March Madness

We've been so busy lately - yes, it's March Madness around here, but there's no basketball.  Not at the moment, anyway!

The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside... it is literally freezing cold outside, and it is spring.  The only reason for this would be the appearance of Elsa herself, as you can see above, practicing one last time for the upcoming performance of "Frozen" at Pearce Auditorium.  Madison joined the rest of the dancers - quite a few of them - for a final dress rehearsal, a "swirling storm inside" the theater, with make-up, costumes, pointe shoes, music cues, props, lighting, and all the things that it takes to mesh together for one complete production.  It went rather quickly tonight, much faster than previous nights.  This is because it is pretty much all figured out, from lighting cues to props and music extensions where necessary.  Tomorrow morning, the first performances will be for a few visiting schools, and Madison will be out there dancing.  Tonight, she was practicing with the others, although mostly waiting in what we call the Black Box.  This is the back stage area at Brenau's Pearce Auditorium, where dancers change costumes or simply wait for their turn on stage.

It was a pretty full day, as you can imagine.  There was school on Wednesday, and thankfully no specials after school.  Madison did well on her math make-up test, and spent some time after school playing "Tightrope" a few more times with just the one hand.  She's getting better at that part of it, and soon will be adding the left hand.  It will be nice, but that's a few weeks away.  It's been less than a week, and her enthusiasm for this song has carried her faster, and quicker in her practicing.  She's also been studying her vocabulary words, such as "polyhedron."  Seriously.  When's the last time you used the word "polyhedron" in a sentence.  I can count on no hands the last time I did it before this weekend.

Sample sentences:

"Martha, would you mind passing me that polyhedron of butter?"
"Look, Mom!  Santa left a lot of wrapped polyhedrons under the tree!"
"The ballerinas waited to go on stage, passing their time within the Black Polyhedron."

Actually, "The Black Polyhedron" sounds like a pretty interesting sci-fi movie.

WINGMAN:  "Sir, what's that object floating in space?"
CAPTAIN STAR PATROL:  "It appears to be some sort of ginormous Black Polyhedron?"
WINGMAN:  "Yes, but what could it mean?  What does it want?"
CAPTAIN STAR PATROL:  "I ...just don't know.  But I'm sure we'll find out soon!"

This conversation reminds me of another we were having earlier with the Edges, about their karate studio's upcoming egg hunt for Easter.  They were wanting to borrow our big bunny suit head and feet.   But for a joke, Bart was going to ask for the rodent head instead.  But he discovered that rabbits aren't in a rodent family, but instead in the Lagomorpha Order.  Which is an incredible name.  I mean, it sounds like some sort of secret society.

GRAND VIZIER PUTNAM:  "And now place upon your head these elongated ears, and we shall welcome you, pilgrim, to the Brotherhood of the Lagomorpha Order."
ALL:  "Amen."

So we've been using the word "Lagomorpha" a lot lately, because it's fun to say.  It does, however, put a slightly creepy vibe on this lyric though:

“Here comes Peter Cotton Tail, hoppin’ down the Lagomorpha Trail!”

And now the song suddenly sounds like some sort of supernatural horror movie:

MEANWHILE, ON PLANET LAGOMORPH

COMMANDER RIPKINS:  “Where’s Jenkins?”

PVT. HUDSON:  “I don’t know, sir.  He was here a minute ago.  Wait, here’s his shoe, sir!  And what’s that slimy trail there all around where he used to be standing?”

COMMANDER RIPKINS:  “No!  It can’t be.  Why, that looks like a Lagomorpha trail, leading off in that direction there.”

PVT. HUDSON:  “A lagomorph?   Here on Planet Lagomorph?"

COMMANDER RIPKINS:  “Yes, it was right here that the government illegally and immorally created one of those unethical experiment aliens that wipes out entire squads of soldiers over the course of two hours, or possibly more in extended editions.”

PVT. HUDSON:  "You think one of them Lagomorpha got Jenkins, sir?"

COMMANDER RIPKINS:  “There’s only one way to find out.  Let’s follow that trail up into that cavernous place we should obviously stay away from.”

PVT. HUDSON:  “Great idea, sir!"

Clearly, Daddy is delirious this week.  It's been crazy busy.  Mommy, Madison and Daddy have been running around with this overloaded schedule, trying to figure out how to drive here or there, and it continues into next week too, but we try not to think that far ahead because it can drive you down the Lagomorpha Trail a little too soon.

Tonight was KidPak, and in honor of our Cinderella theme from Sunday, we tackled the idea of "Cinderella" and "March Madness" as well.  I think it turned out rather well, and that's where we'll close on tonight, a simple hastily drawn-out outline for tonight's small group message:

1.    VIDEO – BUZZER BEATERS in MARCH MADNESS

2.    This time of year, we hear the word “CINDERELLA” quite a bit.  Talk about March Madness!  It’s because of the teams that no one gives a chance at winning.  Just like in the Cinderella story, they’re called names, and no, they’re not supposed to go to the big dance.  But something magical happens, and we all can’t help but cheer for that underdog!

