The Lazarus Heart

Weep: to express grief, sorrow, or any overpowering emotion by shedding tears; shed tears; cry: to weep for joy; to weep with rage.

"A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. This the Mary who poured the expensive perfume on the Lord's feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, "Lord, the one you love is very sick."

-John 11:1-3 

" The Raising of Lazarus " 

by Vincent Van Gogh 1889-90 

In the New Testament the bible makes reference to "two" different men named Lazarus. The first Lazarus was referred to as Lazarus the beggar; the second, Lazarus of Bethany. The name Lazarus is a Hebrew name that means "God has helped". In both cases God did help by blessing one in the afterlife and by blessing the other, Lazarus of Bethany, by raising him from the dead four days after he died.

This past Friday, at my dear friend's funeral, the story of Lazarus was shared with those who were in attendance. The story of Lazarus was told to remind all that through Jesus Christ there is hope & comfort. During what was a difficult time for Jesus, when he heard of the death of Lazarus, he didn't try to explain or make things better for Mary and Martha, or for the others that were grieving. What Christ displayed was his ability to grieve and be heartbroken, and because of that we can rest assured that God is in perfect harmony with every emotion and feeling that we entertain today. John 11:35 states; "Then Jesus wept." 

John 11:35 is the shortest verse in the bible and it is because of those three words we can rest assured, that through Jesus Christ, we can experience comfort in our time of need.

God knows how we feel and He identifies with our feelings. God can, and will, provide comfort in our time of need. In the valley of life we might not always experience a change in our circumstance, but we can count on the comfort that only God provides for those who humbly seek His face and pray for his presence in time of need.

God can, and will, provide relief and comfort in our time of need.

If comfort is what enables us to sleep at night then its hope that aids us in getting out of bed in the morning. The bible is replete with God's words propelling our belief that God is for us and not against us and that He has a future and a hope for all that choose to believe in Him.

In John 11:23 Jesus tells Martha that "Your brother will rise again." Later in the 11th chapter of John Jesus makes good on his promise and raises Lazarus from the dead:

 "Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

-John 11:40-44

" The Raising of Lazarus  "

by Rembrandt in 1630

In God there is encouragement, inspiration and trust. 

God's encouragement is what often sustains us and gives us the ability to put one foot in front of the other when our body, mind and spirit say "no more". God's inspiration is what gives us the hope and courage to forge on and be persistent in our earthly, and heavenly, pursuits. Many times inspiration keeps us from giving up. And our trust in God is what protects us. Psalms 118:8, the "middle" verse of bible, states; "It is better to trust the Lord than to put your confidence in people." In the 'heart and center' of God's word we are reminded of the positive outcome if we trust in our Lord and Savior over all else.

In God there is help and in God there is hope.

As I mentioned in the opening paragraph of this piece my good friend, Tim Tackett, was buried this past Friday. My mood has been mostly reflective and reserved as I recount over and over the showing and funeral in my mind. During this time, I saw people I haven't seen in years, became reacquainted with old friends and shared stories from the past. I hugged a grieving mother, kissed the forehead of a confused and saddened son and held a longtime friend in my arms as he cried at the burial of his good friend.   

 

Amen...

And though there were times of physical pain and unbearable emotions there was something tangible, encouraging and beautiful that was present. The heartfelt concern and care from the multitude of people was tangible. The out pouring of emotion and being there in the time of another's need was encouraging. And it was a thing of beauty to see how one individual can touch so many lives in a very simple and quiet way. 

In the song "The Lazarus Heart" by Sting the lyrics read:

Though the sword was his protection
The wound itself would give him power
The power to remake himself at the time of his darkest hour
She said the wound would give him courage and pain
The kind of pain that you can't hide
From the wound a lovely flower grew
From somewhere deep inside

Many of us have a deep wound from the death of Tim, but from that wound something beautiful grew; from somewhere deep inside a flower grew in all of us. 

