Before starting engines, drivers pray / NASCAR racers face danger with ministries’ support
I’m not much of a NASCAR fan, but I know there are several godly people associated with it. Here’s a story about some of the ministries involved with NASCAR.
AP - The Washington Times, America’s Newspaper
That’s a lot of catfish fillets.
ESPN.com - MLB - Cameraman files police report after tussle with Rogers
Texas Rangers pitcher Kenny Rogers went berserk Wednesday night, attacking two cameramen — one of whom had to go to the hospital.
Earlier this month, the brainiac Rogers punched a water cooler and broke his pinky finger.
Yeah, you’re dealing with a real winner here.
Rangers’ owner Tom Hicks on the situation: “Obviously he’s got some anger management issues.”
You think?
Chris Reitsma of the Atlanta Braves blew his second save in as many chances Wednesday night as the Florida Marlins rallied for two runs in the ninth inning to tie the game 4-4. Reitsma didn’t pitch that poorly and at one point it looked like he’d get out of the jam. But the Braves’ infield had shifted to the right for Carlos Delgado, and he hit a slow grounder through the left side of the infield that tied the game. It could have been a game-ending double play if the defense had been positioned differently. Florida went on to win in 13 innings.
Reitsma was one of the most gracious, accommodating players I interviewed during spring training this year. I’m hoping he’ll bounce back after two disappointing outings. Here’s a link to a story I wrote about Reitsma earlier this year:
BPSports.net - Sports with a spiritual attitude
Here’s my column this week, in which I expanded upon my previous post about violence and youth sports.
Summer Camp That’s a Piece of Heaven for the Children, but Please, No Worshiping - New York Times
Today’s NY Times includes a story about a summer camp for atheists and agnostics, which it describes as a haven for these children who are often ridiculed for their beliefs.
“Many of the two dozen campers who attended this year’s session last week recounted experiences of being called names and otherwise harassed,” the story reads. “For instance, Travis Leepers, 17, from Louisiana, reported that just about everyone he knows has expressed concern to him about his soul and has tried to convert him.”
I’m genuinely sorry if these kids face real harassment because of their beliefs. I don’t agree with them, but they deserve not to be unduly ridiculed. I fail to see, however, just how someone expressing concern for a boy’s soul and trying to convert him constitutes harassment. But that’s the way evangelism is coming to be seen in society today.
Rather than people simply saying, “Hey, thanks for caring, but I’m not interested,” they take it as harassment. I mean, if a Muslem came knocking on my door and told me he believed I was doomed to an eternity in hell if I didn’t convert to his belief system, I wouldn’t be offended by it. I’d brush him off and go about my business. He can believe what he wants to.
Aren’t we all getting a bit too sensitive?
The Atlanta Hawks took Marvin Williams of North Carolina with the second pick in this year’s NBA draft. Andrew Bogut of Utah was the top pick, going to Milwaukee, and in the third pick Utah selected Deron Williams of Illinois.
Here’s a column I wrote about Williams and some of his Tar Heels teammates shortly after they won the NCAA championship this year:
Could a hotel be built on the land owned by Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter?
A New Hampshire developer angered by the Supreme Court’s eminent domain ruling has petitioned the Weare, N.H., city council to allow him to build a hotel on Souter’s land.
What a brilliant move. I hope the city council approves, so maybe Souter will feel first-hand what his lamebrained ruling will mean to some people in this country. Absolutely hilarious.
We were sitting in the living room visiting with some friends one night when our 2-year-old son Daniel emerged from our bedroom.
“Uh-oh,” he said. “Uh-oh.”
“Uh-oh” is Daniel-speak for “Something is wrong,” and the phrase covers a wide range of possible mishaps. It could be something as simple as “I dropped the hairbrush into the sink and now I can’t reach it” or as serious as “I just severed my leg with a butter knife.”
You just never know.
Justifiably alarmed, my wife followed as Daniel dutifully led her back to our bathroom, where she noticed that Daniel had removed all the toilet paper from a new roll and shoved it into the trash can.
Now, the way I understand “uh-oh” is that it connotes an accident – something that wasn’t supposed to happen. Uh-oh, I dropped the remote control. Uh-oh, I spilled my water. Uh-oh, I dialed the wrong number.
Deliberately unrolling all the toilet paper and putting it in the trash doesn’t qualify as an “uh-oh” to me. But apparently it does to Daniel. To him, it didn’t matter how the toilet paper got unrolled and made its way into the trash can – Daniel simply knew the situation wasn’t quite right, and it wasn’t something he could remedy, so he informed us with an “uh-oh.”
Two years of fatherhood have taught me that “uh-ohs” are much more common in my life than they used to be – and the older Daniel gets, and the stronger and more daring he gets – I’m sure the “uh-ohs” will continue to multiply. But though sometimes inconvenient, an “uh-oh” always keeps us on our toes, and it makes me thankful for a precious son who definitely makes my life more interesting and fulfilling than it ever has been.
ESPN.com - NHL - Roenick: Think players are greedy? Stay home
The ESPN story left out the worst part of Roenick’s statements, when he said fans who think athletes are spoiled because they play a game can “kiss my (expletive deleted).”
So Roenick doesn’t want fans who blame the players for the NHL lockout to come to games, huh? News flash, Jeremy: Nobody cares about your lousy freaking sport anyway. They’re already staying at home, and they have been for years, because we’re talking about HOCKEY. When’s the last time you heard about someone who’s upset because the last NHL season was canceled? Nobody gives a rat’s behind, because nobody cares about your sport to begin with.
Get over yourself, and shut up already.
As Stakes Rise, More Parents Are Directing Rage at Coaches - New York Times
It’s disturbing to track the trend of violence associated with youth sports. Parents take their childrens’ involvement in sports way too seriously, and I think a lot of it is the result of the insufficiency parents feel about their own lives. In order to compensate, they have to live vicariously through their kids.
Thus, when something doesn’t go quite right for their children, parents react violently as if their whole world hangs in the balance. What a sad, sad existence that must be. And what a clarion call for churches to be faithful in pointing people to Christ and the one place they can find true fulfillment in life.
Go to www.bugmenot.com if you want a free log-in for the NY Times web site.
Court: Some Ten Commandments Displays OK - Yahoo! News
Try figuring out why a display of the Ten Commandments on government property is OK in Texas, but not in Kentucky. That’s what the Supreme Court ruled in two decisions handed down Monday.
Morgan Ensberg of the Houston Astros drove in the game winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning Sunday to lead the Astros past their in-state rivals, the Texas Rangers, 3-2.
Read about Ensberg’s love for Christian authors like John Piper and John MacArthur here:
Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz went the distance for the third time in his last four games Sunday, giving up only one run in Atlanta’s 8-1 win over Baltimore. Smoltz improved to 8-5 on the year and lowered his ERA to 2.74.
For a couple of stories I’ve written about Smoltz, check out:
http://www.bpsports.net/bpcolumn.asp?ID=330
and
I’m about halfway through “Lindbergh,” by A. Scott Berg. Not a bad read, although my interest in Charles Lindbergh is running out much sooner than the 600 pages of this book. It’s amazing how Americans made such fools of themselves over Lindbergh’s flight. Sure, it was an historic event, but the country practically deified Lindbergh for his accomplishment. It was gonna happen sooner or later, folks. Get a grip.