Cool Comfort

As of today, it's finally starting to feel like fall. Let's hope it lasts.

The latter end of the work week (I feel like a wage slave when I say that) had been generally good. I treasure the times I get to hang out with my BCM buddies. We got together in Taylor and TJ's room last night to get ideas for Homecoming. Our theme is based on the Eighties and trends, shows, movies, and media that was popular back then. We tossed ideas like G.I. Joe, Smurfs, Apple computers, and the Reagan administration before we finally settled on the required three. I won't share them here (other groups could be spying), but I'm excited about them.

After that, some of us headed down to the Tower Cafe, where I had a nice, long conversation with Hudson, the other guy in my breakout group from Katartidzo. He was sporting a bandage wrap on his arm identical to mine; yep, we both gave blood yesterday. Although my experience was one I'd rather forget. No sooner do I finish up with the questions, get my mini-physical, hop on the gurney and get the needle in my arm, then seven minutes into it, a wave of nausea breaks over me. When you get that feeling, you know exactly what's about to happen. But thankfully, the nursing staff was keeping a close eye on the "patients," and they quickly stuffed a plastic bag under my chin.

I'll spare you the gory details, but let's just say they needed three more bags before my nausea passed. After it, they tried to make me lie down for another 15 minutes. No sir. I was off the gurney and out of there as soon as I gained my feet. I'd made enough of a spectacle of myself.

I had a fun time this afternoon playing football with Lauren, Andrew, Taylor, TJ, Chris (Teel), Kristen, and some of the others. I think we unofficially named Lauren the MVP of the game on account of her three TD catches and one interception (it was off a pass that bounced off my fingers). So anyway, lots of fun times that were had.

And now, I'd like to introduce you to the newest occupant of The Eye. Without further ado, I give you... ... ...



Song of the Day: Michael W. Smith - "Healing Rain"

Verse of the Day: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ." - Philippians 1:9-10

Not Working

I really need to log more hours at Chick-Fil-A. My bank account has taken some sizable hits thanks to expenses like groceries, gas, and Katartidzo. The first two are ongoing, and I have a mission trip coming up that costs even more than the retreat. So I need to work more shifts if I'm going to cover them and still have a decent amount for my savings. One day a week just isn't cutting it anymore. I want to do two days at minimum, three days if I can.

I shouldn't be complaining, and I feel like a slug for bemoaning my financial situation when hundreds of thousands of people are starved and homeless down south. Compared to them, I don't have any problems at all. When will I learn to trust that God will provide in things that seem bleak or out of my control? Why do I always have to be so stubborn and think I need to be on top of everything right away? How is it my sinful nature traps me so often?

In many ways, that's one of my biggest flaws (among many). I'm a control freak. A relentless one. I like to get on top of things immediately, and I get frustrated when they change or don't go according to plan. Ask anybody you like; I'm a person who prefers stability and isn't good at expecting the unexpected. And often, it's the unexpected that happens. Other times, I'll push myself so hard that I'll end up doing too many things at once, trying too hard to be available and see things done. Very often, the consequence is me falling flat on my face, hurt and humbled.

I can recall an example even now, just recently, of my stumbling into that obstacle. I'll spare you the details, but it involved me and my role on the BCM Leadership Team. I let myself get ambitious and inadvertantly tried to do another team member's job. They informed me, with more tact and gentleness than I deserved, of my error, and it felt like a lead anchor hit bottom in my gut. They treated it like it was no big deal, but I felt terribly ashamed of what I'd done, even if I didn't realize at the time that it was wrong. I shut myself up in my room, and for an hour I cried out to God for forgiveness. I know both they and God have forgiven me, but I still feel disgusted about it.

Why am I a control freak? Why do I get so uptight about things that don't work out like I want them to?

Maybe part of it is fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of what will happen if I'm not prepared. Fear of vulnerability. But the more I think about it, the more I can feel the Holy Spirit shaking me. Isn't that exactly what my attitude is supposed to be? I'm supposed to be vulnerable; I certainly can't be invulnerable. It's not my place to assume that I can be ready for anything that comes my way. If I do that, then I eliminate God as the cornerstone of my life. What does it say about my ministry if I don't admit I'm weak and helpless, yet held fast by the unshakeable God of the universe? Just as importantly, where's the faith in that? Certainly not in the power of God to sustain and to provide for us at our weakest. My control is powerless in the face of God's will; no matter what, it will be done. And if His will is what I seek, then I first have to yank my own self out of the way and be willing to fall facedown.