The Raising of Lazarus. (Rembrandt 1642)

Etching and drypoint

We all gathered around and paid honor to a man that reminded us that there is a right way, a proper way, to live. We held each other a little tighter and looked a little deeper into each other's eyes realizing that tomorrow is never really promised for any of us.

The time we spent together was a gift.

A beautiful gift. 

It is a gift that is not promised to be given again.

Finally, we all experienced comfort, hope and help much like Lazarus did. We all gained comfort from one another, and from God, in "our" time of need and "hope" for a brighter and a more encouraging tomorrow. 

In the end God helped all of us.

...and He will continue to help.

...all we have to do is ask.

sbb  24.5.11

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The Lazarus Heart . Sting  

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Tim Tackett (October 27, 1963 - May 16, 2011)

Brief: lasting or taking a short time; of short duration: a brief walk; a brief stay in the country.

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful."

-2 Timothy 4:7

Tim, Cam & Kym

1963 started like most years; with hope and promise. Martin Luther King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech, the Beatles released their first big hit single in the US entitled "Please Please Me", our nation was experiencing Camelot while John Fitzgerald Kennedy was our country's 35th President of the United States and the postage stamp was a mere 5 cents. It was also a time of great tragedy as our country mourned the assassination of JFK and we watched as a nation as our military delved deeper into the Vietnam War.

  

Other highlights of 1963 was the Supreme Court decision in the case of Gideon vs. Wainwright that ordered state courts, under the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution, to provide counsel in criminal cases for defendants who were unable to afford their own attorneys. American households had the TV turned to Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins on NBC, the Dick Van Dyke Show was on CBS and housewives all around the country were glued to their black & white TV sets watching the soap opera series debut of General Hospital on ABC. In 1963 major league baseball voted to expand the strike zone, Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle both signed contracts worth a $100,000 each (a record at the time), one Michael Jeffery Jordon was born and Loyola beat Cincinnati 60-58 in OT to win the NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship. The Academy Awards choose Lawrence of Arabia best picture and Gregory Peck best actor for his portrayal of Atticus Finch in the movie To Kill a Mockingbird.

But it was on October 27, 1963 the best role was played by Roy and Gladys Tackett as they became the proud parents of Richard Timothy Tackett.

3rd row from the top and 5 over from the left...

Tim completed the Tackett family as he became the fifth child and the little brother to Rod, Cheryl, Teresa and Roger.

Jerry   "Tiger   " Rice & Timmy (1979)

One of five children and the recipient of loving parents, Tim learned at a very young age the importance of a family, the value of great parents and the value of being a great spouse and parent. In the book "Anna Karenina" Leo Tolstoy wrote that "all happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way". Tim and his siblings experienced the joy of a happy family. Their parents provided safety, comfort, and happiness that is readily recognized by all and is evident by the way Tim shared those qualities with his wife and son.

A Family: Mom, son & Dad

As I write this piece I find it hard to speak in terms of death concerning Tim. Tim was my back-court teammate on our high school basketball team, he was a fellow employee at the Hilliard Pool when we were teenagers and he was a good friend. 

A very good friend.

Life and death has proven over time to be great educators and this extremely sad situation is no different.

Death has a way of making all of us, if just for a moment, come to grips with our own mortality. My mother often says that "life is precious, life is tender, life is fragile and tomorrow is never promised." I couldn't agree more. Life is fragile and tomorrow is never promised; in a word life is short. As sobering as these words are, James 4:14 shares with us that we as humans are no more than "a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes". Psalms 39:4-5 states:

"Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath."

We would all do well to be mindful of those words. 

Life is fragile; life is short and tomorrow is never promised.

Tim, Jeff Fugitt & Tony Moore

Sadly enough it is through Tim's death I'm reminded of the extraordinary man he was. It would be easy to pour over the many athletic accolades that Tim earned while growing up. He was an outstanding baseball player that earned team MVP, 1st team All-State recognition and a scholarship to attend Ohio State University to play baseball. I believe Tim to be one of the top three baseball players Hilliard has ever seen. Tim was also a celebrated basketball player while at Hilliard where he was awarded all-conference and all-districts honors, as well as, team MVP selected by his teammates and coaching staff. But with all of that it was Tim the man that was tremendous. Tim was silent, but strong, firm yet fair, and most of all he was kind without being weak.

