A Tale Of Two Summers

 

A Tale Of Two Summers

Some people are famous and some are infamous. Some simply are themselves and make a difference in a quiet manner with little fanfare. The following entry has some of both. It originally ran on August 1, 2006.

Four decades ago, Charles Whitman's name was added to the history books. On August 1, 1966, the twenty-five year old ex-Marine and Eagle Scout barricaded himself in the Texas Tower on the University of Texas campus in Austin. Perched high above the city and with a sniper's vantage point, Whitman picked off unsuspecting victims for roughly ninety minutes before being shot to death by several police officers. The death count at the conclusion of his rampage was fifteen, including his wife and mother who were killed earlier the same day. Thirty others were wounded. One of Whitman's targets died about five years ago. A rifle shot had destroyed his kidney, leaving him to survive for more than thirty years on dialysis. Weary of the toll the procedure was taking, David Gunby stopped his treatment and passed away in a matter of days. It is amazing to watch film clips and witness the change in television over the years, both in the camerawork and the methods of reporting. Charles Whitman, in some measure, was a precursor to the tragedy that would be Columbine. Back then, our society was more innocent and susceptible to shock. Charles Whitman helped pull back the curtain to provide a morbid glimpse into a culture swirling toward a violent future.

Let me tell you another Texas story. In the July 20 web version of The Observer, a community paper in Kingwood, we find the account of Beth Grimnes. A twenty year old life guard at a community pool, Beth resuscitated a ten year old boy who come into contact with a high voltage of electricity, jolting him into cardiac arrest. Beth, who had never even had to attempt to rescue a swimmer in her five years, performed CPR and mouth to mouth, reviving the boy and delivering him alive to the paramedics. The young man's mother credits Beth with saving her child's life and giving proper credit, proclaimed "God used her in a major way." Beth Grimnes- life saver and hero. This is one of those 'rest of the story' stories. You see, Beth Grimnes is one of my former students. In the 1999-2000 term, Beth was in my eighth grade Bible class. What an absolute jewel of a girl. Once she was helping me with an errand before first period and I introduced her to our secretary as, "my assistant, The Lovely Beth Grimnes." I started calling her LBG for short, a nickname she loved. Beth's younger sister, Katie, got mad because Beth would never tell her what the initials stood for. Katie also asked if I would give her a nickname, a request I never got around to fulfilling. The Grimnes family moved to the other side of Houston after Beth's eighth grade year and that's how she ended up in Kingwood, Texas on the afternoon of June 14, 2006. The family of Zachary Ives believes the Lord arranged for The Lovely Beth Grimnes to be sitting on the life guard chair that day. I would never argue with them.

There you have it, the tale of two Texans separated by forty years and radically different conclusions. One is infamous while the other will be remembered for all the right reasons. In Luke 6:9, Jesus was addressing a dispute over the Sabbath. The Savior asked a question that allowed only one correct reply: "Is it lawful to save life or to destroy life?" In the summer of 1966, Charles Whitman chose the latter. In the summer of 2006, Beth Grimnes opted for the former. And one ten year old boy will see his eleventh birthday because she did.

 Applicable quote of the day:
"We can't all be heroes because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by."
Will Rogers

God bless,
Steve
Luke18:1

The Rearrangement

 

The Rearrangement

I'm not the most flexible person God created but sometimes, we have to make changes. The following, from March 1, 2006, is about the need we face at points in our lives to do some rearranging.

Yesterday was strange. I got sick on Tuesday and I never get sick. I've never missed a day of teaching due to illness and was not about to start; I toughed it out. A headache came on early in the day and three aspirin and eight Tylenol couldn't shake it. As soon as I got home from school, I hit the bed and slept for three hours. Food had no appeal and neither did work. I just wanted to get better. Guess how I feel today? I can't tell you how absolutely great I feel! I wish I felt this good everyday! The truth is, I do feel this good 99% of the time but it takes a bad day to realize it. By tomorrow, the euphoria will have passed but, at least for now, it's pretty exciting!

How often do we take life for granted? Mission trips sober us to the reality of the bounty of our lifestyle. Many feel a sense of guilt re-entering our culture with its opulence after spending time with some of the poorest humans on earth. But soon, the feeling goes into dormancy until our next trip. Most of us have exactly what we need, not to just get by, but thrive. This in my first blog entry from home. Last night, 10:00 pm CST, my Compaq Presario 1200 met the Internet for the first time, having been introduced by the computer matchmaker of Westbury Christian, Kevin Duncan. It was a difficult courtship, complete with anger, impatience, miscommunication, and PRAYER! Finally, the romance was a reality. What a terrific way to end a miserable day! In the course of installing my computer and its DSL, I had to rearrange my apartment. The desk now resides where the easy chair was, the easy chair moved to replace the dining room table, and the dining room table took over the space vacated by the desk. It's like I have a brand new apartment! Now, you have to realize I have lived in the same place for eight years and haven't changed things around one time. Necessity required a shuffling of the furniture but it's almost made it fun to come home. The furniture is not new but being in a different location gives it a different feel. The pieces were already there; moving them around just makes them seem, if not quite new, at least newer. To quote the worst grammar ever from a rock song:
"Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man,That he didn't, didn't already have." (America, 1974)
Every English teacher in the US could grind their teeth over that word usage but we get the point. Our lives resemble a jigsaw puzzle. All the pieces are there but putting them together takes time as well as trial-and-error. I am convinced that God gives us the parts to succeed, along with an assembly manual but we don't believe we have the necessary materials encoded in our DNA. I could have been computer literate but I chose to doubt myself. I could have done many things that I convinced myself were beyond my reach. Confidence comes from success and success grows from the seeds God plants in us. It's Spring; time to let those heavenly seeds germinate and bloom!

