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

Love Of The Game

 

Love Of The Game

I ran into Lizeth several years ago- this story defines her perfectly. It is from January 17, 2014.
We lost a heart breaker yesterday. Well the other school might not classify it as a heart breaker but they won. After playing as well as we have played in several years the first half and racing to a seven point lead at the mid point, we lost in overtime and it was hard on the girls and that's OK. We have played very few close games and it's a new frontier for us. We ended the game, a three point loss, with three starters fouled out and our leading scorer on the bench with an injury. But it was a terrific learning experience for all the kids who all played and contributed  and I told them how proud of them I was. We are in a tournament tomorrow in which we could play six (6!) games in one day so the girls rebounded nicely. In fact during our morning practice time today, we took a field trip next door where the host school is located so our kids would know where to show up at 8:10 tomorrow morning. It will be a blast!

Back to our yesterday's game. I was talking to the girls at halftime and I looked up and Lizeth had big tears welled up in her eyes. I'm not sure if anybody else noticed it or not. She said she was OK and I let it go. After the game, Lizeth, Sydney, and Madison rode back to WCS with me, a short drive as our opponent's gym is only blocks away. As the other two unloaded our gear, I asked Lizeth what brought on the halftime tears. She told me, "I had three fouls and I had to sit and I just want to play basketball." Listen, as a coach, that was about the perfect answer. In an age of whining and complaining about anything and everything, Lizeth's statement was a breath of fresh air. To be honest, when she came to us last year as a sixth grader, she was tiny and I didn't think she would ever be much of an on court contributor. (Lizeth was always a contributor in the most important way- her teammates absolutely love her.) One year later, she's still diminutive but we struggle to compete with the other team if she isn't on the floor. And I always know she has no agenda- she just loves to play basketball.

We watched the clip linked below in all my classes this week. Please take 2:42 and do the same. Maybe it will remind you about the good things in sports and kids and the human race. Please note when Jonathan gives his reasoning for what he did:
"I was always taught to treat others the way I want to be treated."
That just happened to be in the quiz we took that day from one of Jesus' best known teachings. And Jonathan's thoughtfulness gave Mitchell Marcus his lifetime moment doing what Lizeth wants to do- to just play basketball. I could not have preached a better sermon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naRCfl8oCos
Please copy and paste and watch- you won't be sorry!

Applicable quote of the day:
"Somewhere behind the athlete you've become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you is a little girl who fell in love with the game and never looked back... play for her."
Mia Hamm

God bless,
Steve/Coach
Luke 18:1

The Red Spot

 

The Red Spot

I'm bad at leaving stuff in my pockets and equally inept at checking those pockets when I do laundry! This is from May 29, 2011.

I'm not greedy as a teacher. When school ends each May, Gracie Greer, our WCS Director of Curriculum, asks what we need individually for the upcoming year to make our classroom more productive. I usually ask for two things; a new DVD I've found about the life of Jesus and a box of markers like you see above. But they aren't just any markers. They are 256 assorted broad line Crayola markers in sixteen colors. We do quite a bit of art work in my Bible classes and we go through one of these boxes per year. I've found that kids, even senior boys, like doing illustrative work and I faithfully post each masterpiece on the wall with the name of the artist on the front. You know what else these markers are good for? Grading tests! Last week, I had well over one hundred final exams, ten to twelve pages long, to grade. Marking the tests with markers is much easier and takes less effort than using a pen, and the X's and checks are easier to count when the final score is tallied. I would guess it took between six and seven hours to complete the task. I took multiple breaks and I was dragging when the last test was finished. My hand was sore as I put aside the red Crayola marker for the last time until August.

Saturday is laundry day for me. I actually had less to wash than normal which means less ironing as well. What's the first rule our mother's always followed when washing clothes? CHECK THE POCKETS. As I pulled my dress clothes out of the apartment washer, I found something I did not know was lost. That red marker I used for the tests had been hiding in the front pocket of my best dress pants, the Jos. A. Bank ones Dave and Sally gave me for Christmas. The evidence was a large red spot about two inches wide and almost perfectly circular. I will say this for myself- I didn't panic. I took the pants back to my apartment and sprayed them with Resolve and scrubbed- no big change. I went online and  found the Crayola website. Sure enough, they had instructions for getting out stains for each product depending on the fabric. I followed their advice, bought some Clorox 2, and soaked the trousers in the bleach and hot water just like they said, Sure enough, the stain came right out and is not even noticeable. Even though the box said the markers are washable, I had my doubts. But Crayola proved true to their word and a wardrobe calamity was averted or at least until my next act of memory loss. Last spring, I left gum in the front pocket of a suit and when it was cleaned and pressed, the cleaners were leery of their chances of success of removing the residue. Fortunately, I'm two for two in the removal of recent careless stains.

