The Little Picture

Every day on Facebook, I get a pop up memory from something I posted on the current calendar date a certain number of years ago, usually from one to three. Not long ago, the memory selected was a blog I penned about one of my players, Jordyn, who received our first ever  Capri Sun Player Of The Week Trophy. The remembrance was accompanied by the picture accompanying the blog which is shown above, our WCS middle school girls basketball squad of 2013-2014. It was a fun year and I love seeing the older kids who are now getting close to graduation! Time speeds up after 8th grade!

I showed the picture to some of the kids on that team who are now juniors but were 7th graders when the shot was taken. We laughed at how much they have grown in the four years. Lots of kid drift off into other extracurriculars after middle school and this bunch was no different. High school basketball is so time consuming and physically demanding that you have to have a great love of the game to continue playing. It's funny- I have no idea what our record was but I do recall that we were competitive. There is one thing I've never forgotten, though. The girl in the front left is Elizabeth. She was an 8th grader and had not played the year before. In the insert picture you will see what I remember. You see, Elizabeth had a terrible issue with injuries that season. She might have played in three or four games at the max. In the above photograph, she is wearing a boot because she had just had bones removed for her foot. When she recovered from that, it was something else injured. She just never really healed all season. And yet, that's why I'm writing about her. Elizabeth suited up every day for practice. Every Day. Most days, she physically could not get on the floor with the rest of us......... but she suited up every day. If you coach for a living, you know how rare that is. The tendency is for kids to disappear when they are having any sort of injury problem- that is the antithesis of Elizabeth. She was as loyal a teammate as I have ever coached. Too bad they don't have a stat for that.  (I also let the kids referee in the spring and Elizabeth was the best player/ref we've ever had..... but that's a story for another day.)

Too many times we get caught up in the big picture when the story is in the little picture. Elizabeth's season was noble  because she persisted when the normal rewards- playing time, points, praise for scoring- weren't available to her. She's gone on to other things- she's amazingly talented in other arenas that will outlast athletics. Today I showed a film clip in my classes from CBS On The Road With Steve Hartman. It was about a middle school boy who plays basketball with no arms. You read that right- no arms! And yet there was so much more to the kid! My later classes had the bonus question of writing about Jamarion Stiles but they couldn't talk about his physical challenge. I was proud of the insights my kids showed. That's what you need to see about Elizabeth. It wasn't that she played little- it's how she was an an example of all of us in handling adversity. In Philippians 1:3, Paul famously wrote by inspiration that, "I thank my God every time I remember you."   That's how I remember Elizabeth every day when I'm blessed to see her in the hall. That's why we coach and that's how we should live.

Click to watch the short piece from CBS NEWS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He7-yN6GVg4

Applicable quote of the day:
A good teammate is someone willing to get outside of personal thoughts and emotions, a friend who tries to understand, appreciate, and encourage other members of the team. 
Don Kardong


God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

Solomon And The Great State of Oklahoma!

I saw the best high school production ever two nights ago, our WCS version of The Addams Family. One of the stars was Olivia who is featured below. (Siblings Josh and Tara also were in the cast!) Talent runs in families. This is from November 9, 2013.
There was not a whole lot of what my students would call entertainment when I grew up in Nebraska. No cell phones or IPODS, no laptops or MTV or Netflix. There was a small radio station, KAWL, in York, Nebraska with a typical small town fare; ball games, hospital and farm reports, on air swap meets, and some popular music at intervals. My parents filled in the culture gap. They were always playing records of classical music and musicals. (I think my dad, who played the harmonica as a young man, was a frustrated musician and both my parents had been part of their college chorus.) They really loved the musicals, like Mary Poppins and The Sound Of Music. They played them constantly. ( I should note here that Mom also had the quaint habit of playing Christmas music in the summer as well as the other three seasons.) They played these 33 1/3 LPs so much I had the soundtracks memorized as well as almost every song in our church songbook- we sang them quite a bit as well.

My favorite of the musicals my folks filled the Hawley home with was Oklahoma, the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic. It's ironic because as a kid, I had no love for the state two states south of us due to the intensity of the football rivalry of the Huskers and the Sooners. Still, the musical's songs became etched into my psyche after listening to them countless times. That brings me to this week. Our WCS Fine Arts Department put on Oklahoma in three performances, and I was honored to attend this afternoon's showing. Every actor/actress on stage was a student or former student of mine with the exception of three seventh graders will be in my class next year. The stage and lighting crews were also my students so I felt a real connection. Several of my eighth grade, fifth period Bible students, Kalani and Payton, had major speaking and singing roles. That leads me to Olivia, who is also in that same period. Olivia, who was born to be in front of an audience, was cast in the role of Ado Annie. Repeatedly in class, I made reference to the fact that I knew all the songs and graciously offered the opportunity to practice with her in front of her peers. Shockingly, Olivia, who played two basketball games for me as a sixth grader, rejected my bid to aid her musical development and prepare her for the bright lights. No worries- she hit a home run today and afterwards, I told her how proud I was of her and my disappointment dissipated. It's a good thing, too. No doubt, Olivia will make many crowds smile and clap and rejoice and I won't always there to pull her through. Someday, she'll have to launch out on her own and I guess this was a good place to start.

