Another Christmas Treat

Hard to believe this clip is nearly 20 years old now...

Something Special for the Holiday

I was shown this by a family member and thought I would pass it along. Merry Christmas!!!!

Is it just a part of coaching?

From the Southern Illinoisan newspaper following SIU's loss to Delaware in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision semifinals.

Kill has been mentioned as a possibility to fill the coaching vacancies at Colorado State and Northern Illinois, both Football Bowl Subdivision schools. After Saturday's game, Kill was asked if he may have coached his last contest at SIU.

"Not unless Mario's gonna fire me," Kill said, talking about athletic director Mario Moccia. Kill also noted how "inappropriate" he felt the question was.

Breaking news in the same newspaper this morning.
Kill heading north

Another Blow to the Altanta Falcons

I don't consider myself a fan of the Falcons, but can a season get much worse? First the whole Mike Vick debacle, then the 3-10 season and now their coach resigns over the phone? Team owner Arthur Blank seems to be a good guy who has seen his team fall apart around him. Right now there is little in Atlanta to lure a quality coach, maybe the second overall draft pick? I don't see things turning around there for several years to come.

Elusive Silence

"A place for everything and everything in its place." - Ben Franklin

Through a series of links I found this posting by Erich Bridges on Countercultureblog.com

Silence makes many of us uncomfortable, even anxious. So we lunge for the remote or the iPod. Silence encourages reflection, but we are not a reflective people. Silence prepares the heart for prayer, but we’re too busy multi-tasking. Silence enables us to hear the still, small voice of God, but we don’t have the patience to wait for Him to speak...

Of all the devil’s weapons, one of the most insidious is one of the most mundane: noise. Pointless noise. Endless noise. Cell phone ringtone PDA laptop inbox voicemail pager TV radio video traffic subwoofer leaf blower noise. Sound and fury, signifying nothing.

While reading the article I was confronted by how much noise I allow into my own life through gadgets on a daily basis: my iPod, Palm PDA, laptop, the radio in my truck, the XM radio in the car, wireless internet access anywhere I can find it, cable TV, DVDs and CD's. Combine this with a need to be thinking three steps ahead of where I am and it's small wonder I look back and ask where my days, months and years go.

What does this noise tend to replace? Many of the things I criticize myself for not being able to make priorities in life:

Spending time with Nancy and the girls, not just being under the same roof, but doing things together that will make memories.

Getting into God's Word on a much more regular and meaningful basis than I have been to discover all He wants me to be as a believer, husband and father.

To actually do something with the tools and wood collecting in my workshop.

My goal over the next year is to overhaul the way I spend my time. To live deliberately, not allowing the "noise" of life to give me the impression I am doing something when in reality I'm not.

It's going to be an interesting year, and I don't want to miss it.

Biblical Manhood

Dr. Ray Van Neste is the Director of the R.C. Ryan Center for Biblical Studies at Union University. A scholar, husband and father, he recently spoke to a group of Union students on the pursuit of true manhood.

If you'd like to listen to his talk in it's entirety here is the link.

Our culture is infatuated with youth and encourages you not to grow up. After all, it says, the glory is in the youth. If you would be men you must reject this siren song and swim against the tide. You must diligently seek to throw off immaturity and to grow up. Remember the one boy who never grew up was Peter Pan - and in case you haven’t noticed his role has typically been played by a woman. The chase for perpetual youth is never manly. The other example of avoiding the effects of growing up is the medieval boys choirs. To maintain the high voices of the boys as they aged, the boys would be castrated. Again, avoiding maturity is emasculating.

So my main point to you tonight is, work on growing up. It does not “just happen.” Examples abound of physically mature males who have never truly attained manhood because they failed to mature in anyway other than physically.

If you are raising boys or think you have some growing up to do yourself (don't we all?) I would recommend listening, or at least read his notes on the topic.

So I may not start watching Wheel of Fortune...

but I've gained a whole new level of respect for Pat Sajak since reading this column he wrote for HumanEvents.com.

I suppose anything that gets people engaged in the political process is a good thing, but the idea that a gold record, a top-ten TV show or an Oscar translates into some sort of political wisdom doesn’t make much sense to me. Trust me, one’s view of the world isn’t any clearer from the back seat of a limo.

Take a moment to read the rest, it's definitely worth it. I've found a new regular stop on my daily roaming through cyberspace.


Thanks Tim!!!

Let the Traditions Begin!!!

Well, last night we decorated the tree. Right now we're watching "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown". Seen it so many times I can quote it, but it still makes me laugh at times, other times I can relate too many times to Charlie's woes.

ABC followed it up with "A Charlie Brown Christmas", a 2002 production of vignettes centered on the characters. Not nearly as good, but tolerable.

Any favorite lines from the original? Here's mine...

"Rats. Nobody sent me a Christmas card today. I almost wish there weren't a holiday season. I know nobody likes me. Why do we have to have a holiday season to emphasize it?"

A Question for the Cooks in the Audience

In a discussion with my wife a few days ago the question arose, "What makes soup a chowder?"

Anyone?

Time Got Away from Me!!

