Basketball Building Character

March Madness has been just that MADNESS! The Lady Bears made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament but lost a heartbreaker to NC State in Raleigh, NC. Just yesterday, NC State lost to UConn in the Sweet 16. There are some terrific women who coach women's basketball. Besides our flashy Coach Mulkey...there's the amazing story of Kay Yow, 31 year head coach of NC State who is in stage 4 cancer but came back to coach her team to the Sweet 16. In 1987, Yow was diagnosed with breast cancer, which went into remission. In 2004, the cancer returned, and she underwent diet changes, oral hormonal therapies and radiation. However, in November 2006, it was reported that the cancer was progressing and Yow announced that she would take a leave of absence from the team for an indefinite period of time to focus on her health, including chemotherapy. On January 22, 2007, Yow returned as head coach for the Wolfpack. Her players vowed to play each minute of each game like it was their last, emmulating their coach.



Then, last night, the Lady Blue Devels, coached by Duke coach Gail Goestenkors, ranked #1 in the country all year long, lost by one point to Rutgers. They were down by one point with .1 second to go with their best player, Lindsey Harding on the line with two shots. She missed both. Coach G's post game talk was short and directed straight at Harding: "I will not allow you to let this one moment define who you are. You have never taken credit for our wins, when without you we would not have been here; so you will not take the blame for this loss. It does not define you or your career here at Duke, and it does not define our team."

These two coaches are more interested in coaching young women to be women of character...not just basketball players. Oh if such could be said of all of us who work with young men and women.

Duke Dream

For the past two decades, I have been a Duke Basketball Fan. I liked their coach and what he stood for, I liked their style of play, and most of all I liked the integrity that they demonstrated on and off the court. My favorite team, the Baylor Bears - or in this story the Lady Bears - made it to the "Big Dance" again. We traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina for the first and second rounds. On the off days (days without games) we took the yell leaders to see the campuses of University of North Carolina and Duke. All were within about 20 minutes of each other. UNC was chartered in 1795 making it 50 years older than Baylor. When you walk on campus you have the feeling of nostalgia and history. Then we went to Duke. Duke, formerly known as Trinity College (Methodist), was bought by a tobacco family, moved to Durham, NC and renamed after the Duke family. In the history of the Methodist Church and higher education in the United States, Duke has much in common with other Methodist related universities like Northwestern, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, or the University of Southern California. Duke University has symbolic ties to the Methodist Church but it always has been independent in its governance. The chapel you see here was built in the 1920's but looks much older.

We snuck into Cameron Indoor Stadium to see the court that the Blue Devils played on. These shades cover all the portal entrances into the arena. We walked on the court and tried to take pictures, but the lights were out. I am trying to lighten them so you can see the unbelieveable number of championship banners hanging from the rafters. Rumor has it that Coach K will not hang a banner until everyone on that team has graduated! We had a great time, except for getting lost driving in the Duke Forrest, exploring other institutions of higher education.

More to come on Basketball, Bluebonnets, and Babies.......stay tuned this is "catch up weekend."

We will not Forget!

This past week we traveled to Oklahoma City for the Big 12 Basketball Tournament. Both the Baylor men and women played in the last time slot of the day - around 8:30 pm. So, to enrich the Baylor experience through life changing programs and services resulting in an integrated education known for leadership, service, Christian faith and the total development of students - we tried to make history come alive by taking the spirit squads to the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial on Thursday morning.



This first picture is of the memorial itself. It includes a reflecting pool that stretches between two walls. On one wall the time 9:01 which represents the time just before the bomb went off. The other wall has the time of 9:03 which represents the moment when life changed forever. The reflection pool stretches between so as to remind us to reflect on this moment that two Americans sought retribution through terrorism. Each chair represents one of the 168 people who died. The large chairs are adults, the small chairs are for children. Each chair has a base that has the individual name on it and lights up at night. The chairs are arranged in rows according to what floor they worked on so that it is easy for family and friends to find their loved one. This memorial is breathtaking both in the daytime and in the night. This is a beautiful memorial that stands for one of the most tragic events in American history.



What you see here is a wall of tiles made by schoolchildren around the country to show support of the survivors and family members of the bombing victims. What you cannot see are the tiles of slate/chalkboard on the floor in front to give others a chance to express themselves even today.



Finally, there are several engraved stones that form a wall of observation just outside the memorial museum. I like several of them because of what they say and moreover what they represent of the American Spirit. My reflections are varied. This is the fourth time I have visited the OKC Memorial site. The first time I went with someone whose mother was killed in the bombing...it was quite emotional. The second time I was with a friend from Kanakuk who was in OKC when the bomb went off. The last two times I went with students when we were there for a sports event. Each time I am reminded of the courage of Americans. Each time I am stunned by the generosity and empathy demonstrated by visitors. I am also in awe of the creativity of those who put so much thought into designing a lasting and meaningful memorial. I am proud to be an American...here is the inscription on the walls:

We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.^®

Not-so Extreme Makeover

I am slowly but surely adding to my little cabin in the woods. This week I got a trunk I will try to use for a coffee table. My "great room" is about 25' x 25' and I have the majority of it in free space. I like things to be open but it has even seemed to be a bit barren to me...so here is the trunk...let me know what you think.

