Adults are Stupid!

I’m sorry, I know I’ve always taught my kids that people are not “stupid.” We told our kids to never call people stupid, but I had never been a basketball referee during that time in my life. I think after today I have changed my mind.  By the way, the word “stupid” means “mindless.”

I’ve often said that if we took the adults out of youth league sporting events, things would be a lot nicer and would certainly go much smoother. Kids may get angry at you as a ref, but most of the time, after you explain what happened, they understand and would be forgiving–that is if the idiot adults would let them.

Here are some things that really bug me as a referee that adults do. (SARCASM ALERT!)

1. Parents who don’t know the rules of the game. When this happens, they feel it is their right, having paid to get into the game, to correct you as a ref on every rule in the book about which they have no idea.

2.  Coaches who don’t know the rules of the game. These guys (and gals) are really a load of fun to call for.  Every trip up or down the court, they are so willing to teach you the rules of the game.  Of course, they don’t really know them, but thinking they know them gives them the right to stop coaching and start refereeing.

3.  Coaches trying to live out their fantasies in their children. It just gives one a warm fuzzy feeling to watch a “dad” berate his child because they failed to set a screen, or make the lay-up, or dribble the correct way down the court.  These are such necessities in life for these children.  I think sometimes that these crazy people must have been awful when they played and are just taking it out on their child.  Or maybe they were the best in “the day” and expect their kid to be the same.  This year I’ve actually witnessed a “dad” storm the court and physically “jerk” a child by the arm off the court because they fouled a kid.  I should have “Teed” him up twice.  Once for leaving the coach’s box, and another for being an idiot.  His move so shocked me that both me and my partner were spellbound.  The president of the league saw it though, and that man is no longer coaching.

4.  Adults that spend more time teaching their kids about a sport rather than more important things in life. How many times I wished I could go back and correct his one in my life.

Well, there are a few.  Maybe you could add some to the list.  There are probably a few coaches that would like to take a shot or two at referees who have abused their positions as well.

Options

Just as a quick report, Robert is out of the hospital. He came home today. Praise God!!
__________________________________

Do you ever stop to think about options in your life? I mean really think about how many things are put before you each day. I have tended over the last few months to cry, hurt, and just become downright depressed about my situation in life–broke, beaten up, and bewildered! I wonder what to do, when to do what to do, and how to do what to do when what to do becomes clear. (That’s tough to type and maybe tougher to read, but you get the picture).

Lately, however, I am beginning to see that I have options. Many people in my situation don’t have options. Many are so locked into their situation that there literally are not any choices.

So, for now, I rejoice in options. I am thankful to have a few. Even when some of the options are not exactly the way I would have drawn it up, I have options. Even wen some of the options will take me out of my “comfort zone,” I have options.

So, when your situation looks like the end of your rope, look for options. When you feel all hope is gone, start looking at other options.

Satan would have us remain in fear that things will never get better. He would have us believe that we are stuck and in a rut or stuck in the mud and sinking. God gives us options.

We serve a God who is greater that our circumstances. We serve a God who can do things we can only ask or imagine. We serve a powerful, living, vibrant Lord who loves us so much that we are born into His family and made right (though we are wrong) through the resurrection of Jesus.

Look for options and bask in the glory of God. And don’t forget to give Him all the glory when He lets you in on His plan.

Robert’s Hospital Pics

It was probably destined to happen at some point.  It just seems unfair that it has to happen at four months old.  He has what is called RSV.  It is an upper respiratory infection.  You guys please pray for him.  Here are some pictures of the little feller.

Wonderings About Pain

They say (whoever “they” are) that pain is the great equalizer.  All people go through pain of some kind from time to time in their lives. None of us are immune.

The saying has more to do with the “how” we see ourselves inside of pain rather than just saying that we all suffer. What I mean is, we all suffer yes, but pain tends to bring together people who suffer and it takes away the judgmental spirit that we posses when things are going fine.

For example, we may treat a person of a different race in a derogatory way until we suffer pain and someone of that race helps us. Or if we see someone suffer from another race, we just feel pain with them and color of their skin disappears.

Another example is that of religious differences. We tend to think of people in a different group from us as just a little (if not a lot) strange. Yet, let a tornado come and blow another’s building down and watch us all come to the rescue. We help without even thinking about it.

I wonder though is it always true that pain equalizes things? If you look at my sufferings and think, “Man, I’d trade my problems for yours in a heartbeat.” If I look at you as though I had “worse” problems than you, does that make any sense?

Job said, “Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” James tells us to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” Paul said in Romans that the hard times to produce patience, character, and hope.

Tonight I spoke to my friend who has a son with a brain tumor. He told me about so many kids who had cancer problems worse than theirs where they have been getting their treatments. To even speak the word cancer in the same breath as your child’s name has to be one of the most devastating things in the world.  Yet here is a man who sees that there are others in worse pain than him and he counts his blessings.

I have to end these wonderings by saying that we are all equal when it comes to PAIN. We just have different circumstances that determine that which we feel. A man with cancer hurts, but so does the man who has been robbed.  Both hurt in their own situations, but most of us would choose robbery over getting cancer.

I believe that in a broken world pain is going to come and no one will escape it. The real question is, “What do we do with it?”

The answer is always faith in God. He can and will take us through. He has promised and will rescue. The problem with us is timing. We want it now, even if God wants it later.

Today has been rough for me in my thought processes. I wonder why I’m where I am. I wonder if I’ll ever get back to doing that which he has called me to. I wonder if I’ll ever not struggle again. I wonder.

I don’t wonder about His listening to me. I know by faith that He does.  Without that hope, I’d be a crazy man right now.

Beautiful Snow

This is highly unusual for us to get this much snow, but today we have gotten about 4.5 inches.  In north Alabama that is a lot!  Here are some pics I took early on this morning.  There was only about two inches at this point.  No traffic, just snow, quiet and peaceful.