Applicable quote of the day:
"What a surprise to find that you could shift the contents of your head like rearranging furniture in a room."
Lisa Alther

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Choosing Sides

 

Choosing Sides

The Texas high school football playoffs are not far off and  champions will be crowned in a number of size classifications. The following entry was based on my favorite television show which was based on high school football in Texas. This is from February 14, 2007.

We had a disagreement in my sophomore Bible class yesterday, centering around an incident in the television series, Friday Night Lights. In last week's episode, Dillon High School was staging a powder puff flag football game for its female students. Two football players, Matt and Tim, were the coaches and as such, had to pick their squads from the thirty or so girls assembled in the gym. Matt had first pick. Sitting off to the side was his girlfriend, Julie, who happens to be the football coach's daughter. Julie is being forced to play in the game by her mother as punishment for skipping classes. It is obvious Julie doesn't want to be there or have anything to do with the contest. So, Matt picks Tyra, a good athlete, first and doesn't select his sweetheart Julie until third. Julie is very chapped. I explained the scenario to my class and asked the girls if Julie was right to be angry. Lea took the position, adamantly, that Julie should have been upset. I wondered why, knowing that she didn't want to play and Lea's reply was loyalty. Lea turned the question around and asked me and the boys in second period what our response would be if our girlfriend didn't pick us in those circumstances. Universally, the boys' answer echoed mine: "THANK YOU!" Lea was mystified and even rekindled the discussion with several other male faculty members at the end of school who, of course, took the same stance as her favorite Bible teacher. When I presented the situation in my other classes, every girl sided with Lea and every boy saw eye-to-eye with me. Talk about following the party line!

Today, I had several of my students write messages on the Love Board. Although normally a strictly optional expression of "love" for the opposite gender, I imposed on four girls to each take a five inch by five inch square and post a public Valentine. There were two provisos: the thoughts had to be in the young ladies' native language and they could not tell me the content of their statements. Kim wrote in Vietnamese, SunWoo printed in Korean, and Joy and Eva penned their pronouncements in Mandarin Chinese. During the day, I pointed out their squares to my classes. There were several students who could translate one box but no one could understand all of the five inch impromptu Hallmark cards. I even had Kim read hers aloud but no one else in that period could comprehend her words. All of us saw the identical scripts and some even listened to a pronunciation but the meanings were hidden by language barriers. In a sense, it was like the difference between the way the boys and girls view the choosing/not choosing the girlfriend for the powder puff team. The lens our decision was filtered through was dependent on our gender. We saw the same event but came to diametrically opposed conclusions. Sometimes, we can see but not really see. I don't understand why Lea and the other young ladies think as they do but it isn't a big deal. Some things are a big deal. Jesus told his disciples, "blessed are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear." The Savior was referring to parables and the understanding the apostles would gain versus the ignorance of the crowds. Today, my understanding was shrouded in ignorance. I saw what those girls wrote...but it had no meaning to me. I heard what Kim read....but her words were unintelligible noises to my ears. I could learn....but without incentive, I won't. I can fathom the meaning of God's word but that doesn't mean I will. Sometimes, I can't even understand a teenage girl.

Applicable quote of the day:
"There are two great unknown forces today, electricity and woman, but men can reckon much better on electricity than they can on woman."
Josephine K. Henry

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

When OK Is Not

 

When OK Is Not

This entry from October 29, 2018 is about one of my favorite students and a haircut!
I got a haircut last Wednesday but that isn't really what this is about. I actually liked it when I got all the gel that Kim, the Korean lady who cuts my hair, slathered on. My take is that if I like the result, I can make it a couple of hours before the shower washes it down the drain and Kim is great at what she does! That brings me to Thursday.... and Euphe. I should say here that Euphe is one of my all-time favorite students. I've written a blog about her kindness in bringing me a wonderful gift back from her homeland, China, two years ago. Twice she has been in my classes, as both an 8th grader and last year as junior in my Gospels course. Both times, she excelled. Her English is tremendous and she has the ability to be funny in her second language, a skill many can never master. Last month, I wrote her college letter of recommendation and it was a glowing piece of literature to accurately describe this young lady. But let's get back to Thursday.

It was lunchtime and I eat with the high school kids this year after five years with our elementary children. Euphe's path crossed mine between the salad bar and the soup station. She asked, "Did you get a haircut?" Instead of answering yes or no, I replied with, "Do you like it?" She gave me a quizzical look and said, "It's OK." I acted hurt- you know emotional I am. When the final bell rang several hours later, she came up to greet me like she always does and I reminded her that my feelings were bruised. Euphe told me, "Well, OK means better than average." I explained to her that it didn't. She then countered with saying my haircut was nice. I told her that was even worse! We laughed and parted ways until the next haircut or second language nuance lessons, whichever comes first.

Today at lunch, I told her she would be the subject of my blog tonight and I would make her look good which isn't hard. Euphe liked that and asked when it would be posted so she could read it. Here's what I learned from my recent conversations with this terrific young lady. First, don't ask a question if you don't want to know the answer. Usually, students will tell me great or awesome when I ask that question. OK just left me hanging. It also reinforced the complexity of language and how you might have to come from a culture to get all the idiosyncrasies involved in the native dialect. And as I mentioned before, Euphe has a very good grasp of English and as good a vocabulary as many American kids. You know what's funny? Euphe came up in my classes that same week as she has this time for the past several years. I reference her in the story of the sinful woman who washed Jesus feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. I make the point that hair to a woman is almost sacred, especially in certain cultures, and the girls all shake their heads in agreement. And that's when Euphe's name pops up. You see, she has the longest hair at WCS, almost to her knees, and has for several years. She'll never get it cut before graduation which is in seven months for her. But if she did and happened to ask me what I thought, I've got my answer already ready. "AWESOME!!" And that's not splitting hairs. 

