I can remember growing up watching ABC's Wide World of Sports. At the beginning of the show they played the same intro every week. It talked about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Every time when they said the agony of defeat we saw this ski jumper crashing spectaculary at the end of the ramp. That man was a Slovene ski jumper named Vinko Bogataj. It was during the 1970 World Flying Championship that on his third attempt he felt he was going too fast and tried to slow down but fell and you know the rest. Interestingly enough he only suffered a concussion in the fall.
Last Sunday afternoon those of us who are Dallas Cowboy fans suffered the agony of defeat. With a 13-3 record, the best ever by America's Team, our beloved boys went down to the hated New York Giants and for the second year in a row lost their first playoff game. For me it was the culmination of two years of frustration with my favorite football teams. Two years in a row now my son's team, the Ryan Raiders, have lost in the first round of the playoffs and now the Cowboys have done the same. We won't even mention the Baylor Bears and what they have done the last two years!
A funny thing happened last Monday morning after we all experienced the agony of defeat . . . . the sun came up! That's right, just when we thought the world had come to an end, the sun still came up! It was amazing! I can confirm it first hand I was outside jogging when it happened! The same thing happened on Saturday November 17, 2007 the day after the Ryan Raiders lost in my son's final high school football game! Again I was amazed to see it happen, although not first hand that day!
The older I get the more I come to realize what is really important in life. I still love football. I loved playing it in high school, I love watching it as an adult and for the past four years or so I have loved being invovled with the athletes at Ryan High School, their head coach Joey Florence and especially my son Ryan. But I've come to realize that football teams come and go, championships last for only one year and then we move on. What I have come to realize is that people are what's most imporant in life. Even though the Cowboys lost, my family was still there, my friends were still there and they are worth more than all the championships in the world.
And after all the agony of defeat is not so bad because there's always next year! Go Cowboys!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Peace in the Middle East
You might not have noticed that President George Bush has been in Israel this week. With the 2008 presidential primaries underway Hillary and Obama, Rudy and McCain, and Huckabee and Romney and all the rest are grabbing most of the headlines. But if you are a keen observer you have heard about the President being in the other holy land (Baylor being the Texas holy land!)
On the front page of the Dallas Morning News today is a picture of President Bush shaking hands with Greek Orthodox clergymen during a visit to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on Thursday of this week. (I'm going to try and put the picture on here but remember I'm way behind technolotically so I may not get it done!) If you have been to that church as I have you recognize the scene in the background of that picture and you recognize the clergymen and their dress. Each time I have been there I have seen both. When you go to that church you have to go down under where they are standing in the picture to see the traditional site of the birth of Jesus. If you would like to go I'm planning a trip for 2010 so start saving your money now!
President Bush has stated that he wants to have a peace agreement between the Israelies and the Palestenians before his term in office is complete. Of course that means he has about 12 months to get it done. Mark Davis was commenting on this on WBAP radio this morning. He says that any "peace agreement" is meaningless. Just like the one that President Clinton brokered during his days in office and like the one Jimmy Carter got done during his. Davis says until the militant Palestinians are defeated there will be no peace in Israel.
The conflict that we have all observed in the Middle East for decades has been going on for much longer than any of us have been here on this earth. What President Bush and Mark Davis and all the rest need to understand is that conflict began in the womb of a woman named Rebekah thousands of years ago. Two boys, Jacob and Esau fought in the womb and their descendants are still fighting today!
The Bible talks about a time when the antichrist will come and bring peace to the entire world. Peace between Isralies and Palestinians and all the rest. Unfortunately that peace will be relatively short and will be followed by the worst tribulationt he world has ever known. Until that time we may see peace agreements signed by leaders but we will probably not see the "peace in the Middle East" President Bush and others are looking for.
In the meantime we need to make sure we are on the right side. The United States for decades has been on the "right side." Israel has been our friend and ally. While we act as peace makers in the years to come we better make sure we stay on the "right side!"
Let me hear you opinion!
Cowboys 35 Giants 21
Go Cowboys!
