Rich Christian, Poor Christian

The primary difference between a rich Christian and a poor Christian is the mindset. These differences are also common with non-Christians. The following is a list of thoughts that poor Christians have regarding money:

"Money is the root of all evil!"
"The love of money is the root of all evil." (This is not the whole verse)
"Rich people are greedy and selfish."
"I don't need a lot of money."
"I'm content."

Rich Christians seem to have a much more positive outlook.

"I'm blessed with many opportunities for prosperity."
"I am thankful for my abundant life."
"I am grateful for my wealth and future blessings."
"I enjoy the financial freedom I've been blessed with."
"I will strive for financial advancement everyday because I feel guilty if I don't."

As a young boy I had two Sunday School teachers. Of course basketball were both Christians and basketball of Christ. They both shared the same values, ethics, and religious views. But they had differences of opinion on the subject of money. My poor Sunday School teacher, Brother Shoddy, picked me up every Sunday to go to Church when I was 9 years old. He was enthusiastic and loved preaching the Gospel. And I loved to hear it over and over. Brother Shoddy had a lot of energy and devoted much of his time to his ministries. I tried to help him by inviting all my friends to come to Sunday School with us. My friend Chris was the only one that accepted my invitation because I bribed him with a game of basketball at my house after church. Brother Shoddy was happy to pick up Chris, bring us to church, and tell us some great Bible stories. It was great because I got to hang out with my best friend and my spiritual mentor.

One day on the way home from Church, Chris asked, "Brother Shoddy, will you play basketball with us, I need a challenge!" Before I could respond to the trash talking, Brother Shoddy said, "Sure Chris, I thought you guys would never ask. But only for one hour because I have homework just like you kids." Brother Shoddy was a student athlete and the MVP at the Christian College in our city. He was in the newspapers all the time. When we arrived at my house, Chris and I rushed through the door and changed into play clothes. We went back outside to the driveway and Brother Shoddy was already warming up with a basketball he pulled from the trunk of his Geo Metro.

It was my house so I made up the rules. I liked to play to eleven points and if I was losing I would change it to 16 points. Each basket counted as one point unless it was a long distance shot from the mailbox. Then it would be two points. Within three minutes of our driveway basketball game, Brother Shoddy, had 10 points to our 2 points. Chris and I were surprised by his ability to dunk a basketball with either hand while wearing church shoes. We were also amazed by his athleticism and quickness. So to further delay the inevitable, I changed the rules. I told Brother Shoddy, "The winning score is 16! And we are allowed to foul you!" To avoid getting fouled, he made three consecutive shots from beyond the mailbox resulting in his first victory on Hammondwood Road.

I humbly accepted defeat and gave Brother Shoddy two Capri-Suns. Chris and I could only get one each since we lost. So over a few drinks, I asked Brother Shoddy, "When are you going in the NBA? You will be a millionaire! Can we get tickets?" Brother Shoddy laughed and said, "There's a lot of temptation when you have that kind of money. I'm not really interested in that." Chris being older than me impressed me with his knowledge when he asked, "But isn't A.C. Green a Christian NBA player? He's rich and he believes in the Gospel". And I followed with, "Yea you can buy bigger churches, more Geo Metros, and really nice basketball courts for the church!" Brother Shoddy settled the conversation with, "It would be fun, I'm sure, but I am very content and I don't want really want to be rich. But I will pick you guys up next week!" Chris and I scratched our heads with confusion. To get over the defeat and the unpredicted conversation we turned the TV on to watch the Bulls play.

On that Sunday afternoon I started thinking about Christians. I realized that we all shared the same spiritual beliefs. We believed in the Gospel and everything the Bible tells us. I also realized that we were allowed to be different. We did not have to like the same car, the same flavor of Capri-Sun, or even the same basketball team. And when I learned more about A.C. Green and Brother Shoddy, I decided that everyone has the freedom of choice and can create their own reality while staying true to their core values, ethics, and principles.

Rellie Lorenzo
http://www.rellielorenzo.synthasite.com
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Today's Chicago Bulls Hope to Charge Into More NBA Championships

If you live on Earth, then you probably have heard of the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan. You also probably know that the Bulls twice won back-to-back-to-back NBA Championships (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998). However, fewer people are aware basketball the pre-Jordan history of the Bulls, or about the Jordan-era seasons in which the team failed to win NBA titles.

How was the Chicago Bulls born? The Bulls' first season was in 1966-1967. The first owner of the Bulls, Dick Klein, named the team in honor of the prolific livestock business in the city. This was actually the third NBA team to play in Chicago, following the Chicago Stags (1946-1950), and the Chicago Packers/Zephyrs (1961-1963).

The Bulls played an outstanding first season. Chicago won their first franchise game 104-97, over the St. Louis Hawks. Amazingly, they completed their first season with a 33-48 record, and earned a spot in the playoffs. Ironically, the Bulls lost their first series to the St. Louis Hawks, 3-0. However, their first season's record was the best record for a first year NBA team.