I just realized how long it had been since my last post. A friend sent me an article he thought I would find interesting. Interesting indeed, so I'm posting the link and welcome any discussion.

On Sunday mornings, most parents who don't believe in the Christian God, or any god at all, are probably making brunch or cheering at their kids' soccer game, or running errands or, with luck, sleeping in. Without religion, there's no need for church, right?

Read the entire article here

I'm sitting here at work waiting for an event to begin and just had to write about what I see in front of me. A woman has arrived nearly an hour before the speaker is scheduled to begin to sit in the very back row. The expected crowd is around 150 in a venue that will seat over 1000, and she arrived early to secure the seat furthest from the front. How Baptist is that???

Thoughts from Cowboys-Bills MNF

No matter what games come later in the season, it will be hard to beat last night's MNF matchup between the Cowboys and Bills. I never thought I would be pulling for the Cowboys, but watching Tony Romo keep his cool after a disastrous first half and lead the game-winning drive made me a believer. As bad as I felt for the Buffalo fans, it was a great game, nearly ruined by two things...

As much as I like commentator Tony Kornheiser on ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption", can there be a more annoying person to endure over the course of a game? His constant on air rabbit-chasing aside, he offers no real substance to the game and is more of a third-wheel than Dennis Miller or even Rush Limbaugh ever thought of being. Last night during the pre-game show he went into several scenarios that could make this game winnable by the Buffalo Bills; i.e. a sudden snowstorm, Cowboys coach Wade Phillips forgetting that he wasn't still coaching the Bills and a couple other suggestions implying the futility Buffalo would be facing later that evening.

Then, five interceptions later with Buffalo leading, Kornheiser changed his tune to speculate that the Cowboys may have been overrated, citing the 5-15 combined record of their opponents this season. I didn't catch what he may have said following the Cowboys win, but I'm sure it would have sounded a lot like "What I meant by saying that is..." or praising the poise (correctly, I might add) of Romo and his teammates. Anyway...

The other thing that bugs me is the sudden "strategy" of a coach calling timeout just before the snap to freeze the kicker. Maybe I'm not opposed to coaches doing it so much as when they've been doing it. The way Bills' coach Dick Jauron stood right beside the official last night and arranged for the timeout to be called at a specific point seems a little low to me. I could be wrong, but if you want to call a timeout you should have to call it before the set if you are on defense.

I've gotta take care of some things, but I'll try to be back.

Any comments?

I'm Just Throwing this Out for Discussion

Anyone who would like to comment would be welcome. Do any of you find yourselves to be too critical, discerning, whatever you want to call it, to the point of running in circles? I'm thinking particularly in the area of spiritual growth. What pastors do you listen to regularly? What authors do you read? Are there any points of their individual stances where you differ? How do you reconcile those differences?

I'll wait a while for some input before commenting on what brought this up.

Thanks!

Thank you, Mrs. Vines for Introducing Us.

Madeleine L'Engle, the award winning author of 60 books, most notably the Newberry Award-winning "A Wrinkle in Time" passed away on Thursday. She was 88.
I met her, figuratively of course, in the sixth grade through my teacher Bonnie Vines. Nearly 25 years later I remember what I learned and lived in her class. Through books like "A Wrinkle in Time", "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "My Side of the Mountain" Mrs. Vines taught me the importance of faith, courage, loyalty and friendship in life. She didn't teach these virtues because a curriculum told her to, she taught them because she believed in them. Now retired, she established a folk school outside of my hometown where she can integrate academics, ethics and life skills in ways mainstream educators have long forgotten.

God bless you Bonnie.

Update on Tori's Surgery

We arrived at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Nashville around 11:45 on Thursday. We didn't wait too long until Tori was called back to the prep area.

She put on PJs and let the nurses do the routine pre-op tasks without any fuss. Around 2:20 p.m. the anesthetist (a term I would not have known before working at Union) came in to take her to the operating room. He asked Tori if she wanted to ride the bed or have him carry her back. Tori threw up her arms and said "You carry me." Nancy told Tori to give hugs and kisses, meaning us, but Tori threw her arms around his neck and planted a smacker on his cheek. She genuinely caught him off-guard, and later he told us Tori charmed everyone in the operating room. I have to wonder how long they listened to Tori chat before deciding they really needed to get underway.

The operation took around 3 hours and we were able to go back to the recovery room a little after 6 p.m. Tori gradually came out of the anesthesia and while groggy and hoarse her personality came shining through those big brown eyes. She took a few drinks of apple juice and drifted in and out. Sometime around 7:30 p.m. we moved out of recovery and up to her room.



Tori, Nancy and Grandma Porter settled into one of what the nurse dubbed "the princess room" for the night. The room, with its cabinetry and furniture, was designed for an extended stay. After talking briefly with one father who was a self-described veteran of the floor I had to wonder if any level of design could make being there more bearable. The next morning I brought Madison along with Grandma and Grandpa Lyerla to visit Tori. She was being stubborn, not eating or drinking enough to satisfy the doctors and send her home. Beyond stubborn, she was beginning to realize the value of her situation. For instance, she was allowed to have popsicles as a way of getting fluids. At one point, when Nancy offered Madison a popsicle Tori, thinking out loud, mumbled "I'm the one who's not feeling very well."