Of course, this really has nothing to do with musicals and singing or even Olivia... but then again, it does. You see, her mom, Dena, is the head of our Fine Arts Department and her dad, John, acts professionally. Olivia, along with having great entertainment DNA, has been exposed to the theatrical life since, I would guess, early childhood and it has shaped her into a wonderful performer. What my parents exposed to their children has stuck with me as well. It's easy to make a joke about knowing song lyrics because of a record player which seemingly never was shut off but it's really about how everything we see and hear and witness as little ones becomes part of who we are. We often hear Solomon's words quoted from Proverbs chapter 22 and verse 6:
Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
I thought of that today as I was sitting in the crowd and mentally singing along with Olivia and the rest of the cast. Even though I am no singer and no actor, I'm glad that my mom and dad gave me the chance to listen to timeless music which has become part of the American heritage. And while they were doing that, they also were modeling for me how to walk with the Lord, just as the parents of a certain young actress who doesn't really need my help are modeling for her and her two younger siblings. And undoubtedly, that's a show that will run for eternity.

To watch Ado Annie in the film version of Oklahoma in a scene with Laurie, who in the WCS production, was played by Taylor, one of my former players, click below!
http://youtu.be/A18kYnP4Pec

Applicable quote of the day:
I see my upbringing as a great success story. By disciplining me, my parents inculcated self-discipline. And by restricting my choices as a child, they gave me so many choices in my life as an adult. Because of what they did then, I get to do the work I love now.
Amy Chua

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

Chants Encounter

One of the staples of our WCS Basketball Camps revolved around the tradition I wrote about in the entry posted below. It is from June 23, 2010.

I have this silly saying stuck in my mind. For the past three weeks of basketball camp, when one team of kids has won a contest, our camp director, Russell Carr, points to the victorious group and yells, WINNER, WINNER! Chicken dinner! The little kids in our morning sessions pick it up and start chanting, WINNER,WINNER! Chicken dinner! It gets very loud! I had never come across that expression before but then I heard someone at our wedding rehearsal meal on Friday say the same thing so I know it must originate somewhere. A Google search yielded several explanations but the most common was this: In the early days of Las Vegas, every casino offered a chicken dinner for about $1.80. So if a customer won the lowest bet payoff, which was $2, the chant rang out, WINNER, WINNER! Chicken Dinner! All I know is that twenty-five little kids chanting those four words can leave you with a rhyme that won't leave your brain under any circumstances! (Also see, Peter, Peter, Pumpkin eater! and Mary, Mary, Quite contrary! I like this one in honor of our assistant camp director: EMMA, EMMA! Big dilemma!)

On Sunday morning after the Saturday night wedding of Ben and Courtney, many from both families worshiped with Courtney's congregation in Henryetta, Oklahoma. We sang what may be my favorite hymn centering around communion, By Christ Redeemed, In Christ Restored. The lyrics were penned by George Rawson in 1857. The tune in this version is Troyte's Chant, written by A.H.D.Troyte, who lived from 1811-1857. I love both the words and the easy to sing chant style. It's my opinion, and I am no expert in the least, that church music written several hundred years ago is superior to what we often sing today in both musical beauty and the depth of the message. Much of my prejudice might revolve around the style of hymns I was raised on which can certainly sway our preferences. Below, I've reprinted By Christ Redeemed, In Christ Restored. Included are verses five and six which I've never seen before. I hope these lines may spark some thoughts of Jesus on the cross with you as they do with me. And, I pray I can someday get WINNER, WINNER! Chicken Dinner! removed from my consciousness!
By Christ redeemed, in Christ restored,
We keep the memory adored,
And show the death of our dear Lord
Until He come.

His body broken in our stead
Is seen in this memorial bread,
And so our feeble love is fed
Until He come.

The drops of His dread agony,
His life-blood shed for us, we see;
The wine shall tell the mystery
Until He come.

And thus that dark betrayal night
With the last advent we unite,
By one blest chain of loving rite,
Until He come.

