Taking two... for the OTHER team!

Team's gesture supports grieving opponent

ESPN.com news services Updated: 

February 17, 2009, 7:46 PM ET

Two missed free throws, ordinarily the cause of a coach's headache, became the symbol of sportsmanship in a Milwaukee boys basketball game earlier this month.

Milwaukee Madison senior Johntell Franklin, who lost his mother, Carlitha, to cancer on Saturday, Feb. 7, decided he wanted to play in that night's game against DeKalb (Ill.) High School after previously indicating he would sit out.

He arrived at the gym in the second quarter, but Franklin's name was not in the scorebook because his coach, Aaron Womack Jr., didn't expect him to be there.

Rules dictated Womack would have to be assessed a technical, but he was prepared to put Franklin in the game anyway. DeKalb coach Dave Rohlman and his players knew of the situation, and told the referees they did not want the call.

As a principal, school, school district staff, and community you should all feel immense pride for the remarkable job that the coaching staff is doing in not only coaching these young men, but teaching them how to be leaders. 

--Milwaukee Madison boys basketball coach Aaron Womack Jr.

The referees had no choice. But Rohlman did.

"I gathered my kids and said, 'Who wants to take these free throws?'" Rohlman said, recounting the game to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Darius McNeal put up his hand. I said, 'You realize you're going to miss, right?' He nodded his head."

McNeal, a senior point guard, went to the line. The Milwaukee Madison players stayed by their bench, waiting for the free throws. Instead of seeing the ball go through the net, they saw the ball on the court, rolling over the end line.

"I turned around and saw the ref pick up the ball and hand it back to the player," Womack said in the Journal Sentinel. "And then [McNeal] did the same thing again."

Said Rohlman: "Darius set up for a regular free throw, but he only shot it two or three feet in front of him. It bounced once or twice and just rolled past the basket."

"I did it for the guy who lost his mom," McNeal told the newspaper. "It was the right thing to do."

Womack, overwhelmed by DeKalb's gesture, wrote a letter to the DeKalb Daily Chronicle, which had first reported the story.

"As a principal, school, school district staff, and community you should all feel immense pride for the remarkable job that the coaching staff is doing in not only coaching these young men, but teaching them how to be leaders," Womack wrote.

Rohlman said in the paper. "We got lots of positive calls and e-mails because of it. Even though we lost the game, it was a true life lesson, and it's not one our kids are going to forget anytime soon."

Live Responsibly... Love Responsibly!

A week ago Saturday our community, and teens/families in our church, suffered the loss of 19 year old Andrew Marketich.  Andrew was very close to one of our families in the church, a number of students, and I knew him through my work at the local Christian school where he graduated from in 2006.

I was asked to co-officiate the funeral and embraced the opportunity to help in any way possible. It was very difficult to spend 3 hours at the viewing and repeatedly witness people physically, emotionally, and spiritually go through that part of the grieving process. The most tragic reality was that many of Andrews peers do not have a living understanding of Jesus Christ. Though many others do, I cannot escape the eternal dangers of those who choose to live a silent faith among their peers and those they have the greatest influence. This thought came out as a rather emotional challenge to my students this past Sunday morning. When will WE share the hope that changes everything... including times like this! If we do not... what does that say?

^{Matthew 10:32-33 ~ 32}"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. ³³But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

Please pray for the Marketich family and Andrews friends. Andrew leaves behind three brothers and one sister. Pray that those of his friends who know the living Christ will have opportunity to share with those that do not.  Be responsible with the hope you've been given through Jesus.  LIVE RESPONSIBLY!  LOVE RESPONSIBLY!

Peace & Rest

[Pastor J. 1/26/09]  We all intrinsically desire peace & rest. It pervades our physical, emotional, and spiritual longings. We unfortunately have often become so turned off by spiritual representatives that we try and focus that search and place our hope in the political and intellectual. Well, you won't ever find peace in the political arena (historically proven). The intellectual on the other hand is the desire to pursue... but pursue what? I mean... doesn't that need to be identified. In fact, go ahead and pursue disproving something but at least you've got a focus... and you may be shocked at the proof you find!?!?

John 14: 27 ~ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Matthew 11:28-29 ~ "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

These are the words of Jesus... not of a politician, world leader, mega church Pastor... Jesus who at the very least legitimately WAS someone (then & more so now) that the world took significant interest in, and as a historical figure has not been disproved... nor has his way of BEING! Who is Jesus beyond that? Well, critics from then until now have and continue to pursue that question... as do you and I... at least at some point.

Allow me to apologize on behalf of anyone who has ever represented... and subsequently embarrassed Jesus simultaneously. I'm not Jesus... they aren't either! You may have searched your candidate, political party, philosophical standing, or reason for being a Buffalo Bills fan... and whatever else you hold closely... but do you have peace and rest? When life is not peaceful and rest will not come... do you still have it? 

