Unwrinkled Wooden Socks

It’s the mid 1960s in the United States of America.

Racial and social upheaval and renewal is swirling around as the country attempts to mend some of its tattered and poorly sewn founding fabric. The fight for equality and access. The fight for justice to be led by righteousness instead of prejudice. Marches, protests, beatings, arrests, speeches, sacrifices, forging relationships, courageous acts, and death collide on streets all around the nation.

 

Picture used from this article.

 

While dreams and revolutions are being whispered throughout every corner of the country, schools are beginning to integrate. As a result sports are taking on new challenges and becoming better. It’s a hard fought road that took time to pave. However, thanks to some forward and godly individuals, the process of integration in basketball started earlier. The first time collegiate post-season basketball was integrated was during the 1947-1948 season. It was integrated by the Indiana State Teacher’s College, which would become Indiana State University (that little school Larry Bird went to). Who was the coach? John Wooden.

 

 

Going forward again to the mid-1960s, John Wooden is now the coach at a school by the name of UCLA. In coaching at this school for twelve years, he won ten national championships and seven of these were in a row. [By the way, UCLA has the most National Championships of any other school with 11; yes, Wooden won 10 of their 11!] This streak is unheard of even to this day! Needless to say, he created a basketball powerhouse; a dynasty that caused havoc for the rest of college basketball. A journey that started with humble roots on an Indiana farm is now making thunderous waves in the sports world in the context of tumultuous cultural times.

It’s true in any sport, winning attracts talent as the best players want to be on the best teams. Imagine you were one of these players coming to the campus of UCLA in the mid-1960s. You arrive at the school as one of the best high school players in the country. When you meet your new coach, what’s one of the first things he teaches you about the game? A new unstoppable offensive play? A havoc inducing defensive play? Does he start a conditioning program? No! None of the above. Instead he sits you down and teaches you how to put your socks on! What would you be thinking as one of the best athletes in the country? I know how to do that! Well, this is the type of thing that set Wooden apart as a coach.

Why did he do this? He told his players that it’s simple. If you do not put your socks on correctly, you will end up with blisters. If you get blisters you will not be able to play at your highest level. If you are not able to play at your highest level, the team will not be as successful as it could be. Foundations. The little things.

This post really isn’t about Civil Rights, the 1960s cultural upheavals and renewals, or even basketball. It’s about our habits; the small things that make up our foundation. How are we putting on our socks?

At work these last two days, our team forgot to put air into a hub. Something so simple. Three little seconds of air into a rubber lining of a metal shaft. Outcome? Due to no air holding the rolls in place, they moved on the shaft and it shut down the production line for over two hours! Three seconds = over two hours. The small blisters that pester our production. This story of Wooden came back to my mind when these things were occurring and caused a pause in me.

How am I putting on my socks? My work socks? My husband socks? My father socks? My writing socks? What small habits am I discipling myself with, or ignoring, that will inevitably have an outcome on my production?

 

It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen. – John Wooden

 

I hope you find your socks in good condition today!

Overcomer

 

Revelation 2.7, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers (overcomes) I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” (ESV)

 

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What I will miss most,
Are the stories your soul sings,
Filled with struggles, joys, blessings,
The overcoming of life’s stings. 

You bore an elegance of character,
An intellect sharp as a tack,
Joy flowing from your eyes;
The graciousness you extend had no lack. 

Your laugh was the best!
Joyous vibrations reverberating around,
Chuckles shaking your body through and through,
While the room’s atmosphere shook at the sound. 

 

 

Indeed, your stories joys and laughs,
Will truly be sorely and wholly missed,
And yet your smile lives on,
Through each soul your life kissed. 

Yet the greatest lesson that I have learned,
Is to double down in tenacity yearned,
To learn and grow no matter how life has burned,
To the righteous path, continued to be turned. 

Hardships can’t keep you down – this I saw in you,
As your soul sings, “And Still I Rise”, like Ms. Angelou;
And now, you are free, to Mt. Zion you flew,
And we look forward to seeing you when we’re all made new.

 

 

We carry your life within as we strive to win,
May we flee from sin and ascend the mountain. 

As we navigate dark days laden with haze,
Indeed, may we remember your laugh of joy, through the strife,
The truth; we are closer to God’s grace feeling ablaze, lost in maze,
So we, like you, shall be overcomers! Now GG, enjoy the tree of life!

 

 

Rest in the peace of His presence GG! Love & miss ya!

© Joshua Curtis, 2019

7-Word Story | Erev Shabbat

 

 

As Friday dwindles, may worship be sweet!

 

© Joshua Curtis, 2019

Her Body, Her Choice; His Heart

We are faced with so many issues currently. One of those issues that really gets to me relates to the “Her Body, Her Choice” movement. I am not getting into the many arguments of what’s good and what’s bad about this, however just want to focus on one of the biggest issues this movement. That issue is this: There is always one silent victim in abortions. Many other times, there are two.

This is a true story that reveals this issue.

 

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One day at work, I was speaking to one of my coworkers. We were catching up on our lives and the topic of abortion came up. This lead him into telling me a story of recent events in his life. He was driving down a familiar road past a familiar building. Outside of this familiar building, he saw a lot of protesters. He wasn’t sure what was going on and one of his family members, sitting in the back of the vehicle, informed him they were protesting the abortion clinic that was there. He had no idea it was an abortion clinic.

He also had a male cousin in the car with him who also didn’t know that it was an abortion clinic. This cousin went quiet for a while. Then he went into a story about how, a few years before this, he took his then girlfriend there. She simply told him that she had an appointment and did not go into any details. A few hours later, she finally came out and he was very concerned about her because the appointment took so long. He pressed her for a bit, but she did not discuss any details and just related that she was fine.