On the front page of the Dallas Morning News today is a picture of President Bush shaking hands with Greek Orthodox clergymen during a visit to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on Thursday of this week. (I'm going to try and put the picture on here but remember I'm way behind technolotically so I may not get it done!) If you have been to that church as I have you recognize the scene in the background of that picture and you recognize the clergymen and their dress. Each time I have been there I have seen both. When you go to that church you have to go down under where they are standing in the picture to see the traditional site of the birth of Jesus. If you would like to go I'm planning a trip for 2010 so start saving your money now!
President Bush has stated that he wants to have a peace agreement between the Israelies and the Palestenians before his term in office is complete. Of course that means he has about 12 months to get it done. Mark Davis was commenting on this on WBAP radio this morning. He says that any "peace agreement" is meaningless. Just like the one that President Clinton brokered during his days in office and like the one Jimmy Carter got done during his. Davis says until the militant Palestinians are defeated there will be no peace in Israel.
The conflict that we have all observed in the Middle East for decades has been going on for much longer than any of us have been here on this earth. What President Bush and Mark Davis and all the rest need to understand is that conflict began in the womb of a woman named Rebekah thousands of years ago. Two boys, Jacob and Esau fought in the womb and their descendants are still fighting today!
The Bible talks about a time when the antichrist will come and bring peace to the entire world. Peace between Isralies and Palestinians and all the rest. Unfortunately that peace will be relatively short and will be followed by the worst tribulationt he world has ever known. Until that time we may see peace agreements signed by leaders but we will probably not see the "peace in the Middle East" President Bush and others are looking for.
In the meantime we need to make sure we are on the right side. The United States for decades has been on the "right side." Israel has been our friend and ally. While we act as peace makers in the years to come we better make sure we stay on the "right side!"
Let me hear you opinion!
Cowboys 35 Giants 21
Go Cowboys!
Monday, January 7, 2008
First Time Blogger
Today I come into the age of blogging. My family accuses me of being way behind when it comes to technology. I know enough about computers to do what I need to do in preparing sermons or e-mailing but not much more. I don't have an ipod and they think I know nothing about their's. My cell phone is way out of date but I can make phone calls and answer them. And as of about a month ago I now do text messages as well. I really don't know why they think I'm so far behind!! Today I'm making another step forward by creating my own blog, which by the way except for a little help from my administrative assistant, I did all on my own! So take that family!
I'm going to ease into this blogging thing. At this point I'm not sure what I will put in my blogs or how often I will do so, but I'm sure as with most other things in my life it will evolve over time. I plan to talk some about my family, certainly a lot about my church. I'm certain I will even deal with some things like politics from time to time especially with the presidential race in 2008. While I would not share my political feelings from the pulpit or in the church newsletter or even on our website, this blog is my own and I will share things that I would not share in my role as pastor of First Baptist Church Denton. I'm sure I will talk about sports and my other passions and anything else that hits me on a particular day.
So if you are a seasoned blogger, be patient with me while I figure this thing out and hopefully surprise my family in the process.
I'll be watching the national championship game tonight. Denton's own Hermon Johnson all 6'7" and 356 pounds of him will be playing for LSU. I don't really care who wins tonight but I'm predicting LSU 24 Ohio State 17 While I watch I'll be dreaming of the day when Baylor plays for the national championship! What a dream!
I'm going to ease into this blogging thing. At this point I'm not sure what I will put in my blogs or how often I will do so, but I'm sure as with most other things in my life it will evolve over time. I plan to talk some about my family, certainly a lot about my church. I'm certain I will even deal with some things like politics from time to time especially with the presidential race in 2008. While I would not share my political feelings from the pulpit or in the church newsletter or even on our website, this blog is my own and I will share things that I would not share in my role as pastor of First Baptist Church Denton. I'm sure I will talk about sports and my other passions and anything else that hits me on a particular day.
So if you are a seasoned blogger, be patient with me while I figure this thing out and hopefully surprise my family in the process.
I'll be watching the national championship game tonight. Denton's own Hermon Johnson all 6'7" and 356 pounds of him will be playing for LSU. I don't really care who wins tonight but I'm predicting LSU 24 Ohio State 17 While I watch I'll be dreaming of the day when Baylor plays for the national championship! What a dream!
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