At the age of 18 I encountered Jesus... not the church, not a charismatic orator (in fact, it was a very humble and simple man), not an emotionally fueled concert/worship service... simply Jesus in a field in Ohio. A field in Ohio? Really? Well, he did like to hang out in the countryside after all... I guess he found peace and rest there!

Movie Rental Suggestion: HENRY POOLE IS HERE

Movie Rental Suggestion:  HENRY POOLE IS HERE

Inaugural Prayer ~ Rev. Rick Warren

Rev. Rick Warren ~ Inaugural Prayer Jan. 20, 2009 [Please play the video and read along]

Almighty God, our father, everything we see and everything we can’t see exists because of you alone. It all comes form you, it all belongs to you, it all exists for your glory. History is your story. The Scripture tells us, ‘Hear, oh Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one’ and you are the compassionate and merciful one and you are loving to everyone you have made.

Now today we rejoice not only in America’s peaceful transfer of power for the 43rd time, we celebrate a hinge-point of history with the inauguration of our first African American president of the united states. We are so grateful to live in this land, a land of unequaled possibility, where a a son of an African Immigrant can rise to the highest level of our leadership. And we know today that Dr. King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in heaven.

Give to our new president, Barack Obama, the wisdom to lead us with humility, the courage to lead us with integrity, the compassion to lead us with generosity. Bless and protect him, his family, Vice President Biden, the Cabinet and every one of our freely elected leaders.

Help us, oh God, to remember that we are Americans. United not by race or religion or by blood, but to our commitment to freedom and justice for all. When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget you, forgive us.

When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone, forgive us. when we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us. And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches and civility in our attitudes—even when we differ.

Help us to share, to serve and to seek the common good of all. May all people of good will today join together to work for a more just, a more healthy and a more prosperous nation and a peaceful planet. And may we never forget that one day, all nations, all people will stand accountable before You. We now commit our new president and his wife Michelle and his daughters, Malia and Sasha, into your loving care.

I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life—Yeshua, Esa, Jesus, Jesus—who taught us to pray:

Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they name. They kingdom come, they will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

We the People...

We the People…

When the freedom of choice is removed… it will be replaced with resentment!  When the freedom of choice is upheld... responsibility to the consequences accompanies.

[Jan. 20, 2009 ~ Pastor J.] A mere 54 years removed from Rosa Parks refusal to give up her bus seat (Dec. 1, 1955 Montgomery AL), the United States will inaugurate the first African American President of the United States. Truly African (father) Caucasian (mother), President Obama was overwhelmingly elected by “we the people”. We the people are called to support and pray for this President as any of the past and any to come. We live in one of the most challenging times this young nation has ever faced… the task at hand is monumental!

I am very proud of our nation’s ability to not only elect a President of color, but to also have seriously considered two females for such high appointments (Senator Clinton / Governor Palin). I am equally proud of the confidence entrusted to former Secretary of State Rice and future Secretary of State Clinton. I am proud of our nation.

Galatians 3:27-29 ~ for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

My pride turns to remorse and regret that a nation under God and founded on Christian principal once strongly turned its back on the word of God. Minimizing and even eliminating personal freedom based on gender and race. Then, through the conviction of a Christian man with the word of God guiding his message of peace… Martin Luther King Jr. helped reform the landscape of this great nation. I am only three generations removed from a national and social shift that radically challenged and transformed. I am proud of this nation.

John 6:14-15 ~ After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

Jesus kingdom is a heavenly kingdom. We as Christians are a redeemed people who will one day enjoy a fully redeemed earth. Jesus reign is an eternal reign. When we the people accept Christ as Lord we are then challenged to a radical shift of motivation and condition of our heart. When this happens the kingdom is among us! Pray for our President and, as a reflection of the heart of this nation, may God bless the U.S.A.!

Life!

The photo at left is of Courtney Hope Fabian who was born after just 27 weeks. She is honestly a "miracle baby"... as well as the daughter of my cousin Misty.  She currently weighs 2 lbs. 13 oz. ~ Pastor J.

[From http://www.troubledwith.com/ ] A sunrise reminds us that every day is a miracle in progress. The conception and birth of a baby is a tangible example of complex creation at its finest. The smile of a child with Down Syndrome reflects innocent joy. And even the wrinkled, knowing eyes of the elderly give us a sense of something eternal ... bigger than ourselves. Life is sacred. Whether in the womb or aged, healthy or terminal, outwardly "beautiful" or obviously "imperfect," we are made in God's image.

January 18-25 is Sanctity of Human Life week. This is our opportunity to celebrate the unique worth of every human soul. The stories we've collected are affirmations of truth: Regardless of appearance, age or ability, life is of inestimable value.