The Whisper of Wisdom Calls

Am I bold enough to call myself wise. Maybe not but I certainly know "stupid is as stupid does". Sometimes there are things a person just can't let go of. I'm sure what I am about to say is mentioned somewhere in past posts but I can't help but say it anyway and hope it is more meaningful this time. Here's my thinking on modern politics.

First off, nobody likes to talk politics anymore. It usually get feelings hurt and causes some kind of disruption. It's because nobody likes politics anymore because they have become something that is so Non-American that for the life of me I can't understand how we as a nation united got here. Politics have become a two headed monster fighting it's own madness for the same yet different agenda of power.  It's nothing more than that! It's sole purpose it to gain that power at all cost just so it can chop off the other head. We, the people of America, the Citizens of The United States of America are thus forced into a choice of one head or the other hoping the one we side with wins. But we or they never win. The other head always grows back. and there is never a right choice because neither head is better than the other. Neither can get past the task of bringing ruin to the other so it is a truly vicious cycle.

I am reminded of the Dr. Seuss story called the Sneetches. It's a childrens book about two groups or classes of the same creature who's only difference is a star on the belly of one group. The class without got stars to be like the other group and the ones with removed theirs to retaliate and to keep separation. By mid book it was a mad race to remove the star or add the star which eventually led to them not knowing who the heck was who. It's the perfect representation of racism and illustrates it's perfect resolution. Politics is not unlike these sneetches in it's effort to keep our county divided through leadership. Politics are so vile and filled with hatred that after the election we can't get past our differences so we can get things done for our country. We can only start the slander and mud gathering for the next election. Unfortunately unlike the Sneetches we can't blend. We can't come across a resolution even by accident. When was our last Congressman, Senator, President who put our country's well being ahead of the interest of their respective parties?? I don't know of one in my lifetime.

Why hasn't someone been bold enough and respected enough to break down these walls and say enough of this crap? Why isn't there a knight in shining armor that will come along and cut both heads off the dragon and end it's reign of terror? Am I the only one that sees this? Am I the only one that cares. Do American really think that Democratic, Republican or both/either are the answer to our Nations issues? Does anyone really think that either can or will change the way anything is right now? Common sense will tell you they will not. They are protecting the interest of their people and I am here to tell you that is not US!

I certainly don't have the platform to change a nation, but if I can open the eyes of a few then maybe someone else will. Or maybe a fire will be started for a new group to warm by as we gain our strength. Maybe someone will hear the small voice in a sea of fools.

Where's the Fire??

It dawned on me this week that my Blog entries are getting more and more scarce. For this reason I have to analyze myself and ask why. To start off I ask myself why do I even bother writing a Blog. Answer: well it started out as a kind of sick self therapy to help me sort through what was going on in my head and give me the ability to express myself to others, in which I otherwise do a pretty lousy job at.

So why haven't I been "expressing" myself? I'm not really sure of all the reasons but I do know a few. Mostly I write when I feel passionate about something. I really haven't been "on fire" for a whole lot lately. Spiritually with my relationship with Christ I am certainly fired up as ever but I've kind of sorted out what I'm supposed to be as a Christian and I don't express myself as much without there being some kind of a struggle. The Georgia Bulldogs have had such an uneventful season I honestly haven't felt like writing much. I'll go with the "if I can't say anything good don't say anything at all" rule here. So there has been a lack of inspiration but that is good in some ways. In college as an art major, much of my inspiration came from misery, pain, loneliness and the awkward transition from boy to man. I can't really say that for writing because there has been much joy in much of what I've written here. Still I haven't had much to say as of late.

So, for the sake of rambling on about something I will mention a few things not worthy of mentioning on their own.

It's Christmas time and I absolutely love this time of year to take a break away from work and spend time with family. Alisha and I went on our annual Christmas shopping day to Kennesaw, GA this past Saturday. I also look forward to this day and as we shopped Saturday I expressed to Alisha that I don't get why I get so excited about "shopping" day every year. She said it was because I get to spend the whole day with her without kids. She's right. It's also because I really like to see "what's new". In my busy life, I don't always get to stay on top of that in the big metropolis of Chatsworth, Georgia.

I've also given some thought to doing some community service while I'm off during the holidays. I still fight back road rage every day, especially where people (particularly Murray County, Georgia) don't understand what "slower traffic keep right" means. I thought maybe I could stand by one of those signs wearing something flashy maybe sequins, and wave at folks with one hand and point at the sign with the other. It might work even better if I waved with just one finger. Murray County is still the driving etiquette dumb-ass capital of the world. I'm out to save the county one dumb-ass at a time.

Now that we've established that I can say "dumb-ass" and still be a Christ follower, although there are those that might disagree( Jesus called out a fool when he saw one too although he was much more empowered to do so.) Let me tell you what's up with me spiritually. I have struggled greatly with understanding and patience (which is also why I think there are so many dumb-asses in Murray County) I have been in a place much like Kevin Costner's character in "Field of Dreams". "If you build it they will come". Unlike Costner I don't really ask "What's in it for me?" but I can't help but ask WHEN? When "What" you might ask? Well that's the funny part because I'm not sure. However through prayer I feel God is telling me to prepare for something significant. Prepare to rally with your family, your brothers and sisters at church and your community. I am excited about this. I haven't been smoking the hookah pipe although the title to this entry might suggest otherwise.

I am convinced daycare was designed either by the Mafia or teamsters, not that there's really a difference. In these parts if there is a chance of a snowflake sticking to the curb, school is going to close. My youngest, Carter 3, attends daycare. Our daycare chooses to close if the school system closes. Now with a school system I get it. Buses have to run here and there on country roads, many of which are in higher elevations that make for potentially treacherous travel. You simply can't have school just for those that can make it, because it's not fair to miss the education if you're one of those that can't. However, my daycare is a paid service in which I EXPECT to be carried out as I pay. Still, our daycare's owner sees a snowflake as a day off with pay. I have to pay whether she keeps Carter or not. What a racket! And she's got us by the gotcha too! What am I gonna do about it??


Well, there you have it. That's what I've been thinking lately, most of it not worthy of telling. Nonetheless, I live in Murray County so that officially makes me a dumb-ass, so please forgive me for being inconsiderate and wasting your time with my rambling. Merry Christmas and keep right you morons!

I'm Running the Option.

Like many, I have an opinion about Saturdays game against Auburn. I have always appreciated Auburn and a classy rival with tradition and values that resembled our own more than other SEC programs. That opinion changed Saturday.

Although I had planned on layinig it all out with a deep ball for you this morning, I read another BLOG that I felt said it for me. So with that, I'm going to catch my breath and pitch the ball here on the option. Read it HERE on Hedges2Hardwood.

The only thing I would add is where do we go now? Georgia played with class and played hard, but Auburn is not that great. Undefeated yes but this year is an off year for the SEC ripe for the pickin'. Auburn capitalized, we did not, although I would rather lose like we did than win like they did. I cannot ignore the fact that we are not in the SEC championship this year. Saturday's game is the ONLY one we should have lost and that is questionable. We have been horribly out coached this year and as much as it pains me, as much as I LOVE Mark Richt, I think it is time for a change before our program suffers Fulmerization.