Until the trump of God be heard,
Until the ancient graves be stirred,
And with the great commanding word
The Lord shall come.

O blessed hope! with this elate;
Let not our heart be desolate,
But, strong in faith, in patience wait
Until He come.

Applicable quote of the day:
"You know when you're young you think you will always be. As you become more fragile, you reflect and you realize how much comfort can come from the past. Hymns can carry you into the future.''
Andy Griffith

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
http://www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

*The chicken dinner picture above is from Carter's Chicken in Cordele, Georgia!*

Veterans Day

Several years ago, I had the oddest conversation. One of our WCS teachers is heading to Nashville, Tennessee for a short visit. As we were talking about her brief journey, she told me her aunt and uncle met somebody who knew me in a cemetery in middle Tennessee. How do you make that connection? I think she said they were doing some sort of military ceremony and if so, I would guess the subject of this entry is involved. The following is from November 11, 2005.


I love memorization. It helps that I have a gift for it. My brother and I quizzed each other on trivia while falling asleep in our triple bunk beds in Nebraska. The category might be state capitals or singers- no matter. I've never liked cards or board games but I was good at Trivial Pursuit. When I started teaching, I decided my students would memorize. Memorization has fallen out of academic favor but I believe it's good for students. As a history and government instructor, there was plenty of material to conquer. We learned the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, the preamble to the Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address. When I became a Bible teacher, I shifted the emphasis to old hymns, like God Moves In A Mysterious Way, and Scripture texts. Fifteen percent of each student's six weeks grade will come from memory work. My 8th graders like the hymns better than the Bible verses- they rhyme!

Today is Veterans Day but few of my students will be aware of it. They know Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Easter, and the 4th of July but they don't have a clue about Memorial Day, Labor Day, or Veterans Day. This holiday was once called Armistice Day, marking the end of fighting in World War I. As a youngster, I remember the vets in my hometown would sell orange poppies this time of year. That made a tremendous impression on me. It sparked my interest in what I believe is the finest poem ever penned about death and duty:
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.

That poem, In Flanders Fields, was written by Dr. John McCrae, a Canadian army officer and himself a veteran of the great conflict. These three stanzas describe a military cemetery in Waereghem, Belgium where casualties of "the War to end all wars" are interred. History books give war casualty totals: McCrae gave nameless statistics a voice that my students could, in a sense, hear and maybe even mourn. More commenting by me would simply be wasted words. McCrae's lines stand by themselves.

Let us be grateful to all the men and women who have fought to preserve our precious freedoms throughout the past 200 plus years. Let us thank the Lord we can live our lives freely, especially enjoying the right to worship without threats or government directives. Let us pray these rights continue. On this day, please lift a special prayer for the many thousands who are overseas and in harms way. Their loved ones will be praying.

Applicable quote of the day:
"In war, there are no unwounded soldiers."
Jose Narosky

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
http://www.hawleybooks.com/
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

I AM Student Statements 2017, ACT III

My classes recently finished studying the seven I AM statements Jesus made in the Gospel of John. If you aren't familiar with them, here they are!
I am the bread of life.
I am the true vine.
I am the good shepherd.
I am the gate for the sheep.
I am the light of the world.
I am the resurrection and the life.
I am the way, the truth, and the life.
I gave my students the assignment of coming up with their own I AM statements which would define them. Again tonight, I am posting some of them. They are brutally honest and all are used with permission, boys in blue and girls in pink!

I am the boy who feels left out sometimes.
I am the boy who will talk fast but act slow.
I am the girl who is always the youngest in her class.I am the boy who is lot trying to find God's purpose for his life.
I am the boy who is kind to the cruel.
I am the boy who gets down on himself when he can't figure something out quickly.
I am the girl who loves to bake and DIY.
I am the girl who will take a bullet for anyone.
I am the girl who knows who she is.I am the girl who never gives up.
I am the boy who doesn't know how to act among his peers.
I am the girl who want to touch the sky!
I am the boy who doesn't like feelings.
I am the girl who belongs in the 80's.
I am the girl who can see the difference between green and forest green.
I am the boy who tries to love the disliked.
I am the girl who sometimes loses herself to become someone who she is not.
I am the boy who misses his grandparents.
I am the girl who is strong and kind.
I am the girl who is only truly happy when she is not.
I am the girl who is trapped in her mind.
I am the girl living in the shadow of her sister.
I am the boy who loves the mysterious and the unknown.
I am the boy who is an open book.
I am the girl with the hand reaching out to others.
I am the girl who has lived a thousand lives.
I am the girl who hates to smile.
I am the girl who works hard and plays hard.
I am the girl who walks in the light of God.
I am the boy lost in the shifting maze of life.
I am the girl who cries for her loved ones.
I am the girl who stays away from drama.
I am the boy who never thinks he's good enough.
I am the girl who people mistake as quiet and calm.
I am the boy waiting for life to give me an opportunity.

