Abbreviated Hockey Season

Hey, friends. It's hockey season, but in a Covid-19 year, you know that means it ain't going to be normal.

This season is an abbreviated one, with only 56 games in 116 days or so. There are normally 82 games plus post-season games for the teams that qualify. It's much shorter this season, but at least we're getting a season.

Since several players on the Dallas Stars (my home team) had acquired Covid-19 right before the start of the season, they had their first four games postponed. Even now, many games and a couple of weeks into the season, there are teams across the league that are having chunks of games postponed due to Covid-19 outbreaks among the coaching staff and/or players.

November Review {part 3}

Movies and Sports

November was quite busy with both movies and sports for me. This included hanging out with friends and family, which is always a special thing for me. I never take for granted that these incredible people are in my life.

Movies

There were quite a few movies out at the theater last month that looked quite interesting. The following are the ones I saw, and I enjoyed all of them. It was fun to not uncover a dud among the group. As often as I go to the theater throughout the year (not normally as frequently as it has been in recent weeks), it’s not unusual to stumble upon a movie or two that didn’t quite make the cut for me. It’s always a treat when I hit a streak of great and enjoyable films.

Change of Plans

I was going to talk about fitness goals today.

Friday night changed that.

As I was watching the Dallas Stars' penultimate game of the 2017-18 season, I was devastated to hear the news from Kathryn Tappen (sports hostess on NBCSN) that a semitruck and a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos, a Junior A hockey team, had crashed into one another in Saskatchewan, Canada. My immediate thoughts of shock turned into instant prayers for comfort and peace for the families of everyone involved.

The next day, I found out that fifteen people had lost their lives: ten players, the bus driver, the head coach, an assistant coach, a volunteer statistician, and a play-by-play broadcaster, all with the Humboldt Broncos.

My heart is broken for the lives lost, even as I wonder if they knew my Jesus.

I pray they did.

I pray that their souls were saved.

Fitting Things In

by Andrea Renee Cox

There are various seasons of life. Birth, death, school years, retirement. Sadness, joy, busyness, relaxation, illness, good health. It seems like we’re in constant motion among many of these different phases of life.

Right now I find myself in a particularly busy season, and managing my calendar might just be my most challenging job during this time. Between my work as a tutor of middle school students and that of copyediting other authors’ novels, there is little space left for the things pressing on my heart.

What are those things, you ask?

Bit O' Inspiration: Part Two

by Andrea Renee Cox

One thing on my mind today:

The Dallas Stars

My favorite hockey team is playing well to start their season. As of Sunday afternoon, they hold the best record in the entire NHL, at 12-3-0 (for those of you who aren't hockey fans, that's twelve wins, three losses, and zero overtime losses).