SORE LOSERS

Well, I am very confident that I didn't break any bones in the basketball challenge Sunday evening between my 27 year old youth pastor and me whose age is none of your stinking business. My feelings got hurt worse than my muscles, but that's life.

Sore losers lose twice and more so I congratulate the little guy and commend him. It was a fun game most of all for a good cause though I will admit I would like to have beat him like a drum.

Life has many moments when we don't get what we desire. It happens every day and many times a day in family, neighbor, business, and all kinds of relationships. First place isn't reserved for all of us all the time. Someone has to come in second in all of life's give and take moments.

Just a brief questions for today. Can you compromise and give in without pouting or being a sore loser? Do you puff up like a toad when you can't have life as you desire it to be?

I don't mean to preach. I just wonder.....

ANYONE NEED A YOUTH PASTOR?

Let me give you the good news first about the Basketball Challenge game we played Sunday evening between my youth pastor and me. We raised lots of money for missions and the youth programs, and I didn't break anything that I am aware of at this point. I will double check bones, sore muscles, and 

limbs later on Monday to make sure everything is OK.

The bad news is that I am not longer the champion over all of our youth pastors. Eric beat me.

The score?

69 to 64 

Now, does anyone know where I can find a smarter youth pastor who isn't so good at basketball? 

This guy is from Kentucky where baby boys are born with a basketball in each hand. They can dunk by the age of 6, and have won several championship before they get through high school.

I didn't stand a chance. 

Well, the truth is I just didn't want to break the spirit of the young guy and hurt his ego. I am over twice his age and it would be really humiliating for a boy from Kentucky to lose to an old guy from Alabama. Alabama has never won a National Championship in basketball. We don't even have but three basketballs in all of the state. How could I let this young man lose. His whole life is before him. It would have destroyed him. 

Next year isn't so far away. I get another chance and will be in better shape by then to teach the little guy a lesson. He better practice more. I only lost by five points. He had been ahead by almost fifteen and I got within two points until he sunk his last three pointer. 

In fact if I had stole the ball from Him on that last play, and if I had hit a three pointer then the score would be 65 to 64 in my favor.

But if, if's and but's were candy and nuts, then we would all have a Merry Christmas.

Ouch, oh my aching back, and sore calve muscles, and......

Good job, Eric. You're a really great youth pastor. Keep up the good work.

THREE CHEERS FOR GIDEONS

Thursday night I went to a Gideon Banquet to support their great and needed efforts to distribute God's Word around the world. God's Word is alive and powerful and reaches deep into the hearts and souls of man. His Word speaks His perfect plan and will to faithfully share His love and desire that none should perish.

Too often we take His Word for granted, and we fail to realize the powerful force it can be in broken and needy lives. Gideons place Bible in schools, colleges and universities, hospitals and doctors offices, jails and prisons, military services, and many others places where The Light needs to shine.

I enjoyed the delicious meal last night, the wonderful testimonies, and the insightful updates concerning Gideon ministries. 

The only thing that I didn't like is that they kept referring to pastors and their wives. I sat alone remembering when Kristy had attended such passed gatherings right there in that same country club where we were dining, but also in great anticipation of Wanda joining me for future events. 

I won't be alone for long. God is faithful, and He knows just what I need.

***

Monday, I will update the results of the great Basketball Challenge between my youth pastor and me to raise money for missions. May the best man win. Most of all, may we raise lots of money to soothe my aching muscles. HA!

YOUTH PASTOR RESPONDS

The trash talk for the upcoming challenge with the youth pastor is getting more intense by the day. Watch his response to my video from yesterday below. Sunday will be the showdown and we'll see who has game--the old guy or the young gun?

The challenge game is this Sunday evening and Elvis and Johnny Cash are providing the half-time. It should be quite a show.

I have been practicing some and getting my "game" together. If my outside shot is on, then the young gun is in a heap of trouble. It is all for missions and equipment needs of the youth. 

May the best man win.

watch

AMAZING SHOTS

Here is a video that was done to promote the upcoming Basketball Challenge between my youth pastor and me to raise money for missions and improvements in the youth department equipment. I have beat all of my previous youth pastors in basketball here at Southside so the challenge is to beat the new guy on the block. 

It is a fun event, but I feel I have the upper edge as I have a really good repertoire of shots. Watch the video below and you'll see how hot I can be on the court. HA!

watch

HAVING FUN WITH BASKETBALL

One of my few regrets when I attended high school many years ago at Walter Wellborn High in Anniston, Alabama, was not playing organized sports. I was a small, underweight guy, and we had moved a couple of times which kept me from being involved in summer training programs. I liked band and played the trumpet in the marching band as well as the orchestra. I wasn't that good, but enjoyed playing along and got into the football games free.

I loved football, basketball, tennis, and softball. I would play every chance I had and really wished I had played football and basketball. In college, I played intramural sports as we had some really rough tag football games in the afternoons after classes. I didn't make it on the basketball team though I played a lot of pick-up games in the afternoons too.

Now, pushing 60 I get a kick out of trying to compete with the young guns. Amazingly, last week as I practiced I beat a few of the guys in pick-up games at a local park near my house. I will be practicing there some this week as I step up my game to play my youth pastor this Sunday evening for a fun fund raiser for the youth. 

Eric, my youth pastor, and I have had some fun putting together some promo videos for church to drum up some buzz for the event. I will see about putting one of them up in a day or so. They are a hoot.

When you're young at heart, life is brighter and seems more enjoyable. I am having fun with BBall and look forward to beating Eric this Sunday evening. You might put one of us on your prayer list this week. HA! Maybe you need to put the old guy on your prayer list.

SUNDAY, A DAY OF HONOR

Sunday I visited Bartow First Assembly where I formerly pastored in the 80's. I was present as the church honored Wanda for 27 years of faithful service as church secretary and in recent years as church administrator. 

It was a great day to see the church celebrate and bless my new love. She deserved everything they did and more. They all love her and it makes me realize how blessed I will be to have her as my wife.

Bartow has so many wonderful memories for me with my girls growing up there. It is truly a model for small town America and a great place for the girls to grow up as children. I can visualize riding the streets of that town on bikes with our family. It was a special time.

Now my mind is turning to the new, the good, and dreams ahead. The deep pain in my heart is healing, though the hurt and loss probably will never totally leave. Yet, I know God has good plans ahead. He has everything under control. He is Lord.

It was interesting that the same day Wanda was honored that the article I had written about Kristy's story of how she went to heaven was published and distributed across America and around the world in Today's Pentecostal Evangel . (Double Click on Today's Pentecostal Evangel to read the article.)  Obviously it wasn't planned, but it just happened. 

Wanda even mentioned Kristy's article in her remarks Sunday as she received her honor for service. I was amazed at Wanda's grace and thoughtfulness to respect and honor another even on her special day. This is one reason I love her.

This is an amazing story.