Applicable quote of  the day:
“Every barber thinks everybody needs a haircut.” 
M.F. Moonzajer

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Little Yellow House

 

The Little Yellow House

 

This is from July 29, 2021.

If you're my Facebook friend, you might have noticed that three weeks ago, I took an eight day road trip to Kansas. Normally, I only visit my brothers and their families in Wichita during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays but not being able to go on my usual Vietnam mission left me with time on my hands. Dave had recently missed his high school reunion in our hometown of York, Nebraska and wanted to make the four hour trip to touch base with a few stops along the way. (See my last week's blog about the World's Biggest Ball Of Twine!) One thing we did in York was pose at our elementary school and the four houses in which we grew up. That's the shots above taken decades apart- I'm the smallest human. This was the first house we called home in Nebraska; 1012 Kiplinger Avenue. I was happy to see it has retained its yellow hue.

We moved here from Brooklyn where Dave and I were born and here is where my memories really begin. I was four and everything in the world was exciting. Dad was a preacher, Mom was a stay at home mom at the time, Scott was a few years away, and Cecelya and Sandy had not yet joined our family. This house was owned by Dale and Raylene Larson. He was the President of York College and I grew up with their children, Aloha and Zane. The house was small but it had some great features! The living room wallpaper was the Grand Teton Mountains and the ceiling in the room Dave and I shared had the solar system on the ceiling that glowed when the lights were out. Our neighbors in the next two houses, the Gurganuses and the Thomases, both had York College structures named after them so we were in high society. Dad's office, the church building, was fifteen seconds away by foot and I loved spending time there- I was especially fascinated by the baptistry. This is where we lived when Dad started cutting our hair and taking us to YC basketball games- pretty sure we got in for free! Mom, as the preacher's wife, played hostess for every baby and bridal shower for every young lady in our congregation. It was here where our folks had us skip meals so we could give the money saved to missionaries, something they explained but I did not get at the time. Fast was how you ran, not something you went without to a little boy. I somehow survived measles/mumps/chicken pox on this piece of land. School began for me in this house and I've never left. Even at five, I walked to Willard School, five blocks away. And then after about four years, we moved to another house, the first our parents ever owned, and more memories of growing up and being shaped would follow. That's several more pictures and stories for another day. 

It's never meant that much to me that I was born in Brooklyn, although someday I would like a Brooklyn Dodgers hat. (7 1/4 if you are interested!) Do you know how many times we are told Jesus returned to Bethlehem, His birthplace? None! I do wonder if He ever had the urge to travel the six miles down the road when in Jerusalem for Passover. On the other hand, we are told about Him returning to Nazareth where He had been brought up and how He was referred to as Jesus of Nazareth. His reception in His hometown was anything but warm; they wanted to kill Him after His synagogue proclamation that He was the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies. Dave and I had no such hostile reaction- we just slipped in and out. There are two things I did notice from the respective pictures posted above. The first is that in the 2021 photograph, I'm wearing a Nebraska Youth Camp shirt with HOME emblazoned on the front. I didn't think that out beforehand but it was appropriate. (Shoutout to my WCS colleague Jay Roberts for this addition to my wardrobe!) The second thing that hit me is that my picture pose is unchanged from that autumn (I'm wearing flannel) day many moons ago. Hair pushed over my left eye, hands in pocket. The one thing different is I am missing Mom's motherly touch and Dave is missing Dad's. That's OK. They gave us the foundation to be able to stand when they were gone and much of that grounding came in these four yellow walls.

Applicable quote of the day:
When you finally go back to your old home, you find it wasn't the old home you missed but your childhood.
Sam Ewing

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Passing

 

The Passing

I was blessed with great women and men of faith in my life as a child. This entry, from June 7, 2011, is about one of them.
A great man died yesterday. Brother Alex Humphrey passed away in Florida with his loving family family bedside. Alex might not have been an international icon but that does not preclude him from giant status. He was my Bible professor at York College and a more knowledgeable scholar I've  never known. He taught me Hebrews but while expounding on the Word, he taught me and a generation of YC students a whole lot about life. He knew the Scriptures but more important to me as a kid, he lived the teachings of Jesus. He was plain spoken and you knew where he stood but he did it with a deep down gentleness that many preachers and educators lack. A piece of York College died when Alex Humphrey took his last breath on Monday.

But, there was more to the man than just an academician or minister. He and his lovely wife, Ruth, were like an extra set of parents to me. I grew up in a unique church where almost all of the adults were connected to the college. In fact, there was no Church of Christ in York, Nebraska until York College, which had been closed for a number of years, was reopened by a new faculty and administration. Most of  the members in that small Midwestern congregation were southerners educated at colleges like Harding, Abilene Christian, and David Lipscomb and who came to staff the college. The parents looked out for each others' kids and although unrelated by blood, we became extended families. None of the parents were divorced, all the moms cooked, and they all had a universal blessing to correct the others' children should the need arise. I remembering staying with the Humphreys and their son, Phil, in their gracious home when my folks traveled. Ironically, now as a Houstonian, I struggled to decipher their Texas accents! But they looked after me as their own in my mom's and dad's absence. I just don't think you see that commonality of purpose much anymore in churches, especially in larger locales. Alex helped me maintain my bearings when I wandered and my folks did the same for many of my church contemporaries. I know Phil is grieving today with the loss of his beloved father. He'll find out, as my siblings and I did when our folks went to be with the Lord, how much love his father left behind. But then, it's really no surprise. Alex Humphrey was simply part of a mighty large family, a family that has lost one of its remaining patriarchs.