This young man, found out on this day, a few years after this had happened, that he had taken his girlfriend to an abortion clinic. He found out this day, that he lost his baby. He found out this day he was a father and that this opportune privilege was taken from him by someone’s choice and he had absolutely no say in the matter. He found out this day that he was one of three victims, and for years, the second silent victim. 

Fathers matter too.

© Joshua Curtis, 2019

W.P. | Installment 3 | “Gluttony”

Looks like I’m finally back! Hope you all have been well. I have missed being on here and seeing the amazing work everyone has been doing. I’m hoping to catch up soon!

I am going to just pick up where I left off, which was a Tuesday (writing prompt day). I got this writing prompt from my blogging buddy, Dr. Suchie. Her prompt to me was, “In poetry form, write about Gluttony,” so this is my attempt.

It’s good to be back and I hope you enjoy!

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“Gluttony”

Stress,
Upon my mind,
With fists of fury,
Irately beating!
My peace it’s clawing, eating and gnawing;
A frenzied feast.
Blood upon his jaw;
Giving into this beastly fiend, as I smash more sweets,
My flaw!

~~~

“I don’t feel well,
And my weight, much overdue for
Forgone numeric fell!”
‘Come on, just eat another piece,
It’s just cake! This is who you are my friend!
A lover of sweets – just like compelling beats,
Peppery meats and epic feats –
Just get one more.
Besides, you have to feed that beast,
Stress will have his feast! AND, you work hard,
You deserve that extra piece!
Don’t be fake! That piece with extra frosting; partake!’
I fail, I falter, eat to appease my take
On being pleased.
Out of shape, breath wheezed
As I regret each wrong decision I make…

~~~

I’m tired; seeking a break.
This stress and heartburn
Are eating away at me.
I hop on social media,
See what’s going on in the world.
…
…
…
Just more toxic garbage
Being gobbled up in large poisonous portions,
Guess whose dating such and such…
Never interested me too much,
Blah blah blah; this is why everyone who doesn’t
Agree with me is a stupid, ignorant bigot!
“Well, have you ever considered…
Shut up you racist! Your only a product of
White privilege you white male supremacist!
Whelp, there the … Trump Card …
And to further the discombobulating stump,
Besides, I have more followers than you, so you’re irrelevant!
As I continue strolling,
Consuming preservatives and dyes, wasting precious time,
Even after my eyes realize…

~

Gluttony!
© Joshua Curtis, 2019

Homily | Installment 3 | “God’s Presence”

Hello everyone! Sorry for being so late with this one!

 

I’m here!

 

I am finding my job makes it difficult to write after being there for a few days. Too much energy is gone; tying to figure this thing out!

 

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I am going to change the format up just a bit for this week compared to the last couple of weeks. At first I was struggling with picking the topic of drawing these verses together. I then saw the string of God’s Presence in specific ways through each passage. I am going to pick a few of these ways and highlight them in different colors.

Before getting into it, consider the following. What would you do, how would you respond, what would you say if God himself came to be in your presence? What would his presence demand out of you? … We all will be in that position one day; what are we doing about this fact today? This is all about his presence – a presence we will encounter at some point.

 

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

 

Scriptures for this week:

• Acts 16.16-34
• Psalm 97
• Revelation 22.12-14, 16-17, 20-21
• John 17.20-26

A few aspects we see in his presence:

• Freedom/Freedom in Living
• Fear/Trembling 
• Judgement/Justice 
• Praise/Worship

Acts 16.16-34

¹⁶ As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” ¹⁸ And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

¹⁹ But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. ²⁰ And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. ²¹ They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.”²² The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. ²³ And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. ²⁴ Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, ²⁶ and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. ²⁷ When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” ²⁹ And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.³⁰ Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ³¹ And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” ³² And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. ³³ And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. ³⁴ Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. (Personal note here: Notice the true freedom happening here. Most of us in this position, when the chains broke and the door opened, we would have bolted! However, Paul and Silas remained in there in their true freedom which brought true freedom to the jailer and his entire household.) 

 

Psalm 97

The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
    let the many coastlands be glad!
² Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
    righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
³ Fire goes before him
    and burns up his adversaries all around.
⁴ His lightnings light up the world;
    the earth sees and trembles.
⁵ The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
    before the Lord of all the earth.

⁶ The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
    and all the peoples see his glory.
⁷ All worshipers of images are put to shame,
    who make their boast in worthless idols;
    worship him, all you gods!

⁸ Zion hears and is glad,
    and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
    because of your judgments, O Lord.
⁹ For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
    you are exalted far above all gods.

¹⁰ O you who love the Lord, hate evil!
    He preserves the lives of his saints;
    he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
¹¹ Light is sown for the righteous,
    and joy for the upright in heart.
¹² Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
    and give thanks to his holy name!

 

 

Revelation 22.12-14, 16-17, 20-21

¹² “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” ¹⁴ Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. … ¹⁶ “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” ¹⁷ The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. … ²⁰ He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.”Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! ²¹ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

 

 

John 17.20-26

²⁰ “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, ²¹ that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²² The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,²³ I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. ²⁴ Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. ²⁵ O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. ²⁶ I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

 

Thank you for reading. May the Scriptures bless and encourage you. Remember to ask yourself, what will happen when I encounter God? Will you be like the slave girl, the melting mountains, an adversary meeting his fire, or one that is one with him rejoicing in the longing response of “Come!” He gave it all for you to have the choice. Come to him on his terms and receive grace or come to him on your last day on your own terms. The choice is ours, but the weighty reality that we will not always be permitted to avoid him is his choice. Choose wisely!

 

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