100-0

Can a game that ends with the score of 100-0 really be considered a game?

I saw an article online today and it got me thinking. In a nutshell, two small school girls varsity teams in Texas met last week on the basketball court.

The winning team, Covenant, a small Christian school beat Dallas Academy 100-0. The halftime score was 59-0 and while Covenant did back off the scoring run once they reached 100 points, they were still taking and making 3 point shots and doing a full court press in the 4th quarter.

In an email to the local paper the winning coach said this,

"In response to the statement posted on The Covenant School Web site, I do
not agree with the apology or the notion that the Covenant School girls
basketball team should feel embarrassed or ashamed," Grimes wrote in the e-mail,
according to the newspaper. "We played the game as it was meant to be played. My
values and my beliefs would not allow me to run up the score on any opponent,
and it will not allow me to apologize for a wide-margin victory when my girls
played with honor and integrity."

I guess "running up the score" is a matter of opinion, not numbers. You can read the whole article here.

Having played high school ball for a small school, I can attest that 100 points is a run up, no matter the opponent. During my playing years, the now famous Lisa Leslie played for another Southern California team. I remember very clearly the hoopla that surrounded the now infamous game. According to school tradition, the senior star player broke the schools single game scoring record each year. The time came, and Lisa Leslie was one fire...she scored 101 points......in the first half. The half time score was 102-24. Their was never a second half because the opposing team refused to take the court again, and therefore the game was officially forfeited.

I wonder if records are worth it when they come at someone's demise and loss of dignity?

I also wonder what the players of Covenant Academy are thinking right now. I wonder what they would have thought if it never made the news?

Integrity matters.

It matters most when no one is looking.

In the aftermath, the coach of Covenant has been fired and the school is seeking to forfeit. As of this writing, the coach is showing no regrets. He stands by his decision to keep the pressure on the team and to push his players to 100 points.

Here is what I think...I think that school sports, and community sports should be about the sport itself. About how to play the game, and how to apply the game to life. While I do agree that much is learned by winning and losing, I believe that more is learned by how you play the game.

So what is your take?

I would rather be a player, than a winner any day.

****UPDATE*****
I thought an uplifting story about high school sports would be better to end with. If you really want to know the difference playing a game to win the game, and playing the game to win in life read this...but grab the tissue box.

Origin of Nicknames 101

Carol asked about our nicknames and I thought I would clarify. When I started blogging I used everyones real names, but I tried to keep specifics about our life vague. I didn't post our last name, our city, our church, or anything else that would be a give-a-way as to our actual location and everyday lives. While I realized that someone, who had gads and gads of time could probably reasearch every corner of my posts and decifer something that I might have overlooked, I never really stressed about it.

Until the "anonymous" comment.

Back in

That comment kind of jadded me and made me realize that some people do have gads and gads of time and choose to spend it making random, full of lies statements.

Playing House in the White House

This is a slide show presentation of a letter written by the Bush girls on the occasion of the Obama girls taking up residence in the White House. This is only part of the letter, to read it in its entirety click here.

I am so impressed by the grace that is given and the wisdom that is imparted.

Before you watch it, make sure you scroll down and pause the music that is playing on the blog.

Enjoy, it gave me hope that politics doesn't jade everything.

You can read my own letter to President Obama here.

The Passing of the Torch

About Last Night 1/23/09

Last night we celebrated Crack's birthday with family dinner here at home. The Outlaws were here, and the birthday boy choose the menu. I made Grilled Chicken with Fettuccine Alfredo, garlic bread, and blue cheese wedge salad with bacon bits and balsamic vinegar.

As we sat down to eat, The Beez asked if she could say the blessing. This is how it went.

Me: "Go ahead Beez, we are ready to eat."

Beez: "Is everybody ready? I am going to pray now."

Me: "We're ready."

Beez: "Reeeeaaadyyyyyyyy? OooooooKaaaayyyyyyy!!!!!! Dear Jesus............"

The poor child is so excited about being a cheerleader, that it has overtaken everything, even her prayer life!!!

He's 12

He is 12 today.

My firstborn.

My likeness.

My heart.

My love.

My son.

My joy, and occasionally a pain in the rear.

But, he will always be mine.

I thought I would share a few pics with you on this the occasion of his 12th birthday.

Cheap Grace

I just read ICorinthians 6:19 &20 to my kids for their Bible lesson. This is what it says:

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

How often I live in the shadow of "cheap grace". Because redemption is free to me, I live like it was free to Him who redeemed me. Instead of living like one who was "bought for a price", I live like I am His only by way of some cheap scam where you buy one and get a hundred...for free.

Oh, that I would remember daily to honor Him with all I do...the simple and mundane, like homeschooling, cleaning, cooking, paying bills. May I also honor Him with the Holy, like in prayer, repentance, worship and grace.

Just reading over those words reminds me, not only that I was bought for the ultimate price, but that He willing paid it. Oh, that I would think of my GOD with the reverence that such great sacrifice deserves.

In a "me" world, I would be well served to remind myself how valuable I am...not in my own or others eyes, but instead, in the eyes of the Lord.