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

Appropriate Compensation

I really like my team this year and not because we are currently 3-0.Outside of Dad, I think the neatest thing a guy can be called is Coach. I hope this, from September 13, 2007, helps explain why. Appropriately, the quote of the day is from  legendary Coach John Wooden who passed away seven years ago at age ninety-nine.

One of my players had a birthday today. She turned thirteen...and I thought she was fourteen. She wore a little tiara to my class. One of my girls received a detention this afternoon for talking in her speech class- she admitted it. One is facing an appendectomy in the next several weeks. One has missed practice with the flu the past four days and one took eight shots in her big toe for a nail problem. One spoke at our National Junior High Honor Society induction tonight and four more were inducted into the elite group. (One could have been but forgot to turn in her application.) They are students who double as athletes and flute virtuosos and ballet dancers and daughters and sisters and they never forget they are girls. They don't get arrested for drugs or public drunkenness. They don't use steroids or willingly cheat to gain an advantage over those with whom they compete. They are respectful to their teachers and loving to their parents. They are interested in boys but they aren't obsessed. They make good grades and they make a good impression on others. They aren't perfect- they are still kids- but they try to do the right thing. They try to make me happy....and they do. What they do is make me a coach. It isn't the whistle or the position: it's the kids. Jesus taught,
"Blessed are the poor in spirit...and the meek...and the pure in heart."
I don't want to re-write the Scriptures but allow me to add my own corollary:
"Blessed are those who coach....for they get to be called Coach."
That's the reward. You might retire but you always retain the Coach part of your identity. A boxer will eventually lose his title but coaches never do. And it doesn't matter what your record was. It only matters that you matter.

Applicable quote of the day:
"What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player."
John Wooden

God bless,
Steve/Coach Hawley
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

Twenty-two And Counting

Whatever happened to great songs like The Name Game? You remember:
Shirley, Shirley bo Birley
Bonana fanna fo Firley
Fee fy mo Mirley, Shirley!
They just don't make music like they used to! Our names are important to all of us but we don't always own the copyright to what we go by as this entry from November 26, 2006 explains.

In Luke 6:40, Jesus tells us that, "A student is not above his teacher but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher." To those of us who instruct in the classroom, that can be an exhilarating motivation and a terrifying realization. On a regular basis, I check up on two of my former students, Jason Bybee and Lane Widick, who both are in the ministry. Jason and Lane write online devotionals and I try to read them several times per week. Yesterday, Jason's blog was about something he saw on Lane's blog. The topic was a website called HowManyOfMe.com. By clicking on this Internet location, you can find out how common your name is in the United States. Curiosity, and vanity, required me to check it out. You will be pleased to know that there are 22 Americans with the Steve Hawley label. I already was aware of two. Astronaut Steve Hawley and artist Steve Hawley have both acquired a sizable lead over teacher/coach Steve Hawley in the fame department. That's OK. My students and players make up for the accolades I miss in the public arena. Plus, my players told me yesterday my singing voice would capture the American Idol competition. Too bad I have so much going on at school!

Tonight, I wonder about the other nineteen Steve Hawleys. I have never met someone who shares my name. Truthfully, I have only met a few Hawleys I am not related to. (Incidentally, the website informed me that there are 17,998 Hawleys currently abiding in the USA.) It can be a headache in a school setting to have multiple students with identical names. Several years ago, we had two Daniel Wilsons and two Sarah Whites. It was confusing. When the office paged one of them, they had to include the grade for clarification. It could have been worse- they could have dated each other. I wonder what God called us before we were born and titled by our parents. Does he give moms and dads the leeway he gave Adam in the Garden of Eden when he named his bride? Up to that time in the scriptures, the first lady is referred to simply as the woman or his wife. Adam christened his mate Eve, the name she made famous. (Maybe the Lord will let me do that. I would like to name my wife Jennifer Anniston.) John the Baptist and Jesus were named before they were born. When we are reborn into Christ, a post-script is tacked on to what others call us. In 1 Peter, the apostle challenges believers when he writes, "if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed but praise God that you bear that name." So, according to the Bible, I am the owner of two names. Peter says I might be oppressed because of my second name. Maybe I have been living incognito- I haven't experienced that suffering yet.

