Heaping helping of Texas Chile

I’ll admit it...I don’t really “get” Texas in some ways.

Everyone I have ever known who is from Texas (or has transplanted themselves there) has had a certain level of pride in the state.  Not only is everything bigger in Texas (so I hear) but Texas was once its own Republic/country.  From the sprawling ranches to the diverse metropolitans, the Lone Star state is equal parts confusion and intrigue to me.

In no way am I disparaging Texas.  I’m just admitting to not completely understanding it.

One happening in the Longhorn state, however, I do understand full-well.  It is something which ought to not only cause us to possibly chuckle and shake our heads in bemused amusement, but should be cause for pause, too.

The flag of Texas features a single star in a field of blue with a white and red stripe.  Again, if you know anyone from Texas, you’ve probably seen it -- on a license plate, piece of clothing, etc. 

The flag of the South American country, Chile also features a single star, a field of blue and a white and red stripe...only its blue is not as large as Texas’ (which goes without saying).

In 2010, Atascosa County (located just slightly south of San Antonio), printed and distributed instruction sheets along with mid-term election absentee ballots.  The information came proudly bearing the single star on a field of blue, the crisp white panel and the vibrant red one.  It was a perfect representation...of a country over 5,000 miles away from Texas!

That’s right...the officials of Atascosa County used Chile’s flag instead of Texas’!

I said I don’t necessarily understand Texas (or Texans) but I do understand this faux pas.  

It was a mistake...nothing sinister; not a covert attempt to switch allegiances, I know.  The flags look very similar.  It was an honest blunder.  However, it should also serve as a warning to us.

Someone (more likely many someones) in Atascosa County were not able to correctly identify the flag of Texas.  It undoubtedly flew above the courthouse and government buildings.  It was more than likely on their license plates.  Yet, no one was able to -- whether it be from ignorance, arrogance or dissonance -- distinguish the difference between Texas and Chile.

If we are not careful to fully determine who we are (what we stand for, believe in, hold as standards, will do, etc.) it becomes relatively simple to be misidentified, misrepresented, misunderstood, mistaken...and miserable.

I work with students.  Far too often I see them trying their hardest to match the design of others.  This results in lives which are much like Texas’ and Chile’s flags -- nearly indistinguishable.  

We must know who we are...to be able to quickly and clearly identify those things which make us exclusively us.  If we don’t, we are susceptible to confusion and compromise.

When we fail to distinguish ourselves from everyone else, we run the risk of making the same mistake Atascosa County did.  I need to know me so I can consistently and accurately show me.  

'LEXUS' get this straight...

When music icon, Paul McCartney was arranging his 2005 “US Tour”, he selected Lexus as its main sponsor.  An avid advocate for environmental stewardship, McCartney singled out Lexus because they made, “environmentally responsible” cars.

The 37 show tour proved to be quite lucrative for the Japanese-based company...so much so that in 2008 Lexus decided to give McCartney one of its LS600H cars -- a $150,000 gas/electric hybrid.

The auto maker decided to deliver the sedan directly to McCartney in his native England.  In order to do so, Lexus chartered a cargo plane to fly the vehicle from Japan to Great Britain.

The carbon emissions from that flight equalled 300 around-the-world trips with the LS600H.  In other words, the amount of pollution created by the car’s delivery could never possibly be negated by its environmentally-friendly hybrid technology.

How preposterous.  

The gesture was genuine.  The sentiment was solid.  The delivery, however, was discordant.  The logic and logistics did not match up.  Everything both parties were trying to represent was wrecked by how they went about the car’s conveyance.

I wonder how many times we end up doing the same thing. 

There are situations when I know I intend to convey a certain message but, because of how I go about things, I end up sending very different signals.  In much the same way, I fear there may be times in my life when what I say I believe may get contradicted by what I do.

Me delivery is just as important as my desire.  

Ephesians 4:15 tells me to, “...speak the truth in love...”  I must be careful to never use what I know to be Truth as a weapon.  How can I properly convey the message of a God who is Holy, loving and gracious if the way I’m delivering the message is anything but those things?

Similarly, how can I claim to be “spiritually responsible” and live my life in a way which contradicts what God really wants from me?

It made no sense for Lexus to be so irresponsible in its delivery of McCartney’s car.  In a very real way, it undermined the entire partnership and principles for which it stood.  Likewise it is just as preposterous for me to do anything which is contrary to the heart of what God really wants.

I’ll never be on a U.S. tour...and I’ll definitely never be able to have a Lexus delivered to you.  But, maybe this little reminder will be more valuable...to both of us:

Ephesians 4:3 We can be sure that we know God if we obey his commands. 4 Anyone who says, “I know God,” but does not obey God’s commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if someone obeys God’s teaching, then in that person God’s love has truly reached its goal. This is how we can be sure we are living in God: 6 Whoever says that he lives in God must live as Jesus lived.