Applicable quote of the day:
"Great men, unknown to their generation, have their fame among the great who have preceded them, and all true worldly fame subsides from their high estimate beyond the stars."
Henry David Thoreau

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Charitable Donation

 

Charitable Donation

Larry Roder, who is my brother in Christ, does my taxes each year. The biggest part of my preparation is putting together records for Larry. You want to learn about a wonderful charitable donation? Read on, from March 1, 2007.

I can't stand the Dallas Cowboys. It goes back to college days. One of my friends, Gary Beck, was from Dallas and was firmly convinced the only reason the Cowboys ever lost was due to an NFL conspiracy. It became very easy to root against America's Team. That hard line stance melted today as I was reading the ESPN website. A story came over the wires about former Cowboy teammates, Ron Springs and Everson Walls. The duo played together for four seasons in the early 1980's, establishing a friendship that would spiral outward to include their spouses and kids. After retirement, the two remained close, to the point of being named godfathers to the other's children. More than fifteen years ago, Springs was diagnosed with diabetes and has digressed steadily, in spite of thrice-weekly dialysis. He has lost the functional use of one hand and has endured the amputation of a foot and the removal of toes on the other. In dire need of a kidney transplant, Springs turned to relatives, including his son, who plays for the Washington Redskins, and a niece, but concerns removed those kin from the donor list. Almost offhandedly, Walls offered to be tested.... and came up a match. The long term friendship between the former athletes was cemented yesterday as Everson Walls' kidney was transplanted into Ron Springs' failing body. Assuming no rejection, Springs is expected to regain motion in his hand and walk on his own once more, discarding the wheelchair that has become his transport. They are the first retired American athletes to participate in an organ swap.

Ironically, the player perceived by many to be the worst current teammate also plays for the Cowboys. who, fairly or not, has been labeled a team killer and is suspected of poisoning relationships with former quarterbacks Jeff Garcia and Donovan McNabb. Maybe T.O. could use some mentoring from Walls and Springs in regards to loyalty and camaraderie. I've noticed with my own players that it is easier for them to swallow physical play from an opponent in a game than from a teammate/classmate in a practice session. Maybe we expect it from the opposition but subconsciously believe those wearing the same jerseys as we do should cut us some slack. Jesus dealt with discord in the ranks of his apostles. James and John wanted to elevate their standing over the other ten. Friction probably arose between the tax collector, Matthew, and his eleven co-workers who hated tax collectors. It is possible that Judas was the only one of the Twelve not from Galilee, leaving him on the outside looking in in terms of accent and cultural literacy. Still, the Savior did just fine with the dozen he hand-picked after a prayer session. Minus Judas, they bonded through suffering and setbacks and became the mightiest evangelistic force in history. Everson Walls risked his life/lifestyle giving up his kidney to re-energize the life of his teammate and friend, Ron Springs. Would Bartholomew have sacrificed an organ for Phillip or would James, son of Alphaeus, given his kidney to James, son of Zebedee? In my book, there is not a shred of doubt. That's what a teammate does, even a retired teammate whose vantage point is now on the sidelines.

Applicable quote of the day:
"It's a big deal. You've got to understand now, this man is giving me something to make my life better. I would tell everybody in America, be a donor. The ultimate donor was Jesus Christ- he gave his whole life for us."Ron Springs (on receiving a kidney from Everson Walls)

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Fear Itself

 

Fear Itself

 

I still lift weight three-four days per week but no longer on the WCS campus as I did when I wrote this almost 21 years ago. Many of us like being scared of a movie but not so much in real life. Coming into an empty school building very early in the morning can bring on skittish nerves! This is from 11-28-05.

As I do each Monday-Wednesday-Friday from August through May, I arrived at our school building this morning at 4:45 to work out. I used to lift after school but there were too many conflicts with meetings and kids going through their strength routines. One thing about 4:45 a.m.- you don't have to fight traffic to get to the equipment. My workout takes about one hour and fifteen minutes and leaves me physically drained. Most people like having a lifting partner but I prefer going it alone. When I have a partner, I talk and I don't get as much done. Finishing up, I make a quick trip to my apartment to shower and return to school before 7:00 to start another eventful day.

You might think the hardest part of my routine is getting out of bed or finding motivation to go if I don't feel great. Neither of those are accurate. The most difficult thing I deal with is walking into the building. We have a large complex and it can be incredibly dark and spooky at that time. I peek around corners and flip on light switches to assure myself that I am not about to be attacked by some unknown, unseen bad guy. My skittishness this morning was compounded by something I saw on the news while I ate breakfast. Did you know ABC has a news show at 3:30 a.m.? It was about the recording of 'voices of the dead' from 'haunted' houses. Now, my belief of the scriptures leads me to have doubts about that stuff but it was on my mind as I came into the school. My hair stood on end as I walked a deserted hallway and I felt the wall for the next light switch. Of course, there was nothing there- there never is. But an ice machine rumbling in the cafeteria becomes a potential threat to my safety. Last week, someone left a radio on overnight somewhere in the area and I could hear it. THAT was unnerving! I don't really calm down until the next person, Roger Ramirez, arrives at about 5:30. Then, I breathe easier and concentrate on improving my muscle mass rather than dodging the bogey man. You are supposed to do some cardiovascular movements to get you heart rate up- I have automatic rapid pulse without running at all!