How much easier is it to just let go? It's easier on the heart, that's for sure. But the bottom line is, we should have a measure of order in our lives. I'm not saying we can go out and abolish society and laws and live like animals. However, we have to be willing to admit that some things are just out of our control, and getting uptight or angry about it won't solve anything. In everything, we should say to the Lord, "Not my will, but Yours be done," just as Jesus did when he prayed that agonizing final prayer in the Garden of Gethsemene. If a change of plans makes us mad or surprises us, it's probably because we're out of tune with what the Holy Spirit wants us to do. I pray that God will work on this within me, that He would knock me flat on my face if that's what it takes for me to submit. God, take away the fear inside of me. Let nothing stand between me and Your Spirit. Help me to be vulnerable. Remind me of my weakness. Re-assure me of Your strength. And above all, reveal Yourself in my submission.

Song of the Day: Natalie Grant - "Held"

Verse of the Day: "The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away." - Job 5:11-13

Pictures From Katartidzo

What awesome times we had up at Camp McCall this weekend. It almost feels like a culture shock to go back to the normal routine.

But today was great. In many ways, it was the quietest day I've had in a while. No extracurricular activities, no meetings to attend. Just a normal day of classes and homework. It felt good to have one of those again. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. "You're mental if you consider homework good." But it's definitely been interesting.

I forgot to mention that this weekend was my friend Anna Kate's birthday; she turned 21! Her family took her to the Clemson game on Saturday and had a tailgate celebration with two cakes, one of them sporting a cute martini on the top layer. It's symbolic; she doesn't drink. :) I went down to Fountain Inn where she lives yesterday after I got back from Katartidzo, and took her out to dinner. We had such an awesome time at Zaxby's eating chicken fingers and discussing topics that ranged from Disney World rides to public school education to religion courses.

She's very funny and loves the kids she works with at Wren Elementary. Recently, she gave them spelling tests and they all wrote her personal notes. One of them said, "I love you, and I hope you love me too." Wasn't that nice? It's the little things like a child's love that makes you love teaching. I hope to experience that too someday.

Song of the Day: Russ Lee - "All About Grace"

Verse of the Day: "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." - 2 Corinthians 3:17 (Just reading that verse makes me want to get up and do "The Freedom Dance" again...)

Need to Digest

I should be finishing my English reading assignment right now. But my thoughts are all-a-jumble. Which makes it pretty much impossible to concentrate if I don't give them an outlet. Yes, I'm about to ramble. That's your cue to run for the hills.

I had the awesome privilage of going with the BCM gang to Camp McCall this weekend for Katartidzo, our fall retreat. For two years, I found some way to miss out on that for reasons that aren't worth discussing in this time frame. I'm not interested in dwelling on the past or wishing things happened differently than they did. God's great will covers every portion of our lives: past, present, and future. I'm trying real hard to wrap my arms around that.

I'll try to keep this in staccato format. Off we go...

- I got to drive one of the vans. My little guardian angel got to hang from a new vehicle.

- HIS Radio Shara-Thon. I understand it, but I still don't like to listen to it. Especially not when the radio anchors get caught up in that instead of the music.

- Big shout-out to my amigos of Team Purple: Elloa, Emily, Hudson, and the others. The time and conversations we shared will make me laugh and reflect for a long time to come.

- We had a great Bible charades event planned, but it fell through. Tragic.

- I played a game of "PONY" on the basketball court with TJ, Lauren, Jen Wilder, Chris, and others. Think of "HORSE," except with a different name. What was funny was none of us paid attention to how many letters we piled up upon missing shots. We were too busy laughing and goofing around and having a good time. Not a bad trade-off, if you ask me.

- Rodney Norvell is a wise counselor. I love his advice.

- Yesterday morning at breakfast, I was reminded why I quit drinking orange juice. Peel off the top. Pour into cup. Drink it down. Spend the next hour feeling like I'm passing a kidney stone. It's probably the acidic content.

