In defense of my character...

Well, once again my character has been defamed by a certain friend of mine. This friend has oft maligned my good name with misinterpretations, and misquotations of episodes and anecdotes that have proceeded from my mouth. Well, the latest one is this: I was attempting to show a group of teens at ARBC that though God is full of wrath towards those who are dead in their trespasses, he also is full of mercy towards those who believe in his Son.

I was innocently reading verse 4 of chapter two in Ephesians where Paul states: "But God, who is abundant in mercy,..." I read the first two words of that verse, and then interjected: "And that is a great but by the way." I was meaning for the kids to understand that with that conjuction came something great for us. For you see that "but" begins a clause that spells out the great mercy God shows us in salvation. It shows us how much love God has for us. However, all my friend heard was: "God has a great butt!" All the students in the room understood what I meant, and none of them laughed, not even a giggle! However, my friend can't help himself, and is laughing in the back of the room. Leave it to the "adult" minister to have the potty brain.

The picture above is another oft misquoted individual. Some people like to say he is dumb, I like to say he is misquoted. Check this out to see how our President is often misunderstood.

A Special Message for Patrick...

HeyPatrick,

I wanted to write to you and tell you that I had a lot of fun playing with you when I came home. I enjoyed playing Batman with you, but my favorite game we played was Star Wars. I like your lightsaber, and you are a good Sith. None of my friends here play Star Wars (or at least not that I know!), so we will have to practice next time I come home.

I want you to know that I love you, and miss you, and want you to be a good boy. So be nice when you go to school, and play nice with your friends. And remember, you have to work hard on your homework, so you will grow up and be smart. I love you Buddy.

Gooogellaaaaahhhhh!
Uncle Chris

My trip home for Christmas...

I was blessed to go home for ten days. Georgia is still beautiful, and my family is still loving. I was able to get some rest, and relax for a while. The only downside to this trip home was the fact that I lost my girlfriend. You see my nephew stole her from me. I brought Bonnie home to meet my folks, and the second she walked into the door; my nephew threw out his best six year old game. He smiled that cute smile, and played coy. Then he hugged her and said something cute. I had lost her from that moment on. I mean who can compete with six year old cute? Certainly not me. Oh well, I am working hard to win Bonnie back, and maybe I will.

Apart from losing my girlfriend, I had a great time though. I met Bonnie's Dad and Step Mom. They are great people, and treated me well. The picture at the bottom is a picture of Bonnie and I next to a mountain stream on Signal Mountain. The sights from there were breath taking.

The picture in the middle is of a little park in my hometown. I used to walk the trails of Wilshire Park all the time. They hold fond memories for me.

A moment of clarity...

Last night, I had a moment of clarity. I was sitting in the biggest recliner you have ever seen, watching the UGA v. West Virginia game. I was screaming and yelling at the tv. I was furious about how poorly the Dawgs were playing, and enraged at the poor officiating of the game, when it happened. Have you ever had one of those moments when God makes something clear to you, and I mean crystal clear. I had just gotten finished ranting at the officials of last night's game, when God showed me myself. It was as if I was hovering 6 feet off of the ground watching myself, mad at a team, and angry at men I don't even know. It was ugly, and not becoming of a man of God.

You know, I used to make fun of Big D. for things like this. He told me one time that it was hard being a Tennessee fan, because they were good. He was right. When your favorite team tastes a little success, you begin to like the taste, and every loss is all the more bitter. Since my beloved Bulldogs have become one of the nations' better teams, I have found myself more and more upset when they lose. I actually sort of miss the ho hum Bulldog days. It was easy to be a fan then. If the Dawgs won 7 games you were excited because they played above their capabilities, and were going to a bowl game. Now, I get upset if they don't win their BCS bowl game. There is something wrong with that.

So, you guys straighten me out, and help me get a proper perspective on everything. I will try to get myself under control. As a matter of fact, I will discipline myself. I will not watch any University of Georgia football games until August of 2006. ;)