The Scriptures are very descriptive in places. One of the ways the Bible describes sin is as a stain. Even more precisely, the prophet Isaiah likens it to a red stain:
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." (Isaiah 1:18)
Three different colors of the same family define the blight which separates us as children from the Father. But there is good news. The blood of Jesus removes that ugliest of stains, the sin that drags us down and threatens to suffocate the life, eternal and sometimes physical, right out of us. The color of His blood is the identical color of the stain. It takes red to remove red. That's a miracle on any number of levels. My clothing stain was accidental or more appropriately, carelessness. My spiritual stains are intentional. But then again, so was the act of cleansing that allows for the washing away of those sins. He is the blood donor for me.

Applicable quote of the day:
"God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specifically armed you to go through it, not without pain, but without stain."
C.S. Lewis

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Scarlet Letter

 

The Scarlet Letter

Nyla picks out my clothes for me... thank goodness! The following, on the topic of clothes and weddings, is from from November 27, 2006.

In Matthew 22, Jesus tells a parable about a wedding banquet. A king threw a feast for his son to celebrate the joyous occasion. When the father/head of the kingdom sees a guest dressed inappropriately, he has the man thrown outside with the implication that punishment would be forthcoming. It's a pretty stern warning! Ten days ago, I officiated the wedding of Emily and Josh, now formerly referred to as Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Wood. Sometimes when I preach weddings, the bride asks me to wear a tuxedo. Emily requested that I dress in a suit. It just so happens that I own a gray suit which has served me well in performing other nuptials. My students voted and picked out the tie I would wear. The only article of clothing remaining was the shirt. I knew I would wear a white one and I own a white one, but that wasn't going to be good enough. The only store credit card I possess is to KOHL'S and they had just sent me a thirty percent off coupon in the mail. Checking the on-line advertisements, I discovered they were having a sale so I drove to the nearest KOHL'S to complete my minister's wardrobe. It didn't take long. I found a 15 1/2, 34-35 white long sleeve oxford shirt on sale for half price. Slice that down by my thirty percent discount and I ended up paying only $15.40 for a shirt that retails for $44.00! It still had the new shirt folded up look so Gracie Greer, our Director of Curriculum, ironed it for me. I have to admit, and I say this humbly, I ended up looking pretty sharp when all the pieces were put in place. But at a wedding, nobody looks at anybody but the bride. Of the many who honored this fine couple with their attendance, I bet not five could tell you what I wore. That's the way it should be.

Today was our first day back to school after Thanksgiving and I wore my new shirt. The bonus question on all our Bible quizzes was as follows:
In what country was my new shirt manufactured?
A. Belize
B. Bahrain
C. Bolivia
D. Belgium
E. Bangladesh
F. Bahamas
G. Brazil
(For the answer, you have to read the rest of this and find it at the bottom!)
I have a confession to make. I think the shirt was overpriced to begin with. It is a CHAP'S shirt, manufactured by Ralph Lauren. The logo C is stitched very prominently into the shirt pocket. They want us to see it. It stands for something. I think we are to believe it is symbolic for the good life and beautiful people that decorate their glossy ads. What it really means to me is that we are willing to pay three times what a shirt is worth to have that little C displayed on our chest. We buy into the illusion. We confuse quality, which is admirable, for status, which is boastful and arrogant. I think it is a quality shirt and it fits me well but the arrogance it can dress me in would not be becoming. In Jesus' parable, the man had no answer when he was asked why he arrived improperly outfitted. I didn't get tossed that Saturday: I looked OK on the outside. I hope my heart was acceptable under that red monogram.

