A Bucket List??

On the way home from taking Sadie to school today I was debating a blog post. Should it be "the evils of the time change" or what? Then the morning show we were listening to on the radio had a call-in question. "What is the one thing you'd like to do before you die?" That got me thinking.

Do I have a bucket list? Do I need a bucket list? Aren't we taught to live life every day and be content with what we have? Should you make a list so you have direction in your life? What if you make a list and it is full of things that never get accomplished?

So, what do you think? Should we all make a bucket list? If so, should we specify how many things on it? Can you narrow life down to a top ten or top five list?

What's on your bucket list?

Still on my mind...

This story about the 100-0 blowout is still on my mind. There was even an editorial about it in today's Amarillo paper. I posted about it here. Rather than dwell on the negative, I decided to share this story with you.

Here is the headline for the story: "There are some games in which cheering for the other side feels better than winning." It's about a football game played between Grapevine Faith Christian School and the Gainesville State School this year. Gainesville is a maximum-security correctional facility 75 miles north of Dallas.

It's a story about a Christian school going above and beyond to make a difference for some boys who are living in what could seem like a hopeless place. It's a story that should make you feel good and should restore your faith in coaches, kids, parents and sports today. It might even make you tear up.

What do you think?

I read in the paper where the basketball coach at a Dallas Christian School was fired this weekend. It appears that one reason he was let go stemmed from his girls' team beating Dallas Academy 100-0 earlier this month. You can go here for an article about the Dallas Academy coach's perspective; which I admire. (There is also a handy box on down in the article that will connect you to previous stories about this.) Covenant school posted an apology to Dallas Academy on their web site. The coach apparently disagreed with the statement and posted his thoughts somewhere.

The coach says the game, "just happened." What? I've played in some lopsided games and scoring 100 points doesn't "just happen." I remember one game where our coach wouldn't let us start playing defense until the other team got to the free throw line--then it was a 2-3 zone. On offense, we were required to pass the ball at least five times before shooting and then the coach called out the shooter's name.

Could we have run-up the score to 100? Probably. Did we want to? Sort of. Who doesn't want to play in a game where you score 100 points? Would that have been the right thing to do? No. Would we have learned anything? Probably not.

I could expound on this for a while, but won't. Read the articles and let me know what you think.

How to Tell if Your Church is "Kid Friendly"

I am very thankful that our church is "kid friendly." We don't send the kids out after children's time and for the most part, the low rumble that comes with the numerous kids in our congregation is not only accepted but welcome. Here are some signs that your church is "kid friendly." (in no particular order)

• No one minds that your 4 year old son takes off his shoes and socks five minutes into the service.
• Peppermints are provided in the foyer and no one stands guard over them limiting each kid to only one. (Although sometimes I wish we did, but I don't want to be the peppermint guard.)
• It is perfectly acceptable for your child to run up the aisle (barefooted) to children's time and "slide" into his spot on the floor. It is also acceptable for him to run up the center aisle and slide into his pew. (We did discuss this today and T.S. promises not to make a habit of it.)
• Your preacher stops in the middle of the sermon to acknowledge the child (usually his granddaughter) that is waving/talking to him.
• Members of the church tell you that you are being too hard on your kid (when you take them out to discipline) and you should, "just let them be kids." These are the same people that would have never let their kids get away with what you are trying to stop your child from doing.
• When you get a new preacher, he is often confused about which kids belong to which parents because babies are handed off and kids take turns sitting with their friends regularly.

Is your church kid friendly?

Conversations at Wal Mart

I have to share this conversation that I overheard at Wal Mart last night. A young man was telling his son/sibling (not sure which) the following as they walked down the aisle I was on.

"They are supposed to ask you what kind when you order Coke. They ask me what I want to drink and I say 'Coke.' They never ask me what kind so I always end up with Coke instead of Dr. Pepper."

I really, really wanted to say, "No way, I can't imagine why they'd give you a Coke instead of a Dr. Pepper." But, I did not.

• Our checker was a lovely young thing--no smile at all. She literally threw our items into the sacks as she was checking us out. Then she told us the total and crossed her arms until I handed her the check. I guess it is hard to keep the holiday spirit when you are a checker and have been listening to Christmas music and seeing decorations for two months. I won't tell you what I wanted to say to her.
• I know all of you are already planning your Valentine's decorations and are worried if you'll be able to find any. Never fear, JoAnn's already has them out--right next to the Christmas items that are already 60% off.
  I just love having to go to stores this time of year.

One More Thing...

This should have gone with last night's random thoughts post. It bothered me all day yesterday and was still on my mind this morning. You can read this article--a man stole a handful of communion wafers from the priest during a morning mass. The parishioners cornered him until police arrived. Two "older" parishioners were injured in the process. The charges against him are numerous. Here is why the story bothered me so much:

• Why are we limited to one wafer/piece of bread/cracker (whatever your church gives out) during communion?
• If a man is hungry enough to steal a handful of those little wafers (which wouldn't even come close to filling you up) then shouldn't he be allowed to have them?
• If Jesus were giving communion, don't you think He'd have said, "Here, take them all?"
• One of the many problems with the church (every church, not just one single denomination) is we have gotten too caught up in the way we do things. We've gotten into the business of why and how instead of just taking care of people and treating them with love and respect.

I think that is all for my soapbox this morning. I'll step down and go make breakfast.