A Real Hero

It is not often that I follow a story in the Atlanta paper. I usually get mad when I read the slanted news and editorials, but the AJC recently ran a two part series that captivated my attention and Michael Carvell did an outstanding job in his story. The story is about a small town football coach and his struggle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). The story is lengthy so my small blog will not permit telling all the details but I will try to summarize as best I can.

Jeremy Williams is the 38 year old coach of Greenville, Georgia High School. The town of Greenville is about 90 miles southwest of Atlanta and has a population of 946. The coach married his high school sweetheart and has two children, an eight year old daughter and a six year old son. His son was born with spina bifida and just last week underwent surgery on both legs. This coach not only faces a tough future with his disease but as any parent knows a real fear for his son who faces years of treatment.

Coach Williams received a last minute scholarship offer from the University of Memphis and started his freshman year as the 5th string safety. By the time the season was to begin he had moved up to second string and right before the opening game the starting safety was injured and he was elevated to the starting position. He never missed starting a game for his entire four year career. I think it is very clear that this man is a fighter and he has instilled that same never give up attitude in his players at Greenville High.

The coach is a devout believer and he stated in the article that he knows that in Christ he will someday be cured. I don't think he is speaking of a miracle cure in this life but a complete healing when he is in the arms of Jesus. He has become so weak that he must ride a golf cart to the field and his voice is so low that an assistant has to repeat plays to the team. The players have the utmost respect and belief in their leader and their play this year illustrates this. The team was 10-0 before the playoffs and recorded five shutouts. The first playoff game was a 26-0 win over Pelham High School. The coach could have wallowed in the prognosis of his disease but instead has chosen to coach his team and lead his family for as long as he can.

I would love to write the ending to this season with a state championship but that is not for us to decide. The players will play the games with all their hearts and win or lose they will be champions following a coach who is a true champion of men. I think of those that we put on pedestals and commemorate as heroes and I can't help but think that this coach of a small town high school in Georgia is a true hero, the truest of heroes. He may receive little renown outside of Georgia, but he is well known by his savior for whom he lives. He is a true hero to his wife and his two small children. He is a true hero to a group of players who have watched their coach in his struggles and they know that he has never given up. I think those players, win or lose will never give up. They play in the second round of the playoffs this week and I hope you will join me in a prayer for strength for the coach and success for his players. I will keep you posted on how they do the rest of the year. I would like to thank the author of the story as most of this information came from his article. You can google coach Jeremy Williams of Greenville, Georgia and get a link to the AJC article.

My President

I have about had enough. I lived through the last presidential campaign where the "anointed one" ran against GW Bush. I lived through co workers continuously slamming my president. I lived through the quasi media elite making fun of my president. I will admit that he is not nearly as eloquent as the "anointed one" but I felt that when he looked you in the eye he was speaking his heart and he was speaking the truth. He was attacked because he did not hide his faith behind some political ideology. He was who he was and that's all that he was. You know, he did make some mistakes and I did not always agree with all he did but I will never forget that when the twin towers fell and we were under attack I had the utmost respect for him and his ability during this crucial time. I will never forget his greatest speech. He spoke from the national cathedral and gave me hope during the darkest days that I had ever experienced as an American. He has conducted himself with dignity since leaving the presidency and I can say that the First Lady, Laura Bush has been a class act both during her time in the White House and since.

I loved the man and I loved what he stood for. I heard daily in my office the slurs, the verbal attacks on the man and his character. I did not always stand up for his as I should have but I think most would agree that if we ever experience (hopefully we will not) another situation such as 9-11 that we will all be wishing that George W. Bush was still around. He truly had a deep faith in God (not so sure about the anointed one) and while he did not push his beliefs on others, you knew where he stood.

I write this today because of an article that my daughter sent me. I have attached this article and I urge you to read it. The article was written by a gay rights activist who truly says what needs to be said. I was truly touched by the authenticity of the writing. One might think that the activist is upset by the lack of progress he is experiencing under the Obama presidency but I think it goes much deeper than this. I urge you to read it in it's entirety and you will see why I was impacted by this statement from a most unlikely source. This story includes an account of a visit that the former President and First Lady made to the families at Ft. Hood.

