GO INDIANS!!!

I thought that I would include this since the McMurry Lady Indians are currently 18-0 and ranked #13 in the D3Hoops.com National Poll & #12 in the NCAA/WBCA poll (I have 8 of the 13 members of the team in my women's hall). This is going to be about as big as you can get in Division 3. McMurry plays Hardin Simmons tonight-Both schools are located in Abiline. McMurry Indians....Hardin Simmons Cowboys. This has all the feel of Ohio State/Michigan or Red Wings/Avalanche from the late 90's. Both schools are having great seasons and we already hated each other before there was something to play for.


HSU, McM duel for more than pride
By Jason Weddle / Reporter-News Staff Writer
January 30, 2006

Rivalries are always a little extra heated when more than just pride is on the line.

That'll be the case tonight at Hardin-Simmons' Mabee Complex, when the McMurry and HSU basketball programs turn the page on yet another chapter of their crosstown series.



Both the men's and women's games will be full of playoff implications.

McMurry will take the court with the edge in the standings in both the men's and women's games, meaning Hardin-Simmons will technically have more to play for in each matchup. But that's not to say these games aren't important for the Indians.

The No. 13 McMurry women need a win to keep their dream season alive. The Lady Indians are a perfect 18-0 on the season with a 15-0 American Southwest Conference record that includes a 73-65 win over the Cowgirls on Dec. 12.

Since that meeting, the No. 20 Cowgirls have regrouped to go 10-1, including their current nine-game winning streak, and now sit at 15-2 (13-2). A win would put HSU just a game behind McMurry for the division lead, while a Cowgirl loss would tie the team with third-place Howard Payne in the loss column.

The teams come into the game as the first and second-place teams in the ASC West. Both teams have clinched postseason berths in the top-heavy women's side of the ASC West standings, but the game is still important for seeding purposes.

Six regular season games will remain for each team following tonight's game, and HSU currently sits seven games ahead of fourth-place Concordia.

An interesting storyline to spice the game up is the return of Maigen Sawyer to the Mabee Complex. Sawyer, a deadly outside shooter, transferred to McMurry from Hardin-Simmons after last season.

Sonya West, the Cowgirls' leading rebounder and double-digit scorer, is a former McMurry player. She scored 11 points and grabbed just two rebounds in her return to Kimbrell Arena.

The men's game will follow the women's, and the stakes are just as high, if not higher.

The Hardin-Simmons men enter the game in fourth place - the last spot in the standings for a playoff berth - with a 9-6 record in conference play. The Cowboys have a two-game lead on Sul Ross State thanks to their current three-game winning streak.

The Cowboys were outscored 126-104 in their Dec. 12 loss at McMurry, and a win would go a long way to solidify their hold on the final postseason spot.

McMurry has rebounded from a two-game losing streak earlier in the month with a four-game winning streak it will put on the line tonight.

The Indians are tied with Mary Hardin-Baylor for second place in the ASC West. A win would keep McMurry within striking distance of first-place Howard Payne, while a loss would drop the Indians to within a game of Hardin-Simmons for fourth place.

On the court, the men's game will be the battle of the Jean brothers, as HSU's Mardochee and McMurry's Dan, a Hardin-Simmons transfer, will battle in the post.

Mardochee Jean plays a much larger role for his team, but both are looking forward to their time together on the court.

Tipoff for the women's game is slated for 5:30 p.m. with the men's game following at 7:30 p.m. from Hardin-Simmons.

DETAILS

Hardin-Simmons vs. McMurry


What: College basketball

Where: Hardin-Simmons

When: Women at 5:30 p.m., men at 7:30 p.m.

Women's records: HSU 15-2, 13-2; McMurry 18-0, 15-0

Men's records: HSU 10-8, 9-6; McMurry 12-6, 11-4

Radio: KAGT 90.5 FM

Getting Even

Never pay back evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible. Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, "I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it," says the Lord.
Romans 12:17-19 NLT

It has been an interesting couple of days for me as students began returning to campus over the weekend and then began classes on Monday. We had just finished RA training and I felt pretty good about the team chemistry that we were able to create. I had had some mini-successes with addressing some areas of concern for my RA staff and things were going along pretty well....until Sunday. For some reason one of my RA's has made it her mission in life to bust my chops. And apparently, she doesn't see how some of the things that she is trying to "help" me with are the very same gripes that she and the other RA's were just complaining about. I apparently made the mistake of sharing that I had been looking around at other people here at McMurry who are in the same job description as I am and aren't doing near the same amount of work as I am BUT are getting paid the same. I don't normally do that but, like I said, I have had a rough couple of days.