Later in the day Tori began eating and drinking enough to convince the doctors she was able to go home. Around 6:00 p.m. on Friday we loaded up the vehicles and said good-bye to the nurses.

I want to thank everyone for their prayers during the last few weeks leading up to the surgery and during our hospital stay. Nancy says the good sleep Tori got through the night after the surgery had to be because of the prayers. To Dr. Cofer, who did the surgery, the nurses in the recovery room and the seventh floor and everyone else we met during our stay we say thank you.

Tomorrow morning we'll be taking our 3 year-old daughter Tori to Nashville for her second cleft-lip surgery. The people at Vanderbilt have been amazing and most likely this will be the last surgery she will need. She goes into the OR at 2:00 p.m. and the procedure should last a couple of hours.
As we get ready, I'm reminded of a conversation Nancy and Madison had prior to Tori's first surgery in 2004. Nancy wanted to let Madison know what was going on and what the doctors in St. Louis would be doing to her little sister. When Nancy told her they would be fixing Tori's lip, Madison got the strangest look on her face. Over the next few minutes Nancy realized Tori's lip was fine as far as Madison knew, and she couldn't comprehend the need to fix it. It didn't matter that Tori's lip looked different, that is how Madison had always seen her.
The last few weeks I've taken several pictures of the smile I've come to know and love for the last 3 years. I know it's for the best to finish what the docs in St. Louis began, but at the same time I think I'll miss the old one.

Hunting equals dogfighting?

From the comments of Stephon Marbury and Clinton Portis concerning Mike Vick someone may need to do a little more digging into how many athletes are involved in dogfighting.

On Monday, New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury was in Albany, N.Y., promoting his brand of affordable sneakers. He was asked about Michael Vick, and said, according to Newsday:

"We don't say anything about people shooting deers and shooting other animals, you know what I mean? From what I hear, dogfighting is a sport. It's just behind closed doors and I think it's tough that we build Michael Vick up and then we break him down ... I think he fell into a bad situation."

"Shooting deers"?


And from an interview Portis did for WAVY TV in Virginia:

"I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property, it's his dog," Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis told WAVY-TV in Virginia. "If that's what he wants to do, do it. I think people should mind their business."

When told that dog fighting is a felony, Portis replied, "It can't be too bad of a crime."

I think the Marbury comment comparing legal hunting to dogfighting has to be the most ludicrous comment over the entire matter. I grew up hunting; my dad taught me to be respectful and responsible in every aspect from the trail to the kill. He has owned several hounds over the course of my lifetime. NEVER once can I remember him striking one of his dogs in anger or because they failed to perform well. Let's contrast this with what Mike Vick has admitted to being involved in.

RICHMOND, Virginia (CNN) -- Two co-defendants of Michael Vick say the NFL star helped execute dogs that didn't fight well, according to federal court documents.

The court papers, filed as Quanis Phillips, 28, and Purnell Peace, 35, pleaded guilty to dogfighting charges Friday, said all three men "executed approximately eight dogs that did not perform well in testing sessions" in April of this year by methods such as hanging and drowning.

Disgusting, barbaric, cowardly. I have one more question for Marbury. Do you think Vick ate the dogs he is responsible for killing? No? Well there's another difference between responsible hunters and dogfighting thugs.

Anytime I Want to Feel Old...

I can look at the Beloit College Mindset List. The report, compiled annually by the college's office of public affairs gives a glance into the political and cultural mind of the latest round of college freshmen. A few highlights from the class of 2011:

Humvees, minus the artillery, have always been available to the public.

They never “rolled down” a car window.

Stadiums, rock tours and sporting events have always had corporate names.

American rock groups have always appeared in Moscow.

Tiananmen Square is a 2008 Olympics venue, not the scene of a massacre.

The space program has never really caught their attention except in disasters.

They get much more information from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert than from the newspaper.

I guess I am now officially a part of another generation...

A Short Quiz

My sister sent this to me via e-mail. Normally I'm not the type to pass these things along, but this was clever. See how you do, I caught on and got the final question right.

The following short quiz consists of 4 questions and will tell you whether you are qualified to be a professional.

Scroll down for each answer. The questions are NOT that difficult.



But don't scroll down UNTIL you have answered the question!

1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?



















The correct answer is: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door. This question tests whether
you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.




2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?


















Did you say, open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the
refrigerator?

Wrong Answer.

Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of your previous actions.








3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend.... except one.
Which animal does not attend?



















Correct Answer: The Elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator. You just put him in there. This tests your memory.

Okay, even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true abilities.


4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles, and you do not have a boat. How do you manage it?


























Correct Answer: You jump into the river and swim across. Have you not been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the animal conference. This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.











According to Anderson Consulting Worldwide, around 90% of the professionals they tested got all questions wrong, but many preschoolers got several correct answers.

Whatever your score, hope you enjoyed a little creative thinking today!

