Linsanity!

I am not much of a basketball fan.  It was definitely more enjoyable  for me to coach than play.  I will join the frenzy following the NCAA march to the  "Final Four" championship in a few weeks.  The pro game is not even on my radar screen. I can't deal with the constant drama of LeBron James and Kobie Bryant... until lately.  Have you heard of Jeremy Lin?
This rookie from Harvard is lighting up the scoreboard for the NY Nicks.  He has averaged 24 points a game and led the team to a six game winning streak since getting a starting role as point guard just over a week ago.  The Nicks and the NBA are not the same since his rise to stardom.   He is a Roy Hobbs, Rocky, Secretariat and David story all rolled into one.  You can also throw in Tim Tebow  because Jeremy is a professing Christian. Keep an eye on this rising star!

• He was a high school star on a state championship basketball team who learned humility through an ankle injury that pushed him from arrogance to confidence.
• He was not recruited so attended Harvard who does not give athletic scholarships. He graduated with an economics degree and became the all-time leading scorer and top player on the team.
• He went undrafted and waived or released from 3 different teams in his first year.  But he caught a break  with NY and is now the most celebrated story in the NBA.

What is it about the underdog that makes us stand up and take notice?  Hidden potential just needs the chance to come out.  I love the opportunity our kids have to share talents in a variety of ways.  From singing with a microphone in their hands to playing a guitar, to assembling technology presentations, I am amazed at the gifts kids get a chance to uncover and courageously put into action. I wonder what Jeremy Lin's parents dreamed for their son as he walked into his elementary school as a kindergartener?  He is changing a paradigm on the courts among the most talented athletes (this is debatable)  in their sport.  Keep encouraging your kids to take a chance and try something they might be interested in.   You never know the plans that God has in mind for them.  They are plans to prosper, plans to witness to the goodness and graciousness of  their Heavenly Father

Super Bloat

The 2012 Super Bowl is now a week behind us. I'm sure you probably joined  the most-watched event in the year. The game is full of interesting statistics.  We know that due to the worldwide volume of viewers, the price for commercials during the game is astronomical.  While it is a big day for players and fans, it's the biggest day for advertisers. A 30-second spot during the game cost around $3.5 million dollars and according to NBC and there is usually 45 minutes of advertising in the 60 minute game. The Super Bowl is the biggest live event of the year with a U.S. record of 112 million viewers tuning in. This is more people than voted in the last presidential election.  There were more than 68,000 tickets sold to the live event at an average ticket cost of $3984. There are also humongous statistics about the number of wings eaten, guacamole dipped and burgers devoured. There are over 2.9 million HD televisions sold by electronic retailers leading up to Super Bowl week.  Each player on the winning team receives a ring worth $37,000.   

Source :  Matt Simon of BRBleacher Report January 26, 2012

So, why is this an event of such exponential excess?  What if…

·         The number of people who attend or watch the game would contribute one game-time hour to mentor and tutor students who struggle in school?

·         The amount of money spent on one commercial could be given to impact the world hunger crisis

·         The amount spent on personal consumption at a party could be given to feed the malnourished in our own US metropolitan cities.

·         The revenue given by these companies to gain exposure could be used to support worthy efforts to improve struggling school districts or build homes to redevelop our cities

So much to-do is made over one sporting event. The day after it will have no lasting impact?  Do you remember who played in last year’s game?  Can you name the winning teams from the past five games?  So I wonder:  Are we investing in things that really matter?  What are things of significance that we can individually and personally improve through leveraging our resources of time and money by investing in lasting or life-impacting experiences? 

You may read this and say, “Yea, but…” or “You really don’t get it…” – you are right – I don’t.

Socially Speaking

We live in the era of intense social media. You may not be as connected as others you know, but you are missing out if aren't connected in some way.  People are connecting daily and sometimes hourly through email, text messages, Facebook and twitter. Our social footprint connects us to people from our past and communicates our daily activities to anyone who will listen. I made a Facebook connection several years ago with a friend from high school and college. He was a driver and stage builder for the Rascal Flatts Band.   Through this connection, I have had the opportunity to attend two St. Louis concerts and his occasional visits when he drives through town. He has recently agreed to join our 4th grade in communicating his travel experiences through their class blog. The students view Casey as a celebrity "rock star". Casey views this project as a serious responsibility to teach kids through his travels in a classroom setting that he once thought only existed within a building.   He spends so much time traveling that he is not connected with a church or ministry. This week the fourth graders began sharing with Casey their weekly Bible verse. He called me this week expressing how meaningful that verse was in his life circumstances.   You never know how God can use a relationship and share His love even through a 21st century learning experience. Our touch extends far beyond our community to the highways and byways of our country.   So the next time you see that big "Rascal Flatts semi truck parked in our lot, it is someone who has now made SJLS part of his story.