History “Today”: The Beatles’ Farewell U.S. Concert Tour
August 29, 1966. Exactly today, England’s biggest contribution to the world of music, the Beatles, held their last concert at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, USA to close their American tour.
Their performance, which met with smashing success during the first five years of the 1960s, was mired with serious controversy following John Lennon’s comment that “Christianity is dying and that the Beatles are more popular now.”
Lennon’s surprising comment drew sharp criticisms from the religious sector in America.
The Beatles, whose musical style, fashion and statements, made them trendsetters, had their four-year dominance in the United States halted with that final concert tour at Candlestick, San Francisco.
The band, which started playing together in Liverpool, England compiled nearly 60 U.S. concerts and more than 1,400 stints in various countries.
By the dawning of the 1970s, the Beatles finally disbanded and the four world-renowned members—Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr launched their own solo careers.
Source: www.wikipedia.org
Faithfulness In Small Things
Miami Heat coach Eric Spoelstra was here in Manila more than a month ago to conduct a basketball camp and teach high school kids some of the fundamental skills in the sport.
Spoelstra (right) had the opportunity to mentor young NBA star Dwyane Wade.
The 38-year-old Spoelstra is a Filipino-American, being the first Fil-Am and Asian to become the head coach of an NBA team.
His father, Jon Spoelstra used to be an executive in NBA teams like the Portland Trailblazers, the Denver Nuggets, Buffalo Braves and New Jersey Nets.
Spoelstra piloted the Heat to the first round of the 2009 NBA Playoffs recently where Miami, led by the comebacking Dwyane Wade, succumbed to the Atlanta Hawks in seven games.
Though currently the youngest ever to handle the head coaching chores in the NBA, Spoelstra’s climb to the ladder of coaching success was something anyone can learn from.
In an interview at Basketball television with host Lia Cruz, which I just saw last night, Spoelstra said there was nothing superb he did on his way up to becoming the head coach of the Heat.
Instead, he simply developed the heart of serving the team at any capacity, even “to the point of picking up the dirty laundry of the players”.
From doing minor tasks, including serving as the team’s cameraman during his first few years with the Heat in mid-1990s, Spoelstra became the team’s scout, helping some of the team’s players develop their skills further till becoming Miami’s main coaching guy.
His high point was in 2006 after being instrumental in helping the Heat win the franchise’s very first NBA championship while serving under the tutelage of legendary coach Pat Riley.
We do have a vast number of Filipino coaches in the country who are talented and have the ability to be world-class as well.
But again, talent alone is not enough. Rather, it’s the willingness to be faithful in small things, in the seemingly obscure tasks you do that you become successful.
As Luke 16:10 says, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
No one may recognize the little things you do in your school or work, but God sees it. Let Him reward faithfulness.
Photo Source: http://i2.cdn.turner.com/si/2009/writers/paul_forrester/02/02/spoelstra/wade-spoelstra.jpg
Drafted Or Not?
I was watching some of the best moments in NBA Draft History at Basketball TV (BTV) the other day.
Big names in the NBA, most notably guys like Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, or even as far back as the time of Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing during the 1980s, were all featured to give viewers a front-court seat of what really took place during that particular moment.
In the NBA, the Draft is considered the defining moment of any aspiring professional basketball player.
It’s in the draft where they either realize their dream of a bright, financial future, or a busted basketball career.
It’s where they hear David Stern, the legendary NAB commissioner’s voice make the formal announcement: “For the first pick of the 2009 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics select_____________”
NBA teams, long before the much-anticipated draft proceedings make extensive research on players they want to draft.
They go through the players’ collegiate profile, family background and his capabilities to play basketball—scoring, rebounding, defense and strong work ethics.
No wonder, aspiring pro basketball players cross their fingers come D-Day, especially if they are not the media favorite, because they don’t really know if they’ll be taken in by any team.
As I think of the NBA Draft, how many people among the 7 billion living in this planet are itching to get drafted in God’s winning team?
Last night, I helped King (of FEU) jumpstart his own small group composed of the FEU men’s taekwondo team.