Why do we as people do that? Why do we look around and want equal treatment? Why is it so important that I feel like I need to be doing LESS?!? Isn't that really what I am saying? Do I really want them to be doing more or do I really want ME to be allowed to do less?

I receive an email every day entitled God's Daily Promises and it is once again a testament to God's timing that today's message was exactly what I needed to hear today. If things really were equal I would be going straight to HELL.

Here is an exerpt:

In our cry for fairness, we should not forget the frightening consequences of justice. As sinners, God could justly destroy each of us today for missing the mark of perfection. When we remember that God's patience and mercy block his judgment towards us, we will more likely show others patience and mercy.

WISE WAYS Before you rush to judge another person, ask yourself whether you would be able to endure the same standard.

Today, Lord, give me strength to replace judgment with mercy.



Now, I still really have no idea what to say about my RA-probably because I have never really had any answers for women-but I do know that my attitude and perspective were off center and the only thing that I need to be frustrated about is the fact that God has given me enough experiences in my life that I should know better than to lose focus or hope. I know that life isn't fair and I am SOOOO thankful for that because Jesus paid the price for me!

Have a Great Day!!!

3 BULLETS

There once was a man who had nothing for his family to
eat.

He had an old rifle and three bullets. So, he decided
that he would go out hunting and kill some wild game
for dinner.

As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit. He shot at
the rabbit and missed it.

The rabbit ran away.

Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the
squirrel and missed it.

The squirrel disappeared into a hole in a cottonwood
tree.

As he went further, he saw a large wild "Tom" turkey
in the tree, but he had only one bullet remaining.

A voice spoke to him and said, "Pray first, aim high
and stay focused".

However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a
better kill.

He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But,
then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to
bite him, so he naturally brought the gun down further
to shoot the rattlesnake.

Still, the voice said again to him, "I said 'Pray, Aim
high and Stay focused?

So, the man decided to listen to God's voice.

He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and
shot the wild turkey.

The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer.

The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the
head and killed it.

And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a
pond.

When he stood up to look around, he had fish in all
his pockets, a dead deer and a turkey to eat for his
family.

The snake (Satan) was dead simply because the man
listened to God.

Moral of the story:

Pray first before you do anything, Aim and shoot high
in your goals, and stay focused on God.

Never let others discourage you concerning your past.
The past is exactly that, the past.

Live every day one day at a time and remember that
only God knows our future and that he will not put you
through any more than you can bear.

Do not look to man for your blessings, but look to the
doors that only He has prepared in advance for you in
your favor.

Wait, be still and patient: keep God first and
everything else will follow.

Far From Home

I spent a significant portion of my day today reflecting upon life, its direction, and how various things, like friends. have affected the way my life is playing itself out.

Without friendships in my life, I wouldn't have a concept of Jesus and His love for me. I wouldn't have nearly as many laugh lines that are sure to form around my face as I get old(er). I also wouldn't have the people now to lean on in my times of trouble or doubt.

It was during a discussion today with one of my most cherished friends as we were lamenting about the absence of some of our oldest friends in our lives that it hit me: God really does provide for me the things that I need. Even as I struggle with trying to pursue God's direction for my life down here in Texas-God honors that effort. The will to be greater than we are for HIM is what is the most honoring thing to God. It is the heart of that great book, The Ragamuffin Gospel: We have to be willing to learn from our mistakes and lean upon God's Mercy in our darkest hour. This truth is at the heart of many of our most quoted Christian posters and themes="It was during your times of struggle that I carried you" and yet we seem to forget during those very times when we struggle to see above the water.

"It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground." Mark 4:31

I know that it is hard during those times of struggle and strife to keep your eye on the Son but He has been there for us before and we need the faith to believe that He will continue to be there for us now! There is always hope just beyond the horizon because we already have the victory!

'NUFF SAID!!!

I am so glad that we no longer have to hear about how great USC is-How they are a dynasty-How great Reggie Bush Is-How much better a quarterback Matt Lienart is than everyone else.

TEXAS DID THEIR TALKING ON THE FIELD. HOOK 'EM HORNS!!!