Also, I have had the same plaid patchwork quilt on my log bed for 10 years. It was a gift from the parents of some good friends that I met at Kanakuk. Keith and Hope West. Keith's mom has a little quilt shop in Culowee, NC and she gave me the quilt. But after a few years of rinse and spins in the old washer, it is ready to be retired. So I got this one...a bit more feminine but I really liked it and my "while you were out" friend, Elizabeth gave it a double thumbs up as did my "I think I will upgrade my kitchen this month" mom and my "I used to work in a furniture store and go to market" brother, all of whom have great taste. So here's to branching out and trying something new.

Wham! Leaving a Legacy

Quick update before we head to the Big 12 tournament in OKC...in the past 3 weeks I have had the unfortunate experience of being in not one but TWO wrecks. In both, we were rear-ended. The first in Little Rock on a rainy evening and the girl's brakes just didn't hold on the pavement...I was NOT driving. Then last weekend, I was sitting at a light and WHAM! Hit from behind...here is a pic of my sad bumper - ripped by the front bumper of a three-quarter ton pickup truck. I am thankful not to be seriously hurt...just a little soreness in the shoulders and neck area...good thing we have a massage therapist on staff!!


In thinking about these two incidents I was reminded how we are so blessed in America! We (or at least I) view these as mere annoyances. They put a kink in our schedule by having to get with the insurance company then the repair company, talk through fault and deductibles and all the rest. The real question is...do people mean as much to us as our "possessions" that we spend time, energy, and money on? Are we just as annoyed when our friends are persecuted? Are annoyed to the point of action when someone is falsely accused? Where is our inheiritance? My pastor said this past Sunday that before we can leave a legacy, we must build one. I questioned myself..."how do I act or react when stuff happens?" Can you tell I am a believer in Christ by how I handle adversity? Or do I look just like the rest of the world and think that it all revolves around me anyway? Are my actions, reactions, and interactions representative of Christ? What legacy am I presently building and what legacy will I leave?

One last thought...from my dad when I was in my first wreck when I was 17 years old - I was in a 16 car pile-up - yes I was rear-ended, actually sandwiched between two other cars and my seemingly unemotional dad said something I will never forget, "Kim, I can buy another car but I can't buy another daughter." Where do you place your value?

White Out or Wipe Out?

Yesterday, Baylor got into the "White Out" craze...even though our colors are Green and Gold. We filled the Ferrell Center with 9200+ screaming fans and every fan had a white t-shirt on their seat. The idea is to look united in support of your team. The Lady Bears had a good game against the Lady Aggies, but could not pull it out at the end. This dashed their hopes of a conference championship for 2007. They will still get a bye in the Big 12 tournament and go on to the NCAA tournament - which is quite a huge accomplishment in that there are only two seniors and five true freshmen! (this pic was taken with my camera phone... so it is not the highest quality...but you get the idea) Sic 'em Bears!

Twins!

College Sports! It's game day! This picture was taken at the Baylor Men's Basketball game last weekend where the bears dropped a heartbreaker to texas by one point in the last 11.3 seconds. Coach Scott Drew is so close to putting the Bears on the map...maybe tonight is the breakthrough game...timing would be perfect with the Big 12 Tournament two weeks away. The next day, our Lady Bears whipped up on arch-enemy number one: the texas women. The Lady Bears are tied for the conference lead and are exceeding all expectations with 10 on the roster and five being true freshmen! Sic 'em Bears!

Even though college sports provides us with "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" there is a far greater thrill in life...which is that of FRIENDS. Our lives are filled with touchpoints created by our need for meaningful human contact. Friendship meets a need for connection with others. It is modeled throughout the Bible: Ruth and Naomi as well as David and Jonathan in the Old Testament and of course Jesus and the disciples along with Paul and Timothy and Barnabas in the New Testament. We would be miserable if we didn't have friends.

I have been blessed beyond all measure in my lifetime to have a steady stream of friends whose lives I can share in through the times of joy and the times of sorrow. In fact, I believe that especially for believers, our deep desire to connect with Christ Himself is met many times through friends. These two friends, Rachael Johnson (left) and Elizabeth Williams (right) are often asked if they are sisters because they look so much alike...when in reality they should answer "yes" because they both belong to the Family of God.

Two are better than one...for if one falls, the other will lift him up...a cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. (Eccl. 4:9-12) We are all better because of our friends. We share experiences along with our hearts and walk through life together; on a journey toward the same destination...Thank God for friends who serve as His hand extended in our lives.