Sacrifice for Success -- UConn do it.

Last night the University of Connecticut (UConn) women’s basketball team dismantled Louisville to claim the National Championship.  In so doing, UConn head coach, Geno Auriemma tied legendary former Tennessee head coach Pat Summit for the most-ever titles with eight.  

The Huskies’ 33-point win (93-60) over the Cardinals -- the largest ever in a championship game -- was actually 2 points below their average margin of victory throughout the NCAA Tournament (35).  Anyone familiar with women’s basketball may read these things and not be surprised.  UConn is a perennial powerhouse.  Most people would just assume they were championship favorites all along.  But, this UConn team entered the Tournament without having won its conference (Big East)’s regular season title OR post-season tournament crown. 

In fact, Auriemma called this season the “worst coaching (he’s) ever done”.  

Must be nice...do the worst job ever and still cruise through the NCAA tournament to a record-tying eighth championship winning by 35 points per game.

In a post-game on-court interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe, the Huskies’ head man explained his statement and its connection to the team’s success.

“At that point we were not championship-caliber. I didn’t really have the pulse of the team,” he said.  “More than that, we weren’t really willing to sacrifice for each other.”

Auriemma went on to explain how prior to the beginning of the NCAA tournament, his players, “...looked each other in the eye and decided just exactly what they were willing to ‘give up’ so we could turn this season around.”

With highly-sought-after recruits on his roster, Auriemma found his team filled with “stars” who each possessed more than the requisite skill set to be a successful player.  “We needed to decide, ‘I can do this or that...but is it necessary for us to win?’  Once we figured out what we could give up of our own, we went from being a ‘good’ team with ‘good’ players who played with each other to being a ‘great’ team with players who played for each other,” he explains.

When I heard that I immediately thought of all the “teams” I am (and have been) on -- family, marriage, church, business, community, ministry, friendships, etc.  

I wonder how many “championships” I have missed out on because I never did what Auriemma’s team did (or what Philippians 2:3,4 and Romans 12:3 says).  What personal feats deserve to be forfeited, not focused upon?  What rights can I relinquish in order to better position my “team(s)” for ultimate success?  Who must I look in the eye and for whom should I be willing to set myself aside?

I can’t argue with UConn’s results.  I also can’t argue with the fact that Jesus carried that same mindset:  

Philippians 2:7 But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing.
    He was born as a man
    and became like a servant.

8 

And when he was living as a man,
    he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God,
    even when that caused his death—death on a cross.

 ...and HIS results were even more remarkable:  

9

So God raised him to the highest place.
    God made his name greater than every other name

10 

so that every knee will bow to the name of Jesus—
    everyone in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.

11 

And everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord
    and bring glory to God the Father.

As well as I am able, I want to be willing to make the sacrifices which may not make me a star but may lead to success -- yours, mine, ours, HIS.

An Unexpected Masterpiece

One doesn’t need to be an art expert to recognize the painting above.  It is fairly familiar to many people who couldn’t distinguish its significant color and composition from crayons on construction paper. 

While most people just refer to the painting as “Whistler’s Mother”, the actual name of the 1871 masterpiece is Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1:  Portrait of the Artist’s Mother (I know, captivating title, huh?).

Interestingly enough, the piece should never have been painted.  Whistler (James McNeill Whistler, to be specific) never had any intention of creating a portrait of his mom.  Instead, he had hired a lively, beautiful teenaged girl named Maggie Graham to be his model for this Arrangement (so named because he also had an affinity for music and likened his creations to pieces of music).  Graham never showed up for work.  Irritated yet still inspired to paint, Whistler prevailed upon his widowed mother to sit in for her.

The resulting work easily became Whistler’s most iconic and easily identifiable creation.  While he was a well-decorated artist, the mention of his name quickly conjures up the black and grey image of his mother sitting ever so stoically.

This story fascinates me.

...it also challenges me.

Whistler was ready to paint.

Graham was his chosen subject/model.

Yet, Whistler did not let her failure to show up frustrate his desire to create.  Never one to waste inspiration, he used what he had.  Because he did not let Graham’s absence become an excuse to not paint, the world has one of its great masterpieces.

There are times I feel like Whistler.  I have a deep desire to “do” certain things.  In my mind, the plans I envision executing are grand and glorious.  There are moments when I feel poised to truly create a masterpiece.  But, then something always seems to fall apart or go contrary to my schemes and dreams.

Recently I visited a facility which is very similar to what I’ve always dreamed of having.  It had a full court gym, a workout area, a lounge area, state-of-the-art equipment, etc.  This has always been a part of what I have wanted to be able to offer the students and families I try to reach.  This sort of a place is my “Maggie Graham” -- the model I’ve always hoped to present to the world.  