Applicable quote of the day:
"Change it to what? Tiffany? It's been an advantage. It's unforgettable. I'm the only one."
Swoosie Kurtz/actress
 

 God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

Oh Love That Will Not Let Me Go

The longer I love, the more I know I was blessed with my parents. This is from April 6, 2009.

The beginning and the end of my folks' marriage are represented in the above pictures. In the top photo, Mom and Dad are either newlyweds or about to be newlyweds. In the bottom shot, Dad loves on Mom in late Fall, 2007. Dad was at Surrey Place, a rehab nursing home in St. Louis and their friend, Sue Simons, brought Mom to be with him. He was so excited to be with the one he cherished more than life itself. Dad fought tremendously hard to recover from his stroke so he could take care of Mom as they approached their 58th wedding anniversary. When Grandfather Hawley preached my parents' wedding on December 25, 1949, he included this poem by an unknown author:
"How far will you go with me, my Love?
To the stile or the bridge or the great oak tree?
The lane is a lonely and fearsome place
And there's no one journeying there but me.
She smiled at the stile with a sweet disdain,
She scoffed at the bridge and the great oak tree
And looked me full in the eyes and said,
'I will go to the end of the way with thee.'
Then I loved her anew, with a strange fierce love,
As high as the stars and as deep as the sea.
She would share my heaven and share my woe;
She would go to the end of the Lane with me."

Mom and Dad made it to the end of the lane. The Apostle Paul called it 'finishing the race.' I call it the best love story I could ever hope to witness.

Applicable quote of the day:
"Love seems the swiftest, but it is the slowest of all growths. No man or woman really knows what perfect love is until they have been married a quarter of a century."
Mark Twain

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

www.hawleybooks.com

E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

I AM Student Statements 2017, Chapter II

My classes recently finished studying the seven I AM statements Jesus made in the Gospel of John. If you aren't familiar with them, here they are!
I am the bread of life.
I am the true vine.
I am the good shepherd.
I am the gate for the sheep.
I am the light of the world.
I am the resurrection and the life.
I am the way, the truth, and the life.
I gave my students the assignment of coming up with their own I AM statements which would define them. Tonight, I am posting some of them. They are brutally honest and all are used with permission, boys in blue and girls in pink!

I am the boy who seems strong but who is scared half the time.
I am the girl who cries when you talk about Jesus.
I am the boy you wouldn't think is listening.
I am the girl living in the shadow of her sister.
I am the girl who can't let go of her past.
I am the boy who wants to bring peace to this hate cycled world.
I am the girl who is different from my whole family.
I am the girl who doesn't go unnoticed.
I am a boy with an enormous aversion to hypocritical people.
I am the boy who loves Mexican food too much!
I am the girl who doesn't expect much from people.
I am the boy wth too many thoughts in my mind.
I am an ordinary boy but I want to some extraordinary things.
I am the girl who is afraid of love.I am the girl who mixes sounds and feelings with colors.I am a girl who is easily angered.
I am the girl who struggles to be fearless for God.
I am the boy who helps whenever he can so he will have no regrets.
I am the girl who pleases other people.
I am the boy who can't get his relationships right.
I am the boy whose family is willing to die for him.
I am the boy who always gets asked how tall are you?
I am the boy who doesn't set the best example for his brother.
I am the boy who loves to spread laughter.
I am the boy who wants a fresh start.
I am the girl who needs a hug.
I am a girl who is afraid to try.
I am the girl who misses home but is forced to be independent.
I am the boy fascinated by the splendor of the universe.
I am the boy who is not easily influenced.
I am the girl who was recently baptized.
I am the girl who is proud of her culture.
I am the girl who wants to take care of her parents one day.
I am the boy who is himself a contradiction.

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

I AM Student Statements 2017

My classes recently finished studying the seven I AM statements Jesus made in the Gospel of John. If you aren't familiar with them, here they are!
I am the bread of life.
I am the true vine.
I am the good shepherd.
I am the gate for the sheep.
I am the light of the world.
I am the resurrection and the life.
I am the way, the truth, and the life.
I gave my students the assignment of coming up with their own I AM statements which would define them. Tonight, I am posting some of them. They are brutally honest and all are used with permission, boys in blue and girls in pink!

