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

Coach Jesus

 

Coach Jesus

 

Coaches are getting fired right and left! This is from  February 4, 2022.

I try to get my students to flesh out how they perceive Jesus as a person based on what they see in our readings or what they believe about what they have heard concerning the Messiah. I try to make Jesus, who was a carpenter, real as it relates to their society. This week, as I do most years, I had my classes answer this question: 
What kind of coach would Jesus be?
Here are some responses. All are used by permission and I allowed the students, if they chose, to pick a specific sport. Tonight, all the thoughts are from 8th and 11th graders, with girls in pink and boys in blue. We will post more of these for several days! I do think it is fascinating how some of the kids consider what believers see as attributes in Jesus to be liabilities as a coach!

I think Jesus would be a good athletic coach. He would know the right thing to do every time, whether it's basketball, baseball, soccer, football, tennis, or volleyball. His coaching style would be very good, because if someone ever made a mistake, I bet he wouldn’t even get mad at them for messing up. In fact, Jesus would most likely encourage us to face the challenges. He wouldn’t yell, he wouldn’t doubt his team, and he definitely would not kick people off his team. His organization would be perfectly clean. He would always cheer for his team. He wouldn’t back away from a challenge. And, obviously, he would be spectacular at supporting other families to have their kids join his team if they wish. In basketball, he would be teaching us the right calls, the right moves, and not to argue with the referees. If his team wins, Jesus would be a good sport instead of bragging about how his team won. If he loses, he would not be angry or curse, or even yell at the referees. The idea of Jesus being a coach sounds perfect. He would be one of the greatest coaches in the world, and the most inspirational. Arie  8

I think Jesus would be the perfect coach because he would tend to his players' needs carefully. If a player doesn’t handle being yelled at well, he would try to use gentle coaching. When he doesn't raise his voice, he tries to put the advice in a passive-aggressive way to where  the player's feelings aren't hurt. I think sometimes he would yell but only for a good cause. He would coach the players so that they could become better at basketball or any other sport. He would make sure the players took their time in each drill but put in a good amount of effort. When it comes to winning or losing, Jesus wouldn’t care about the outcome because he can always teach his players a lesson from it. He would say it's not about winning, it's about fun and the lessons you learn from it. He would say that the games are an opportunity to get better at their craft, to perfect and nurture it. And when the players feel bad about losing the game, he would say that it gives them experience. Kristen 8

In my opinion I believe that Jesus would not be a good coach, especially not for football. He would not be a good football coach because he wouldn't let anyone be rough like most coaches do. He would probably only throw the ball so that the runner wouldn't get hurt as much. Every time he calls a timeout, he would start talking about parables and not actual game plans. Jesus would definitely not care about who is the best player or who is the worst because in his eyes the least is greatest and the greatest shall be the least. If the other team was losing and felt bad, he would make sure that we let them hit us or win the game. If a player was acting up, he would not yell at him but instead just threaten to turn his shoelaces to snakes. He would have a hour long prayer session before and after the game and before and after practices. Although he would not be a good head coach, I believe that he would be a good assistant coach. He would have great pep talks but he would not be good at calling the actual plays. Jordan 8

If Jesus coached basketball, I think he would be a good coach. He wouldn't care about winning or losing, just that we tried our best. Jesus would want us to make decisions on our own, so sometimes he would, "sit and observe." If we needed to learn something, he would teach us in stories, like Coach Hawley does. They would be related to the topic, and hopefully the players will understand. He would also ask questions in order for us to answer our questions. If players were mean to him and talk back, they will feel the wrath of their God. Just kidding. He will show mercy and keep his cool. He will be an example, to show people how to really act. If people get angry in practice, he will comfort them and help them feel better. Coach Jesus will care about the other team, and he will show mercy to them and tell players not to try too hard to demolish them. Jesus will want the best for his players, and would want what's right for anyone around him. He will remove people if he has to, and will add people if he wants to. Laila 8

I think Jesus would be a good coach because he wouldn’t be afraid to tell kids the truth. This is important because, if kids never learn the truth, they will never improve. I think that Jesus would take every chance he could to teach a lesson, whether it be from a mistake, or an improvement. He would always find a way to teach his players, and make them better. I think Jesus would value all players equally, and he would see them all as his star pupils. I also believe that he wouldn’t care if he won or lost. For example, if Jesus’ team lost to St. Thomas Episcopal, he would find a way to make it into a lesson. His coaching style would be perfect! He would teach his team how to be sportsmanlike, and how to be respectful on the court. He would put everyone in a position where they can succeed. So if one player is better than another, he will put them in a place where they are more likely to excel. That's why I think Jesus would be the PERFECT coach! Evelyn 8