While the place was definitely nice, it was not mine.  Instead, I have a basement youth center, a warehouse workout facility and a barn basketball court.  None of what I have is ideal.  I work with leaky roofs, thrift store equipment and a subterranean gathering place.

When I consider “Whistler’s Mother”, I am humbled.

Use what you have.

The “art” was not in Maggie Graham or a widowed mother...the ART was in Whistler.  His desire and gift to create is what mattered. 

The correlation (and challenge) for me is obvious.  I need to use my God-given drive, discipline and duties to compose the most beautiful masterpiece I can.  I cannot wait for what I believe would be the perfect model.  I cannot delay hoping for better situations.  I need to simply put whatever brush I have to whatever canvas I have and do what I can.

The world may never see it...but I intend to use what I have to create a masterpiece.

What about you?

In February of 1962, two bands auditioned for a recording contract for London’s Decca Records.

Both upstart bands had been experiencing modest success and small scale popularity in the United Kingdom.  Both groups had an oddly similar sound and look.

Brian Poole and the Tremeloes were a London-based band while their competition, The Beatles, were based in Liverpool, more than 200 miles from the British capital.

After having both bands record audition albums at Decca’s studios, the label’s leadership decided to sign the Tremeloes...not the Beatles.

The decision was based mainly on convenience.  Having the Tremeloes in London made them much more accessible for Decca.  The thought of having to have the Beatles travel the nearly four hours to London for any potential recording, performing or other appearances was logistically laborious.  

While the Tremeloes turned out to be a moderately successful group (reaching #1 on the UK charts twice [Do You Love Me and Silence Is Golden] and climbing as high as #11 in the US [Silence], they obviously never approached the level of popularity or success of the Beatles.

Excellence, it seems, is never a matter of convenience.  

All In For #5

I’ve been silent in the blogosphere for a week.  I’m not entirely sure if anyone really noticed...but leading off with that admission seemed to be necessary.  

Anyone who knows me -- or has seen my blog, my social media, my vehicle, my office, my home or my wardrobe -- knows I am a fan of Duke basketball.  Seeing them thoroughly trounced by Louisville on Sunday in the Regional Final certainly didn’t leave me overjoyed.

Chances are nearly everyone who may bother to read this post has seen the horrific injury Louisville’s Kevin Ware suffered.  Having his leg literally snap right in front of his teammates on the bench left some players gasping for air and wiping tears from their eyes while others (according to sideline reports) were throwing up from the sheer gruesomeness of the fracture.

While there has been much written and reported about the incident, one thing was certain to me -- Duke had NO chance from that point on.  Even though the play actually resulted in a Tyler Thornton three-pointer which tied the game, the site of a fallen teammate and the sound of his screams followed by his impassioned pleas for the Cardinals to, “just get the win”, was enough to convince me Louisville would advance to the Final Four (and most likely the championship).

Adidas even recently created special warm-ups for the team to wear at this weekend’s Final Four in Atlanta:

It just makes sense.  

Even people I’ve spoken to this week who have no athletic background whatsoever seem to “get” what is happening with Louisville.  Rallying around a teammate, working hard to fulfill his wishes, unifying in his honor -- are all things even non-sports fans understand.

Ironically, I have had several conversations with people this week about what I do and why I do it.  These well-meaning people genuinely cannot understand how I can devote my days to the “job” I have -- trying to do anything I can to serve, love, encourage and elevate others.

To me it is exactly the same thing.  

The drive of the Louisville players to “win” for Ware is rooted in the fact that they’ve struggled, suffered, succeeded and stretched themselves together.  Every weight lifted, line drill run, film session endured bonded them together.

For me, the connection to Jesus is much the same -- good and bad, hope-filled and hopeless, joy and sorrow --  He has experienced and endured it all (on His own AND together with me).  

Ware’s compound fracture was indeed traumatic and brutal.  He will forever wear its scars.  His teammates will never forget the image of it, either.  It is nothing, however, when compared to the suffering Jesus endured which we remembered just last week (and each time we take communion).   

My life of faith is no big deal.  It is just me rallying on behalf of Jesus.  If Louisville is motivated to win a championship because of Ware, how much more should I be driven to fulfill Jesus’ wishes?

“All in for #5” isn’t a hard concept for the general public to grasp.  

Why should:

“Everything you do or say should be done to obey Jesus your Lord.

And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus...

In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. 

Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people.”

Col 3:17, 23

be?

I want to bring honor to Christ, to fulfill his wishes...and to win for (and with) Him.  I’m not a zealot.  I don’t possess an extra dose of faith.  I just want to be a Champion.  He deserves that from me.