I am the boy who will achieve more than anyone in his family has.
I am the boy who wants a special girl.
I am the girl who want to find her soulmate.
I am the boy who doesn't like hearing his flaws.
I am the girl who has a lot to say but who keeps quiet.
I am the boy who has been given so much in his life.
I am the girl who knows where she wants to go but doesn't know how to get there.
I am the girl who lives with overprotective parents.
I am the guy who wants to get closer to God but doesn't put the effort into it.
I am the boy who dislikes his family but loves his family.
I am the boy who can never sleep.
I am the girl who wants better for her mom.
I am the girl who wishes her family would accept one another.
I am the girl who fears being heartbroken.
I am the boy who comes from struggles deeper than money.
I am the girl who falls in love with food.
I am the boy who doesn't know what he really loves.
I am the guy on a raft in the whirlpool of life.
I am the girl who struggles to not be my past.
I am the girl who promises to pray for people at church but never does.
I am the girl who hopes the one she loves will love her.
I am the girl with many talents but who is afraid to show them.
I am the girl with the broader perspective.
I am the boy who wishes his older cousins had time for him.
I am the boy who struggles in English class but who passes Spanish.
I am the boy who would rather not compete.
I am the boy who care more about grades than sleep.
I am the boy who couldn't hurt anyone even if he wanted to.
I am the boy who will give you a shoulder to lean on.

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

Bedtime Blessings, 2017

We worked on one of my favorite memory verses in all five classes last week. All of my ninety students wrote The Blessing Of Aaron for a grade as a memory verse and repeated it on their test. Found in Numbers 6:24-26, God commanded the first high priest of Israel to use these words to bless his chosen people:

"The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."
We spoke of the human need for approval and how parents can have such an effect on the self-worth of their children. We talked of bedtime rituals and how moms and dads can make their kids feel important and ease their fears. I told them about how our folks tucked us in when we were small, prayed with us, and kissed us good-night. With that discussion as background, I gave each student a sheet of paper and had them pen a bedtime blessing to the child they will bring into the world in future years. I'll let some of them speak for me. Tonight's entries are all from 11th graders and all are used with permission! Boys are in blue and girls in pink!

My beloved child, I want you to know that your mommy loves you unconditionally. I know we will disagree but it is only because I want the absolute best for you. Never let anyone or anything in this polluted world stop you from being great and achieving any goal of yours. Don’t forget that God will always be right by your side through your brightest and even darkest days. Never stray from His love because He will never stop even when you make mistakes. You will never understand now. Grateful I am to have you as my child and I am so excited to see what God has in store for you. I will always be here for you whether it’s good or bad. Your father and I love you so much and I hope you never stop believing that. When the evil of this world knocks you down, I will be right there to pick you up. Mommy loves you.

Sydney

Dear child,

From the day that you are born, I will always love you no matter how bad things may get. You were made in God’s image which is a special image. You are created to do good things. No matter what the circumstances are, I will always love you. As a father, I will make sure to protect you and I will be there whenever you need me. When you need a shoulder to lean on or someone to talk to about anything, I will always be willing to listen. As I end this my child, I want you to remember that God will always be with you. No matter what happens, He will always be looking at you. Love God and pray ever time that you get the chance. I LOVE YOU MY CHILD.

Brian

My dear love, my one and only. Let the Lord bless you with all his blessings he has to give. Let the Lord steer you down the right path; let Him be in all your decision making. The Lord knows I love you and never want to see you hurt or feeling alone. I want you to know that I am always here for you to help with anything. I can’t wait to see your bright smile that makes the world turn upside down. I hope and pray that you become a young, respectful, talented young lady. I pray you take the advice I give you. You will get mad at me and you will rebel. But one thing I hope you will do is respect your Lord and keep a growing faith. Know when you pray that there needs to be a purpose. I love you so much, baby-girl.
Love. Mom Philippians 4:13

Jaida

Dear son, I just want to start off by saying that I love you so much. You will be the most important person in my life; from the moment you are born I will do everything I can to protect you and spoil you. Always seek God and follow him. He will always be with you and there for you. I will always support you in what you do and will always have your back. I want to be your best friend as well as your role model. I want you to be successful at whatever you do and you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. You are a strong young man and I love you. Love, The best dad ever P.S. Always wear the Hampton name with pride and honor.

Casey

Dear son, I hope that you will always look to your father and I, but never forget to look towards God for the ultimate guidance. I might be strict sometimes and push you to do better, but this is only because I know what you have the potential to be. Your father and I do not wish to restrict you or hold you back from your friends; we only want to guide you in the right direction. Do not ever be afraid to tell me what is on your mind and in your heart. We love you.