Reading Ray Van Neste's most recent post on his blog led me to look up "It is Well with My Soul", one of my favorite hymns on Cyberhymnal. I discovered verses I'd not known of prior to reading them this morning. I've italicized the verses outside what I'd always thought to be the complete hymn, and reading the complete version only strengthens it's standing as my favorite.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain

Do you think if this were sung in congregations as a hymn of invitation we'd get to all the verses?

On a personal note if you haven't heard Chad and Rachel Ozee's rendition of this hymn you are truly missing something wonderful.

I'm not picking on him, just something I noticed...Gosh!

Has anyone else noticed how much...

ATLANTA FALCONS' QB JOEY HARRINGTON


RESEMBLES


"NAPOLEON DYNAMITE" STAR JON HEDER?


Same initials, same smile, similar hair...let the speculation commence!!!

The Joey Jinx?

A trend seems to be in the making. Following a less-than-stellar stint in Detroit (not entirely his fault), quarterback Joey Harrington is sent to the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins, still searching for their next Marino, had just completed a deal to bring Daunte Culpepper to Miami as the next candidate and Harrington seemed content to hold the clipboard. A few weeks into the season Harrington is the starter and Daunte is riding the bench on his way to Oakland. That was last season...

Harrington signs with Atlanta following the departure of reliable backup Matt Shaub to Houston. Again, Joey seems content to be in the second chair behind the face of the franchise Mike Vick. A short time later Vick is indicted on Federal charges involving his alleged operation of a dog-fighting ring. Now it seems that Vick will be suspended for a portion if not all of this season. For now Harrington is stepping into the lead role and taking "his team" into competition.

So if you are a starting QB in the NFL and Joey Harrington is signed as your backup should you start looking at your options? Forget the Madden Curse and bring on the Harrington Hex!

Okay Barry, now leave us alone...

It ends. Now I become a big fan of A-Rod. C'mon man, only 257 to go...

Is this where we lost our conscience?

I tend to chuckle when I hear James Dobson at Focus on the Family or Don Wildmon of the American Family Association preach the removal of the Ten Commandments from public places and prayer from schools as the harbinger of doom for our society. This call to return to the "good old days" i.e. prior to 1962 makes me think of segregation. Is such an atrocity the norm in a "Godly nation"?
Now, it seems there is another dirty secret from that era of family values.

SEASIDE, Oregon (CNN) -- One day in 1957, when Jeff Daly was 6 years old, his little sister, Molly, disappeared. Every night at dinner, he would ask his parents the same question, "Where's Molly?"

Every night, he says, he received the same answer: "Stop asking about Molly."

Decades later, Daly learned that his parents had sent Molly to a state institution nine days before her third birthday. Nearly 50 years later, Daly found his sister and made a documentary about his search.

I read this story with amazement. How parents could make the decision, arbitrarily or under the advice of a doctor, to abandon their child as a ward of the state is beyond me. Children with autism, Down Syndrome and other physical or mental abnormalities were seen as problems, inconveniences or embarrassments and shipped away and erased from existence.

Thankfully we've learned much concerning mental and physical impairments over the last 50 years to allow people to live as normal of a life as possible and to see the blessing in each individual. Yes, abortion is still an abomination (because I know someone will bring it up) and there are other moral issues in our society, but it is not because of prayer in schools or the Ten Commandments. The problem is sin and it is not tied to an era of history, a ruling by a court or a bill passed by Congress.

I feel a ramble coming on, so I'm going to let this go for now.

I was just thinking about you guys...in Peoria, and Carlinville and Macon.

More and more I'm learning the best friends are the ones you never even looked for to begin with, they just show up and make your life special. Even when God's plan for each of us takes us in different directions they are still there, and in the rare moments of reunion it seems as though we never left. All I can say is thank you to my friends and to God for allowing all our paths to cross for a few special years of daily fellowship and encouragement.

Wonder where your streaming audio went?

If you enjoy listening to streaming audio at work or home on your computer, a recent 300 percent royalty increase imposed on webcasters is poised to crimp your fun. A "Day of Silence" is underway today, June 26th to protest the increase and raise awareness of the issue.

Thoughts from a family reunion

Today was the Lyerla family reunion at Giant City State Park. As a kid I looked forward to the reunion every year as a chance to run around with my cousins and see aunts, uncles and other relatives that came in for the occasion. Twenty years and two children later, my enthusiasm has tempered somewhat. It was still great seeing everyone and catching up, but coordinating with my wife to keep track of our girls added a whole new angle to the event.
I did get a chance to pitch washers, and wound up with a great partner who nailed ringers the entire afternoon and pulled us to an undefeated record. I added a few points myself, but definitely found myself in the support role.
One glaring difference between reunions even five years ago and now was the topics of conversations between the cousins my age. Back then we talked about fun stuff; hunting, fishing, music, etc. The first conversation I walked up to this afternoon involved one of my cousins cautioning another about needing to get to a doctor to have something checked out. Growing up stinks! LOL
Anyway, we had a good time seeing everyone, Nancy won a basket full of camping/picnic gear in the drawing at the end, and hopefully we reinforced the importance of family history to our girls. Someday it will be THEIR responsibility to keep the tradition alive.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