The Bulls struggled for several years, to advance in the playoffs. They went 0-6 in first playoff series, during their first six years. However, during the 1973-1974 season, the Bulls won their first playoff series, against the Detroit Pistons. However, the Milwaukee Bucks then swept them in the Western Conference Finals.

From the 1974-1975 season until the 1983-1984 season, the Bulls only made the playoffs three times (1975, 1977, 1981). The deepest they got in the playoffs was in 1975. During that year, the Bulls earned another spot in the Western Conference Finals. However, they lost the series to the Golden State Warriors, after taking a 3-2 lead in the series.

The Jordan-era Bulls that most people are familiar with began in 1984. Following the 1983-1984 season, the Bulls picked Jordan as the 3rd overall NBA selection in the draft. He would replace Reggie Theus, who the Bulls had traded during the previous season.

Many people forget, or are not aware, that Jordan played several years for the Bulls, before winning his first championship. Here are the results of the Jordan-era Bulls seasons, prior to winning their first NBA championship:

1984-1985: 38-44 record; lost in first round to the Milwaukee Bucks
1985-1986: 30-52 record; lost in first round to the Boston Celtics (note: Jordan scored 63 points in Game 2, to set a postseason record in the NBA)
1986-1987: 40-42 record; lost in first round to the Boston Celtics
1987-1988: 50-32 record; lost in second round to the Detroit Pistons
1988-1989: 47-35; lost in Eastern Conference Finals to the Detroit Pistons
1989-1990: 57-25; lost in Eastern Conference Finals to the Detroit Pistons

However, the Bulls won their first NBA championship in the 1990-1991 season, by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers. The rest, as they say, is history.

The Chicago Bulls made history during the Jordan era. Cheer them to more Bullish success, with an array of Chicago Bulls merchandise that is available!

Rick Grantham is an avid sports fan. Most of Rick's articles focus on chicago bulls merchandise. Many articles are related to nba merchandise and other sports related topics. Rick is a contributing author to BooYah Village

Forced Out - Written by Stephen Frey

Old baseball scouts, like old baseball players, never fade away. In their minds, they are still in the middle of the action whether playing, coaching, or scouting. Jack Barrett is not any different. He had been a scout for the New York Yankees for many years and had been dismissed just before his retirement under suspicious causes. Jack was getting older-age aches and pains but he got over those things by drinking. He basketball loved his daughter, Cheryl, who tried her hardest to keep her father away from the drink and get interested in something other than alcohol.

Cheryl had her boyfriend, Bobby, talk Jack into going to a baseball game featuring the Single A Sarasota Tarpons. Jack didn't really want to go to a baseball game. He had loved his baseball for far too many years but when he lost his job with the Yankees, he lost all ambition for most everything. During the game, the actions of the Tarpons center fielder caught Jack's eye. This kid, who he discovered was Mikey Clemants, was not only a terrific hitter but a fantastic fielder too basketball his ability to track down balls hit anywhere near him and pounding the ball hitting it over the fence as though it took no effort.

The man that didn't want to be involved in baseball any longer started thinking that this young man might be his ticket back to the Yankees. But, despite all his attempts, Mikey was not the type to talk to anyone, even being abandoned by his own players due to his bad attitude. Jack made many trips to the Tarpons games and tried to connect with Mikey with no success.

Johnny Bondano, nicknamed "Deuce", was involved with the Lucchesi underworld family. He did a lot of "cleaning up" for the organization. Many times some of the members of this group were not sure if they were a target or not as they carried out their assignments. The underworld connection to the others in this story come out as the story goes along quite fast.

Jack, at first with his daughter not knowing, went to all the ballgames he could taking great interest in Mikey Clemants who seemingly could do anything he wanted to do hitting and fielding baseball but many times his interest seemed to be non-existant. Jack had been working at Publix Markets but never had his mind in his work even taking a nip when he took groceries to a customer's car. When he got in trouble at Publix he took more interest in Mikey, but he didn't stop his drinking. Jack got into trouble with a customer when he dropped some of her food and refused to pick them up. Another boy, MJ that had stood up for Jack when the customer complained got fired along with Jack.

Jack connived a job with the ball club with Jack ushering and MJ a batboy. This should get him closer to Mikey either through the kid or just being at the ballpark every game. Jack figured out what Clemants was doing; he was imitating Mickey Mantle's 1968 year in hitting and fielding. Everything he did was an exact image of Mantle's.

I think I have laid out the story so it will make you want to get this excellent book and read it. There are twists and turns involving the underworld, baseball, family lives and the families of friends. There is a lot of mystery and baseball involved with killing and torture and some characters you learn to love being killed. You will love this book whether a baseball fan or not since the story involves much more than baseball. Thank you Stephen Frey for such a great tale.

Reviews written by Cy Hilterman, an avid reader. This book supplied by Amazon Vine Program