3.    This past week with UMBC vs. Virginia.

a.    Stats about the game:  they lost only two games all season.

b.    They were ranked number one.

c.    They were supposed to win by over twenty points.  That was something agreed on by a whole lot of experts.

d.    No one had ever scored over 70 against Virginia.

e.    Of course, the twenty-point difference was correct – it was just the opposite team that ended with a twenty point lead.

f.     It is being called the greatest upset in the history of March Madness.

4.    Listen to what Jarius Lyles said (one of the Retriever players):  “I don’t think there was any point in the game that we thought we couldn’t play with them.”

a.     WHAT DO YOU THINK about yourself? 

b.    There’s what the world says (you’re going to lose by twenty points)

c.    There’s what God says (You’re the head and not the tail, I have great plans for you, you’re more than a conqueror)

d.    So what do you believe?  What do you say about yourself?

5.    POINT ONE:  GOD LOVES A CINDERELLA STORY.  There are many people in throughout the Bible that were underdogs.  But they knew something inside.

a.    David: “Do not consider how handsome or tall he is. I have not chosen him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outside of a person. But the Lord looks at what is in the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 NIRV

b.    Gideon “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” Judge 6:12

c.    Moses

d.    Daniel

e.    Three Hebrew Boys

f.     WHEN WE ARE WEAK, HE IS STRONG!

6.    Half-time Game.  Intro it as the girls being the underdogs, because boys play basketball better, right?  This game involves us shooting wads of paper, like in a relay race, one at a time towards two garbage baskets, one for the girls and one for the boys.  By the end of the timer, whoever scores the most two-pointers wins the game.  During the game, you have to play “Sweet Georgia Brown!”

7.    POINT TWO:  DON’T BE A BALL HOG

a.    You don’t do this solo.  LeBron James, Anthony Carmelo, and the best of the NBA were sent to the Olympics in Athens to win yet another gold medal.  Time and again, the US sent the best in the world, and we’d always come back with a gold medal, no problem.  Because we’re the best.  But… we lost.  You see, it’s not just one person who gets there by themselves.  The team had to play as a team, and they didn’t.  You’ve got a team behind you, including one very big Helper who designed you, and put you right where you are on the road to victory!

b.    So remember you didn’t earn this on your own.  You may have worked hard, but a lot of other people are working  hard too.  It’s God that opens doors, God who makes things possible, God who gave you the talent and ability, and God who makes everything possible.  Don’t you dare start taking credit for everything, ignoring those who helped you along the way, and ignoring the One who made you what you are.  If you do, you just might have everything taken away from you.

c.    BIBLE:  King Nebuchadnezzar had everything stripped of him, and Moses couldn’t go into the Promised Land.  If you are proud, you will fall.  You can talk about the USA Olympic Men’s Basketball team, the best of the best from the NBA.  Too proud of their own abilities to get together and practice and work as a team...

d.    Here’s another guy in the Bible that had a lot of pride.  He gave no glory to God whatsoever.  He thought it was all him that did it.  And guess what?  God heard him loud and clear.  And in the end, he wound up looking like this:

Don’t believe me?  Let’s listen to this story here:

SCRIPTURE:  Daniel 4:28-37 NIRV

     All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.  It took place twelve months later. He was walking on the roof of his palace in Babylon.  He said, “Isn’t this the great Babylon I have built as a place for my royal palace? I used my mighty power to build it. It shows how glorious my majesty is.”
     He was still speaking when he heard a voice from heaven. It said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, here is what has been ordered concerning you. Your royal authority has been taken from you.  You will be driven away from people. You will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass just as an ox does. Seven periods of time will pass by for you. Then you will recognize that the Most High God rules over all kingdoms on earth. He gives them to anyone he wants.”
     What had been said about King Nebuchadnezzar came true at once. He was driven away from people. He ate grass just as an ox does. His body became wet with the dew of heaven. He stayed that way until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle. His nails became like the claws of a bird.
     At the end of that time I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up toward heaven. My mind became clear again. Then I praised the Most High God. I gave honor and glory to the God who lives forever.
     His rule will last forever.
    His kingdom will never end.
    He considers all the nations on earth
    to be nothing.
He does as he pleases
    with the powers of heaven.
He does what he wants
    with the nations of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand.
    No one can say to him,
    “What have you done?”
     My honor and glory were returned to me when my mind became clear again. The glory of my kingdom was given back to me. My advisers and nobles came to me. And I was put back on my throne. I became even greater than I had been before.  Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, give praise and honor and glory to the King of heaven. Everything he does is right. All his ways are fair. He is able to bring down those who live proudly.

8.    WRAP-UP!

a.    Just like in basketball, we have two points here:  God loves an underdog story, because when we are weak, He is strong.  Second point, don’t be a ball hog.  Don’t forget where you got your victory from.  If you can remember this, you’ll score big.  You’ll be a champion.