Spring into Track

Spring time is known for two things in Texas, that is when the Bluebonnets come out and the prime time for track season. I have officiated track since I graduated from Baylor. Baylor Track is known as "Quarter-Mile U" because of our legendary track coach, Clyde Hart, and some of his star athletes who later enjoyed Olymipc fame. Michael Johnson. Jeremy Warriner. Reggie Witherspoon. I enjoy the individual effort it takes and it is a joy to see the human body in its prime. The PR - or personal record - will trump the place within the race. For the past four seasons, I have been one of the starters. For those who don't frequent the track...that is the one who starts the race - by shooting a gun. Here is a picture of me with Joe Moore, a long-time friend, at the 3A district track meet.

The picture below is in front of my cabin...such a great sight to wake up to or wind down with!

4 yr olds & King Jesus

Ok...so yesterday is Easter Sunday. The Kingdom Kids Ministry was in dire need of help for the first service, so I agreed to be in room 112 with the 4 year olds. I arrived a little before 9:00 am prepared for and hour and a half of "small talk." We played, talked, had a snack (hhmmm cookies with sprinkles - but nothing to hold the sprinkles on the cookies! :) ) and then came the craft! If you know me, I know you are laughing.

We had a transparency sheet with the outline of a cross on it. Imagine 4 year olds and a bottle of glue (remember they have no frame of reference and they think the more the better)...lots of "globs" up and down the cross...and they were to tear (or cut neatly - ha!) off tissue paper (color of their choice) and glue it onto the cross to make a stained glass cross. So they did.

We were at a lull in the class after snack, after craft, with 20 mintues to go before pick-up time. So, I held up the cross and said "does anyone know what this is?" Small talk did not ensue. Like popcorn testimonies I heard "that's the cross that Jesus died on!" As I turned to acknowledge the first answer another yells, "yeah, and they nailed him with nails in his hands and there was blood." A little surprised and taken back, I took a breath to try to tie the two together, when another says, "and he had a crown on - but it was the wrong kind of crown." I said, "what do you mean?" The 4 year old boy said, "it had those things on it that are like stickers!" I said, "you mean thorns?" He said, "yes and they hurt - but it was still a crown." Now mind you that all of this popcorn conversation was in a group setting - after snack...they were fully engaged. I said, "well, who wears a crown?" To which the entire group yelled out, "KINGS" and I asked, "who is this king?" To which they yelled, "King Jesus!" Of course remembering pep rally days I said, "who is YOUR king?" Their response, "King Jesus!" What a precious uninhibited moment of praise from 4 year olds. As I made my way to the second service after the reinforcements arrived, I thought to myself, "will the adults in this service be as demonstrative as those 4 year olds yelling 'King Jesus'?"
HHhhmmm what is holding me back?