My dad and I went to a Southern Illinois Miners game on Saturday night. A group of men from my dad's church arranged the trip while their wives were at a women's conference in St. Louis. My first impressions of the minor league franchise in Marion was positive. We were able to see a lot of runs scored, the Miners won, and Tim Dorn crushed two home runs over the 400' mark.
The enthusiasm of the crowd was good to see, and I hope they can maintain that level of excitement in future seasons. Tickets and concessions were a little higher than those at Pringles Park here in Jackson, but not as much as a major league park would charge. Traffic going in and coming out was managed effectively, something that truly surprised me.
Another surprise was the number of people I know that were at the game. A friend of mine from high school, a couple we used to go to church with and fellow blogger and friend Chase Abner. I was glad to see the game draw fans from all over southern Illinois.
Seating in Rent-One Park was a little tight, but they do have a "blanket area" down the left-field side that seemed worth checking out. I walked around the concourse to check the view from other seats and found few, if any BAD seats. As we were leaving dad voiced satisfaction by saying he and mom would probably watch another game.

To sum things up in small-town newspaper language, a good time was had by all.

A Whale of a Tale

Okay, I thought this was pretty cool. Had no idea that whales had such a long lifespan.

Weapon dates bowhead whale to 1800s

A month of silence...

For anyone who reads my musings, I want to apologize for the lack of content over the past month or so. Mix a little bit of writer's block, some discouragement and a lot of things going on at work this summer and it adds up to the blog slipping my mind. I'll do what I can to keep more current as the summer goes on, if for nothing else than a sounding board.

Citing High Casualty Count, Obama Calls for Withdrawl from Kansas.

Leave it to a Democrat to exaggerate numbers to make a point.

RICHMOND, Va. - Barack Obama, caught up in the fervor of a campaign speech, drastically overstated the Kansas tornadoes death toll, saying 10,000 had died.

The death toll was 12.

“In case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died — an entire town destroyed,” the Democratic presidential candidate said Tuesday in a speech to 500 people packed into a sweltering Richmond art studio for a fundraiser.

Acknowledging his blunder later:

“There are going to be times when I get tired,” he said. “There are going to be times when I get weary. There are going to be times when I make mistakes.”

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said later that the senator meant to say “at least 10,” instead of 10,000.

The Buttafuoco Legacy

Joey Buttafuoco was released from jail this weekend after serving a three-month sentence for a parole violation. The CNN headline says Buttafuoco "paid his debt to society". The first thing that came to my mind was can he ever really make up for the countless SNL skits, woeful made-for-TV movies and cliche stand-up gags he is responsible for inspiring?

Just a thought.

Daddy Dearest?

Alec Baldwin berated his 11-year old daughter in a voice mail left for her after she missed a planned call. Among other things, he called her a "rude, thoughtless pig" who had "humiliated him for the last time".

Real classy there Alec. Not only did this little incident expose the mean, arrogant snot you are behind the Hollywood facade, but also the lack of intelligence you displayed by being recorded saying such things in the first place.

Take a few cues from your brother Stephen. Get yourself straightened out.

The Tragedy at Virginia Tech

I join anyone with any shred of humanity in passing along deepest condolences and prayers for the faculty, staff, students and family of those senselessly murdered on the morning of April 16th.
As far as commentary on the tragedy it seems there is little more that can be said. News organizations, psychologists and other experts will dissect the life of the shooter for weeks and months to come in hope of understanding why someone would do such a thing.
On his blog "Consumed", Owen Strachan discusses the responsibility of Christians to reach out to the hurting, the lonely and the ignored who could become the next Cho Seung-Hui, Dylan Klebold, Eric Harris or Michael Carneal.

Fellow believers, remember the story of Cho Seung-Hui. Remember him. In one sense, you will never see him. He is dead. But in another sense, you will surely see him. He will have a different face, a different look, and a different mask, but his distress is in most everyone around you. You will not see it, but it will be there. Reach out, brothers and sisters. Speak out. Share the gospel. Proclaim the truth. Minister to the sick. Love the unloved.

Banish the storm.

The entire post can be read here

Now what?

Don Imus has been fired by CBS. Is this the end of the matter? Imus was wrong, reckless and irresponsible with his words and deserved some level of consequence but I have to wonder if his critics ever thought they would achieve the result they desired. Is justice served now that Imus is, for at least now off the air? CBS pulled the plug, effectively ending the matter and removing themselves from scrutiny or repercussion.

Will accountability be pursued further than Imus? Where is the story now? The headlines, the outrage?

For your consideration...

In his most recent blog post Chase Abner addresses an anti-abortion protest held on the campus of Southern Illinois University earlier this week. Chase is serving as the interim Director of Baptist Collegiate Ministries at SIU. He includes a letter he wrote to the campus daily newspaper, The Daily Egyptian. The letter does not appear in the online version of the paper, and I would be surprised if it comes out at all. Seems that the last thing a paper like the DE would want is a rational Christian response ruining their article.

One of my favorite movie quotes.

