As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. For he knows our frame, he remembers that we are dust (Psalms 103:13-14).
John Wooden's passing reminds us that though life on this earth is temporary, our lives can speak long after we are gone. His coaching philosophy has stood the test of time. As I have said before, I admire the coaches of athletes because their coaching philosophy is tested in the arena of competition before a "great cloud of witnesses" each time his team takes the floor. Ministers of the gospel should also take note because after we have served at a church for a number of years, how the church "plays" is the result of our "coaching."
A man may make mistakes, but he is not a failure until he starts blaming someone else.
It is what you learn after you know it all that counts.
Dare to be a Daniel!
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known! --Philip Bliss
Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.
I will get ready and then, perhaps my chance will come.
Talent is God-given, be humble;
Fame is man-given, be thankful;
Conceit is self-given, be careful.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
MORE OF JOHN WOODEN
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on our own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3:5,6).
John Wooden was a committed Christian so I know that these two short verses from Proverbs were a significant part of his world view. The quotes that follow also shed light on his philosophy of life and coaching.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.
Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of
Self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the
Best you are capable of becoming.
Be a gentleman at all times.
Never criticize, nag, or razz a team-mate.
Be a team player always.
Never be selfish, jealous, envious or egotistical.
Earn the right to be proud and confident.
Never expect favors, alibi or make excuses.
Never lose faith or patience.
Courtesy and politeness are a small price to pay for the good will and affection of others.
Acquire peace of mind by becoming the best that you are capable of becoming.
It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.
Success is never final.
Failure is never fatal.
It's courage that counts. --Winston Churchill
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
*The summer months are the most difficult times for me to blog. Be patient with me. I will try to do one posting a week.
John Wooden was a committed Christian so I know that these two short verses from Proverbs were a significant part of his world view. The quotes that follow also shed light on his philosophy of life and coaching.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.
Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of
Self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the
Best you are capable of becoming.
Be a gentleman at all times.
Never criticize, nag, or razz a team-mate.
Be a team player always.
Never be selfish, jealous, envious or egotistical.
Earn the right to be proud and confident.
Never expect favors, alibi or make excuses.
Never lose faith or patience.
Courtesy and politeness are a small price to pay for the good will and affection of others.
Acquire peace of mind by becoming the best that you are capable of becoming.
It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.
Success is never final.
Failure is never fatal.
It's courage that counts. --Winston Churchill
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
*The summer months are the most difficult times for me to blog. Be patient with me. I will try to do one posting a week.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
IN HONOR OF JOHN WOODEN
My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity (Proverbs 3:1-2).
This month we lost the greatest coach to have coached the game of basketball, John Wooden. He was 99. What a legacy he left behind as an inspiration to us all. Back in 1972 I bought his book, They Call Me Coach. Over the next few posts I am going to share a few of the chapter headers and quotes from that book that inspired me. These are some of his sayings born of his philosophy of life. The book was published in 1972 by Word, Waco, Texas.
Learn as if you were going to live forever;
Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.
Do not let what you cannot do
interfere with what you can do.
Who can ask more of a man than giving all within his span?
Giving all, it seems to me, is not so far from victory. --George Moriarty
You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for someone
Who will never be able to repay you.
Be more concerned with your character than your reputation,
because your character is what you really are
While your reputation is merely what others think you are.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
This month we lost the greatest coach to have coached the game of basketball, John Wooden. He was 99. What a legacy he left behind as an inspiration to us all. Back in 1972 I bought his book, They Call Me Coach. Over the next few posts I am going to share a few of the chapter headers and quotes from that book that inspired me. These are some of his sayings born of his philosophy of life. The book was published in 1972 by Word, Waco, Texas.
Learn as if you were going to live forever;
Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.
Do not let what you cannot do
interfere with what you can do.
Who can ask more of a man than giving all within his span?
Giving all, it seems to me, is not so far from victory. --George Moriarty
You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for someone
Who will never be able to repay you.
Be more concerned with your character than your reputation,
because your character is what you really are
While your reputation is merely what others think you are.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Saturday, June 05, 2010
RANDOM SHOTS; SILVER BULLETS
But a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breast plate . . . (I Kings 22:34).
One might say it was a lucky shot, but God was guiding the arrow. Completely at random, one soldier drew his bow and shot an arrow into the air; it struck king Ahab in the chink of his armor so that he died just as the prophet Micaiah said. Though Ahab hated Micaiah and didn't believe his prophecy, just to be on the safe side, he went to the battle in disguise because an undisguised king was sure to be a target. In disguise and in full armor he thought he would surely be safe; he was not because what God says is true!
When I write these "Silver Bullets" they are like that random shot of a Syrian soldier. I write them in no specific order, but only as I am moved to write them. My prayer is that God would guide them to the chinks in deceitful, defensive armor that people put on so that they do not have to deal with inconvenient truth.
These "Silver Bullets" are only intended to be thought-starters, beginning points for meditation and prayer. No topic is discussed so thoroughly that every point is addressed, but hopefully, discussed enough to precipitate thought, meditation and prayer. What makes each bullet silver is that, to the best of my ability, each one is true to God's word.