Tim Tackett: All State baseball player.

Tim was a special person and in my heart he still is.

And in my heart he always will be special.

 

Many times in death people are propelled to a stratosphere they didn't entertain while living. Unfortunately, but with good intention, people often falsely opine about the greatness of an individual when they were alive. Often times a blind eye is turned to negative or less than flattering behavior committed during a person's life. This is not the case with Tim. I can honestly say that I never heard one comment about Tim that was harmful, hurtful or one that questioned his character. The only negative comment I remember being uttered about Tim was that he was too "unselfish" as a basketball player and that he should have shot the ball more than he did, but that was Tim.

Tim was unselfish to the core.

Cameron & Tim

In closing, as I reflect upon the loss of Tim my thoughts are focused upon three people: Tim's mother, Cameron & Kym.

 Gladys

 ^{Words cannot explain the deep sadness I feel for you and your family. The man you raised in Tim touched many lives. My life was one of them. Tim was a tremendous husband, father and friend. He treated people the way they should be treated. Tim always treated me, my sister and my parents with respect and honor. I especially appreciated the way he continued to treat my parents throughout his entire life. My parents were big fans of Tim growing up; they thought the world of him. There are few people that I have met like Tim and I feel that I won't be meeting others like him in the near future. Psalm 34:17 says "The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit." May God be with you. May He sooth your pain and bless you with the peace that passes all understanding.}

^Cameron

^{Your father was a good man. I will say it again; your father was a good man. I think it is important to point out Cameron that we live in a society that many times applaud the ordinary and forgets about what is truly extraordinary. Your dad spent every day striving to make you and your mother's life better... someday it will be your turn to do the same for your family. Your dad worked every day to provide for his family and he did it without hesitation or without complaining. That is what a real man does. Your father was a real man. The only thing I would ask you to do is get out a dictionary and look up the word extraordinary. Once you find the definition write it down on a piece of paper using your best handwriting. Once you have written it down find your favorite picture of your dad and tape both, the definition of extraordinary and the picture of your dad, to the back of your bedroom door. This way each day when you wake and when you go to bed you will be reminded what extraordinary looks like. Your dad was one extraordinary man.}

^Kym

^{You are one of my favorite people. The time we spent together last year at Cameron's baseball game left me admiring what you and Tim had built. Both of you cultivated an environment where love could grow and fostered an atmosphere of kindness and humility. Someday your future daughter-in-law will thank you for providing such a wonderful home for Cam to grow up in and setting an example of how good family life can truly be. I often told Tim that he "out kicked his coverage" when he got you to say I do. You are a special person and Cameron is fortunate to have you as his mother. The only scripture I want to leave you with is from the book of Psalms. Life has served you with a horrible blow, but there is One who understands your pain. Put your trust in Him. Psalm 62:5-7 states:}

^{"I wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me."} 

Kym, Tim & Missy...

^{Kym, many people love you and want to support you anyway they can, but our love and support can never match the protective, supportive and loving hand of God. Your life will never be the same but that doesn't mean that it will automatically be worse... just different. God has a specific plan for you and your life... "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and hope".} 

^{Father & Son} 

^{Finally, the love and admiration I have for Tac cannot adequately be explained or described at this moment. No words make sense to me nor am I able to truly communicate my feelings for Tim. As I sit here with tears streaming down my face I can only say thank you.}

^{Tim, I could never thank you enough for being such a good person and at the same time being such a good friend.}

^{I enjoyed the time we spent together and I thank you for the many memories you left me with.}

^{Your dear friend,} 

^Shawn

Rita, Eddie Welch & Tac

"There are 'friends' who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother"

-Proverbs 18:24

^{sbb 17.5.11}

¹⁷⁹⁹

^{Celebrate Me Home . Kenny Loggins}  

^youtube

Sport & Athletic Competition

Olympics:  1610, "of or in ref. to Olympos,  also Olympia (khora), " town or district in Elis in ancient Greece, where athletic contests in honor of Olympian Zeus were held 776 B.C.E. and every four years thereafter, from Gk. Olympikos,  from Olympos,  of unknown origin. The modern Olympic Games are a revival, begun in 1896. Not the same place as Mount Olympus,  abode of the gods, which was in Thessaly. The name was given to several mountains, each seemingly the highest in its district.