I close by saying that I hope with all my heart that our President will come to understand the gravity of his decisions and his actions. My fear is that he is controlled by others who may not have the best interests of the American people. Go to the link below and read this amazing article.

http://hillbuzz.org/2009/11/10/thank-you-former-president-george-w-bush-and-former-first-lady-laura-bush/

The Right Time and The Right Place

I had an interesting conversation with a co worker today about the traditions of our churches. The conversation drifted around to the invitation that many churches give at the end of each church service. While I grew up in such a church I do not feel it is a necessity in order for one to come to know Christ. In fact I witnessed the pressure exerted upon people to walk an aisle. I can remember as a young boy the many ladies of the church who would go to individuals they suspected might not be saved and trying to talk them into a decision. I can remember young children who walked an aisle because a friend walked an aisle. I'll probably make someone mad but in many revivals counselors are used to begin to walk an aisle so that others would follow. I will not say that churches should not give an invitation. I think God saves in many different environments but no one method is a necessity for coming to know the Lord. In fact my church does not give an invitation, yet people come to know Christ and are baptized on a regular basis. I feel that there is a time appointed that a person will come to know the Lord. The conversation led to my telling a story of one such time.

I owned a True Value Hardware Store in Northern Arkansas for several years. I decided to have a time of Bible study for those of my staff who could choose to attend. We met on Friday mornings before the business opened. It was attended by myself, two ladies who worked for us, a bi-vocational pastor and a young man who had no upbringing in the church. One of the ladies was a Methodist who was devout in her faith. The other lady was raised in a Jewish home in Chicago. The Jewish Lady (Harriet) is the centerpiece of this story. After we began our study I asked the group if they had any preference for the study and Harriet suggested we start at the beginning (Genesis). I thought to myself that this was a great idea. Perhaps she would not feel threatened by a study that did not center on Christ or the New Testament. I knew that the book of Genesis pointed to Christ on almost every page but I trusted that this would be a good way to start.

We worked through the creation, sin etc. and about the fifth week of our study we came to the story of Noah and the Ark. In this study I described how the Ark was a picture of Christ in that the Ark saved people from the flood and Christ saves people from their life of sin. During the discussion I looked over and Harriet had giant tears streaming down her face. I asked what was bothering her and she replied.."I want that, I want to be saved". Well you can imagine the impact on our group. I instructed Harriet on the how to....simply ask Him and He will come into your heart and you will be saved. It was a great day of rejoicing for Harriet.

All this in the back of a True Value Hardware Store at 7:00 AM on a Friday morning. No music, no invitation, no pleading, no preaching. It was the work of the Holy Spirit in Harriet's heart. It was the right time, the right place....it was Harriet's time. Later on the young man was saved in his home with his wife. All of this came about because the Word was given and this was their time. God used our group to slowly deliver the Word to a heart that had been prepared in advance. Before we get hung up on our traditions let's remember that it is God who Saves. It is the Holy Spirit at work in the heart and we are just the one's who receive the blessing of seeing God at Work.

MOM

I confess to a real battle with Blogger's Block...I have really not felt inspired these past few days. I try to read passages of scripture but nothing seems to budge the block. I think about timely political topics but more block occurs. Today though would have been my mom's 80th birthday. She left us here on earth two years ago on December 3rd. I hate to admit it but it did not come to my mind that today would have been her birthday until lunchtime. I was blessing my food at Subway and had finished my prayer when it hit me that today was my mom's birthday. The reason I remembered was that I overheard a lady in the next booth say that her dad had passed away on this day a few years ago. This quickly brought to my mind that today was a special day. I quickly bowed my head and thanked God for the blessing that my mom was to me and I thanked Him that she was with Him in heaven.

As the day continued I thought of mom many more times. In my day timer I have a copy of her obituary that I read from time to time. As I arrived home this evening my wife told me that my Dad had called and he had been to her grave site to decorate the headstone. My daughter in Texas called and she was serving one of our favorite desserts that mom fixed (banana pudding). She was serving it in some of mom's dishes. I think it is safe to say that none of her children or grandchildren will ever forget what a special lady she was. She lives on in our hearts as every time we are together there will be some mention of her life or something she said.

None of us leave very much behind of any significance. Mom did leave a legacy behind. We all remember her for different things. Her sense of humor, her love for family, etc. What I best remember was her encouragement. Mom was an encourager. She made us think that we could do anything that we set our minds to. We were capable of doing anything and she gave us all courage and a desire to do more with our lives. Mom was also my spiritual mentor. She and I spent many long hours discussing things of our faith. She was a reader and a writer....I think I inherited this from her. I often thought that I did not receive any gifts from my ancestors. My grandfather was a master carpenter. Some of our family are gifted musicians..I can't carry a tune in a bucket and every time I get my tools out my wife hits her knees in prayer. But mom did give me a love of books, of reading and of writing. I thank her for this. It is a gift that I treasure.

I am thankful that one day I will join mom in Heaven. Mom gave me the greatest gift I could ever desire...that of knowing the One who holds me in His hands. She showed me the way to my Savior. For this I say thanks mom and I also say that though you are gone my heart still beats for you and I love you now even more than before. I'll see you on the other side.