To hell with Tech! We beat them this weekend and become bowl elligible. It may be the Quaker Oats Bowl........but we'll be bowl eligible!

The Cat Burglar of Camden Lane.

My mother and Step-father live in beautiful Dublin Georgia which for whatever reason I will always call home, even if I never live there again. It's a typical Georgia town with a town square, corn fed kids  general good community and southern hospitality, not to mention the home of the international Red Neck Games which we are so proud of.

My mother lives in a residential area that's not quite "in the country" but it's not quite in the city either. I guess that qualifies it to be a Dublin suburb. It's always been a great area to live in with pretty much no trouble. That is until recently. My mother is a dog lover as am I and our dogs are our family. Remember that before you ever kick a dog. Nevertheless, Mom has a fenced in kennel of a pretty substantial size on the back of her house. She can let the dogs out the back door so they can run around a bit and do their business before she lets them back in the house. On either side of the kennel is a gate, one for each side of the house. These gateways are where the trouble began.

One morning my mother got a call from a neighbor because her "babies" were playing in the road. Unsure of how they got out of the kennel she retrieved the dogs and investigated to find one of the gates by the car port was wide open. This is a problem understand, because we don't let the babies play in the road! Naturally she started a suspect list of who left it open. I'm sure it started with the usual suspects. My nephew Kameron, my niece Myra, or my step-father. I assure you all were questioned. No one admitted to the deed.

This continued to happen almost daily. When it was evident the usual suspects were not involved her suspicions turned to the neighbors, particularly the neighborhood kids who have always found their way to my mothers property because of the pond which all the kids fish in. There was one kid in particular my mother was sure was the culprit and he/she was doing it out of spite. She started watching like a watch dog into the evenings and never could catch the little booger. It became obvious that this was happening late at night and was not the work of some child.

This brought fear not only to my mother but to the whole neighborhood. Knowing that someone was coming onto her property in the wee hours and casing the joint was nerve racking. The Sheriffs department got involved an began making regular passes throughout the night, watching the area closely. Still, the gates were often open the next morning.

Finally my brother in law set up a game camera with motion sensors to catch the culprit red handed. Indeed it did. The cat burglar was caught in the act. Late that very night the fiend all dressed in black walked up, opened the gate and went through the kennel, opened up the other gate, and was gone. The ONLY way the culprit could possible be identified was the green collar he wore.

Last I heard my mother was trying to find the owner of the black Labrador Retriever with the green collar. In addition she was dreading calling the sheriffs office to inform them they could scale back the patrol. If it had been a neighbor's kid, my mother would have beat them senseless with a broom or if an adult, kicked their teeth in. But not this beautiful dog that was smart enough to open gates. There will be no dog kicking it those parts! The gates are now secured with a quick release clasp. Maybe that will keep him out...........Maybe.

And so is the excitement of a South Georgia town, where crickets still chirp at the stars and the biggest troubles of the night are still a hound getting in the hen house.

I'm going home for Thanksgiving this year - God Bless.

Rock the Vote!

Since I have been old enough to vote, I have been pretty good about doing my civic duty in doing so. In that time, I have never been to the place I am now as a voter. I'll admit I have pretty much been Republican to the bone but have never been so blind to not know the right candidate. Today however, I am without a party. Republicans and Democrats alike have ruined the foundation of our nation. Their primary focus being overpowering each other rather than uniting to strengthen our country is exactly what's wrong with our nation. When our forefathers wrote our constitution, they did a pretty darn good job of putting together a doctrine that would have longevity. The Bill of Rights soon followed which essentially allows updates as our world changes. So look at us now. Is this what our forefathers envisioned for our government? Did they see the mudslinging, the corruption, the stagnation of government response to do what is right, what is best for our nation?

I've not yet voted here in Georgia, although many have. Last night while on "The Facebook" and Chatting it up with my Uncle Bobby, discussions went in this direction. Specifically, in reference to our candidates for Governor, I said we don't have anyone worthy of a vote. Fact is, WE DON"T!! It sort of felt that way in this past Presidential election as well and with good warrant. So what do we do? Why vote? Who gets my vote? The lesser of two evils? That is Exactly what Ive been doing for years now. What's wrong?

The answer is simple. We should re-name our country "The States", because we are no longer worthy of calling ourselves "United", one nation under God. Lawyers and today's media are modern day witchdoctors, ,or spin doctors if you will, that have manipulated us as a country, as a culture, as humans, as Christians. Even those that are of other religious factions have suffered. It's not as we are divided from one state to the next, but from individual to individual. The political bickering bleeds out of Congress and into the streets where we pick up the fight and become divided. Fact is folks that after the election is over, we are supposed to shake hands and UNITE to work on our country. Instead we are so busy working on our OWN agenda as soon as the election is over, we start throwing rocks for the next election. It makes me sick at my stomach.

So, what do we do? I'll go back to my discussion with my Uncle Bobby and his response to my question, "Who do we vote for"?. He said the most brilliant thing I've heard in a long time and it is so simple. I quote:
  "Just use the write in ballot and write down GOD." Wow!! So THAT is EXACTLY what I'm going to do!!

Now before you worry about me running off and bombing any abortion clinics let me put your mind at ease. I'm no extremist. But I am ready to take our country back. I'm ready to give it back to God. Let's consider what it would look like if EVERY Christian wrote down God on the write in for every election. How many would God win?? What would our government do with that? Likely they will give the position to the person with the next highest amount of votes. However, it would send the loudest message to our government that our country has ever seen or heard: We are fed up with your political bull crap, we want God running our country again. NOW!!

Vote for God for Governor of Georgia - his record and resume is the only perfect one in existence.

Yoga - The Devils Stretch?

I saw a headline today that said and I quote: "Southern Baptist Seminary President Albert Mohler says the stretching and meditative discipline derived from Eastern religions is not a Christian pathway to God.
Mohler said he objects to "the idea that the body is a vehicle for reaching consciousness with the divine."
"That's just not Christianity," Mohler told The Associated Press"
 You can see the article here.

Nevertheless, this is what I see as a typical Baptist reaction. Let me clarify that my roots in growing up are Baptist. It's also the reason I quit going to church for better than half my life. I am saddened and somewhat angered by such statements.

Recently I thought I learned my lesson from challenging a Pastor for I certainly don't want to disturb the flow of God's work. In this case I can't help myself and I have to speak up. I feel God wants me to because this is just wrong. I contacted Mr. Mohler and below is my e-mail to him. 

Dr. Mohler -

I'm limited on time here so forgive me for being frank. Your recent stance on Yoga is disturbing to me as a Christian. Yoga in no way is a separation from Christ. It's origins may be from a different culture with another religion but what else will you exclude? Chinese food? Kosher Dills? Martial Arts? Any activity that derives from outside the Baptist culture? I grew up Baptist and this is exactly what drove me AWAY from Christ for many years.