Many of you reading this are familiar with my family and our love of sports. And because I value you as a reader and the simple fact that I want you to come back I won't bore you with the athletic details that make up my life. With that being said, I wanted to share with you a paper that I helped my 15 year old son add some final touches (I added the pics & a few words) to tonight for a term paper that is due tomorrow. I'm very proud of what he accomplished with this paper. I hope you enjoy and well done Bryce.

Bryce 2011
(Overtime loss to Bexley... Bryce scored 19 points) 

Sport & Athletic Competition

          

Bryce Bailey

Period 4

5-11-11

Capstone Project

How do you think sport and athletic competition alters a person’s life? The initial thought that comes to mind when pondering that question is to think in current terms and in current events. Many of us think of history as something that happened last week, but when you research the topic of sports one realizes that sports have been around “forever” and they have been changing and altering people’s lives for quite some time. Sport has been visible and valuable since pre historic times, and vital to communities and villages as far back as 1500 B.C. I believe sports, from when they began to 1500 B.C, were more than just playing a simple game to people during these times. In Ancient Times sports had four unique and distinctive phases: Prehistoric Age, historic Greece, ancient Italy, and the Byzantine Empire. All of these eras were the starting point for many, if not all, the sports we participate in and view today. During the Ancient Times sports were a very intricate part of society that had military, political and social ramifications. Sport has played a significant role in the evolution of humanity and with the change of cultures throughout societies in the world. 

Roman bronze reduction of Myron's Discobolos, 2nd century CE

The Prehistoric Age was the beginning of sports, as we know it. Although sports have change throughout the years, the roots of sports traces back to this time period. The games that were played within in the sport were, according to europeanvirtualmuseum.net “a physical or intellectual form of organized activities.” Games were mostly played to display physical and mental strength, education, the unity of the society or culture, and of course, for fun and to relax. Military and recreational aspects played a big role in sports as well, according to Nigel B. Crowther in his book Sports in Ancient Times. The military outlook on sports was simply to keep the participants, playing the game, in shape physically and mentally. Prehistoric Egypt and other river-valley civilizations such as Samaria, Mesopotamia, and Persia are all important examples of sports, and its social significance and importance, in Prehistoric Times.   

Usain Bolt 

The next significant era in sports was historic and ancient Greece. Greece’s value and importance is primarily due the fact that the first Olympic Games were held there. The games began in 776 B.C. in Olympia and were held there until 393 B.C.  They were said to have started there because of Greece’s love of sports and competition, according to www.infoplease.com/ce6/sports/A0860127.html.  The games were held in honor of the Greek God, Zeus. Games such as boxing, wrestling, chariot racing, javelin, and field events such as high jump and running events were the main areas of competition. Studies have shown that during this time the Olympics were somewhat exclusive. Only free men, who spoke Greek, were allowed to compete in the games. Although this was an unfortunate circumstance, I still believe the experience of the Olympics unified Greek society by allowing people to gather focusing on athletic competition and encouraging participation of the times greatest athletes.  Another downside to the Olympics during this time was the fact that women were not only aloud to participate in the games, but weren’t permitted to be a spectator. Women, during this time, made the best of this situation and started games of their own called Heraea. Finally, sports during this were a reflection of the society they were played in, simply because the rules and regulations of that society usually had the biggest impact on the sport itself. 

