March Madness...old style

It's NCAA Tournament time for college basketball teams and their fans. I enjoy watching both the best of the men's AND women's teams compete. Almost every American has played on a basketball team, at some time in their lives, or at least bounced a basketball on a drive-way. And, since the advent of gender equality in the sports world, we see both great male and female players.
Years ago, however, it was a different story. My high school did not have competitive women's sports teams. Most girls back then, were just fans. We did, however, play basketball in our gym classes. Dressed in our one-piece, white gym suits, we played a type of basketball that no modern student of the game would recognise.
We played half-court basketball. Honestly, players could not cross the center-line on the court. I suppose there might have been a fear that we would injure our delicate ovaries or some other part of our young bodies, if we ran all over the court! According to the rules, you were designated as an offensive player (shooter), or a defensive player (guard), and you stayed on your end of the court.
Oh, and free throws were made by holding the ball with both hands, squatting down and lofting the ball, underhanded, upward toward the goal.
Is that funny or what?

Good God. We are a strange species. We try to take things, then mold and change them, thinking we always know best. But, we don't. You, our creator and mentor, allow us to think we are in charge. But, You are always the referee and official timer.
Continue to hold us in your all-powerful arms and push us in the right direction. Help us to hear your whistle when we foul.
We are so very grateful for your power.

Fight AND Flight

My limited knowledge of self-defense had me believing, until this past weekend, that it was one or the other. When accosted or faced with a threatening situation, involving one's life and limb, the choice was either "to put up my dukes" or "turn and run".
Given the choice, I would always prefer to run. However, my age and girth is increasing at the same rate as my decreasing leg-speed. Running is becoming less of an option.
So, I jumped at (pun intended) the chance to take a class in self-defense. The brief instruction, called "Fight Like a Girl", focused on: 1)being aware and safety conscious: 2) recognizing an attacker's weaknesses; 3) striking back forcefully, and finally; 4) making a quick get-a-way.
So now, I may not be the "Jackie Chan" of the Senior Set, but I have gained some small sense of confidence that I can survive, at the very least, an attempted purse-snatching or car-jacking.
If you have to, put up a fight.............then, get out of there!

My Lord. Violence is frightening. Our prayer is never to be in a situation that threatens us or our loved ones. But, we know that there are circumstances causing some folks to turn to crime.
Be with us Lord. Remind us that fear is sometimes a necessary emotion, but that your strength will see us through. "I ask that your almighty arm establish me, put steel into me, and settle me so you will always be the solid ground and pillar of my love."(John Wesley, 1738)
Amen.

"Always"

I have secretly harbored a fantasy for more than 50 years. It started when I first saw the Fab Four shake their mop-heads on the Ed Sullivan Show. Yeah, I was one of those teenagers, screaming and jumping in front of my family's RCA Television Set.
But, since 1963, Paul McCartney and I have never been single at the same time. Unfortunately, I haven't, in all those years, been able to "hook up" with Sir Paul.
In the meantime, however, I've enjoyed listening to his music and fantasizing about our future together.
His latest wife is named Nancy, so I think he might have been thinking of me, too.
All of this information is background for my take on his latest CD. Entitled, "Kisses at the Bottom", it is a collection of mostly old love songs from by-gone eras. It's good and it's my new favorite listen, but "the cute Beatle" definitely sounds like a 70 year old man.
OMGolly. Where has the time gone? Maybe, both Paul and I are getting a little too old for fantasy? Or, maybe not?
BTW, Happy Birthday to the real long-time love of my life.

Dear God: I am thankful for my many blessings. Life has it's ups and downs, but the blessing of life is truly in the journey. Your goodness endures forever. Your steadfast love endures forever. Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with joy of living.

...."where everybody knows your name."

