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The Killer Bee Attitudes
Dr. Thomas Meekins
September 7th, 2005, I left for a mission's trip to Africa. After preaching, singing and encouraging the wonderful church congregations; I started on my journey home. Before leaving on my African trip, I said, "Barbara why don't you meet me in Paris and we will celebrate our 31st, anniversary at the Eiffel Tower!" To make a long story short, we did exactly that. I met Barbara on Sunday morning September 18th, and we stayed four days together in the most majestic city in the world. What a beautiful experience! I will forever cherish our romantic rendezvous as we strolled through the streets of Paris singing, "I love Paris in the springtime."
On September 22, we got on our non-stop Delta flight back to Houston. We arrived in the midst of the threatening storm of hurricane Rita. When we arrived we talked with our son, Jeremy and he told us that we could not go home because it was mandatory evacuation, especially for those living on the water. Our family boarded up our home, "Oakland on Burnet Bay," and we did not know what we were going to do. We were stuck at the airport terminal. We then received a call from my sister-in-law, Kitty, that she and her friend Bill Denton, were coming to pick us up. I said, "Kitty, where are we going?" She said, "Phil Garner's house!" I said, "The Phil Garner, nicknamed Scrap Iron and manager of the Astros?" She said, "Yes, and that Bill was friends with Phil." Bill was staying there while Phil and his wife, Carol were in Chicago. So with the Garner's blessing, Barbara and I spent two and half days in Phil's beautiful and majestic home in greater Houston. Barbara and I could hardly Bee-lieve this was happening to us. God is so good!
Matthew 5:1-11, Jesus gives his sermon on the mount and what the church world knows as the beatitudes. Phil Garner's Dad, Drew Garner, is a retired minister. So, I'm sure Phil has heard the preaching of Christ's Beatitudes all of his life. Verses 3, 4, and 5 of Matthew the fifth chapter declares: "Blessed are the poor in spirit for their's is the kingdom of God. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." I'm sure that Phil Garner would like to hear someone preach, "Blessed are the Astros, for they shall win the 2005 World Series!" Jesus stated, "Only believe," and now Houston has millions of fans shouting, "We must Bee-lieve!"
I truly appreciate some of the original Killer-Bees and their tenacity and enduring winning spirit. Let us celebrate together veterans, Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman and a young Killer-Bee named Chris Burke; as well as others that certainly deserve the limelight.
Andy Pettitte, a great pitcher for the Astros graduated from Deer Park High School, which was also my Alma Mater. I am proud of Andy's Christian witness and his godly influence to his community and the world. I would like to share the Killer-Bee attitudes that will help you have a "winning day," everyday. These winning attributes are as follows:
1. To get to first base with God, we must live by faith.
2. To receive an education, we must listen more than we speak.
3. To maintain a high batting average in life, we must be more positive than negative.
4. To have friends, we must smile more than we frown.
5. To be happy, we need to laugh more than we cry.
6. To be a part of a winning team, we must help more than we hinder.
7. To make the starting line-up of life, we must work more than we whine and pray more than we worry.
8. To get a hit in life, we must prepare and practice before we perform.
9. To receive in life, we must learn to be givers and not takers.
10. Lastly, to hit a grand slam home run we must be born again by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord of our life.
Remember we were not born to lose, but through Christ we have been born to win. Batter up! You and Jesus are a winning team.
P.S. Bee-lieving in the Astros may not get you to heaven, but it certainly will get you to the World Series.
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