This is from "Secondhand Lions" starring Michael Caine, Haley Joel Osment and the always awesome Robert Duvall. This speech by Duvall to Osment highlights one of several reasons why this is one of my choice movies.

"Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that power and money, money and power mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil; and I want you to remember this, that love... true love never dies. You remember that, boy. You remember that. Doesn't matter if it's true or not. You see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in."

Think you are having a bad day?

A piano delivery gone awry in England makes a very expensive pile of kindling.

My first job after leaving active duty was delivering office furniture. On several occasions the delivery conditions were less than ideal and more than once a piece of furniture met a tragic ending. When it happened, it was a sick feeling.

If a picture says a thousand words, I would imagine most of this picture's would be four-letter in nature.

Condolences

To the family of cartoonist Johnny Hart, creator of B.C. and the Wizard of Id. Mr. Hart went on to meet his Lord on Saturday, April 7.

I can't say I was a steady reader of either strip, but always enjoyed Mr. Hart's work on Easter and other days related to the Christian faith we shared. Much the way Charles Schultz did with Snoopy on veteran's holidays, Mr. Hart had a way of expressing deep meaning in only a few frames. If you've never read any of his work, I encourage you to do a little digging.

Thought this was funny...

Stumbled onto this site that replaces key words in movie quotes with your name or whatever word you put in, I imagine. This was my first shot, and I think it's a keeper!!! It's 12:10 in the morning and I've got a whitening strip on my top row of teeth, so humor me! LOL

Say hello to my little Leland!

Which movie was this quote from?

Get your own quotes:

Holy Whiplash Batman!!!

One head coach is back again...

Not sure what the story is here. Hopefully Coach Altman realized how incredibly awesome it is to be a coach in the MVC, and that the Razorbacks are far from the top of the SEC. I think he's made a good choice, and one that will sustain the quality of Missouri Valley basketball. Welcome back, coach!!!

I guess it's not hopeless...

I like this.

Big news out of the Missouri Valley...

One head coach is staying...
One head coach is leaving...

SIU ponied up big money to keep a quality coach in Chris Lowery, and I think the money will pay off, despite the normal "Why isn't the money spent on education" gripers. The bottom line is athletics equals revenue through national exposure and playing deep into the post-season.

I'm surprised to see Altman leave Creighton. Last I knew he was untouchable on campus, and the Bluejays won the MVC Tournament this season. They went out in the first round of the NCAA Tournament though, and maybe the Jays see that as a downturn. It will be interesting to see how Coach Altman fares in the SEC and who takes his place in Omaha.

Kid's Programming?

A shooting at after-event party following the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards injured three people.

According to news reports no arrests have been made, but police are holding one fox-of-interest for questioning...

Seriously though, this is really sad. I remember when Nickelodeon first came on it was crazy kids' shows and cartoons. Now my 3-year old and 7-year old watch it during the day, but after 5 p.m. it turns into some brooding teen angst after hours party. Remember Degrassi Jr. High? Well they're all grown up now! Gang violence, same-sex relationships and weekly "who's cheating on who" storylines are hooking a whole new generation on soap operas.
Police reports say the party was not an official event, but what kind of crowd is Nickelodeon attracting?

Gooooaaaaaallllll!!!

Nancy and I watched "My Date with Drew" a few nights ago. Long story short, this everyday Joe has a goal of one date with Drew Barrymore, and sets out to make it happen. It's a documentary-true story kind of thing, but overall a good rental.

Anyway, while surfing the web tonight I stumbled, via Google into 43Things.com. Give this site a visit if you've ever bailed on a New Year's Resolution, given up on a goal or listened when someone told you "Don't waste your time."

It's also interesting to see what people around the world want to do with their lives. Some are humorous, some are heartbreaking.

A Song that Came to Mind While Writing the Post that "Walked, then Was Not."

As I was wrapping up the post I talked about earlier, the song "The Next Time You See Johnny" by Kenny Marks popped into my head.

Bedtime, she sees her son on his knees
And the prayer that she hears
Through the door makes her feel at ease
"Jesus", she hears a young boy pray
"Could You bring back my daddy? ,
I know that You'll find a way.

And the next time You see daddy,
Tell him I'm alright and
There's a fire in my heart for him,
That's always burning bright
Tell him that I pray for him,
Each and every day."

Bedtime, where she taught him to pray
"Now I lay me down to sleep"
Where the words he would say.
"Jesus" she hears him again
And she faces the faith of a child
That's no longer pretend

And the next time You see daddy,
Tell him I'm alright and
There's a fire in my heart for him,
That's always burning bright
Tell him that I pray for him,
Each and every day."

Bedtime, in her room all alone
She feels the Presence of
Someone unseen, someone unknown
"Jesus" she hears herself start
Let the fire of forgiveness
Burn bright in this broken down heart

And the next time You see Johnny,
Tell him it's alright and
There's a fire of forgiveness,
That's always burning bright
There's Someone he can pray to
Each and every night."

Back to Firefox

Well, if I'd been using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer you would be reading a post about a lesson I learned about prayer from my daughter Madison. Just as I was wrapping up nearly an hour of writing and editing IE crashed, throwing my words into nothingness.