Fortunately I am with a church now that focuses on a living relationship with Christ and the Holy Bible is our Scripture. It doesn't say anything about "Satan's Yoga", or wearing a coat and tie to church. It doesn't place man made rules and ideals above the ideals Jesus set for us.

Jesus went to the wicked and saved. As he parted he asked we do things as and greater than he did. If a Yoga class was filled with Buddhist or Hindu, or simply lost souls, going there would be an opportunity to tell them about Christ. Telling your followers to avoid this exercise, as if it were wicked, is not only incorrect but it robs Christians from the opportunity of following Christ.

Matthew 28:19-20 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

How can we do this if we avoid exposing our self to the world. If I can "walk through the valley of the shadow of death", surely with Christ, I can attend a yoga class and walk out a better Christian.

Sincerely -

James Victor Webb

Christ Follower

If You agree with me I urge you to express yourself to Dr. Mohler as well. Be nice, expose your love for Christ, and let God do the rest. You can contact him here.

Side note - My UGA dawgs are in a bad way and face a pathetic UT that is playing above the talent level they possess.  If we lose to the lowly Vols at home after the season we've had so far, a turd of epic proportions is going to hit the proverbial fan.  Go Dawgs - please!

Houdini and the "state of the union"

The Great Escape
Once again, I have a rodent issue. I'm not sure if it's rat-like or mouse-like or both. I certainly do have at least one. Last time I battled the vermin I had gotten pretty good at it. So I go back to what I had learned. I used sticky traps in two old air ducts that "should" be blocked off from under the house. They are sealed with "The Stuff" which is the expanding foam that dries to an insulating barrier. Rats are "supposed" to despise the stuff and won't chew through it. WRONG!.

So I place a sticky trap in each air duct and this morning There is a tremendous struggle going on in one of the vents. I just smiled and ate a bowl of cereal waiting for the little guy to settle down so I could dispose of him. Soon it was quiet and I got the flashlight and opened the vent. There on the wall of the vent stuck my trap. The rodent of unknown lineage was gone. How in the land of all that is Holy did it get loose. Last year my dog got caught in on of these and struggled only to have all four feet stuck by the time I found her. Heck I got caught in one of these in a warehouse one night and I couldn't get out without taking my shoes off.

Half of the glue was peeled back. The were no rodent appendages or any other tale signs of a desperate measures escape. I simply don't get it. Nevertheless, I doubt this type trap will work on this specific rodent again. Maybe the poisons I have strategically placed will work. I don't know how many rodents I have but I have at least one. His name is Houdini.

Dawg Gone
I had very high expectations for my Georgia Bulldogs this year. I have envisioned spectacular things for what will likely be AJ Green's last year with us. As the season is three games deep I am overwhelmingly disappointed. AJ hasn't played yet and we are 1-2. 0-2 in the SEC. I THINK we have been beaten by two pretty good teams in South Carolina and Arkansas. Still I think we are or should be better than both of these teams.

I wish our defense were a bit better but I'm not truly disappointed here. Grantham has improved us here but he hasn't had the chance to recruit and develop the key players that set this scheme off. To be specific. We still need the speed we have but we need some players of size in two key positions. First off we need a big strong beast at nose guard. We have guys playing hard there and doing OK but we don't have the game changer. Secondly, we need more big and tall defensive backs that can not only stop the big play, but turn it around with turnover.

My biggest concerns are where we should be the strongest. Our running game is poor. I don't think our running backs are running with vision or determination. We are not hard to tackle. our offensive line bothers me the most. We should have one of the better lines in the nation. We are not winning the battle at the line of scrimmage. Pass blocking is pretty decent and our redshirt freshman quarterback Murray is doing a very good job.  Our play calling by our offensive coordinator is making many question his legitimacy. Should Bobo be calling plays. I am concerned that he should not. I'm sure that we will get better as the season progresses but we have to start being good at the start of the season to win championships.We shouldn't need AJ green to win the games we have lost this year. come on guys let's get it together.
The state of the union is not good at this time for the Bulldog Nation.

I'm going to take my daughter to see my "step-brother-in-law" ( Her Uncle Colby Jacckson #48) play this weekend as his NC State Wolfpack takes on the Georgia Tech nerd herd. It's my daughters 15th birthday and she'd rather go see a football game than sit around the house all day mouse hunting with her old man. I'll make it home in time to see my beloved Dawgs play in Starkville, cowbells and all. Happy Bithday to my oldest!

Go Wolfpack!!

Go Dawgs!!!

In Christ -
Vic

I Wish My Daughters Still Ate Boogs.

The comedian Sinbad Once said "You can rob a bank with a booger!", to represent the fear that we as a society have of the resilient nose goblin. He may very well be correct. I think there are some grown men who would jump off a cliff into a pit of vipers if faced with the threat of boog exposure. I have to ask, where does this fear come from? Is it an inborn trait? Absolutely not! It comes from some unidentified trauma that occurs in nearly everyone's life.

I have never known a child that didn't feast on nasal flakes. As disturbing that is to us as adults it is the truth. Kids don't fear the boog. I don't ever remember eating boogs as a kid but I'm pretty sure I did and I'm pretty sure you did too. I cannot comprehend why. There is a mere one inch journey from the nose to the mouth and as inconspicuous and efficient as that journey is, it is anything but logical.

So in our early years we eat boogers and at some point we stop, some sooner than others. Do we as parents even notice when the switch happens? Let's consider WHY we stop:

• First theory, our parents TOLD us to stop. They told us OVER and OVER again until finally it stuck. "Told" may be accompanied with punishment and humiliation I suppose but generally I think we just repeat ourselves until we are blue in the face. I suspect this is the most uncommon reason we stop.
• Second is peer pressure which is accompanied by public humiliation. This is also called the "Johnny just ate a booger" Theory. Some other kids catches us feasting as we are possibly not even aware of what we are doing. An announcement it is made that is so humiliating we become aware of our actions and promptly stop. "Ladies and Gentlemen please bring your attention to the center stage and behold the amazing Shirley as she swallows a nose cracker". Yea, I can imagine that would do it for me.
• Third and finally, there is possibly something in the puberty thing where we start having interest in the opposite sex. During this stage of life our body chemistry changes and it's possible we no longer need the nutritional values of a booger. In addition, our appearance and our public image becomes one of life's focal points. "I can't let him see me eat a booger, he won't like me." I think this is where "the change" happens for many and we let go of the booger.

So, no matter what the reason is, the fact is we  grow up to fear the booger. Nothing on earth is more fearless that a mother who will not hesitate to remove boogerage from  her child's face. My wife sometimes reminds me of the Crocodile Hunter as she will dive in without hesitation and wrestle out a snot gator. Even the Father will at times roll up his sleeves and battle the boog. It's easier when it's your kids stuff. No one is going to retrieve boogers from some stranger on a subway.

So it's part of growing up. My girls have stopped (I think) and that's kinda sad and scary particularly where theory number three comes into play. Little Carter keeps on Boogin out without hesitation. I'll keep telling him to stop, until he does.

