(This is an annual revisit of one of the great stories in sports. Something to take your mind off of tax day) April 15th is not my favorite day of the year. Traditional tax day is never fun for a guy who is organizationally challenged. My idea of being prepared is having everything in one box. But I was heartened to find that April 15th is a great day for baseball fans. Jackie Robinson made his major league debut at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers on this date in 1947. It was a historic and significant day for baseball but maybe more so for our country. You can argue that the American civil rights movement was ignited when Robinson came to bat in Dodger Blue. The journey for Robinson was difficult at best and nearly impossible at worst. Many Dodgers players, mostly Southerners led by Dixie Walker, threatened to walk if forced to play with a black player. That
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I have some really exciting news to share today. I am so proud to announce that I will be partnering with Patriot Paws to share a portion of royalties from my book Stay. I was looking for an organization that modeled the many lessons we learn from our canine friends that I wrote about in Stay. Patriot Paws trains service dogs to assist, comfort and love disabled veterans who have suffered PTS and other injuries in the service of our country. The dogs are provided at no cost to the veterans. Patriot Paws fit perfectly as a partner with their commitment to faith, our wonderful veterans and the unique connection dogs have to the emotional well-being of these heroes. The added bonus was the prison offender training program that is giving hope, love and life purpose to many for the first time. Certified service dog trainers from Patriot Paws work with the inmates and their dogs at the correctional institutions
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I think of Keith Green every Easter week because he recorded one of my favorite songs about the power of the resurrection. I have written before about the amazing life of Keith. He was one of the pioneers of contemporary Christian music. His influence was so powerful that artists like Michael W Smith, Stephen Curtis Chapman, Chris Tomlin, Rebecca St. James, Matt Redmond and many other recorded tribute cover versions of his songs after his tragic death in a 1982 private plane crash. What I loved most about Keith Green was his passion for Christ. Like many who came to faith during the Jesus movement Green was sold out to the Gospel. His zeal for ministry led to a charge that Christian celebrities are rarely accused of committing. Not profiting from his music. Green voided his successful contract with Sparrow Records so that he could give his albums to those who could not afford them. Keith and wife Melody mortgaged
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There is much written about Good Friday. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross is incomprehensible to my puny human intellect. There is much written about Easter Sunday. Christians around the world rejoice and proclaim that “He is risen!”. But there is not nearly as much written about one of the saddest and most confusing days in history. The Saturday between the Friday horror of Jesus on the Cross and the Sunday mystery of the resurrection. Some churches do observe Holy Saturday but it was never a tradition in my faith upbringing. I have been thinking about what that day must have been like for those who dropped everything to follow Jesus. How crushing those events had to be. I imagine the fear they felt that they would also be killed. And for what? On Saturday they feared they had given their careers and their very souls for a false hope. I think in particular of Peter. I identify
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As Easter approaches I remembered an article in USA Today titled We are Easter People. I think it is worth a second look and here is a portion of the piece written by Diane Cameron. One of the lowest points in my life occurred years ago when I was living in Washington, D.C., at Easter time. My older sister had recently died and both of my brothers were seriously ill; my best friend was leaving town, and on top of that I was questioning my work. In my journal that April I wrote, “Am I depressed?” When I read those pages now I laugh and shake my head. “Depressed?” That I even had to ask. In that long year I thought I’d never laugh again, just as I thought I’d never again feel love, the joy of easy friendship, or the satisfaction of good work. I went to church that Easter out of both habit and desperation. I had grown up in
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The iTunes shuffle landed on a song by The Animals that brought back black and white memories. I remembered Ed Sullivan awkwardly introducing “The Animals” on his show many years ago. Fifty years if anyone is counting. After watching the clip again it was even more awkward than I remembered. The song is called “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” and it produced a surprising time of reflection and prayer. Are you telling me that you don’t have your quiet times around songs by The Animals? The song is an apology and explanation to a love interest. The writer wants her (in this case) to know that he means well and sometimes he is just human. He makes mistakes. If I seem edgy I want you to know That I never mean to take it out on you Life has it’s problems and I get my share And that’s one thing I never meant to do Because I love you… Oh,
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Regular readers of my humble ramblings know that I love to link music of all types to spiritual thoughts. Recently a forgotten oldie caused the neurons to fire oddly in my noggin. The song “The Book of Love” was written and recorded by The Monotones in 1958. Here are some of the lyrics. Oh, I wonder, wonder who, mmbadoo-ooh, who Who wrote the Book Of Love Chapter One says to love her You love her with all your heart Chapter Two you tell her you’re Never, never, never, never, never gonna part In Chapter Three remember the meaning of romance In Chapter Four you break up But you give her just one more chance So there you have it. Before you get to Chapter Five you have already parted ways according to this version of the book of love. By the way, there is a little “boom” sound in the first lyric that is oddly translated “mmbadoo-ooh” above. The story
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