The Way

On Thursday night I got the opportunity to go to the Vandy/Ole Miss game with Michael DiMarco and Ben Williams. I have known Michael for a long time but I did not know Ben before Thursday. We go to church together, but since the church is so big, there are many I do not know. Ben is from New Zealand, loves sports, and is the father of young children. With Sondra's parents being from New Zealand, we had an automatic bond. I enjoyed getting to know him and I always enjoy Michael and the football game was just a bonus. It was a hot and humid night and virtually no defense in the football game so lots of points and lots of excitement. On Friday, Sondra, Morgan and I headed to Bolivar to be with Sondra's mom and Sondra's sister and brother in law and family. It is an 8 hour drive each way but it did not prove to be too bad. We arrived about 11p on hit the bed not too long after. On Saturday we enjoyed doing some work around Joyce's house and my dad came down and spent mos...

A few months I was presented with a challenge from a co-worker about training for and completing a triathlon. I had toyed with the idea a few times; told Sondra a time or two that I will do a triathlon someday; and then on occassion thought, "That's crazy!  I will run but triathlons sound crazy." Consider me crazy. Some of you do already anyway. I started getting in the pool, got some goggles and earplugs and a short pair of running shorts and swam. Three strokes, breath; three strokes, breath; sounded easy enough but I found it a little overwhelming and challenging. But I am competitive and kept after it. I swam a few hundred meters; spit out water, coughed, gasped numerous times and tried it again later in the week. A quarter mile became and half-mile became a mile became a mile and half. I was considered a somewhat controlled flailer. I always thanked the lifeguard at the Y for not letting me drown. They thought I was kidding and laughed. I do not joke about getting...

I realize with a title like that I am potentially opening myself to a lot of sarcasm from those who know me well. I am NOT a lot of things: - a great athlete - a math whiz (Sondra is keenly aware of this one) - very good at staying up late (I get up too early I suppose) - very quiet in the stands when watching ballgames (thus give me a mic and let me announce) - a very good romantic (confession on Valentine's Day) - an extrovert (I have an adapted style of relating to others and genuinely like people, just my strength is gained in solitude) - an unselfish person - non-judgmental - gracious as my default - on and on, ad nauseum What I am longing NOT to be is the center of my universe. I am really good at convincing myself that the world and God for that matter, revolve around me. It shows itself in so many ways. You might be able to relate to a couple and unfortunately, you have seen these in me. - hollering at officials/refs who are lazy and do not get in position to ...

My friend, Michael DiMarco, (I guess he is okay with me claiming him a friend) is one of those guys that I enjoy talking life and ministry with once a month or so. I actually do not know him all that well. Well, that is not true. I think I know him pretty well, because in many ways we are much alike. (Sorry Michael.) He recently wrote a blog on confession, or actually when we hold on to our sin. I did not ask his permission, so I will not copy it here, but I will send you to his blog so you can read it straight from him. Click here and you will see what I mean. Thanks for the friendship Michael and thanks for your thoughts.