Side note: UGA vs UL- Lafayette Saturday as College Gameday is finally back! Go Dawgs!

Labor Day Revisited - Some things don't change, particularly those that reside in your heart.

As we approach Labor Day yet again, I reflect of what it means to me. I said it so well last year that I don't see much reason in a re-do. So, I'm going to just hot-link you to last years post at this time. With that here it is. Go Dawgs!!

http://vixcave.blogspot.com/2009/08/change-fast-or-slow-is-still.html

God Bless SEC football. May we have a clean season with good sportsmanship.

Bearing Fruit in Leadership.

In today's world of information abundance and social networking you never know what one might see, hear or feel. Twitter is one, that as ridiculous as it may seem, is quite a useful way to get information on subjects of interest and successfully broadcast a message. However, do we always send the message we intended to send?

I "follow" a diverse array of characters on twitter such as sports figures, columnists, celebrities and worship leaders. Today, a certain Pastor of one of the Southeast's biggest mega churches "tweeted"  something that didn't quite sit well with me. Out of respect I won't mention any names but he is young, bright, inspirational and his sermons elevate the word of Jesus so that thousands have come to know Christ. God is certainly working through him and I am thankful for his role in God's kingdom. Here is what he said:

"  Having no turnover in your organization can be just as unhealthy as high turnover. Growth requires pruning."

Really? So, imagine I work for the church and I'm on my way to a morning staff meeting and I see this message. Growth requires Pruning? True, that is correct. What exactly is Pruning. In this example Pruning is turnover and it is required. Pruning is to "cut out" or for lack of a better word, terminate. Certainly he doesn't think you have to keep firing folks to grow. Does he? I know it's usually part of the natural process of growth and it happens but is it required?

I replied back, " Pruning is a poor choice of words. To cut for the sake of cutting?? How bout nurturing growth? Promotion? Encouraged change." I tried to send a direct message as to not broadcast my reply but as it turns out, if a person does not "follow" you, you cannot send them a direct private message. I don't think he liked my reply. He came back with the following and he was courteous enough to send me a direct message:

"See John 15:2-apparently Jesus thought prune was a very good word choice. I'm going w Jesus. Blessings!"

Touche! I'm certainly not going to argue with the word of God. I had to learn more about this passage. Let's take a look at John 15:2 and then some:

¹"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ²He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 

Now, God is saying something completely different to me here and it is clear as a bell where leadership is involved.  Good leadership is dear to my heart and poor leadership is much the same as sin to me. "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit." THIS is where a termination happens. Non productive limbs on the tree must go.  "While every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." Pruning here isn't a termination. The limb remains intact. It is shaped, coached, and nurtured taking out the bad parts(actions, behaviors) and encouraging the good parts to grow better.

So Pastor GenX, , pruning is NOT turnover. Pruning is taking your fruit bearing members of your organization and making them better. If they bear no fruit, then you cut the limb from the vine. This is God's truth on leadership. Otherwise you are left with a rotting stem in fertile soil.

Although cutting bad limbs from your vine is all to often necessary it does not involve pruning. You certainly better be pruning and if you do this correctly, there will be much less turnover. Thanks for introducing me to this passage today. I suggest you revisit it again yourself Pastor Gen X.

Belong

Belong - verb

1. To be in the relation of a member, adherent, inhabitant, etc.
2. To have the proper qualifications, esp. social qualifications, to be a member of a group
3.  To be proper or due; be properly or appropriately placed, situated, etc. 
4. To be the property of: To be a part or adjunct of:

  "Belong" is a word that has much deeper meaning than it is normally used for in everyday conversation. Usually we use it as meaning a term of ownership. From a Christian point of view, this word should be in the very foundation of your faith. Lets look at how many ways it applies to Gods plan for us.

First let's state the obvious and refer to definition 4. It is the only place in the Christian faith where ownership applies. This one is God's. It ALL belongs to Him! You, me, the birds and the bees, It's all His. Your money is not yours at all, it's His. He wants you to keep 90% of it however. I Most definitely belong to God Almighty. Although everyone does not acknowledge this fact, it still remains to be true. However, there is an unsavory truth that if you don't acknowledge Christ as savior, his ownership will be purged to a fiery hell. Stick with me here because we certainly don't want that!

On the flip side, God belongs to me. He is my God and for this I will refer to definitions One and Three. I am an inhabitant of the lords spirit and He lives in me . He is an inhabitant of my heart. Also as part of Gods plan for me, I am appropriately placed when I am aligned with Him. I am in the right situation when I am walking in the spirit of the lord. He is appropriately placed in me. As I Christian when I say that he is my God and he belongs to me, I am acknowledging that I belong to Him.

Lets talk about Marriage. My wife belongs to me and likewise, I belong to her. I'll refer to definitions three and four here. Although I certainly don't own her as stated in the definition four, she is a part of me and I her. We are a whole as sanctified through marriage. We should not be parted by anything other than death. As stated in definition three, with her I am properly and appropriately placed. Together with her is where I belong. That's Gods plan for us through marriage between a man and a woman.

So, Where do my wife and I belong? Where should we be? The answer is: in God's kingdom. To expand upon that we belong in a house of worship where there is community in the name of our Lord and Savior. We belong in church. It is where we should be and it belongs to us. For this we refer to definitions one, two and three. To be in church is "to be in relation to a member" and to be an "inhabitant" in the kingdom of Christ.   We are "properly placed" in the house of the Lord. We are "members of a group".

I want to go one step further within the church. My church makes use of small groups to feed it's community with fellowship and the word of God. It is just as it states, a small group of people within the church that come together outside of church in fellowship to worship and to love each other as God intended. I belong to a small group(definition two). Small group is what has made my relationship with church secure. It is what made me FEEL like I belonged. The people in small group made me feel like I belonged as they welcomed and loved my wife and I unconditionally. I can't imagine where I might be without it.

Each and every point I've made here can be expanded upon in great detail and I'm pretty sure there is scripture to support it. However, this is a BLOG entry and not a sermon, although it has the makings of a nice series. In Gods plan, we have a whole lot of belonging to do. If you don't belong you are obviously lost in the abyss. So I'll ask you this in closing: Do you belong? Where do you belong? Who do you belong to?

Everything I Know About World Cup Soccer.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

The Path

As I read a recent post on my dear friend Gus's Blog , I was touched and inspired as I reflected on my own upbringing and life in comparison. For Gus, he described his as "perfect". As Gus faces the harsh reality of  losing a loved one, my heart gets heavy not just for Gus, but it is also a reminder of being there myself less than two years ago. I totally get where Gus is at right now and at the same time I am intrigued how we are both "here" if you will but how much differed the path I took is from his path. I recommend reading his post linked above or the following won't quite be complete.

Much the same as Gus, I too had a "perfect" childhood. I grew up in an upper middle class family in a nice suburb in a small town. The 70's was a time where you felt safe growing up and the horrors the media shed light on today didn't send fear throughout the community and nation. Times were simple, fun and innocent. I remember spending my childhood at the pool and the golf course. I remember summers of tennis, baseball, vacation bible school and vacations. These were family vacations with an intact, fully functional family. It did at least, seem that way to me as I was ignorant to any issues that would soon enough rear it's ugly head. It was indeed "perfect".