- Quiet time. Alone. The mountains... ... ... PRAISE GOD!

- I filled up about 70 water balloons yesterday in preparation for our afternoon Mega Relay. Got so caught up in it that I nearly missed lunch.

- If you ever meet Anna Lovett, you absolutely MUST get her to teach you the "Freedom Dance!" I promise you will not regret it! Yes, you will look ridiculous, silly, absurd, and undignified. And that's the whole point. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, THERE! IS! FREEDOM!" Bonus if you get Elloa Lee to dance around with her drum.

- Good news: Furman 44, Hofstra 41, in overtime

- Bad news: Boston College 16, Clemson 13, also in overtime

- Field Fest. I learned quite a few things out there. I have no sense of direction in crab soccer. Water balloons are more bouncy than I thought (and they pop in the heat). I can run at close to full speed with an ice cube on a plastic spoon hanging from my mouth and not drop it. I can do maybe half of that with a wet sponge and a foam cup of leaking water. Laying on top of a T-shirt encased in an ice block to thaw it out feels unbelievably good. Trash buckets make for good shielding against water balloon attacks.

- Lemonade was served at dinner last night. Sweetest drink I've ever tasted. In more ways than the obvious.

- I was in tears when we did the hour of praise and worship. That doesn't happen for me too often, but I just couldn't hold it back (and didn't want to). Just overwhelmed by the presence of God.

- Lauren Harris is a ping-pong pro-player (yay for alliteration).

- The bonfire. Another major highlight. I got to explain the whole "Sandlot" exchange to Will Swinson. ("You're killing me, Smalls!") I sat in a corner with Chris and Jessie as we sang a whole bunch of songs as the fire burned down and the wind rustled through the trees around us. Chris had a song he wanted to do, but he spent the entire night trying to remember it. Finally, it hit him. "Here I Am to Worship." A perfect way to finish it.

- Don't take detours through the woods at night. Especially if you're going uphill.

- I woke up at 6:00 this morning without my alarm. Now if only I could do that at Furman...

- Fresh-baked blueberry muffins for breakfast will put a smile on your face. Or failing that, they'll fill up your stomach with warmth.

- Make Anna laugh. Then keep making her laugh. You'll know to stop when she turns purple in the face or starts rolling on the floor. You might need to remind her to breathe.

- Say "Paris" to Will. Don't ask why. Just do it. :)

- I nearly backed the van into the edge of the wooden fence leading to the dining room. Fortunately, that was the only drama to come of my van-driving experience. And a big reason I asked Lauren to pray for me driving back.

Yes, I absolutely loved Katartidzo. I'm glad beyond words I was able to go. I experienced whole new depths of God's majesty and grace. Many new friends and acquaintences-but-soon-to-be-friends were made. I felt myself challenged and soaked in the presence of God. Lord, may You help me to keep that fire going here at Furman.

Whew. I've digested now. Guess it's time to get back to English phonemes...

Song of the Day: Matt Redman - "Facedown"

Verse of the Day: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." - Galatians 5:1

Countdown to Katartidzo

It won't be much longer now. Only 27 hours, 39 minutes, and 28 seconds until Katartidzo.

What is Katartidzo, you ask? Well, first of all, let's clear up how to properly pronounce it. "Ka-tar-tid-zo" (stress on the /i/). Not "Kartaridzo" or "K-zo" or any other such moniker. We've been pushing the proper pronunciation especially hard this year, but inevitably some will get it wrong. I know. I have. Several times. So we'll work on it.

But anyway, "Ka-tar-tid'zo" is the name of our BCM fall retreat at Camp McCall. Defined, it means "to equip a person as a master does an apprentice." That's the core of what we'll be doing up there. Working to equip more people in discipleship and evangelism to build up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12). Jenn Wilder has done an incredible job of pulling this retreat together, organizing the events, planning the games (kudos also goes to Jenn West for her help in that), and gathering material for group activities.

The response we've gotten has been tremendous for the most part. We filled two sign-up sheets, and I believe Rodney said as many as 50 students are going. Considering the fact that we had less than two weeks really to push Katartidzo with our promotions and TNT, that's awesome.