I have used the Revised Standard Version as the translation for the scripture texts that are cited. I do not believe the RSV to be superior to other translations; indeed it does have deficiencies, nevertheless, I have emotional attachment to it because it is the translation of the Harper's Study Bible I have had since my Bible College days, forty years ago. Now tattered and so worn that it cannot just fall open to the right places, Silver Bullets are a kind of memorial to it.
It's dangerous to read Silver Bullets because one of them might find a chink in your armor--if God guides it.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
One might say it was a lucky shot, but God was guiding the arrow. Completely at random, one soldier drew his bow and shot an arrow into the air; it struck king Ahab in the chink of his armor so that he died just as the prophet Micaiah said. Though Ahab hated Micaiah and didn't believe his prophecy, just to be on the safe side, he went to the battle in disguise because an undisguised king was sure to be a target. In disguise and in full armor he thought he would surely be safe; he was not because what God says is true!
When I write these "Silver Bullets" they are like that random shot of a Syrian soldier. I write them in no specific order, but only as I am moved to write them. My prayer is that God would guide them to the chinks in deceitful, defensive armor that people put on so that they do not have to deal with inconvenient truth.
These "Silver Bullets" are only intended to be thought-starters, beginning points for meditation and prayer. No topic is discussed so thoroughly that every point is addressed, but hopefully, discussed enough to precipitate thought, meditation and prayer. What makes each bullet silver is that, to the best of my ability, each one is true to God's word.
I have used the Revised Standard Version as the translation for the scripture texts that are cited. I do not believe the RSV to be superior to other translations; indeed it does have deficiencies, nevertheless, I have emotional attachment to it because it is the translation of the Harper's Study Bible I have had since my Bible College days, forty years ago. Now tattered and so worn that it cannot just fall open to the right places, Silver Bullets are a kind of memorial to it.
It's dangerous to read Silver Bullets because one of them might find a chink in your armor--if God guides it.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
A HEART FOR PRAYER
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words (Romans 8:26).
When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen . . . (Isaiah 1:15).
Each New Year's Eve my church has a prayer vigil from noon to midnight; there is not a better way to watch the new year come in, asking our Father in Heaven for his provision in it. Each participant commits to pray for the duration of a specific thirty-minute segment. I always choose the final segment, eleven thirty to midnight, and I go to the church building to pray because that is where the Church gathers for worship. The building is old so there are some creaks and groans that heighten the prayer experience, reminding me of some of the very dear saints, and perhaps, not so dear saints who have gone on before.
Often the prayer-vigil participants will worry how they will pray for thirty minutes. When they express their anxiety I am reminded of a quote said to be by John Bunyon, "In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart." Though one might not have the words, one must have a heart for prayer. It is reassuring to know that our Advocate, the Holy Spirit, prays for us when we do not have the words. Prayers filled with cliches are evidence of words without a heart. God will not listen to prayers from insincere and/or unrepentant hearts!
There are times when the last thing one feels like doing is praying, but that is the time when it is most important to pray. My son, Paul, says that during those times he begins by reciting the Lord's Prayer, or some other inspirational scripture. Beginning a prayer time in this way centers the thoughts, "primes the pump," and touches the heart, directing it to God. Prayer beginning in the depths of despair can end in the heights of glory if one simply has the faith to be obedient in prayer. Read the whole of Psalms 22. Even when you do not feel like praying you can have a heart for prayer if it is begun in obedient faith.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen . . . (Isaiah 1:15).
Each New Year's Eve my church has a prayer vigil from noon to midnight; there is not a better way to watch the new year come in, asking our Father in Heaven for his provision in it. Each participant commits to pray for the duration of a specific thirty-minute segment. I always choose the final segment, eleven thirty to midnight, and I go to the church building to pray because that is where the Church gathers for worship. The building is old so there are some creaks and groans that heighten the prayer experience, reminding me of some of the very dear saints, and perhaps, not so dear saints who have gone on before.
Often the prayer-vigil participants will worry how they will pray for thirty minutes. When they express their anxiety I am reminded of a quote said to be by John Bunyon, "In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart." Though one might not have the words, one must have a heart for prayer. It is reassuring to know that our Advocate, the Holy Spirit, prays for us when we do not have the words. Prayers filled with cliches are evidence of words without a heart. God will not listen to prayers from insincere and/or unrepentant hearts!
There are times when the last thing one feels like doing is praying, but that is the time when it is most important to pray. My son, Paul, says that during those times he begins by reciting the Lord's Prayer, or some other inspirational scripture. Beginning a prayer time in this way centers the thoughts, "primes the pump," and touches the heart, directing it to God. Prayer beginning in the depths of despair can end in the heights of glory if one simply has the faith to be obedient in prayer. Read the whole of Psalms 22. Even when you do not feel like praying you can have a heart for prayer if it is begun in obedient faith.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
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