Then my family got sick. It began with my parents growing apart. Although we went to church, sometimes, I now look back and think that we were not a family living in Christ. My parents grew apart and eventually divorced when I was 11 or 12 years old. My younger sister would have been around 4 or 5. Suddenly my life was no longer perfect. My mother went through years of not being well as she struggled to find herself. Alcohol and a desire to feel loved took her into a tailspin than lasted the rest of my childhood. As tough as this was on me it was even worse on my little sister. Through it all my mother was not able to be the mother she wanted to be. At 13 I moved in with my father. Although he certainly wasn't "perfect" himself, he did what he could, always made me feel loved and provided for my needs. Still I missed my Mom. I missed the "perfect" Mom I had. I look upon this with more clarity now than ever before, I realize how much resentment I had toward my parents but particularly my Mom. From the eyes of a child, she was all I could see that had changed. I think as I child I blamed her. Much of this time in my life is a blur as I seemed to have blocked much of it out but I know enough to know those weren't always happy times. My parents would rack up just short of 10 divorces between them.

As an adult I now have a better understanding of my mothers struggles. An alcoholic divorced mother with issues that went back to long before I was born. She was dealing with her demons. As she did, the Lord sent angels in to help her in seeing that I got the love and attention I needed in her absence. My Aunt Jean, who isn't even really a blood relative was the first. There were so many times my sister and I stayed with her while my mother sorted through the mess in her life. She brought a taste of "perfect" back into our lives if not only for a moment. As a teen living with my single father, I had Mrs. Nan Mays. The mother of one of my high school friends. For all purposes she was my mother too as I went through high school, which has to be one of the most difficult times in any one's life as they make the transition into an adult. She taught me so much about love, relationships, ethics, and values. Yes, God sent me surrogate mothers while mine was away.

As I went to college I began to face my own demons. Let downs and heart break led me to become a person I am now am not so proud of. However, it also gave me gifts such as confidence, determination, social skills and obviously an education. I was wild as bearcat and hard headed as ever. I didn't have parents at this time because I truly didn't allow myself to have any. I was making my own path and agenda. This is the format I chose until I started what I will call my rebirth.

After college I started a career. With that, I also had a desire for a meaningful relationship. I had become a whore monger at best and even though I certainly wasn't worthy, God send me another gift;  my wife. Immediately I was a better person. I became the person I really always wanted to be. This was my "rebirth". In turn, my Mom had finally started on her road to recovery although my sister had begun her spiral out of control. My relationship with my father was always good, yet I began to enjoy my time with him even more. I had a step father that was not only as good as I could ask for but he also became a close friend to my father.

As my Father approached his death on December 4, 2008, I realized that my family was whole again. We all loved each other through it. My Dad loved my Mom. My Mom loved my Dad, and my Step-Father loved them both. None of us are perfect but somehow this family was "perfect" again. I'm not quite sure how that's possible but that's how it feels. My wife and I both grew up in the textbook dysfunctional scenario, yet we now have three incredible children and are blessed beyond my belief. We are anything but dysfunctional. How is that possible? My sister is married to one of the most awesome guys I have had the pleasure to know and has a beautiful family. My Mom is nutty as a Snickers bar but I know she loves me and always has.

Maybe it was perfect after all. Nevertheless, I took a different path, with no regrets. I am most honored to walk alongside my buddy Gus -In Christ. I am so sorry that Gus is coming to the close of such a beautiful chapter in his life.

Mom - I love you. Although our relationship still mends, you are now and always have been my Mom.

Image by : John Harvey Photo

As the oil spills, so do emotions.

I normally don't become emotionally connected with news headlines, disasters or other national tragedies. I do recall a few: Columbine, which has been an unfortunate trend setter, comes to mind first. Secondly, the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11. The recent oil spill in the gulf however hits close to home for some reason. I am really overcome with a blend of anger and sadness.

As I said in an earlier BLOG I am suspicious if it was really an accident or intentional. Either way it happened and it's still happening 45 days later. I am angry that this thing is still leaking and we just sit here and watch the BP stooges failed attempt after failed attempt to stop it. I don't think they are trying to stop it. I think they are trying to reclaim the oil. Or maybe I should say reclaim the source of the oil. I don't think they want to abandon the financial investment they have in tapping that oil pocket.

I certainly wouldn't call myself a tree hugger. I'm a hunter and fisherman, and I value natural resources as they are our God given right and responsibility. When I see pictures of the dead pelicans, dolphins, turtles and fish I feel like choking the life out of an oil man. When I see the lives of hard working fishermen and their culture taken away from them I am pissed off. When I see the natural beauty of our gulf shores oiled down with petroleum gunk I am irate.

Here we are 45 days and counting. The ocean is full of oil. The gulf stream is picking it up and it's going to make it's tour. When will it hit the east coast? What happens to tourism along all of our nations beaches comes to a halt? What will be the true financial impact? What about other nations? South and Central America, Cuba, Bahamas? What species will be wiped out? Blue Crabs? Manatees?

The biggest question, when does it stop? I am mad, sad and want somebody strung up by the....... and if President Obama doesn't have the backbone to make that happen then maybe he should be strung up by the grapes. You Jackass's.

God forgive my ranting and give me peace from the anger and resentment I feel.

Dear LOST - Can BP borrow the Jughead Bomb?

I've never been a conspiracy theorist or one to be overly suspicious of the world around me but lately I find myself very suspicious of our country's government and it's core relationship with the oil industry. I have more and more questions about our motives, our insight, our unity and our direction at it's core. Call me crazy, but here goes.

On March 31, 2010  President Obama upset or "stirred up" if you will, years of policy and his own environmental backers. He opened up through policy, a generous portion of East Coast waters,  protected areas in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska to drilling. Finally a step in the direction of getting away from foreign oil dependency right? It seemed so until Tuesday April 20, 2010.

Less than 3 weeks after this bill passes a disaster hits an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. An oil rig explodes and results in an uncontrollable oil leak in the pristine waters of our Gulf. Really?? Someone tell me please when was the last time this happened. Coincidence?? I find that too hard to believe. I think it is deliberate.

So who's responsible? That's the hard part. Our Government (Obama) proving an "I told you so" point the hard way? British Petroleum as an attempt to prevent additional drilling by competitors thus protecting record profit margins? A collaboration of both the forementioned in a collaboration to protect the common interest of both? So let's say it warrants investigation. Who will investigate? I'll tell you, US government and BP officials to no prevail. Why did it blow up and why is there no plan in the event it does?