There's something about the dark that unnerves us. The Bible constantly contrasts light and dark with light standing for good and darkness representing evil. We associate darkness with the world of sin and Satan while we pair the Father-Son-Holy Spirit with light. I'm no veterinarian but I have never seen animals afraid of the dark. They seem comfortable at any time. My students tell me they would never come into the school building alone when I do but it would not bother them in the afternoon. Brightness reassures us that we will be OK. Jesus contrasted two types of people in Luke 16:8 when he classified all of us as either 'people of the world' or 'people of the light.' In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes what are known as "The Seven 'I AM' Statements." One of these, in John 8:12, states "I am the light of the world." But look what Jesus says in Matthew 5:14 when he declares "YOU are the light of the world." In a sense, he puts the same characteristic on the believer that he has himself! The world is looking for physical light and spiritual light. Jesus said we should let our lights shine so God would be praised. A hidden light isn't doing much good. Children love the Bible song, This Little Light of Mine (I'm Gonna Let It Shine!) It is so simple but it is the essence of evangelism. Jesus tells us in John 3 that if "we live by truth, we come into the light." After we come into the light, we must stay in the light. That's what I want to do in the morning- stay where it's light and stay away from the dark. There was a gospel hymn we sang when I was a boy called In the Land of Fadeless Day. The song was about heaven and the last three words of each verse and the chorus were identical: 'no night there.' There will be no night in heaven and no fear in heaven. It will be all light. No peeking around the corners and no scary ice machines! Nothing will be there to threaten us. The truth is, nothing can really harm me if I rest in the love of God. I just have to remind myself at 4:45 a.m.!

Applicable quote of the day:
"Work hard.
Speak the truth.
Trust in God.
HAVE NO FEAR."
sign on the desk of Harry Truman

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Stringing It Out

 

Stringing It Out

COVID changed all our plans! This is from July 24, 2021!

Normally, I spend July in Vietnam, working with the school and congregation which came about from the efforts of missionary Tom Tune. As you might guess, my annual trip was postponed for the second summer in a row due to the pandemic. Lord willing, I will return to Can Tho next summer! This cancellation left me with time on my hands which normally is maxed out with planning and traveling and hopefully, planting the seed. Four weeks ago, I was getting pretty antsy so I called my brothers, Dave and Scott, to see if they would put up with a short visit from me. I got the thumbs up from both so sixteen days ago, I made the 625 mile drive to Wichita and split time between their homes which are roughly two miles apart. Both run summer camps  and Sally and Karen, their lovely wives, work so I had some time to myself. Time to yourself away visiting is better than time to yourself when are at home or at least I perceive it to be!  

When I first talked to Dave, he suggested the two of us take a road trip to Campbell, Nebraska, the small town where he started his teaching/coaching career as well as married life with Sally. Then, we would continue on to our home town of York, Nebraska. There were landmarks along the way to Campbell. We passed near the geographical center of the US which is right outside the small town of Lebanon, Kansas. We got gas in Red Cloud, Nebraska, home of famed Midwestern novelist Willa Cather. My favorite tourist attraction, though, was in the tiny (population 469) village of Cawker City, Kansas. There, on main street, sits the world's largest ball of twine. Apparently, it receives a great number of visitors even though Dave and I were the only two present during our five minute stop. It is immense! We took the prerequisite pictures before heading back north to the Cornhusker State which was the day's final destination. (I should note here that there are several other giant twine balls which make some claims to be world's this or that!)

Like everything, there is a backstory. The Cawker City ball was started in 1953 by Frank Stoeber who had heard about a similar endeavor in Minnesota which was several years old. In 1961,  Mr. Stoeber deeded his creation to the small community and it has resided there to this day. But it is a growing organism. Each year, the town holds a twine a thon, a typical rural picnic/celebration with the caveat that the celebrants add twine to the attraction. Also, folks passing through can stop at a local business and a nice lady named Lottie Herod will gift you some twine to add yourself! Your twine is added to the running weight total which was 19,873 pounds in 2013. Wish I had known- Dave and I could have added our two cents, I mean lengths, to the accumulation! 

You know, that initial piece of twine that started this stringed colossus will never be seen again; it's buried deep within that huge sphere. Who knows if Mr. Stoeber had any idea what his obsession would become. Most things start small. As humans, we were microscopic at conception. The world's great novels began with the author as a child learning the alphabet. I always like Jesus' analogy of the mustard seed, which He calls the smallest, becoming a big tree where birds could nest. Come to think of it, birds love gathering twine for their nests! In Matthew 13, which is full of short parables, Jesus states the the 'kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed...' There are commonalities that to me, at least,  the twine possesses that the kingdom should also possess. The people freely share it with others, especially strangers, and acknowledge its value. It's out in the open and not hidden away from view. It's available to anyone who takes the time and has the interest. And, it's constantly growing, if not everyday then at least on a regular basis. My guess is that the good folks of Cawker City see their ball of twine as a blessing, both financially and insuring their home is more than just a dot on the map of Kansas. My prayer is that as believers, we comprehend the blessing of the kingdom of God in our lives. It seems the Savior constantly made teaching points from what He witnessed going down the road. I think He would have had a ball in Cawker City.

