Blog Slackin'

Well, it's true. Two weeks in a row I never got to "Ten Things I Think I Think". With the short week, time that had to be spent working on next year's budget proposal, too many hours dealing with the West Ohio Conference office (more on that later), and a house that's about to be filled with family and friends for Thanksgiving, Monday and Tuesday flew by. Given that right now it's just after midnight on Wednesday morning should give you some idea as to how busy this day has been.

So, I've been blog slackin' two weeks in a row. Didn't even get a chance to post a pre-sermon thought or two on Saturday night. I am a neglectful blogger, and I wish to ask your forgiveness. So, without further ado, before I hit the hay, here a few random thoughts....

- It's official... both Max and Xavier will be playing basketball this winter. Since I've coached Max twice, and this is Xavie's inaugural season, I'll be back out at the Naz teaching kindergarteners how to play basketball. I remember the first time I did this when on the first night nobody knew what a lay-up was... pretty quickly I realized that this is a much greater challenge than Phil Jackson or Thad Motta ever faced. Phil deals with Kobe. Thad deals with losing Oden. I deal with endless requests for bathroom breaks and kids who want to run with the ball (wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!). Xavie said he wants to play because (I am not making this up) he gets a snack after every game. It should be a lot of fun... if I don't lose my mind.

- Brother Esq. defeated me handily in Fantasy Basketball, riding the juggernauts of Chris Kamen and Eddy Curry to an impressive victory. Am I worried that this is a harbinger of things to come? Nope. No way Kamen, Curry, and Bonzi Wells (the other guy who had a huge week) last the entire year. Am looking forward to round two in about 11 weeks. I'll get you then, Brother Esq. The judge will find for the plaintiff. You wait and see.

- I just deleted hundreds of words expressing my frustration with my denomination's system of health insurance and ordination because I didn't want to incur anyone's wrath. Sorry you didn't get to read them, but I'm in no position to be prophetic. Hopefully, that day is coming, soon.

- In some respects this has been a very tough year. We lost my mother-in-law in January, and every "first" season/holiday/yearly tradition this year has been hard on the family, particularly my father-in-law (Thanksgiving being no exception). Now, though, we have received the news that Aimee's grandmother is ill with rapidly advancing cancer. Please, in particular, keep Henrietta's husband Sherman, Aimee, Aimee's dad, her brother and sister, and her Aunt Sharon in your prayers. And of course, you might drop a prayer for all of the rest of us in the family who are experiencing our world changing right now just too quickly.

- Our youth ministry held a dodgeball tournament last Sunday afternoon as a fundraiser for our annual Harvest for the Hungry Food Drive. I decided against playing, and instead chose to sponsor my own team, "Bryan Bucher's Dodgeball Kings", which consisted of all junior and senior varsity baseball players from Shawnee High School. A group of older guys, who chose the name (ahem) "Fools for Christ" swore they 'd take my guys out. But my players, competently led by their coach/general manager/team CEO/owner, were swept to victory, defeating the Fools four out of five matches (most of which were not that close). The Fools have sworn revenge at whatever dodgeball tourney might be held in the future, but my Kings have committed to come back, under the watchful eye of their mentor, to continue to dominate the dodgeball landscape of Shawnee and Fort Shawnee townships.

Oh.... and here are five suggestions as to how the Fools could improve their name before the next showdown:

5) Targets for Christ
4) The Weary Laden
3) Swollen and Sore Disciples
2) The Other Cheek Turners
1) The Shawnee Dodgeball Firsts (cause everyone knows the first will become last)

Congrats to my guys for winning it all, me for being smart enough to know that any team that would have me actually play dodgeball is doomed to lose (I'm past my prime.... way past), Fools for Christ for a good showing, all the participants, and volunteers. It was a great event.

- Apparently all that typing you never saw has worn me down. Gotta get to bed. I'll try to post something on the other side of Thanksgiving. Hope you have a good one.