some thoughts for a Tuesday

Some random thoughts for today:

My "March Madness" final four pick:

Kansas versus Syracuse

Duke versus Florida

Championship game:  Duke 78 - Kansas 72.

Joe and Holly Schwider had a beautiful baby boy last night.  John Robert.  22 inches long.  Big hands and feet.  Does the "NBA" mean anything here?  Congratulations Schwiders!

Let's continue to pray for the people in Japan.  Earthquakes, Tsunamis, and now nuclear plants having problems. 

Apparently, all Assemblies of God pastors in Japan are accounted for and safe.  But, 30 Assemblies of God church members are still among the missing.

My high school basketball coach, John McCarthy passed away last Wednesday.  One of my former teammates emailed me with the news.

I remember Coach McCarthy fondly as a quite and private man who loved his students and his ballplayers.

My high school - the International School of Brussels (Belgium) where Coach served as a teacher, coach and athletic director.  He retired in 1996.

Coach always had a good way of "handling" me.  He was always patient with me, pointing things out that need changing without making me feel like an idiot.

I had other coaches who screamed and yelled (the Bobby Knight approach) but I think Coach McCarthy knew instinctively that wouldn't work with me.

I don't respond really well to people who try to "get in my" face or try to intimidate me.

My senior year, we won the championship for all of the International Schools in Europe, beating a heavily favored London team on our home court.

It was a major event in my life. 

So, thanks Coach for what you meant to us.  Even though I haven't been around you in over 30 years, you still have a warm place in my heart.  I will always remember us winning something, together.  And that's something that no one can take away from us.