So I'm sending the bloated IE browser back into retirement and updating to the latest version of Firefox. Does it crash on occasion? Sure, but it allows me to resume my session where it crashed. Sometime soon I'll re-write my original post.

Flags at schools across America will be flown at half-mast...

Sports Illustrated will end delivery of the annual swimsuit issue to schools and libraries. The announcement brings to a close the best perk for being in the Library Club...

Handy Maddie and Tool Belt Tori

Another Milestone

This spring Nancy and I enrolled Tori in our church's Mothers Day Out program so Nancy could resume her classwork at Union University. The program allows Nancy to have a few hours on Tuesday and Thursday to attend class without subjecting Tori to a "daycare" environment on a regular basis.
So far Tori loves being able to attend school like her big sister, as seen in this photo from her first day. It continues to amaze me how fast my girls are growing up, and how since the move to Tennessee we've come together as a family. In the past it was too easy to have a babysitter come and watch them when Nancy and I wanted to do something. Now we have become accustomed to taking them with us wherever we go. Nancy and I can tell a big difference in our girls since the move, and in ourselves as well.

Juan Williams, a well-respected journalist, commentator and author spoke at Union University on March 7th as part of the 2007 Forum series of lectures.

I was able to speak briefly with Mr. Williams following his speech. He was friendly, engaging and took the time to write something extra for those who asked for autographs. While waiting I heard several people mention his talk as one of the best they had heard in the nine years of the event.

As a lover of news, history and current events I really enjoy events like the Union Forums. It gives me a chance to meet people I would normally only read about or see on television.

Another teachable moment

Honus Wagner and Derek Jeter's respective baseball cards made news today; one is worth millions, one may be worth something in the future.
Baseball cards made the news around our house yesterday. The Children's Minister at our church had lunch with Madison on Monday and gave her a box of baseball cards worthy of kickstarting any kid's collection. It would have never occurred to me a 7-year old girl would be so excited about getting baseball cards, but it made her day. She called my office as soon as she got home to give me the details of her latest treasure, then nearly knocked me over when I got home that evening to show them to me. As I looked through them with her some names were well known, others not so much. Most likely none would be future Honus Wagners, but to have the chance to share a night of sorting baseball cards with my daughter?

Priceless.

Bitter roots run deep...

A story in the New York Daily News, reports late Senator Strom Thurmond and Rev. Al Sharpton have a notoriously historical linkage.
I think the most shocking comment on this discovery comes from Ellen Senter, the niece of the late senator in a story written for FOXNews.com .

"I doubt you can find many native South Carolinians today whose family, if you traced them back far enough, didn't own slaves," said Senter, 61, of Columbia, S.C., told The Daily News.

She added: "And it is wonderful that (Sharpton) was able to become what he is in spite of what his forefather was."

In spite of what his forefather was? He wasn't a mass murderer. He was a man who, despite being on the wrong side of a horrific part of American history, survived the ordeal and raised a family.

"Once freed, Coleman Sharpton earned a living as an elderly wood hauler, and fathered a son, Coleman Jr., who would go on to be a minister - like his grandson, the Rev. Al."

Senter's comments show me she has become what she is in spite of nearly 150 years of progress. "In spite of what his forefather was." That's a telling word, "was". It tells me she doesn't acknowledge slavery for what it "was", an evil institution that stripped a race of its humanity. Maybe I'm hung up on it, unfairly judging her, but I can't get past that word.

Maybe it's because I'm reminded who I "was" all the time. Through temptation and accusations, Satan brings up my past. He tries to shame me back into chains and rob me of the freedom won by the sacrifice of the Cross.

The FOXNews piece closes with this "One of the late senator's sons, Paul Thurmond, and a nephew, Barry Bishop, declined comment, the Daily News said."

Looks like cousin Ellen should have followed the family on this one.

Redeeming the Time

As my daughters grow from babies to toddlers to little girls, I'm constantly reminded of the power each moment I have with them carries. When my wife and I tuck them in at night, their first "strategy" for staying awake a little while longer after we pray is to remind us that we didn't tell them a story. One of my favorite songs by Geoff Moore reminds me to take the opportunity to use those "teachable moments" to pass along stories of God's faithfulness and love.

So I hope Mr. Moore won't mind, but I've posted the lyrics here.

A little boy sitting on a metal folding chair,
In what appears to be a Sunday school room.
He could see that shepherd boy, His sling up in the air,
He could feel that giant hit with a boom.
In that room I saw the Red Sea part,
And two by two animals get in the ark.
And Mrs. Keen gently would say,
The God of the past is still God today.

Chorus
So tell me again of the old, old stories.
Tell me again of the faithful who walked,
In the lions' den and the fiery furnace,
Of Noah and rainbows and donkeys that talked.
I don't want to forget so please, tell me again.

Verse Two
A young man sitting at a desk with a wooden chair,
In what appears to be a high school class.
He can see a battlefield there's giants everywhere
saying, "The Bible is a thing of the past".
In this new age you believe what you want to believe.
'Cause god is whatever you want it to be,
And I can hear Mrs. Keen gently say,
The God of the past is still God today.