Applicable quote of the day:
"Fashion is what you adopt when you don't know who you are."
Quentin Crisp

Answer to today's bonus question: BANGLADESH

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Early Morning Scent Of Chik-fil-A

 

I go out to eat for charity! This is from January 1, 2018!
I went to Chik-Fil-A last night. Back in March, I made a vow not to go out to eat for a year but Monday evening was a special occasion. The Chik-Fil-A nearest our school, the Meyerland location for you Houstonians, sponsored a Spirit Night for WCS. Our student ministry team received a percentage of each purchase when the customer identified themselves with Westbury Christian School. There was a terrific crowd both inside and out so I'm praying we made a good deal of money. Any funds raised are earmarked for our kids Spring Break mission trip so the final destination is worthy. I was glad to spend some time hobnobbing with WCS kiddos and their folks as well as some of our faculty. Like many small schools, we really are a family. The young man who took my order was very kind and cordial like they are at each store I've visited. My assumption is that he is an assistant manager. He told me a little bit about what it was like in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey- Meyerland was under water! When I thanked him for hosting our kids, he deflected the compliment and told me they are glad they can be involved.  I suspect that is always their philosophy. Many other American businesses should take note.

My order was a Grilled Club Sandwich combo with iced tea (sweet!) and a chocolate shake on the side. In the interest of my time, I made it to go and in spite of heavy Houston traffic, returned to my apartment in only fifteen minutes or so. Man, that was one good meal! I eat almost nothing fried but those Waffle Fries are the best! I finished my work and got to bed at a decent hour which is a must during the school year as I get up at 4:30 AM. This morning, I went through my routine, leaving to lift at my nearby club at 6 AM. As I unlocked and opened my Honda Fit, I was overwhelmed with the smell of Chik-fil-A! Even though my food was only in my car for a quarter of an hour or so, it left a lasting impression.... or at least one that stayed until I went home from school in the afternoon! I'm not saying I was transported back to the night before and our fundraiser, but I had a good memory of the good that was done.

Over the years, I've increasingly used Glade Solid Air Fresheners in my classroom- I want the place to smell as appealing as possible. These affordable (99 cents) gel containers come in scents like Clean Linen, Hawaiian Breeze, and Apple Cinnamon. Do any of us want to be in confined spaces that reek? Of course not! In life, we covet friends and memories that bring joy and precious recollections. In the oft quoted (by me and others!) words of Paul in Second Corinthians 2, we are the aroma of Christ. To some that's life and to some, that's the stench of death. To me, the fragrance of Chik-fil-A on Monday was the fragrance of life. The funds will help our high school kids minister to economically deprived children in Edmond, Oklahoma this coming March. In Matthew 10:42, Jesus teaches that giving a cup of cold water in His name to a child would have its reward. My thought is that sweet iced tea will fall into that category as well. In fact, it sounds like a perfect definition to me. Praise God for little ones and praise God for those who lend a hand to lift them up. I've been to a Chik-fil-A in Edmond, Oklahoma when visiting relatives over the holidays. It just might be a blessing to add it to the itinerary. I can smell it from here.


Applicable quote of the day: 
"It’s OK to have wealth. But keep it in your hands, not in your heart."
Truett Cathy (Founder of Chik-fil-A)

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Lord Of The Sabbath

 

Lord Of The Sabbath

In my Bible classes, we keep coming across confrontations Jesus had with religious leaders over the Sabbath, specifically whether doing good on the day of rest was sinful. When does one principle or guideline supersede another? The following is from February 20, 2006 and shows what mercy combined with logic can do.

I coached high school basketball in Tennessee for thirteen years so I try to keep up with the preps in the Volunteer State. My source of information is the The Tennessean, published in Nashville. There was a tremendous story in Saturday's Sports section on their website. The subject was a young lady from Perry County, one of the great basketball counties in the state. Kari May is fifteen and a freshman at Perry County High School. She loves basketball and her team. There is an obstacle- she suffers from osteosarcoma, bone cancer which has spread from her leg to her lungs. Kari's mother died two years ago from a brain aneurysm. Her father, Joe, also is a cancer patient and like his daughter, is undergoing chemotherapy. Kari has not competed this year, being unable to pass the state mandated physical. Due to a special waiver from the state association, Kari was permitted to play in her first high school game last Friday versus Mt. Pleasant. As agreed to by both schools, Mt. Pleasant was allowed to get the opening tip and score. Coming back on offense, Perry County gave the ball to Kari who took a shot from six feet out. The ball went in, Kari came out, and the crowd stood up. Tears flowed in the stands for the young lady who played in her initial high school game and hopefully, not her last.

In my basketball career in Tennessee, I had a number of opportunities to deal with the TSSAA, the governing body of school extracurriculars for the state. Oversight boards in most states are unpopular;Tennessee's was no exception. There were times when the logic of their decisions concerning eligibility escaped me but I was dealing with limited information. The long-time executive of the TSSAA, Ronnie Carter, is a gentleman and an elder in his congregation. I met him once and was impressed with his genuineness. However, he was often vilified for the rulings his group handed down. The top guy will always be the lightning rod for criticism and Mr. Carter fell into that category. In comments concerning Kari's case, his justification was that it was a special situation and a special young lady. He did the right thing. This is not one of the myriad of cases when a school or athlete tries to gain an advantage by twisting rules for their own benefit. Solomon would have been proud of the ruling. I believe the TSSAA should be proud of itself.