Applicable quote of the day:
Baling twine.. able to turn any equestrian , rancher or farmer into Macgyver.
True Western Living

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Daily Grind

 

The Daily Grind

First thing every morning,  I remover my mouth guard. Why do I need a mouth guard you ask? Keep reading below from March 29, 2010!

I reached my dentist's office this morning before 7:00AM. Downtown Houston is eerie and almost eerily charming before the masses arrive. This was an easy appointment, as easy as they come. Apparently, according to my dentist, I grind my teeth and I need a mouth guard. There are people I trust implicitly and Dr. Charles Campbell is one of them. If he tells me that I need something done, I have the procedure with no qualms. Today was just the fitting and Dr. Campbell's assistant went over a few tips for cleaning, insertion and removal, etc. Tonight is the maiden voyage for my new piece of equipment. What a great incentive for going to sleep!

I don't know what makes me grind my teeth. This actually is the second mouth guard Dr. Campbell has made for me. I accidentally threw the other one out about nine years ago. Maybe that's why I'm a teeth grinder; I lose almost everything! The dental community says grinding, medically termed bruxism, is caused by stress in our daytime lives. I don't think I have stress but I do know I'm a lousy sleeper- I never sleep more than several hours without waking up and that has been since early childhood. You know what I don't like about teeth grinding? It's spiritual application. Seven times, the Biblical synonym, gnashing of teeth, is used in the New Testament and always coming from the mouth of Jesus. (Six times in Matthew and once in Luke, if you're interested.) Each time, it is in the context of eternal punishment. And each time, those in that uncomfortable position certainly aren't sleeping. I doubt the Evil One will be offering mouth guards to his eternal guests. And on the other side of eternity, the companions of Jesus won't need them. They won't be sleeping either; too much singing going on!

Applicable quote of the day:
''Anger is implanted in us as sort of sting, to make us gnash with our teeth against the devil, to make us vehement against him, not to set us in array against each other.''
Richard Savage

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Game Ball

 

The Game Ball

Our first game is rapidly approaching! The following, from November 29, 2005, is about another of my teams and my assistant coach at the time, April Cusic, now McGee. She was a kindergarten teacher and my assistant coach at WCS for two years: she was terrific in both roles. But, her heart was in missions and she left to prepare to tell the people of Brazil about the love of Jesus with her  husband. I/we still miss her.

We had a trophy presentation today in middle school chapel. My 7th-8th grade girls' basketball team won the consolation round of the St. Marks Episcopal tournament right before Thanksgiving and this was our first assembly since. I am proud of these kids. 'Overachieving' is an overused word in sports but it applies to what these kids have done. The Lady Wildcats have won four times when I, their coach, thought we would be lucky to win a game. So much for adult faith! We do many trophy presentations at Westbury Christian School. We have two assemblies per week and we like to give honor when it is due. A third place piece of hardware might not seem like much to those accustomed to the million dollar spectacles played out on the NBA/NFL/Major League Baseball stage but it is huge to 12 and 13 year old girls. Surrounded by our team, I presented the trophy to Greg Glenn, our WCS athletic director. But that wasn't the end of the ceremony. I missed the last game of the tournament because of a conflict with holiday airline schedules. My assistant coach, April Cusic, coached the girls in my absence. It was her first time coaching by herself and she led the girls to a victory over John Cooper, a school which beat us twice last year. April is one of our wonderful kindergarten teachers and tremendous with the young ladies in our program. To show our gratitude, we autographed a basketball and presented it to her. At our team meeting , five girls said they wanted to say something in the presentation but when the microphone was staring them in the face, they froze. Maybe next time- public speaking is a challenge for any of us. It was a great moment for April and the kids. They need her and today, they let her know that they do.

Someone once said, "All you need to know about awards is that Mozart never won one." There is some validity in that statement. I let my players vote for all the awards we give at our athletic banquets and the truth is, I don't always agree with the selections. At times, the obvious choice to me is not who the kids pick. They have a different angle of vision than I do. My vantage point is court side while theirs is on the playing surface and in the locker room. Jesus singled out people for special recognition who his followers would have overlooked or disputed their worthiness. A Roman centurion was said to have greater faith than any Israelite-you know that had to please the disciples who were fiercely proud of their heritage. The Master praised the offering of a woman who gave a minuscule amount but percentage-wise put all of us to shame. He called the tax collector Zacchaeus a 'son of Abraham' after the huge crowd lashed out at Jesus for inviting himself to dine with perhaps the most hated man in Jericho. That's the kind of recognition I love- the unexpected, off the cuff praise. The term in the modern vernacular is a "SHOUT OUT." Jesus was the king of the shout outs. He praised those who never got the pat on the back or what my Dad calls The Blessing. We all have the ability to bestow The Blessing on those in the orbit of our lives. You know someone who, like April, deserves a game ball. You have it in your power. You don't need a NIKE ball (although they are nice) or a Sharpie to attach your signature to a round piece of leather. Be creative: a little praise has the ability to change a life. Just ask Zacchaeus when you arrive in heaven!

Applicable quote of the day:
"Awards become corroded, friends gather no dust."
Jesse Owens

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Holidazed

Holidazed

We are entering into the holiday portion of the year with three major celebrations coming in the next seventy-five days. Not all holidays are created equally!  What good is a holiday if nobody knows? The following thoughts are from October 8, 2006. 