Years ago, a local grocery chain employed a spokeswoman, to hype their stores. Their commercial would come on the radio or TV, and Janie (that was her name) would say, "Hi Neighbor. This is Janie for Milgram's." Everybody in town felt like they knew Janie.
Remember the hit TV show of the 90's, "Cheers."? We watched "Cheers", because we all wanted to go to a place where "everybody knows your name."
Read this, Folks! I am tired of worshiping in churches where NO BODY KNOWS MY NAME OR EVEN CARES TO KNOW IT!!!!!!
It's not that church folk are unfriendly. They're just not friendly. They aren't welcoming.
Most churches have designated Greeters these days. Personally, I think everyone in a congregation should take the initiative to be friendly, but I do understand why churches want to have specific folk be Greeters.
But, Church Greeters never introduce themselves. (I really want to know the name of the person shaking my hand.) Church Greeters can smile and shake hands, but they rarely do it with any passion. (I want to be "pulled" into a church.) Church Greeters do nothing for a visitor, after you are in the door. (I want to be talked with, sat with, shown where the potties are and led to where the drinking fountains flow.)
It's no wonder churches are losing members. Small churches, mega churches, churches with giant screens, churches with digital signs, and churches with Hip-Hop music.........Wake up! Unless you really WELCOME me with the Spirit (get the many meanings here??) of the Lord, I'm not coming back.

O Lord. I want to be your servant. You have never made me feel like a stranger. Show me how to deal with my fellow Christians and help me to work on my patience. Open my ears and my eyes, so that I may be reminded of my imperfections. Guide my feet, Lord. Keep me on Your path.

Skipping a Beat

One of my followers wondered why I had omitted the prayer from my last posting. My answer is this, and I am being very truthful........ I wasn't feeling very Christ connected last week. It doesn't happen to me very often, but sometimes it does.
I won't bore you all with details, but let's say that, on occasion, church folk can be really insensitive and crass. It's as if they have never heard or put into practice the teachings of Jesus Christ. I encountered a couple of those "broken records" last week, and I let them get me off-track.
But, not for long. My needle is back in the groove, so to speak.
We are all guilty of not thinking before we speak. I have always said that my mouth and my propensity toward not policing my words will probably send me straight to Hell. My experience last week will serve to remind me that words and actions can hurt. So, I am telling myself...Straighten up, lady.


Gracious and all knowing Lord. Help me to keep my mouth shut and my mind open. Help me to realize that your children have all kinds of God given gifts and graces, and I am not the one to judge or be judged.
Your wonders will never cease. Your goodness will never end. Your mercy endures forever.

"All You Need Is Love"

Loretta Lynn once said that "all country music is either about lovin', cheatin' or God." Well, I listen to Country Music, and she's pretty much right on. Although, I'd probably add pick-up trucks, to the mix!
I'm also a fan of the music of Mozart, and actually, you could say the same thing about classical music.....it's all about loving, cheating and God. Those, after all, are the themes of "Don Giovanni" and the beautiful "Ave verum corpus."
And, pop music has always had a prevailing loving/cheating theme. Most of the Beatles' Songs had lyrics about love, including "Lovely Rita, Meter Maid."
I'm not familiar with rap and hip-hop, but I'm going to guess the same ideas run through that music.
So, on the eve of St. Valentine's Day, turn on some music. Whether you listening to "Reunited" by Peaches and Herb, or "Valse des Fleurs" from the Nutcracker, think beautiful thoughts and dwell on the good things that you love in your life. Paul and John said it best...........

Rub a dub, dub.

We were expecting guests during the holiday season, so I felt that it was time for me to replace the well-worn and faded bath towels in the hall bathroom. Finding just the right color towels to go with the decor of the room was my goal. Luckily, I found some very pretty ones. They were very soft. And, on top of that, they were really cheap.
After washing and drying the new towels, I used them for the first time. They weren't very fluffy and they didn't dry me off very well. Towels are supposed to dry you off after a shower, I think. These didn't.
So, I washed and dried them again. This time, I didn't use any fabric softener, thinking that might be the problem. They still didn't work very well. I had purchased some really bad towels, and unfortunately, I was stuck with them.
My guests didn't complain about the towels, but I did notice that they all looked a little damp every morning!

Lord, your children make mistakes. Sometimes our choices are wrong. We often choose the easy way or the cheap way. We look for the quick fix and not the long term answer. Help us to make good decisions and help us to remember that you stand with us in all that we do.