Sunday, January 21, 2007

COLTS WIN!!! COLTS WINN!!!


Two minutes ago Payton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts broke the back of the dynasty of the New England Patriots. Payton, who many said couldn't finish a big game, drove his offense down the throats of the Patriots' D. And the wonderboy Tom Brady who had ice flowing through his veins CHOKED and threw the INT.

I told Betsy at the beginning of the 4th quarter that whoever made the one mistake would lose, and Brady did with 23 seconds left. With that INT the Colts put the nail in the coffin and made history with coming back from the largest deficit (18 points) in play-off history.

What a game!

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Jack is Back


The first four hours of 24 are over, and I am left floored. Jack has been in a Chinese torture camp for a year and a half. He comes back to the USA and terrorists are now running things! But here comes Jack to save us.

In four hours: Jack has taken a "bite" out of crime - killing a man with just his teeth; he saved the life of one of the most influential terriosts in the world; killed his partner in crime, Curtis, and saw a nuclear bomb go off in LA! I wonder if Jack Bauer ever says, "Man it is going to be another one of THOSE DAYS!"

Six Miles

It is offical. I have cracked the 5 mile mark in my Half Marthon Training. Sunday was my first long run for the training. The quest...six miles. The longest prior to this was five miles about five years ago. Thinking I would probably die, I left my will with Betsy and Bowden and set out on the adventure.

I am here to let you know I survived. I must be in better shape than I thought. I finished and felt great. Of course I sandbagged a bit, averaging a little under a ten minute mile.

Orginally I was all set for the Georgia Half Marathon on March 25th. But TrueNorth is having a big day that day, so I am going to have to head to Nashville in April. Which is cool with me. A couple more weeks to get ready!

Monday, January 08, 2007

Shot Spotter

CRAZY! Didn't even know this techonology had been invented. Boston has just add the Shot Spotter technology to their "gun filled areas." Click here to learn more. Shot Spotter is a system that tells police when a shot has been fired 3 seconds after the triggered is pulled. They can tell within 10 feet where a gun has been fired.

Unlike "Minority Report" where the police are there BEFORE the crime occurs, this allows police to be their within minutes of a crime.

Apparently Charleston has this system as well. Crimals be WARNED!

Boxer Night


The fun part of being a youth minister is just making up things to see who will actually do it. One of those ideas was Boxer Night. This past Wednesday at Element we kicked of 2007 with a fun night of come in your favorite boxers. We had great number of students who wore their boxers on the outside of their clothes. It was great. Since our theme was boxers, I had to invent some games centered around boxers. My favorite and i think most creative was a game called "Smell my Boxers." The volunteers where blind folded and then I held up boxers that "smelled" and they had to figure what was in there....mustard, peanut butter, and maple syrup. Fun Times were had by all.


Betsy Being Swore In...




Here is Mrs. Betsy Buchanan Tanner being sworn in by Judge Dickert and Judge Annis making her an offical lawyer in the state of Georgia. This has taken 12 years of school. 4 years of undergrad at Furman. 3 year of masters at Georgia. Passing the Georgia Bar. AND NOW she is going for the South Carolina Bar and next....THE WORLD!

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Context

Last year in January 2006 one of my resolutions was to read through the ENTIRE bible. I have started this many many times, but have NEVER actually finished. Some people say I am ADD but what do they know...they don't know me. There was this one time I was in a store....wait...back to the Bible. (that might have confused some people-others laughed)

It is now 2007, and I have not finished the bible. But I have not given up. Currently I am in the month of JULY! Yes a little behind. Hey when you don't do it for a couple days, it adds up fast.

Now the meaning of the title: CONTEXT
The Old Testament is a struggle sometimes. Most of us who read the Word focus on the New Testament. Seriously, when you read the genealogy from Adam's house cat it can suck the life right out of you. I have just finished Deuteronomy. WOW. I guess I never realized how much the New Testament referenced back to the book of the Law. This was what the Religious were fighting for and Jesus was trying to break. Rob Bell talks a lot about this - knowing the context of the Bible. We read something Jesus says and try to fit it into our lives. Instead of reading it, looking at the audience He is speaking to, and then learning how POWERFUL His words were.

For Example: Deut. 22:13-20 talks about Laws of Sexual Morality. Verse 20 talks that if a woman is found not to be a virgin then she is to be dragged into the streets and stoned. Orders from God. It is in the Law He gave Moses. Taught for thousands of years. Everyone knew these rules. No if ands or butts. Jewish society was built on laws like this. Do something wrong - punished.

In John 8 Jesus comes into a situation where an unmarried woman is found in a sexual act and dragged (thanks Professor Gene) into the streets. This was not to say - we forgive you, but to kill her! Why? Because that was the law. Jesus steps in and says, "Yeah without sin, cast the first stone." (little KJV for you). The Law has past - a new sheriff is in town!

CONTEXT made this lesson of grace so much more powerful. Actually reading Moses Law and then remembering how Paul says the Law was the Tutor - the teacher (Christ) is now here - no need for the tutor!

"Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor." eph. 3:24-25