Tomorrow is Columbus Day. We have no school so I am excited. My list of tasks requiring attention is rather long so it will be a catch-up day. I am going to get a haircut. There are in excess of one hundred Bible exams, almost seventy of them essay tests, for me to grade. My brother is coming in two weeks to do a tennis clinic for us at Westbury Christian School: the cleanup push in my apartment is ON. So, I am grateful for the day out of school but to be honest, the holiday is meaningless to me. I doubt many of my students know why we will have only four days of school next week but I heard no complaints. Columbus Day has been a federal holiday since 1971, set aside on the calendar to commemorate the explorer's journey to the New World. I know that several cities have parades in honor of the event but any significance of the day is lost to me. Every other holiday I can think of evokes some sort of emotional response except this one. Maybe the meaning has simply lessened over the decades. But, once you celebrate a holiday, you would have a difficult time removing it from the calendar. Try taking a vacation day from a mail carrier, a bank teller, or heaven forbid, a school teacher!

I think there is a measure of Columbus Day mentality in the way we view our religion. We do something simply because we have done it that way repeatedly in the past. Times of community worship or Bible study become an obligation instead of the joy they were intended. Individual reflection and prayer becomes rote, lacking any real celebration of the Creator who gave us the intellect to praise and meditate. The Fourth Of July and Veterans' Day spark feelings of gratitude in my heart while this second Monday of October will just prolong the weekend for me. I know Christopher Columbus left a profound footprint on the history of this hemisphere and the ripple effect has washed every other continent in the intervening five hundred years. It's just easier to blow it off than to pay any attention to this holiday. Forgive me, Lord, if I treat your sacred days in the same manner.

Applicable quote of the day:
"If Columbus had an advisory committee, he would probably still be at the dock."
Arthur Goldberg

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Time And Condensation

 

Time And Condensation

This devotional from October 23, 2018 is about a trip back to my home town.
The past weekend a whirlwind for me. I flew out of Houston Thursday after my last class and was picked up by Dave in Wichita. At 6 AM Friday, Dave, Sally, Scott, and me drove from Kansas to York, Nebraska for Dave's induction into the York College Hall Of Fame. It was a wonderful affair followed by golf, a York High football game, family gatherings, etc. in the thirty hours in our hometown. We drove around to see our schools and the houses we lived in and the places we played ball. We drove through the cemetery where some of my childhood friends are buried and reminisced about what happened here and there. And then we drove back to Kansas and I flew back to Houston.... and I seamlessly moved into the routine I've followed for decades.

I'm not positive but I think this was only my fifth time in York since 1977. Our folks moved to Texas in 1976 and we had no relatives left behind. I returned to coach  American Legion baseball one more summer after they relocated but then I drifted away as I began my teaching and coaching career. As  I walked through the crowd at the ball game, I searched for familiar faces but came up empty. (We were asked to sign a petition to recall the mayor!) A few were vaguely familiar but not close enough to risk embarrassment should I be wrong. Dave and I commented that except for some new bleachers and scoreboards, the scene as York thumped Crete had not changed any since we were boys running around those same Friday night contests. What I did find disconcerting was how time had shrunk the places etched in my memories. Maybe it's because I've lived for two decades in one of the biggest US cities or maybe it's just the way I want to remember. I walked into the gym in the York Community Center where I probably played more indoors than in any other facility. I asked Dave, at least semi-seriously, if they had moved the walls in. It was so small stacked up next to my mental picture. It was almost as if time had played a trick on me. Maybe I just played a trick on myself.

Time to me is incomprehensible. I just don't get it but maybe I'm not really supposed to. We can't see it but we can see what it does. It ages us and the things we build although nature seems immune. I was pleasantly surprised that all the many trees that line the streets of York seem to have grown and provide much more shade than I remember! Moses in Psalm 90:4 writes that time and God have a relationship we can never quite wrap our collective heads around. 
A thousand years in your sight
  are like a day that has just gone by,
  or like a watch in the night.
It's like our Father blinked and decades have passed. The reality is that I blinked and blinked and blinked and have distorted what I once knew first hand. It's been said that truth and memory are related but not identical. Thomas Wolfe famously authored You Can't Go Home Again about a man and his hometown's reaction when he wrote about it. I disagree; I believe you can go home again and should go home again. You just have take into account the millions of blinks since childhood. And that I have changed. Thank goodness for the dreams awakened in a little boy's heart on the plains of the Cornhusker State. Those can survive the visual blurring of inanimate objects and the romanticizing of youth. I can live with that.


Applicable quote of the day:
As time passes, the actual complexity of our history - even of our own personal experience - gets buried under the weight of the ideal image. 
Stephanie Coontz

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Table For Thirty

 

Table For Thirty

 

The holiday season is coming at us at breakneck speed! Dave married into one of the most unique families I know and they make a big deal of these occasions.  The following is from thirteen years ago, December 29, 2009 and it illustrates the coordination of living arrangements with family!

During this holiday season in Kansas, I'm shuttling back and forth between Dave and Sally's house and Scott and Karen's home. I started at Dave's, moved to Scott's, transferred back to Dave's, and tomorrow will make the final venture back to Scott's. It's a simple journey, only a drive of several minutes, with the loading and unloading of a suitcase and a backpack. My itinerary has, for the most part, been centered on my brothers' traveling to see their wives' families. And tomorrow, Sally's clan is making to the pilgrimage to Wichita. It's a big deal. In spite of Meagan, Betsy, and Courtney doing the Lord's work as we speak in Africa and not being included in the final head count, there will be thirty relatives staying with Sally and Dave. Thirty, as in two-and-a-half dozen, for several days. I am in awe. I have a difficult time planning supper for myself, let alone twenty-nine additional mouths to feed. I sat with Sally and her son/my nephew, Ben, yesterday as they charted sleeping arrangements. It was as incomprehensible to me as my feeble attempts at learning to speak Mandarin. But, they have it all calculated and everyone will have comfortable quarters. Today, Susan, Sally's sister who lives forty-five minutes away, came over and the siblings cooked and shopped and cooked some more. Let me go back to my previous statement of incredulity. I have no idea how to plan menus for that many, let alone actually carrying out the cooking and cleaning up. No caterers- they are handling it all by themselves. There may be a glitch here and there but I'm sure they will pull it off. Sally and company are masters of entertaining.

