Eagles Champions?

When my son (who is now 34) turned 6, I was looking forward to him playing T-ball. But, even at 6, he did not stutter when he told me he did not want to play baseball. So, I looked to my daughter (who is younger than her brother, but probably would not appreciate me saying by how much). But, when she turned 6, her sentiments toward baseball, at the very least, equaled those of her brother. And, neither of them ever did play baseball.

They both played soccer, John played basketball, and Angela ran track. Angela was really good at track, too, setting records at both her Jr. high and high school. But, before the end of high school, she just lost interest and quit running. Interestingly enough, her oldest son, who is 8 years old, played baseball this year. Hurray for Kyle!

My son and I watched football together when he was still at home. I never really played football as a kid, except for flag football in the 7th grade. My son really never played much football either, excpet for his sophomore year in high school. And, even then, I don't think he was really as interested in actually playing football as he was in being able to wear the uniform, impress the girls, and basically get to watch the game from the sidelines.

After he grew up, though, and had children of his own, John's interest in football really seemed to flourish. In fact, when his oldest son was less than two years old, John would say, "Down, set, hike," to which his son, Jake, would get down in a pretty good three-point stance and take off running down the hallway squealing as if he actually knew what he was doing.

During that time, John worked at the same hospital as the pediatrician who took care of Jake. One day John saw the doctor in the hallway and said to him, "Chuk, I am concerned that my son may be developmentally delayed." Chuk stopped abruptly and said, "John, whatever would make you think such a thing?" John told him, "Well, I keep giving him plays to run, and he keeps running the wrong plays!" Chuk gave John a well-deserved punch to the shoulder.

Now, Jake is 12 years old, and is playing his third year of youth football for the Oroville Eagles. John, who was assitant coach two years ago and head coach last year, is president of the Oroville Eagles organization, which is a part of the American Association of Youth Football and Cheerleading. In fact, John has gotten into football so much that the only way we could get him to come to Thanksgiving dinner this year was to throw the turkey onto the living room floor and yell "fumble!"

This year Jakes PeeWee team has already set two Oroville Eagle records by getting past the 1st and 2nd rounds of the playoffs. This coming Saturday they will be competing against the Foothill Wolfpack for the league championship. More about that later, either way.

For a most excellent Bible verse and a some really funny stuff, visit makefunofyourday.blogspot.com

Dangerous

When Lazarus died and was resurrected, the first time, he found himself in four different conditions. First, he was dead. Then, after he had been raised from the dead, he was still defeated, bound by the grave clothes he had been wrapped in. Next he was delivered from those things that had him bound. And, once he was delivered, he was dangerous, in the best sense of the word. He was dangerous to those who claimed that Jesus was not the Messiah, that He didn’t have power over life and death, because Lazarus was walking, talking proof that Jesus did, in fact, have power of life and death.

Likewise, today, the church, in general is in bad shape. And spiritually we find ourselves, whether as different segments of the body of Christ or as individuals, in one of the same four conditions Lazarus found himself in.

Some of us may be dead, spiritually. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says, But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away. (NKJ) Ephesians 2:1 tells us it is only through Christ that we who were once dead in trespasses and sins are made alive. He has to be talking about those who are spiritually dead, being brought to live in the Spirit, through the Lord Jesus Christ. (NKJ)

Some of us, like Lazarus, even after having been made alive in the spirit, are still defeated. We are still bound by those things we were bound with when we were dead, and we need to be delivered. Some of us have been delivered, but we are just sitting back on our laurels, so to speak, and not really doing anything for the Lord, not really being much of a witness to His life-giving power. What we need to do is become dangerous to the work of the enemy. We need to be sharing Jesus with those we come into contact with. They need to be saved. How are they going to be saved? The Bible says it is by grace we are saved, through faith, not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. So, people can only be saved by the grace of God, through faith. Where does faith come from? Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (NKJ) We’ve got to get the word of God to them.

For a great Bible verse, visit makefunofyourday.blogspot.com

Together For The Good

A friend of mine and his wife just lost their teenage son in a horrible single-car auto accident about a month ago. The teenage son of another local family was also killed in the same accident. My friend is a solid believer in God, and has placed his faith in God's mercy. But, the grief is overwhelming for him and his family.

My friend came by the church today to a meeting of the church elders, seeking prayer. It sure is hard to know what to pray for someone under such circumstances. None of the rest of us has ever had to go through the loss of a child. The only consolation is knowing that God has experienced it, when His Son died on the cross for the sins of all people.

My friend stated that he knew the Scripture says, in Romans 8:28, that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. I had to reflect that our faith is often tested, even when we know Romans 8:28, because there is often a significant gap between knowing Romans 8:28 and experiencing it. God's time is not as our time, because He exists outside of time and space. But, His timing is always perfect. We just have to trust Him.

For a really good Bible verse, go to makefunofyourday.blogspot.com.

Originating in the Delta region of the great state of Arkansas, just east of the Ozark Mountain region, I still enjoy much of the Ozark philosophy. Such practical advise as "You don't keep runnin' after you catch the bus", and "It ain't no disgrace to fall down, but to lay there and moan is" are part of my own philosophy.

And, I well remember the story of a resident of the Ozark region whose friend came to visit. When the visitor arrived, he found his friend sitting on his porch with his old hound dog. The dog was howling to beat the band. The visitor asked his friend why the dog was howling. "He's sittin' on a tack" was the answer. "Well, why doesn't he move?" asked the visitor. "Oh, he'd rather howl" said the man.

And, it sure is the same with people today. Don't bother trying to offer a solution. Some folks just naturally like to howl and complain!

Pickup Parade

My Uncle Wayne, one of the old-time cowboys, just passed away on November 8th. He had asked me some years ago to officiate at his funeral. The service was at the cemetary, but they had a public viewing of the body and then a procession to the cemetary.

His family had placed his favorite saddle at the head of his coffin, and had decorated it with chaps and a flower arrangement through which his belt with his name on it was woven.

I was impressed by the fact that the procession was made up of mostly pickup trucks (there were no low-riders, only cowboy rigs), so a couple of days later I wrote the following poem to commemorate the event:

The Pickup Parade

An old cowboy has just passed away
We had his funeral the other day
They had him all groomed and neatly dressed
His hat in hand, you might have guessed.

His favorite saddle was all dressed up
With chaps, flowers, belts and such
It stood at the ready, right near his head,
While he in his coffin just quietly laid.

His family was there, and plenty of friends,
Little by little they all sauntered in.
They stood by his coffin and said their goodbyes
While wonderful memories brought tears to their eyes.

Then six strapping young men took hold of his bier,
And carried him gently to the funeral car.
They lifted the coffin and slid it inside
And made preparations for his last earthly ride.

The limo pulled out from its place in the shade
And began what became a pickup parade.
There were Chevys and Fords and Dodges, you know.
There were dualies and highboys, but nothing too low.

Some carried cowboys, riggings and bales
Right down the main drag, and over the rails
Out to the cemetery with serious thought
Where they circled the pickups near the burying plot.

Kind words were spoken, some funny, all true
Some beautiful songs and a poem or two.
But, with the tears and the laughter this one point was made,
When an old cowboy dies, there’ll be a pickup parade.