Yunhua Fang Art Studio 

             The Ancient Italy era of sports was also a notable time in history. Ancient Italian sports involved mostly chariot racing and gladiator fights. Gladiator fights were primarily to entertain the audience and the politicians. These fights usually involved slaves who were trained to fight. Many today would say it was a terrible thing to do and people shouldn’t have supported this behavior. Although I agree with that opinion, I believe that sport during this time was the beginning of a revolution in sports based on violence and real life drama resulting in increased excitement for the spectators. 

Young girl winning chariot race, engraving from red-figure Greek vase

              The last era of sport that I would like to look at is the Byzantine Empire. During this time chariot racing was as popular as it was in Roman times and was the sport of the day. Chariot racing was exciting but viewed as a dangerous sport often leaving the rider and horse dead. The chariot race still remained popular as it is still believed today that it was the sporting event that founded the Olympics Games. It was also during the Byzantine Empire that the Olympics were ended in 393 A.D. in an attempt to end paganism and to promote Christianity and Christian values.

John Wooden

             Throughout time sports has been a catalyst for social change, political maneuvering and military prowess. Within each time period, and ancient empire, there is evidence supporting the value of athletic endeavors and the importance of individual competition. Athletic competition was as good for the body, as it was for the mind and soul. Much like today, “Gods” were discovered and legends were created, and because of this people were inspired and encouraged by the level of skill an athlete could display in competition for all spectators to see. In the end, sports and athletic competition inspires and encourages people. It can alter a person’s life physically, socially and financially, but ultimately sports are about character. The great John Wooden once said; “Sports do not build character, they reveal it.” I couldn’t agree more.

Bryce #22

 bcb .  16.5.11 
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Family Stone (re-post 4.27.10)

Yesterday I wrote a piece on the importance of motherhood entitled "The Heart That Rocks the Cradle". The words I wrote were based on a sermon series at my home church entitled "At the Movies... Where TRUTH hits the silver screen". 

 CWC

The movie that our pastor based his sermon on was the 2009 blockbuster hit "The Blind Side", starring Sandra Bullock. Yesterday I wrote theses words about the movie:

The Blind Side is more about personal struggle and challenge and less about touchdowns and tackles. It is also a story about one that has nothing and those who seemingly have everything. Finally, it is about the power to overcome and the courage of one to care for another beyond mere words. In the end it was mother of two who decided to become the mother of three. 

The Blind Side trailer...

As I reviewed those words yesterday I realized I was introduced to the Columbus version of this story when I heard of the Ciminello family last year. Like the Tuhoy family in the movie The Blind Side the Ciminello family decided many years ago to reach out and help a young child in need. Below is the piece I wrote last April about this story that touched me deeply.

A little side note... the young man in the story, Kym Littlefield, is a freshman at Denison University along with my 19 year old son Austin... funny how things work out.   sbb.242

Kym Littlefield

Columbus Academy 2010 Valedictorian

Family Stone

Family: a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group,  whether dwelling together or not: (the traditional family); a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with the children they care for: (a single-parent family). 

During the 1993 awards show (the ESPYs) legendary basketball coach, Jim Valvano, was given the Arthur Ashe award for courage. He was stricken with cancer, and the toll on his appearance was evident as he addressed the Madison Square Garden crowd. He was helped to and from the stage by Dick Vitale and Duke mens basketball coach, Mike Krzyzewski. In his speech, which was both emotional and humorous, he offered these words to live by: 

"To me, there are three things we all should do every day. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two, is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three, you should have your emotions move you to tears- it could be happiness or joy. Think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry- that's a full day. That's a heck of a day."

Laugh. Think. Cry.

 Jim Valvano

With "5" boys (two younger than 5) and a five month old girl, I can honestly say I cry and laugh every day. Obviously I don't think very much because any person in their right mind would never consider having "6" children. Usually this is where the crying starts; that and when I see college tuition rising like the national debt. Thankfully my oldest son, Logan (19), who is a sophomore at the University of Cincinnati, is extremely insightful; he often tells me, "it's just money Dad". Thank you Logan, I feel so much better.