We talked about the difference between just being a fan (of God) and a follower.
At the end of our 45-minute small group, all eight of them wanted to be drafted in God’s winning team.
In God’s draft process, He doesn’t necessarily consider our talent, our stats, or our ability to produce. He’ll handpick us even in our “dirtiest”, lowest moment.
He’ll simply cleanse us from our sinful past through Christ’s finished work on the cross, before giving us a new and far better life, than we used to live. That’s what you call grace.
1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
God’s drafted choice may not be the best and the brightest in the world, but they sure belong to Him because their purpose from there is to give God the praise and bring His light to this dark world.
Are you part of God’s winning team? Who else among your circle of friends, needs to be part of God’s winning team?
Photo Source: http://aaunews.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/2009-nba-mock-draft.bmp
History “Today”: Birth of Deng Xiao Ping, China’s Economic Architect
August 22, 1904. Exactly today, Deng Xiao Ping was born in a farming family in Guang’an, Sichuan in China.
Educated in France, Deng learned the fundamental ideals of Marxism while studying and eventually working in France in the 1920. He joined the Communist Party of China in 1923.
Though he rose to the ranks to become of the China’s acknowledged leaders side by side with Chinese esteemed Communist leader Mao Tse Tung, Deng was purged twice during Mao’s Cultural Revolution of the 1960s.
His economic ideas ran in conflict with Deng’s political plans that led to his purging during the turbulent 1960s in China.
Deng, however, came to power in 1978 and started a renewed economic reform for China. He opened the country to foreign investors, a move that helped China advance into one of the world’s fastest growing economies while vastly raising the standard of living.
Deng passed away on February 19, 1997 at the ripe old age of 92 after succumbing to lung infection and Parkinson’s disease. Yet, his influence wityhin China’s leadership circle continued.
Source: http://wikipedia.com
Reverse Engineering
Coming back from the United States more than a year ago, I bought a book by Mark Batterson, pastor of the National Community Church in Washington D.C.
The title of his book is quite long—In the Pit With A Lion On Snowy Day—but I promise you, once you get hold of that book and start reading it, it will make you realize that God has ordained opportunities for you to seize, dreams for you to chase and “lions you ought to kill”.
The book takes off from one obscure passage in the Scripture of the Old Testament where Benaiah, one of David’s mighty men, managed to chase a lion during a snowy day and killed it in a pit.
Ever heard of someone chasing a lion in a pit on a snowy day? That’s rather strange, isn’t it?
But anyway, as I was reading the book, I encountered two words, which I believe are vital in chasing our own “lions” grabbing God’s ordained opportunities and seizing the dreams God has placed in our life—reverse engineering.
Looking at the dictionary, I found that the words reverse engineering is synonymous to the words redesign, remodel, renovate, renew and transform.
Now it dawned on me that when you give your life to Christ, God is in the process of reverse engineering our lives as well, beginning with our mind.
Yes, through Christ, He has cleansed us from our past, our mistakes, failures and sins, but after giving us a new and clean slate, He makes sure our minds go through the reverse engineering process.
Romans 12:2 says, 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Due to our family background, the influences we got from our parents, family and friends, the world we live in, our values and beliefs had been shaped to where it is today.
Some of these influences may be harmless but others could be harmful, which is why Romans 12:2 says, we need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
I grew up thinking of myself as a nobody, someone who won’t really amount to anything.
Yet, when I became a Christian, I realized that God isn’t apathetic, but He cares for me and my future. Today, having been married for nearly five years to a beautiful and loving wife, we are blessed with two wonderful kids, and is part of spiritual family that totally values relationships and has nurtured me in my walk with God.
I can’t say I’ve arrived or am perfect, but having been a Christian for 17 years now, I could say that God is continually doing the reverse engineering in my life.
He continues to renew my mind, He refreshes me when I’m down and remodels me to fit into His plans and purpose for my life.
Are you confused? Discouraged? Or losing hope? Good news! Get your life reverse engineered by God. When He promises, He delivers because He is faithful.
Photo Source: http://z.hubpages.com/u/240603_f260.jpg
