the defending Eastern Conference champions. All three announcers, plus halftime analysts Chauncey Billups and Jalen Rose, lamented the Cavs' lack of effort and intensity, especially on the defensive end. It was mentioned that the Cleveland team had recently held several player meetings, reportedly with much finger pointing, to address the issues confronting the Cavaliers and their woes. But it seems to the outside world to have produced no tangible results yet. It was here that Jeff Van Gundy made a statement that summed up the Cavalier's losing situation perfectly:
"The only truth is action."
If I could write every day this year and come up with one sentence mildly comparable to his, I would be happy. I guess I just picked the right night to listen!

While I love the simplistic brilliance of JVG's statement, I know its accuracy extends far beyond the universe of  the NBA and nationally televised games. If you teach, you know how easy it is for students to pledge to a new and more profitable approach to their studies which leads to better grades and higher class rank and hopefully, college admittance with scholarship funds attached. I'm convinced most are sincere in their vows......... but it's so hard to do. Athletes, like the Cavaliers, swear they are on the same page and will turn the corner but I can tell you as a coach that is one hard corner to navigate. Pages and corners often come in multiples with groups.

A common theme in the scripture is the disgrace of having our righteous words not match our deeds. In Matthew 15:8. Jesus quotes Isaiah 29 where the prophet quotes the Lord, saying, "'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.''' Jesus taught that His family members are those who, "hear God's word AND put it into practice." When teaching the crowds as well as His disciples, Jesus warns them to obey the teaching of the Pharisee but not to do what they do. I'm not sure if they quoted the actions speak louder than words proverb back in ancient Jerusalem but it certainly applied to so many spiritual teachings. Most of the hypocrisy the Savior referenced seems intentional. I like to think my hypocrisy is of the less intentional nature but it doesn't matter. Resolutions and promises are just empty words without the action to make them a reality. JVG is right- truth is proved by the actions which match the vows taken. Maybe the Cavaliers will turn it around; you can't count out a team with King James! Still, the value of an NBA title can't compare with a heavenly crown, the crown that can be ours without the ability to consistently hit a jump shot. But we'll never receive that eternal reward if our lives contradict our public pronouncements. And the world will know.

Applicable quote of the day:

Players with high character get better. Players with a serious approach get better. The fools never get better.
Jeff Van Gundy

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1