When my classes cover Jesus dining at the home of Martha as reported in Luke 10, we talk about the most common treatment of the story, which is Martha's anger at her sister, Mary. Many scholars assume that Martha was the older of the two, based on this incident and the particulars of the death/raising of their brother, Lazarus. In our discussions, many of my female students, especially those with younger sisters, admit they would have reacted in the same manner as Martha faced with her circumstances. Now, factor that even with the apostles tagging along as they surely did, Martha was faced with thirteen guests for one dinner versus the triple that number that Sally is expecting over the course of days. Some of my students will tell you that any such gathering in their families is an invitation to a emotional bloodbath. Not my sister-in-law's family. Jesus gently chided Martha with the admonition that Mary, who was soaking in the teachings of the Master, was better serving the Lord than by setting the table. Sally's family has that part covered, too. All, excepting the little children, are Christians and most of the young people have served overseas in mission fields. If it's possible to have your cake and eat it, too, Sally's brothers and sisters will pull it off. And I am left with one conclusion, both religious and practical in nature; Dave married into a wonderful family.

Applicable quote of the day:
"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.''
Jane Howard

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Prize

 

The Prize

"Where our treasure is, our heart is." What was that guy's name who said that? Starts with a J, I think! This is from June 26, 2014.

We ended camp last week at WCS for 2014. I always count down the ninety hours of the three weeks in my head- it can get repetitive- but I miss the kids when it's over. I've seen several of my campers this week in other camps our school offers and I'm always happy when they are excited to see me. There is something about being around little children that makes you feel young even when you aren't any more.

Several years ago, we started having a Team Of The Week contest in our younger kids' sessions which are in the morning. The teams are divided usually by gender and always by age and they choose their own names, often in a category like zoo animals. (My A.M. squads this summer were the Cheetahs, the Panthers, and the Monkeys.) The morning campers range from about five to entering fourth grade and compete for WOW Points, which are awarded for winning Musical Triple Threat or Coach Says or which team mimics best in a shooting game or which group cheers the loudest. To be honest, it's easier for girls to win because they tend to be better at these things than elementary age boys. The totals are kept on a chart on the wall and are the topic of much discussion when updated. One of my campers, Catherine, mentally kept track of the score and was astonishingly accurate! Trey Austin, as did previous camp director Russell Carr, tells the kids that the members of the winning team will get a prize but never reveals what it actually is. Well, this past week, my team won and as I recall, it was a landslide. Like I said, girls have a distinct advantage when it come to WOW Points.

We always end morning camps on Friday with two traditions, Slip And Slide and Roasted Watermelon imported from Nicaragua. (The Roasted Watermelon tastes suspiciously like the regular variety in case you were wondering!) Right before we all went outside, Trey awarded the Monkeys their prize for capturing the Team Of The Week contest. The hardware? Each girl received one of the blue and gold plastic WCS commemorative basketballs shown at the top of the page, the kind cheerleaders often toss into the stands during high school games. (I was playing with my picture filter and that's why the ball is black and white- artistic license.) Other years, the prize has been a WCS basketball wrist bracelet or a WCS water bottle, nothing expensive but definitely filled with school spirit. I was intrigued with the response of one of the young ladies on my team after she had taken possession of her trophy, and I quote:
Is this all it is?  
She appeared very disappointed but I can guess why. She has been a student at WCS since kindergarten and has seen these prize basketballs constantly, perhaps even owning one herself. She wasn't ungrateful, just let down. To her, it simply was common and nothing to celebrate. I let it go- she's really a wonderful little girl.

As we went outside and were eating our watermelon, a young man saw me holding my prize- coaches get one, too- and exclaimed to no one in particular, 
"Man, I would give anything to have one of those basketballs!"
You see, this camper, who is about third grade age, doesn't go to our school and had never seen one of these balls before. I could actually detect an ache in his voice. Part of me wanted to give him the ball but that would go against what we told the kids plus I'd have to give one to every other child. Truthfully, the ball means little to me as well; I think I'll give mine to Dat in Vietnam if I can fit it into my luggage.

Funny how one man's trash is another's treasure, or at least that's what they say. I would guess the girl, who is generous, would have given her basketball to the boy if she had only known he wanted it. Abundance seems to breed indifference. I read a book this week about Christians in China desperately wanting a Bible and sometimes facing torture for their hunger. (On my first trip to China, I gave my Bible to an army officer.) In our society, we leave Bibles laying around like they have little value; after all, many American Christians probably have five or six scattered around their houses. My only dilemma is figuring out which translation to read from today or if I feel like logging onto my laptop and taking advantage of www.biblegateway.com. The Word of God is precious and powerful and in our culture, abundantly available. In other lands, the Scriptures have been smuggled in and treated as precious as jewels. Here, even in the Bible Belt, we take it for granted. This prize should never be taken for granted especially by those of us who should realize its eternal worth. Lives are on the line in this contest.


Applicable quote of the day:
Friendships born on the field of athletic strife are the real gold of competition. Awards become corroded, friends gather no dust.

Jesse Owens

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1