In Eckleburg's Eyes - 9/30/2008

On Tuesday night, my team finally won a game in church league basketball. We were the last team in the league to gain a victory. I know this because every team has already beaten us. I had been worried about being the worst coach in town until JCT assured me that there was a coach on The Hill who could give me a run for my money. We both now have 1-3 records.

There was a catch. Only four players on the other team showed up. No, they did not play 5-on-4. DED (aka The Highlander, pictured shooting free throws) and WDS, fresh off a 51-44 victory in th early game, played for KLD’s team. So instead of winning via forfeit, we beat four guys and two 50+ year olds who had already played a game. In situations like this, the bragging rights are huge.

We got off to a quick 14-3 lead before DED checked into the game. Even with the Highlander in the game, we maintained a 24-16 lead at halftime. Then we did what we have rarely been able to do - hold a halftime lead. We won 58-35. I would also like to note that we were technically the visiting team, so this was a quality win on the road. (Yes, I know, all games are played in the same gym.)

PCR (#14 in the first photo) played fabulously, including hitting four three-pointers. By the way, we are referring to his hair as the mo-lett. (It is half mullett, half mohawk.) It looks good. JAH recorded the play of the game with a block of WDS. No word on who he will choose to be the focus of next week’s devotion.

SH selected seven-time NBA All-Star Scottie Pippen for this week’s devotion. I based the devotion on Pippen’s humble origins, being from Hamburg, Arkansas, and playing collegiately in Conway, Arkansas (at the University of Central Arkansas). I noted that Jesus also came from especially humble origins (see John 1:46) and that God can use people from all backgrounds. I charged the group to focus on how big God is rather than how limited we are.

In other basketball news, the referee who had been away doing mission’s work returned. He is well. This was his fist game back. It was also the first game ALK attended. In fact all three Amandas were at the game. That was not awkward at all...

After the game, JTH, SH, ALH, ALK, and I celebrated our big victory at Applebees. Not surprisingly, JB and JBT were eating there. We joined them in AFH’s section. This is JBT showing JB a picture of AFH from her day’s playing basketball at Karns High School. She has changed a great deal, but at 6'3" still stands out in the team photo.