Now on to the cleanup.  BP is heading this up and through social networking( Facebook, Twitter, ETC) they are launching a shameless publicity campaign literally bragging about "look at all we are doing to help in this tragedy". Tell that to all the wildlife, the fishermen, and the worldwide consumers negatively impacted by this. It makes me sick. Now the public thinks our government should step in to stop the leak and clean up the spill. Government experts say they are not prepared for the undertaking. WHAAAAAAAT?? Give Jack Bauer a snorkel and a sack of concrete and 30 minutes later it should be done right?? Obviously it's not that simple but we can stop that oil leak and we could have on day one. Simply "blow the hatch", cork the bottle and quit with the shameless attempt to reclaim the oil that is spilling. Abandon that drill site and find a new way into that pocket of oil. With the proper safety devices in place this time please!.

With the greed money made by oil companies, BP should be solely responsibly for the financial impact of this disaster, paying restitution for everything lost: jobs, natural resources, tourism, etc. Our Government is gutless and lacking integrity if it doesn't demand just that. It would also further suggest involvement or at least putting the health of government/oil industry relations above that of the well being of the American people.

This isn't quite rocket science folks and even if it was we are absolutely capable. Our government thinks we are stupid and rightfully so. We are. Oil Companies are currently robbing our income though collaborative monopoly and now we see they have no problem crapping right in our back yard!

I close with these thoughts: This is certainly no slam at the Democratic party. Although I despise where they are taking our country, I was no more thrilled at where we were going under Republican leadership. This has been a bitter post because I am bitter. I usually have something in my BLOGS about my Christian faith or at the very least some Georgia Bulldog Football. So to hold tradition here goes. A big part of being a Christian is loving others. It's wanting do for others. It is about putting others before yourself and your own agendas. It is the foundation of what our country was built on. We have not had that kind of leadership in my lifetime. If we don't get away from the agendas of Democrats and Republicans, Oil Companies and the Auto Industries, we are in big trouble and it will come sooner than later. We Need Patriots not Politicians. Where are they? We should pray they rise to the occasion.

Oh yea.........GO DAWGS!

Got Weeds?

Spring is in the air folks and with that, it's also in my head as if a half pound of pollen has impacted my sinuses. I feel like I snorted a sack of flour. Nevertheless the world is in bloom and it's time to get in the yard and tend our gardens, lawns and landscapes. It's this time of year every year that I engage in and endless battle with weeds and crab grass. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not an expert on gardening or prevention where weeds and crab grasses are concerned. In fact, every year I fight this battle only to be beaten down by the mutant plants that nothing seems to kill. Still, every year I wage war and some years I fight harder than others. There is certainly one constant. The weeds are not going away.

I have used many weapons in my war on weeds. I have used prevention which you put out before weeds germinate. ( when I say weeds I include crab grass in that category as it's been the most difficult to get rid of.) Still with prevention the weeds come back. I have used the traditional poisons such as "Round Up", or "Weed Be Gone". These are the easiest to use and are somewhat effective but when summer comes around it is overwhelming. Lastly, I used hand to hand combat as I simply pull the weeds by hand plucking them from my life. It's an endless battle that I always give into. It requires every day plucking out the new growth and it will keep popping up in every part of your garden, yard and landscaping. When you clear one area it pops up somewhere else. You have to just keep on fighting it out of your yard. You can be successful with these methods as I've seen it happen on other peoples property. Maybe I just don't quite know how to make that happen but I sure would like to have a nice lawn like that. Maybe I simply don't work at it hard enough

For a moment, lets say that your life, your soul and your salvation is representational for your yard, your garden and your landscaping. Along with that, Satan is the dirty weed that keeps pooping up in our garden or in this case our lives. We have the tools to to pluck him out by the root, although he will continue to try to pop up elsewhere in our "garden" if you will.

The Holy Spirit is our best "Round Up" for Satan. Galatians 5:16-18 says:
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. ¹⁷For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. 

This gives us power over the weed. Although we have power over the weed, it will continue to try to pop up in all areas of our garden. We must be prepared to pluck out the the evil root as soon as we see it sprout. We have the best protection available as we engage in hands on combat with the "weed". .Ephesians 6:10-17 tells us:

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 
We've now established we have the tools and protection  to wage war on the weeds in our garden. What about prevention Are there preventive measures. Certainly there are. For one, prayer. Pray on all things for the weed can't stand prayer. In addition, Ephesians 5:15-20 states:

¹⁵Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. ¹⁸Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. ¹⁹Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Preventative measures indeed!

So in life we are born in spring and throughout our lives we wage war and are fitted with the gifts of our Lord and Savior with everything we need to get the weeds out of our garden. The weeds will always be there and therefore we should always be ready to tend our garden. When winter comes, our garden certainly needs to be, not necessarily spotless or without scars but it better be cleaned with the Blood of Christ and the gifts our Lord has provided. Summer is upon us folks and for some, Fall with Winter quickly approaching. How's your Garden looking today?

"Unspecified violation of team rules" - Well said coach!

There's a lot of Rumbling in the state of Georgia as to why Coach Mark Richt dismissed troubled quarterback Zach Mettenberger form the team this past Sunday. Some folks suggest Richt might be hiding something or that he's making an example out of Mett to show his tough stance on disciplinary issues. I think Richt can be tough on these kids when he has to. I don't think it comes easy though.

Richt is very paternal towards his boys and though they may let him down, I have no doubt he loves each and every one of them. This trait is one of the strengths of Georgia's recruiting process. The recruit and the parent feel that the athlete is in good hands. I certainly would rather my son going to work for a leader with good Christian values such as Richt. Especially one that knows a thing or two about winning.

Back to Mettenberger. I assure you the silence and the vague description as to why he was dismissed is for the benefit, protection, and respect of the young man. I'm sure Mettenberger has a lawyer who is working diligently to put together a defense. Slinging crap across the media Spurrier style certainly isn't going to do anything to help the integrity or the future of this young man.

So what exactly did Mettenberger do? 
There is nothing to gain for the program or the athlete to go into any further detail other than "it was a violation of team rules". That's enough. However, for those of us that are simply curious or plain nosey, we may never really know. We know he was on Spring Break and was in Valdosta to see the spring game for VSU where some of his friends played ball. While there he went out doing what college kids do. But not what Division 1 starting quarterbacks do (or should do). I can tell you this. Mett according to record was charged with underage possession of alcohol, disorderly conduct, obstruction and two counts of possession of false identification. Two fake ID's?? Seriously??

Although it was long ago, (1989-1991) I did go to college in Valdosta and while there, I lived in the very same small town of Remerton. I lived a mere par four from where the incident took place. Remerton is a SMALL town consumed on all 4 sides by the city of Valdosta. It's about the size of 2-3 normal city blocks at best. It is nothing but a bunch of old mill houses and apartments now used as rental housing primarily occupied by college students.The outer perimeter on the main road leading to the campus is Baytree steet and there you will find several bars and popular hangouts for the college kids. The only thing that has changed since I was there is that there are more bars to choose from. As small as Remerton is, it does have it's own police force. When I was there it consisted of one full-time squad car and it's officers were not unlike Barney Fife. Things may have changed since then but somehow I doubt it. When I lived there I was hell on wheels, wild as a bobcat, and full of piss and vinegar. The most trouble I ever got into was trying to outrun Barney one evening after running a stop sign. They shook their finger at me and gave me a ticket for running a stop sign after I assured them I had no idea they were in pursuit. Stop signs are what they were notorious for. They certainly were not known for pestering drunk college kids. That would be like herding alley cats. My point is to get in trouble here you pretty much had it coming.