Chorus
So tell me again of the old, old stories.
Tell me again of the faithful who walked,
In the lions' den and the fiery furnace,
Of Noah and rainbows and donkeys that talked.
I don't want to forget so please, tell me again.

Bridge
How the God of the ages,
Turned history's pages and saw my need.
Tell me again of the shepherds and wise men,
And the star that would lead them to the baby who was born,
So that we could be born again.

Second Chorus
Tell me again of the Gospel story.
Tell me again how the whole world was lost.
How the Only Begotten with grace so amazing,
Gave up His life on an old rugged cross.
I don't want to forget so please, tell me
Tell me again of the old, old stories.
Tell me again of the faithful who walked.
How the Only Begotten, with grace so amazing,
Gave up His life on an old rugged cross.
I don't want to forget so please, tell me again.
I dont' want to forget, so please, tell me again.

Baptist Identity Conference

For anyone who could not attend I'm posting a link to the Baptist Identity Conference held over the weekend on the campus of Union University. The audio for each presenter is available for listening and download.

Some more Mid-Major credibility...

The SIU Salukis broke into the Top 25 this week following a win at Wichita State. They make their debut at number 20 in the ESPN/USA Today rankings and 21 in the Associated Press poll.

SIU will play 10th ranked Butler in the headline game of the ESPN Bracketbuster series on February 17th.

How long can the Pack avoid Aaron Rodgers as starter?

Brett's back in 2007

Thoughts, anyone?

Silence is deadly...

For those of you who read this, I wanted to apologize for not keeping up very well with new material. Things at work got busy, preparations for the Spring semester to square away, so I've been preoccupied. Also I haven't had much to post about the last couple of weeks.I didn't want to obsess on one subject, the Bears in the Superbowl for instance. Turns out I thought so much about what to write that I didn't write anything.

Ugh...

Can anything show how far the NFC has fallen than the idea that Rex Grossman will be quarterbacking in the Superbowl? I see another snorefest on the horizon, reminiscent of the Ravens-Giants in, what year was that, anyway? Exactly.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream...

 

I think the look in Tori's eyes say it all. She's allergic to milk, eggs and nuts, so ice cream has been a big no-no, but for her 3rd birthday party we found soy ice cream bars. Needless to say, she DEVOURED it.

Reggie Bush taking a devastating hit from Sheldon Brown

Truly one of those hits that make every person watching this game cringe.

The best play of the Saints-Eagles game, at least from where I sat, was a 5-yard touchdown run by Deuce McAllister. Just when you think he is going to be stopped short of the goal line the Saints' offensive line rises to the moment and allows him to grind out the final 2 yards. The determination shown by this play shows the team as a whole has put their losing years behind them for now.

Biff's Question Song (Stand-up Comedy)

More of Tom Wilson

The Daughter Song (Tom Wilson Stand-up Comedy)

Abe my friend, as the father of three boys you'll miss out on giving this speech. On the other hand, tell Connor, Ike and Eli that they had better understand...

You know, I almost believed him.

Nick Saban has given up his shot to be the next Don Shula to be the next Mike Shula of the Crimson Tide. Saban gave the Miami Dolphins notice he was leaving to take the head coaching position at the University of Alabama. I'm not necessarily a fan of the Dolphins or the LSU Tigers, but if I were, I'd be a little ticked at this point.

Here's a good article by Pat Forde at ESPN about the price of integrity.

Watch your Barack..I mean back, Senator!

I hope this doesn't get flagged as a threat message because of the title. Of course that would be a way to get web hits...

Now that Senator Barack Obama is a serious contender for the Democratic presidential nomination it's only natural that he come under closer scrutiny. Two stories over the past couple of weeks threaten to tarnish the reputation of a man who rattled the windows of Washington and skyrocketed to A-list political affluence. The first linked an intern in Senator Obama's office to questionable character Tony Rezko. Shot two came with an article focusing on his admission of drug use in a memoir he published 11 years ago.

At first glance it would seem like the Republican spin machine is shooting to derail the Obama campaign by making the Senator think twice about entering a full-scale run at the White House. On the other hand, could it be someone in his own party, a Senator Clinton, perhaps? She faced no serious obstacles in the way of challengers to a post she sees as rightly hers until the emergence of the young senator from Illinois.

Why do I think this? Two reasons really, both stemming from the stories; the timing of one and the origin of another. Let's begin with the timing of the drug use admission. Senator Obama won the Illinois seat vacated by Republican Peter Fitzgerald. His Republican opponent Jack Ryan dropped out of the race following an embarrassing revelation from court documents of his divorce from actress Jeri Ryan. The Republican party, scrambling for a candidate to run what would most likely be a lost race against a strong Obama campaign, named conservative commentator Alan Keyes in a move reminiscent of Hillary Clinton's relocation to the Big Apple. Keyes came out firing, most notably with the claim that Jesus wouldn't vote for Barack Obama because of his voting record. Don't you think if the Keyes campaign had Obama's memoir admission it would have been open season? Even if it didn't do any damage, it would at least merit a mention.

I'll post more tomorrow...