Morgan

God bless, Steve (son of Roger and Nelda Hawley) Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

The Disappointment

This is one of the reasons why there is nothing else quite like caching girls! It's from October 21, 2013!
We had our first early basketball practice this morning. By early, I mean we started at 7:25 AM or fifteen minutes earlier than usual. We will keep this schedule until the end of our season in late January except for days after games when we will being with the start of the school day at 7:40 AM. We have an interesting situation in that we practice every day of the school year, exempting finals and special occasions, but never longer than fifty minutes. It went well today- we did a lot of conditioning and let me quote Jenna here:
"I hate conditioning!!"
Let me quote an old coach here in response to the lovely Jenna:
"Conditioning that's fun isn't conditioning."

Girls are funny and maybe even more ritualistic than boys. We have a new player on our team this year. She's an 8th grader who came to our school last year but did not play. She's a good athlete and has picked up things quickly and there's quite a bit to learn if you've never played before, especially in the footwork department. I can't remember quite when but she started this little tradition with me at the end of practices. After we stack it up and recap and pray and yell 1-2-3 TOGETHER, she invariably asks me if I want to watch her shoot a three pointer. I always tell her if she misses, she has to kiss the floor and if she makes it, I'll kiss the floor. Today was no different. Yet as the other girls made their way to the locker room to change for the school day, I told the young lady I wanted to talk to her first. I mentioned how I had graded the Bible test she took on Friday and how she had written extraordinary answers to her essay questions. I told her how she has a chance to be a tremendous student if she keeps on the path she has begun. I commented with how pleased I was to have her on our team this year. As I finished up our 45 second, one sided conversation, I asked her, "Ready to shoot?" Bafflingly, to me, she responded,
 "I can't shoot now."
Of course, I asked why not and this was her response:
"After you paid me such a nice compliment, I'm afraid you would be disappointed with me if I missed."
That really took me aback and I'm not really sure what I said next but I think it was along the lines of that's why I love coaching girls.

As the day has gone on, I outlined the scenario to several of my other classes, never using the girl's name or grade or any other identifying characteristic that might jeopardize her anonymity. Without fail, the females identified with her feelings about taking and possibly missing the three pointer. The guys? Are you kidding? They were as mystified as I was. The only thing I can figure out is that she links basketball and academics and my approval. To me and those of my gender, those are absolutely unrelated and separate entities. Not to the fairer of the human species; they are indelibly linked. I once had a very good player averaging about twenty points/ten rebounds per game. On the bus to an away contest, her boyfriend handed her a note and broke up with her. Her line for that game:
 1 point 0 rebounds 5 fouls 5 minutes of playing time
She could not separate her romantic life from her athletic life and by the way, we lost to a team we had killed earlier. If it had been the boy that got dumped, he probably would have played better!

It seems inconceivable to me that anyone would come to the conclusion that my player did twelve hours ago. How can you link separate issues? And yet, I do it all the time. I struggle to think God still loves me when I sin. In spite of the good things I try to do and the knowledge that my goodness cannot save myself, I secretly wonder, briefly at least, if our Father is so fed up with me that he finds me totally worthless. Intellectually, I know that's not true but it bears a striking resemblance to that conversation I had this morning. I tie my feeble efforts with the amazing love the Lord had for me, to send his beloved Son to redeem the lost. So, I learned something from a thirteen year old girl on a basketball court and she didn't even realize she was teaching me an invaluable lesson. Once again, the player was the coach and I get a glimpse of why I am so blessed to work with these young ladies. Tomorrow, I hope she takes her shot again.

Applicable quote of the day:
''We're so preoccupied with protecting children from disappointment and discomfort that we're inadvertently excusing them from growing up.''
LZ Granderson


God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

Labor Of Love

This is about NFL great Brett Favre and singer Little Peggy March Brett! It's  from September 4, 2006! 

Today is Labor Day and I worked. I didn't clock in or put my dress clothes on but I spent hours in my classroom. There were lesson plans to draw up and post on the Internet and grades to be typed into my computer. But it never feels like work. I love my job so much I feel guilty calling it a job. Not everyone is so blessed but I have a short memory. There is nothing I would rather do than what I do. My profession is one that lets me improve as long as I keep working. This morning, I heard a radio talk show host analyzing quarterback Brett Favre. A fourteen year veteran all-star with the NFL's Green Bay Packers, Favre contemplated retirement in the off season. In an interview, Favre mentioned hearing former New York Giants' quarterback Phil Simms speak about when it was time to quit. Simms said the rule of thumb is that a quarterback should play until he knows his time is up...and then play a few years more. His rationale was that life for him was extremely difficult (boring?) after his career ended so he would recommend holding on as long as possible. In Favre's case, even though past his prime, some team is likely to pay five million dollars per year for his diminished services. Who wouldn't be tempted to take that deal? What would you do with yourself if you retired at thirty-five? I could not stand myself if I wasn't busy doing something productive as long as it is feasible from a physical standpoint. If you were Brett Favre, how would you go from worshipful adulation to being out of the public view? I would guess that the spotlight can cast an addictive shadow.