If you're in a three way competition to be the starting quarterback for a Division 1 program rule number one is you keep your nose clean. Discipline has to start with your leaders. When the news broke about Mett in trouble down south, his leadership credibility was shattered. As tragic as that is its the cold truth.

I wouldn't be surprised if we see Mett end up quarterbacking at a university in another division. Particularly and ironically enough, I'll predict Valdosta State University. He already has buddies in the program and they would be crazy not to go after him. So, Maybe we can see a re-birth in Mettenberger. Maybe he can rise from the pile of ashes he left in little Remerton Georgia.

Who was I ?? Who are you?

I got a call from an old friend a couple of weeks ago that I don't talk to often. I haven't seen him in 10 years and he only lives about 43 or so miles away. I love the guy and miss him very much in so many ways. One might ask why haven't I seen him in 10 years? Why don't we hang out?

The answer is simple. My friend is a RAGING alcoholic in denial at its best. He's a poster child I tell you. He's smart as a whip and charming as the devil when he's not drinking. He's highly educated from a VERY reputable university yet he lives within a career that requires no education and certainly isn't what I would consider a stable, dependable income during these times. I may seem very judgmental here but I know an alcoholic when I see one. My mother and sister both are successful recovering alcoholics. I see what a difference sobriety has made in their lives.


You might ask If I'm against drinking. The answer is no, not at all. Although I don't generally drink, I'm not going to say I won't ever have an occasional drink. It could happen. What I am against is the Jekyll and Hyde effect alcohol has on my good friend. I simply do not like him when he's drinking. During the last year or so of our "hanging out", he was usually drinking, thus, I usually didn't care much for him. If it continued I was going to react in a way that would destroy our friendship. His behavior was also putting a strain on my marriage to a degree.

So I isolated myself and my family from my buddy. I quit calling him. I quit taking his calls. I knew the best thing I could do was to let him go and find a way to hit rock bottom. That hasn't happened yet.  Nevertheless I got a call from him and we spoke and he tended to talk to me as if I were still the same party animal I was when we met some 16 or so years ago. I finally got a chance to tell him what was going on in my life. I told him about my growing relationship with Christ and the awesome church I go to. He said he was very happy to know I was going to church because he always thought I was an atheist. This hit me like a brick and I chuckled a bit. I had been saved several years before I ever met my friend but obviously I was so lost from my relationship with Christ that one of my best friends never even knew I believed in God. So I have to ask "Who was I"? Answer: I was a lost Christian that never knew how to have a relationship with Christ and never knew how to live for Christ. At least I thought I was a Christian. I was saved, I was Baptized. I was NOT living a life in Christ. Was I a Christian blinded by sin?  Today, I think everyone knows who I am.. I am Vic Webb and I serve my Father in Heaven. I certainly can't be mistaken for an atheist.

Now I ask you. Who are you. What do your closest friends know about your faith. What do you know about theirs?  If you're blinded by sin or not a Christian at all, what are you going to do about it?

My friend got a text from me inviting him to church. He did say he would come visit if I invited him to church. So far he hasn't come. Maybe he doesn't text. I'm going to finish up here and give him a call. He needs to see who I am. He needs to see Christ in me. I can only pray that he likes what he sees.

Woooo Hoooo!! Gandalf's coming!!

In Season 4, Episode 9 of the forever cult favorite "Friends" series, Ross and Chandler get a call from a college chum they affectionately refer to as "Gandalf". Gandalf is obviously a nickname in reference to the wizard in the "Lord of the Rings" series, adored by nerds everywhere. Now, am I saying that Ross and Chandler are nerds? Yes, to a degree I certainly am but no more than I would consider myself because I, like much of America, relate to these two characters, particularly those of us that matured during the 80's. This post is about Gandalf and his importance not in the fight between Good and Evil on "Middle Earth" as in LOTR, but the very same battle on our very own Earth. Our Lords Earth.

Let's start by identifying WHY Gandalf of "Friends" is nicknamed such. Here, the old college buddy is the "wizard" of good times. Gandalf knew where to find the party and everyone followed him to get there. Gandalf led others to the most outrageous, rock and rolling good times imaginable. In Episode 9, Gandalf cancels his trip to New York to the disappointment of Ross and Chandler. His influence is still so strong that even in his absence they try to simulate what Gandalf would have done with the help of Joey. Obviously with age and lifestyle changes they fell short of expectations, but the fact is, that Gandalf had such a strong influence that these dorks were led to his example even when he wasn't there. That right there is leadership.

Now in my life I have known my Gandalfs and to others, I assure you I have been the Gandalf.  There is no Gandalf shortage to help find a night of sinful good times. However, what if Gandalf got saved. What if our Lord were able to use the wizard to influence others and to lead them not to a crazy drunken good time, but to an eternal life basking in the Glory of our Savior. Through Christ, could Gandalf have such profound influence that in his absence the Chandlers and Ross's try to emulate him?? The answer in short, NO. But Gandalf can have the influence to introduce them to Gods party and in turn, when Gandalf is absent they will strive to be like HIM. They will strive to be Christ like.

In this past weeks church sermon we had the opportunity to write down a name of a person that needed Christ in their lives and then come to the altar to pin it on a cork board so these names could be prayed over. The name I wrote down may be confusing to some but to me it was clear as a bell: Gandalf. I pray that the Gandalfs in our communities find Christ, so they can bring people to Jesus through leadership. Can Jesus put a wizard to good use? You bet he can. He already has.

It's your fault.........but whos' responsibility??

Our Pastor recently gave a sermon on responsibility, accountability, and fault. I thought it to be worthy of mention here. Particularly for those who did not hear this message, I hope you get the concept from the following:

In Joshua Chapter 9, we see Joshua deceived by the Gibeonites. At this time Joshua had identified the surrounding lands as that of the people he would conquer. In order to prevent an Israeli invasion the Gibeonites pretended to be from a far land and requested of Joshua a treaty, so they might be servants to the Israelites. Under the impression they were from a far away land and not from the nearby hills, Joshua honored a treaty. Three days later, when Joshua discovered he had been deceived he still honored the treaty he had agreed upon in the eyes of God. Although the Gibeonites were at fault with their deception, Joshua took responsibility for his own part in allowing himself to be deceived. He could after all, have investigated these people further and seen through the elaborate plan of deception.

Through this Joshua was blessed as he acknowledged his responsibility as witnessed by his Lord Almighty and in turn the Lord saw to it that Joshua found the strength to honor his commitment to the Gibeonites and to be victorious in doing so.

Through this we see a clear difference between fault and responsibility. How often are we wrong and at fault and we leave someone else to pick up the pieces because we didn't take responsibility. Here someone else is taking responsibility for our faults. Consider when someone is at fault and others carry that burden, that pain, that punishment.