To me Jesus would be a good coach. Not only would he be fair and treat everyone like they were his children, he would also do everything in his power to make sure that his team treated everyone with respect and there was no hate towards others. The biggest factor that makes me lean towards Jesus being a great coach is the fact that I think that he would make sure that each of players left better than when they first came. Coach Guidry tells us that it's cool if we win games and blow  teams out but if we do not become better men or  learn how to be good people, he has failed his job as a coach. I feel like that would be one of Jesus' best traits as coach. He would want his team to be successful but he would make sure that they would become great people. No matter how much a team wins, that doesn't change the fact the everybody on the team can still be rude and disrespectful. Jeremiah 11

I believe that if Jesus were a coach for soccer, He wouldn't be a good coach. It takes a certain type of person to coach a soccer team; one who has the fierceness to win like that of the players and one who isn't afraid to yell. To give Him credit, Jesus would remind us to treat our neighbor like ourselves, and He would remind us to have good sportsmanship which is good, but He wouldn't have the competitiveness to want to win. He would most likely speak in parables, so many probably wouldn't understand him, and He wouldn't tell anyone no who wanted to play, even if they weren't good. I also feel like He would show favoritism among the players like how He only picked 12 apostles. That would definitely upset the balance of the team and the people who aren't among the favorites wouldn't try as hard. He would be an amazing life coach, though! He'd always remind us to have a relationship with God and be kind, but in sports, you can't just be kind. You have to know when to be mean and I feel like He wouldn't be capable of doing that. Trina 11

I think that Jesus would be a good coach but not specifically the head coach. I believe that he would be a good assistant coach. If Jesus was the head coach, I think he would push everyone the same way. He would let everybody play the same time. I don't think that he would yell if somebody made a mistake, I believe he would talk to everybody in a calm manner. I think Jesus would be understanding but I'm not sure how much patience he would have when he is a coach. During halftime when the team goes to the locker room would Jesus tell the team what they could do better the second half or would he relate the game back to when he was younger and how he grew up? I don't think the team would get anything from Jesus becoming the head coach. Would Jesus talk to other coach if something was happening or if he was saying something to one of our players? There are many different circumstances that would be different if Jesus became our coach. How much would we get done during practice? How hard will he push his players in order for the team to succeed? I do think that if Jesus became a coach, he wouldn't even think about the winning or losing aspect; he would want all of his players to try their best and I feel that he would give all his players the same amount of playing time. If Jesus was the assistant coach, I think he would get to work with each player and know what each player needs to work on. Hannah 11

Applicable quote of the day:
You and I are players, God's our coach, and we're playing the biggest game of all. We have a loving God that made us. We need to get on His team. It says in His word, there's only one way to Him and that's through Jesus Christ.
Joe Gibbs

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Cups And Consequences

 

Cups And Consequences

I admire those with the dexterity to do the cup game! This is from January 18, 2014.
Three days and sometimes four days a week, I lift weights at Chancellor's, my fitness club. Invariably, a local radio station, 99.1, is playing so I hear a great deal of repetitive music. One song I've heard repeatedly is You're Gonna Miss

Me When I'm Gone, the version by Anna Kendrick. I later learned it's also known as The Cup Song, based on Kendrick's audition the movie Pitch Perfect which I have not seen and I know you are shocked. Last week, I stumbled across the YouTube version linked below. I always show some sort of clip in class and I knew the kids would like it because I've seen our middle school kids do the cup thing at lunch on the cafeteria tables. From what I can gather, the video was shot at a summer family encampment in Ireland which stresses keeping the traditional Gaelic from dying out by activities and classes. I would guess I am 1/4 Irish but that part is not really intriguing to me. What is intriguing is that I heard my dad express some regret that he did not learn Danish from his mom who spoke it as a child or his grandparents who were immigrants from Denmark and had Danish as their native tongue. I know we stress the learning of English to newcomers to the U.S. as we should to become assimilated as Americans but I have a tinge of sadness when I see more and more kids who cannot communicate at all in the language of their grandparents. We don't learn much by osmosis; most of what we know comes from deliberate teaching and emphasizing. That's what these long lost fortieth cousins of mine are doing in this clip. And while each of us has to have our own relationship with the Lord, the teaching of scripture from Christian parent to child is critical. Our kids should know the difference between the cup song and the cup Jesus asked His Father to take away in the Garden of Gethsemane. It needs to be modeled: Pass it on.

(Please copy and paste the link below!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-52PJKy3hV4

Applicable quote of the day:
"Let parents bequeath to their children not riches, but the spirit of reverence."
Plato

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1