There is a new TIME-LIFE infomercial: Maltshop Memories. Hosted by teen idol Bobby Rydell, the ad promotes a collection of classic hits from the era between the advent of rock and the coming of the Beatles. Maltshop Memories is crammed with extremely short film clips of 1960's entertainers singing their songs, or mouthing the words, on television shows. One of my favorite shots is of Little Peggy March, lip synching I Will Follow Him. The song hit number one in several countries, including the US. What makes I Will Follow Him more notable is that March was only fifteen at the time, making her the youngest singer on record to have a #1 single. She never came close to that level of success again although she did have several tunes make the bottom part of the charts. Peggy March is still singing today although the little tag, pinned on her due to 4'10" stature, has been discarded. She obviously is gifted and, according to her website, has lived a fulfilling life. Still, I wonder what it would be like to be on top professionally at fifteen and never come close to that rarefied level of success again. If you experience the mountaintop, is everything else at least a little disappointing? Andre Agassi retired yesterday. Did you see it? In an emotional good-bye, Agassi wept before an adoring crowd at the US Open after the tennis legend lost his final match. Only thirty-six and barely old enough to be constitutionally qualified for the Presidency, Agassi faces forty-five to fifty more years of life without the stage he has captivated for two decades. It will be interesting to see his life several years from now. Will he coach or be a commentator? Will he appear in exhibitions? Maybe he will play celebrity doubles matches with Brett Favre. I know this much, even though I am the most casual of tennis fans; Andre Agassi can't just disappear. The game needs his class... and the world needs his work ethic, especially on Labor Day. 

Applicable scripture of the day:
"A man do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God."
Ecclesiastes 2:24 

Applicable quote of the day:
"With each game I play, each season I play, everyone would agree with me, I'm running out of chances."
Brett Favre


*To listen to Little Peggy March sing her classic I Will Follow Him, please copy and paste the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JVhbusBDi4&feature=related

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

Black Socks

It all starts tomorrow. We play our first game of the 2017-2018 season and we play at at our west campus, another first for us. This is a milestone year for me, number twenty at Westbury Christian School and the twentieth team I've coached. While accurate, that's also a bit misleading as one year I concurrently coached both our middle school squad and our high school varsity, a total of sixty one games in what was the longest year of my life. I also took a season sabbatical after both of our parents died within a year and I needed some time to recover emotionally. I really like this bunch of kids of which there are only seven. Only three are eighth graders- we play an eighth grade schedule- and only two of the seven were with us last year and have played in a junior high game. I'm not sure how good we will be but that does not matter. They are coachable, they work hard, and maybe their best characteristic, they like each other, something not always found on middle school girls' basketball teams. Without going out too far on a limb, I may love this team as much as any team I've ever coached and that covers a lot of athletic ground!

There will be something different about the Lady Wildcats tomorrow when they take the floor, different from all my other basketball teams. We will be wearing black socks. All my previous teams have worn white socks. It's not that I have anything against non-white socks; it's just easier to keep them uniform when they are white. I tell the girls that uniform means alike and there is a purpose to it. It drives me crazy when I see teams in basketball and volleyball wearing ten- and I'm not exaggerating- unique colored and decorated socks on the court for the same contest. But, I broke down this week and bought the NIKE socks you see above for early Christmas presents for the young ladies. (Truthfully, I have to give props to my wonderful sister-in-law, Karen, who ordered them for me on AMAZON!) We'll look good- now we just have to play good!

Do you know what's interesting? I don't care what kind of shoes my players wear or what color. As a high school coach, we bought our shoes as a group but middle school is different and shoes are expensive. It is possible we will have three brands and five colors of high tops tomorrow and it won't bother me in the least! Why does one item on the feet get on my nerves but not the other? Who knows? Why does the speck in your eye frustrate me but not the two by four in my baby blues? We seem to pick and choose our battles very foolishly and I know have done that as a coach and teacher and even as a Christian. My motto, although I might never really admit it, has probably been along the lines of what matters is what matters to me. Pretty shortsighted! Maybe I'm growing, one sock at a time. Well, it's really two socks at a time but you get the picture. Tomorrow, we'll tip off at 4:30 in our brand new uniforms and our brand new socks.... with maybe a brand new, of slightly broken in, coach. I may have some planks to get rid of! I'll let you know!

Applicable quote of the day:
You choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. 
Gary Oldman

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com