Rules are important- you can't play basketball without them. My team wears hand-me-down uniforms from the high school squad I coached here at Westbury Christian. The uniforms are nice but made for high school girls. When purchased, we had four girls 6'0" or taller. I have a number of girls standing 5'0" among my 7th-8th grade players. The uniforms have been altered but are still VERY LARGE on my Lady Wildcats. Inexperienced referees have spent have the whole game trying to make sure we have our jerseys tucked in as rules state. We try but it's difficult when you wear over sized jerseys and shorts. Experienced officials take it with a grain of salt and while not looking the other way, understand it isn't interfering with the flow of the game. Jesus constantly had battles over rules. His opponents were Pharisees who objected to his observation of the Sabbath, especially when it came to healing. After one run in with religious leaders, Jesus declared that ''the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.'' He went on, proclaiming HE was the Lord of the Sabbath. What the teachers of the day failed to realize was that MERCY is more important to God than sacrifice. (Hosea 6:6) How could you quarrel with doing a miracle on the Sabbath that relieved suffering for someone of your own faith? We aren't the Lord and it isn't up to us to decide what parts of scripture we will and will not follow. However, there are times in our jobs and with our families when we can make an exception or bend a rule when the intent is mercy and the outcome does others no harm. The TSSAA, bless their hearts, got it right. Both teams were blessed, the fans were blessed, and a girl who just wants to play basketball was blessed. Kari's dad, Joe, was in the bleachers that night. I bet he had a huge lump in his throat and tears streaming down his cheeks. How do you think he feels about the TSSAA right now, after they were merciful to the little girl he loves with all his heart? And how do you think God, OUR FATHER, feels when we do the same?

Applicable quote of the day:
"I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice."
Abraham Lincoln

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Newness Of Life

 

Newness Of Life

At times, we long for  fresh looks at the world. This is from January 11, 2014.
I'm still mad that NBC moved my favorite show, Revolution, from Monday night to Wednesday evening right in the middle of my Bible study. I do not have the capacity to record shows so I watch on nbc.com and actually skip the commercials. Well, most of them- it takes 42 minutes instead of the normal 60. After several months of re-runs, the new episodes kicked in this past Wednesday night. On Thursday evening, I sat down at my laptop and watched the latest installment, entitled Three Amigos. It was one of the better chapters of the show which is based on the future in the US after all the power in the world has gone out due to a military weapon gone amuck. Yesterday, I saw Bruse Boudreaux in the halls at school. Bruse is the only student at WCS who I know is also a devotee. But, he is behind in his watching, having all the shows recorded but not yet viewed. I asked him if he wanted the latest update and he declined. Well, I couldn't just let it go so I told him there are several new plot twists including a move to Mexico and Sebastian Monroe's never before seen son. That should whet his appetite! I can't wait until next week to see what will happen that I never saw coming!

Sometimes, I envy the international students in my Bible classes. Many of them have never heard the story of Jesus and I wonder if they wonder, what's next? Will they be surprised by the plot turns and dramatic twists that make up the Gospel account? To them, the names are new, the stories are new. Yesterday, after class, Leo, who is from China, asked me if we could record our class singing The Twelve Apostles, a song I am confident I knew by heart at age three. These teenagers don't know what is going to happen next, kind of like me and Revolution. Sometimes, I wish I felt more like the expression by Katherine Hankey in the fourth verse of her hymn, I Love To Tell The Story:
I love to tell the story;
For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting
To hear it like the rest.
You know, I still pick up new thoughts and applications when I study for my classes but I wonder what my reaction would be to hearing it for the first time. My parents brought their kids up in a manner where knowing the Bible came as natural as breathing. I never really got that WOW moment when I found out what happened at the Transfiguration or when the water became wine or the empty tomb. My responsibility is sharing it with those who still can, and must, have those moments. That's a pretty big responsibility!

Applicable quote of the day:
“Never be content with your current grasp of the gospel. The gospel is the life-permeating, world-altering, universe-changing truth. It has more facets than a diamond. It's depths man will never exhaust.” 
― C.J. Mahaney

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1