Pause. Reflect. Question. 

What is he learning in college and why are we sending him there?

Last Saturday, after my daily dose of laughing and thinking, I came across an article in "The Columbus Academy Magazine". The title of the piece was "Redefining Family" by Bob Lee and the main focus was a young man named Kym Littlefield.

 

  

Front cover: Academy/spring 2010

(clockwise from bottom)

Kym Littlefield '10, Anthony Ciminello '10, & Natalia Ciminello '06 

This is where the real crying begins.

While reading the article I learned Littlefield, now a senior at Columbus Academy, lost his mother when she passed away less than a month before his 13th birthday. Rosalind Cooley, who supported her family by getting up at 5 a.m. every day and worked two jobs, died the day after her 44th birthday, she died of heart failure. To make things worse Kym's older brother, Orlando, died of a heart attack the day after Kym's 13th birthday.  

Already without a father (Kym had never met his father), Kym lost his mother and brother in less than thirty days. He was only 13.

Mom (Rosalind Cooley) & her youngest son, Kym 

After the news, Anthony Ciminello, one of Kym's closest friends since elementary school called day after day to see how he was doing. Anthony and his sister, Natalia, ask their parents if there was any thing they could do to help? The Ciminello family dove in, and what began as rides to school eventually lead to Kym living with the Ciminello's. 

Anthony Ciminello

At thirteen the Ciminello house became Kym Littlefield's home. 

I've only met Kym once in passing at Academy and I'm sure he has no idea who I am.  I've never had the good fortune of meeting the Ciminello family, but after reading the article I feel as if I've known them for a lifetime. Lee's article convinced me that I will never be able to look at Kym the same way or watch one of my favorite movies, "Finding Forrester", without thinking of Kym. There is such a strong physical resemblance between Kym and the main character Jamal Wallace, played by Rob Brown, and undeniable similarities concerning their life stories.

 

         Kym Littlefield delivers a speech & Rob Brown as Jamal Wallace in Finding Forrester.

I would encourage everyone to watch the movie with their family regardless of how your define your family.

Good acting; great message. 

The one thing that can be said about the Ciminello family and their generosity is that they were not acting, but that it was an incredible story and an inspirational message. The gift that the Ciminello's gave Kym was greater than anything money could buy. They gave of themselves, their time, and most importantly they gave Kym a tremendous example of what true unconditional commitment and what a selfless spirit looks like. Michele and Joe Ciminello also gave a wonderful gift to their children: others always come before self.

Proverbs 11:25 states; "The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." 

CA Basketball Senior Night

(L-R) Michele, Anthony, Arthur Cooley (Kym's grandfather),

Natalia & Joe Ciminello 

Thank you, Ciminello family: for refreshing my hope and my spirit with your generous display of love and kindness. I can only hope and pray that the rest of your days you will find encouragement and refreshment.

Thank you Kym: for making the most of a very difficult situation and for not taking advantage of the kindness displayed in your life. Many times people's faith and trust in others can be marginalized or even eliminated when one is burned by an ungrateful recipient of another person's generosity. Kym, you have encouraged me and my faith in the next generation of men and leaders. 

Kym you are a leader. Don't ever forget it.

My son, Bryce, doesn't graduate from Columbus Academy until the year 2014 (my fingers are crossed...toes too), but I'm going to make every effort to be at this year's commencement to watch Kym and Anthony graduate. I want to congratulate them on a job well done and share with them what Coach Valvano said at the end of his speech in 1993; "Don't give up, don't ever give up", but I really don't need to tell them this. 

Kym's mother showed him commitment and determination every day. Anthony's parents showed him you never give up on people and that you can do anything if you're determined to make a difference.

Again, thank you Ciminello family and Kym: for showing me that ordinary people can really do extraordinary things and that they can truly make a discernible difference...thank you very much for being a wonderful example and showing me the true definition of a  family.

sbb 27.4.10

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  "Fire & Rain" . James Taylor