The Portland Trail Blazers had a players-only meeting last night. They were in the vistors' locker room at Philips Arena in Atlanta and had just suffered their fourth loss in five games.

"Exactly what happened in this Blazers meeting was not revealed during interviews with Aldridge, Crawford and Wesley Matthews," says Jason Quick in The Oregonian. "They all said it needed to stay in the locker room. But in private conversations with all three, a common theme was that they felt like the players were so close to each other that no one was holding each other accountable for mistakes on the court."

As I read the article about a team that might be too nice, I started to wonder if the church is "too nice." Quick says this about the Trail Blazer team dynamics: "They like each other. They trust each other. They respect each other. Now they just need to find a way to hold each other accountable."

It’s Sunday morning and the faithful have gathered. “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18 is the biblical focus this morning at Hometown Friends Church.

Titled “Abstinence, Moderation, and Abuse,” the message admits the lack of a biblical mandate for total abstinence while clearly making a case for the dangers and damage linked with alcohol.

I’m thinking about how much has been given to this community (and this state) that could have easily been sucked into empty bottles. Years ago the founder of the local dental manufacturing company took a new path that turned toward a higher power and left addiction, “and that has made all the difference” for him and for so many others.

After a week in the hospital and more than a week in a nursing home, my dad went home yesterday—not his eternal home, but the place where he and Hazel freely share their joys and hardships.

Dorothy was right. There’s no place like home.

The Christian Bible studies newsletter is really nothing more than Christianity Today using their network to create a list for selling weekly advertisements and I can’t explain why I haven’t unsubscribed before now.

The most recent subject line was “John MacArthur wants to know – Do you know the REAL Jesus?” Yes, I do. And I can’t imagine that the real Jesus is happy about the ministry limitations John MacArthur thinks should be placed on women.

My table by the window at Chapters gives me a good view of three lanes of headlights going through town. I imagine most are going to work. It’s not leisure driving. Anyone in the left lane is moving aggressively for a spot to their right before the three lanes become two. I wonder if they are thinking about the work they are headed toward or the weekend they are leaving behind.

Garrison Keillor’s recent statement following a mild stroke comes to mind: “Taking it easy makes me restless and unhappy...so work is what I do.”

Cheap phone and internet service is wonderful.

I’m thinking about phone visits last evening. The first was with my dad in a hospital bed 400 miles away. The second was my daughter in Anthem, Arizona. Earlier in the day I clicked the right buttons to connect my father-in-law with his brother for a video chat that included the spouses and a few other family members.

I’m reminding myself that it’s not that hard to stay connected—with a little time and very little effort.

Even as I move through the responsibilities of life at the office and at home, the fact that my dad has been in the hospital since Saturday evening is never far from the surface. It’s hard to know how attached he feels to this world. Some comments make it clear he’s anxious to move on to a better life. On the other hand he still enjoys the company of others and he still knows that life has meaning. I think it must be awkward to be at this stage of a very long race and still not see the finish line.