God will bless us when we take responsibility. He will give us strength to make our wrongs right and to work through the burdens of our own undoing. When we are at fault and fail to take responsibility we are not with God. Fault without responsibility is a curse on those that fail to acknowledge that they have made a mistake. The absence of accountability is the choice to carry the burden of a curse rather than the blessing of God through responsibility.

So, have you made mistakes in life? Can you think of recent examples in your life where it's your fault? Did you take responsibility? Are you in a place right now where you can take responsibility but the thought of doing so is overwhelming? Take the responsibility. Our Father will take the "overwhelming" away. He will lift that off your shoulders or at least lighten the load so that you can manage.

Are you at fault???.............or are you responsible????? Huge difference.

The Tiger - Hunter Has Become The Hunted

For months now Tiger Woods' sexcapades have been on the cover of every trash tabloid as well as on the forefront of all other media, in which in today's world has become as trashy as the previously mentioned tabloids. The thing that troubles me is not that this is a story for the media to report but how huge they have made it. Obviously someone cares because otherwise it would die down. I'm going make a case for Tiger here and through it I might even argue with myself a bit but stick with me anyway.

First lets look at the facts. What has Tiger done that was so horrible? Well, he cheated on his wife.........a lot! He has been a man whore like there is no tomorrow no doubt. However, he is certainly not the first celebrity to do so, yet I have never seen anyone crucified so badly for doing so. Crucified by the media, the fans, his peers and himself. Tiger woods is a rock star. He has fallen into a rut that many rock stars fall into. Why is his situation such a big deal to us. Why does he have to make a public statement. He doesn't have to say anything to me. Just go play GOLF! That's all I want from him. I don't give a rat turd if he is addicted to the snozz. I'll pray for him and hope he get's his life and salvation on the right path, but the ONLY ones he owes an apology, explanation, or statement to is: his wife, his kids, and God. It is none of our business and I for one, am sick and tired of hearing about it.

I see some of his peers on the golf tour tearing at him from several angles. Ernie Ellis commented that he was selfish in choosing the golf event this weekend for his platform to make a statement. HEY!!......he's coming back to play this weekend and WE have made him feel like he MUST say something to US before he can play. Others on the tour act like he's done something so horrible. A gentleman's game golf is but don't you dare act like Tiger's the first country club gigolo. Many have gone into the spotlight of fame at a young age. Many drunk with the power of being a celebrity have made poor choices just as Tiger. None have ever been dragged through the coals such as this. What has Tiger done to you?? For one, he has brought Golf to the front line of popularity so those that slander him also have the opportunity to have their two faces seen on the television as well. It's not the time to beat your comrade down. It's time to lift him up, brush him off, show him some love so he and the PGA can recover from the spectacle that the MEDIA has made of this. John Daly went on a downward spiral of substance abuse making several "comebacks" but we never tore him apart like this.  Shame on all of us.

Tiger, tell your kids and your wife that you're sorry, you love them and pray for forgiveness. Tell the rest of us to kiss your ass!

Scrappy

I have often heard stories of modern day miracles. Stories that seem genuine coming from the teller but are so far fetched you are left doubting the credibility of its' source. Today I have such a story to share. It's not my story to tell and I'm not quite sure it's completely played out but it is something I have to share because I am in awe.

I'll start some 13 or so years ago when my oldest daughter was just a toddler at best. We are at home one Sunday evening (it was Sunday from my best recollection) when we get a call from a family member telling us that my wife's younger brother of one year has been in an accident. He had been driving a rail buggy on a sandy dirt road and it flipped. He wasn't wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. As it rolled the bar from the roll cage came down across his back and broke it stretching his spinal cord some six inches. Scrappy we will call him, because he is as full of piss and vinegar as much as any I have ever seen. He would just as soon fight you as he would..........well, you place you own word in here. Born with swamp water in his veins, he was what we in the south call a "sport model". As we got this call on this unfortunate evening we learned that the accident had left him paralyzed from about belly button down. My wife was devastated as were we all.

Scrappy however, seemed to keep his spirits up, at least in the face of others. He was quick to joke about his own misfortune and no less scrappy than he ever was. His life had become however a endless battle with his health. Scrappy was a thin fellow but deceptively strong. Corn bread strong is what some in these parts call it. Nevertheless, as thin as he was, there simply wasn't enough meat on his ass to act as a shock absorber to bear the weight of his body in the wheel chair. This resulted in bed sores, infection and eventually the loss of a leg about 5 years ago. As the leg was lost it also added to the mix some digestive issues with bodily function. Still Scrappy was Scrappy and I assure you he would still slap anyone that he felt needed a slap.

Scrappy faced several more complications over the last several years ranging from kidney stones, infections, and lately some sever digestive issues causing blockages. This required yet another surgery. This one was so bad and the infection so intense that when they opened him up , they had to leave him open for weeks with a synthetic barrier to protect his insides from external invaders. In a very dangerous situation he pulled through and was able to go home for the holidays. After about a month at home Scrappy became ill once again and was immediately rushed to the hospital. My wife got another call on a Sunday evening. This time the news was grim. Scrappy's body was septic and without going on a ventilator and feed tube he was a goner. Scrappy made it clear that he did not want to go on a ventilator ever again. We rushed home some three to four hours away depending on the drive through Atlanta. We rushed so my wife could see her brother before he passed away.

When we got there it wasn't pretty. Scrappy was taking between four to seven breaths a minute. Someone on the medical staff (who should be publicly stoned) told family members that there was no brain activity based upon test results. The ICU waiting room was full of family and friends that had come from everywhere to say farewell. Stories of all the crap he had gotten into over the years filled the waiting area and one wonders how he was still alive that day. Through the entire night, nothing changed. Monday came and went and everything was the same. No IV, no water, no food and a frail body at about 70 pounds considering the missing leg. Jamie was able to respond long enough to confirm he just wanted to go home. Tuesday night he went home with hospice care. We drove back home so we could get back to work knowing that we would likely be driving back at any time. Prayer request were out nation wide and as far off as Australia for Scrappy and the family.

Wednesday morning came and something changed. Scrappy, who most everyone had given up on sat up in bed and said" I'm not going to just lay here and die!! I want a second opinion. I'll go on the ventilator if I have to, cause I want to fight this". Well alrighty then! To make a long story short, today is Friday and as of yesterday Scrappy is sitting up in bed, eating and the doctors can't find any infection. There is no logical explanation and as for me, I can not be convinced this is anything but a miracle.

I also learned yesterday that some friends witnessed to Scrappy the day before he went into the hospital and that he accepted Christ as his savior. That would explain a lot. I certainly hope Scrappy takes this opportunity to tell his story to witness to others. What an incredible holy warrior Mr. Scrappy can be. Like I said earlier, this isn't my story to tell but I had to share it. It is too amazing not to. I am in awe at the power of our Lord. I am humbled by the will of the human spirit as it is gelled with the holy spirit. Welcome back brother...........and God bless.

Scrappy isn't out of the woods yet and still has some recovering to do. Please join me in praying that our Father is able to work through Scrappy for years to come.