Thoughts about the New York Knicks

The New York Knicks claimed the National Basketball Association (NBA) a few days ago for their first championship since 1973.  It was fun watching how charged up this city was during the playoffs and championship run.  It was exciting.  The feeling was electric.

This is the first time I have lived in a city that has won a professional sports championship.  The closest was have been before was in 2017 when the Nashville Predators played in the Stanley Cup final in the National Hockey League (NHL).  

It's fun when you are winning.

The Knicks certainly overcame the odds to win, especially a 29-point comeback in Game #4 to take the lead in the series when the San Antonio Spurs almost had the series tied up.

I can't say that I'm a Knicks fan.  I'm not going to jump on the bandwagon when they just won the title.  That would be rude.

Over the past several years, I haven't been a fan of any NBA team.  I grew up as a fan of the Atlanta Hawks but after so many heartbreaking disappointments my interest finally grew cold.   I endured many Boston Celtics-LA Lakers finals and also grew tired of watching during the Chicago Bulls dynasty.

I'm genuinely happy for Knicks fans.  They endured many disappointing seasons and heartbreaking losses.  It's nice to see them enjoy having a championship season.

The parade is scheduled for Thursday.  We won't be going but it will be fun to watch.  

 

Rideshare Experiences in NYC

When I first thought of writing this blog, I had thought I would be blasting the rideshare companies with a blanket conclusion. 

Fortunately it hasn’t been as bad lately but it has taken a while to get here. 

Let me just state this in the beginning. This is New York City.  They drive crazy here. It’s like nowhere else and that isn’t a compliment. So why would I expect rideshare drivers to be any different?

Over the past three months, we have had to go into the city three times a weekend for medical appointments.  The only viable option was to use rideshare services to get to and from the appointments.  Medical issues made it too risky to take the subway. 

When we started, we used Lyft.  Nearly every drive seemed to be intent on driving as fast as they possibly could.  It was the fast and the furious on 99% of the rides.  Many ignored our requests to slow down and to be mindful of the medical issues of their passenger.  One even laughed.  Most could barely understand English.  After several bad experiences, we thought that paying for an higher level ride and getting bigger vehicles would make the rides less stressful and chaotic.  It did not.  Lyft is a joke.  Their comfort level service is a ripoff.  Drivers get around the requirements by making their vehicles to appear to qualify as higher level vehicles.  One thing they do to qualify for more legroom is to slide the front passenger seat all the way forward.  

We abandoned Lyft and decided to try their competition.  

Uber was an improvement but we still had issues in communicating with drivers about our unique situation and medical issues.  We decided to try their upper level Uber Black service. We also began including a note requesting a particular route to avoid the highway and the medical issue which requires them to drive calmly.  Apparently this had worked better.  It seems the note before the driver arrives translate it so they can understand.  It has been better and drivers have been more attentive to how they are driving.  

The other service we have tried is Blacklane.  Blacklane is a chauffeur service. Very high end and expensive.  I surprised my wife with this one day.  It was the best service but it also cost as much as two Uber Black rides. I would choose Blacklane all the time if we could afford it.  

Honestly, the most stressful part of our trips to the hospital have been the rides.  This is ridiculous and it is sad we have had to pay more to get rides that safely accommodate someone with medical issues. The rides to/from medical appointments shouldn't even be a thought compared to the appointment itself.

In case you wondered - no, insurance does not pay for these rides.  There are also other services that transport people to medical appointments are unfriendly and unreliable. Do you want to put up with that kind of service with a bunch of other sick people around you? You would think someone would offer a service to provide safe and stress free transportation for patients. At least give a discount if the trip is for medical reasons.

Yes, I have reached out to the rideshare companies but have received no response.

Best rideshare experience:  Blacklane

Worst rideshare experience:  Lyft Comfort

Biggest problem:  Language/communication 

You may also wonder why I wouldn't just drive us. Are you kidding me? By the time you add up gas, parking, congestion fees and tolls, it would cost about as much. Not to mention the added stress of driving.

For now, we are going to continue using Uber Black service.

 

Can Prayer Really Change Things?

I have heard the claim made that “prayer changes things”. While that cliche sounds good and can be motivation in prayer, it isn’t a guarantee. Sometimes prayer doesn’t change things. In fact, sometimes things get worse.

I don’t know how I can deal with that.

So can we change God’s mind?

There are several examples in the Bible when prayer changed God’s mind.

Moses and the Golden Calf (Exodus 32:7-14)
After the Israelites created a golden calf to worship, God’s anger burned hot, and He intended to destroy them and start over with Moses. Moses pleaded with God to remember His covenant promises and spare the people. Consequently, the text states that the Lord "changed His mind" and withheld the threatened destruction.

Hezekiah’s Extended Life (2 Kings 20:1-6)
The prophet Isaiah told King Hezekiah to get his affairs in order because he was terminally ill and would die. Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed with bitter weeping, asking God to remember his faithfulness. Before Isaiah had even left the courtyard, God sent him back to tell Hezekiah that He had heard his prayers, seen his tears, and would add 15 years to his life.

Abraham and Sodom (Genesis 18:22-33)
God revealed His plan to judge the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their extreme wickedness. Abraham interceded, persistently negotiating with God to spare the cities if a certain number of righteous people could be found. God agreed to lower the threshold of righteous individuals with each prayer from Abraham, ultimately agreeing to spare the region for just 10 righteous people.

The Repentance of Nineveh (Jonah 3:10)
God told the prophet Jonah to warn the wicked city of Nineveh that it would be overthrown in 40 days. The king and the people of Nineveh responded by repenting, fasting, and praying. Seeing their change of heart, God "relented" (or changed His intended course of action) and did not bring the destruction upon them.

David and the Plague (2 Samuel 24:10-25)
After King David sinned by holding an illegal census, God sent a plague upon Israel. Following David’s deep repentance and prayers for mercy, coupled with his obedience in building an altar and offering sacrifices, God "relented" and stopped the plague before it reached Jerusalem.

Yes, the Bible teaches that prayer changes things. Throughout Scripture, God invites people to bring their requests to Him, promising that He hears them and responds. Prayer is portrayed not merely as a ritual, but as an active conversation that influences circumstances, brings healing, and shifts the course of events.

The concept that prayer has a direct impact on outcomes is supported by several key biblical principles:

Prayer impacts circumstances: In ⁠James 5:16, it says, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." The Bible also provides stories of prayer changing situations, such as when Moses interceded for the Israelites and God relented from a planned disaster (Exodus 32:14).

Asking brings results: Jesus encouraged His followers to ask, seek, and knock, assuring them that their Heavenly Father will give good gifts to those who ask Him (Matthew 7:7-11).

Prayer changes hearts and minds: Often, the "change" that happens through prayer is in the perspective of the person praying or in the wills of the people involved. Through prayer, God grants peace and aligns human desires with His perfect will (Philippians 4:6-7).

Aligned with God's will: The effectiveness of prayer is tied to God's ultimate purposes. Believers are encouraged to pray according to His will (1 John 5:14-15), trusting that a sovereign God uses prayer to accomplish His goals and bring about what is good.

While there are times that prayer doesn't change things, we can't give up trying to do what we know we can do.  We may not control the ultimate results but we can appeal to a loving God that will hear us.  We are supposed to bring our concerns to Him and share our heart with Him.  If prayer is the only thing we can do, we have actually done everything that we can do.