So many exciting things on the agenda. We'll have large group meetings, breakout group sessions, Bible story charades (!!), water games, wall-climbing, ropes courses, and lots more. This will actually be my first chance to join BCM for Katartidzo, as last year I was still settling into a new job and didn't feel comfortable taking off for an entire weekend just yet. So I'm excited about that.

I'm glad we scheduled a prayer meeting tonight specifically for the retreat. We absolutely need to be in tune with the Holy Spirit and what He wants to do with this thing. I think Jessie mentioned something about fasting for the retreat as well, but I don't know all the details about that. I guess I could start at noon and fast dinner and such. But anyway, I hope we have a wonderful time at McCall this weekend. We've got so many fun things planned, but all of that is secondary to what really needs to happen. This retreat needs to be a time for us to grow and to intensify our desire to live for Christ. I pray that we will go into this ready and eager for God's will to be done in our lives and our hearts. Also that we'll make new friends, and build new relationships that we'll bring back to Furman with us.

More than anything, I pray that the fire and passion we get from Katartidzo will become a flame in our hearts that lasts and lasts. Intimate worship with God is not a one-time deal, nor is it something we pick up from one retreat only to forget after a week or so. It is a lifestyle. It is who we are and what we do. It is a fire that funnels through every fiber of our being, that touches every aspect of our works. It is an act of total and complete submission to the one, true God, admitting that our ways are futile and that we NEED the Holy Spirit so desperately. We are lost without the Spirit. And so I hope that God will rekindle that fire in our hearts for those who need it. I know I need it.

Song of the Day: Bebo Norman - "You Are So Good to Me"

Verse of the Day: "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." - Colossians 1:28-29

A Kansas Prayer

My Sunday School teacher sent me this e-mail today. I think it speaks for itself. :)

>>>
From: "Doug Blackburn" Doug.Blackburn@starktruss.com
To: "David Ballinger" silentstardb@yahoo.com

I say Hallelujah and Amen to this one!!!

This Pastor has guts!! Thought you might enjoy this interestingprayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seemsprayer still upsets some people. When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting theusual generalities, but this is what they heard:

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask yourforgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done.

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!"

The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea.

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired.

With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called "one nation under God." If possible, please pass this prayer on to your friends. "If you don't stand for something, you will fall for everything."
<<<

Song of the Day: Mark Schultz - "I Have Been There"

Verse of the Day: "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." - 2 Corinthians 3:17

A Heart-Warming Story

I don't have much to share tonight. So I'll instead show you an article I came across that showed just one more side of good that came out of Hurricane Katrina's aftermath.


After receiving help, evacuee returns favor
Published September 19, 2005

Sharon White has many stories. By the time I caught up with her last week, she had already logged numerous hours working at the Madden Mental Health Center near west suburban Maywood, where nearly 65 Hurricane Katrina evacuees arrived Sept. 7.

She could tell me about the kindness of churches and businesses she had called for donations.The kindness of a friend who had opened her spacious home for a fundraiser with some of Chicago's well-to-do, but had no qualms about also inviting evacuees so they too could partake in a poolside barbecue.

But there was one story in particular that stood out.

When the evacuees arrived at Madden--one of several facilities in the area housing evacuees--White asked them what they needed."They said they were hungry," said White. "So my fiance and I got them sandwiches from the kitchen."Women and men, many exhausted and dirty from travel and the storm, formed a line."

But there was one man, I noticed him right away. He didn't get in the line," said White.With his long, scruffy beard, threadbare clothing and snaggletoothed smile, Manuel Justin, 54, was seated in a corner, off by himself.

White walked over to Justin and asked him whether she could get him something. He shook his head. "Everybody needed one thing or another, and they all had legitimate needs," said White. "But he kept saying he was fine."

Days passed, and Justin continued not to ask for anything. So White simply started insisting he take some of the donated items: clothing, toiletries, a handmade quilt."

Every time I gave him something, his eyes would brighten and he'd open up a little more."

Then on a recent afternoon, Justin approached White, albeit sheepishly, and asked if she wouldn't mind getting him batteries for his transistor radio.

"I said, well, finally, he wants something." White ran out to a nearby drugstore and purchased new batteries for the radio. But when it still didn't work, she bought him a new clock radio."The clock radio was in a box and he hugged it," said White, smiling. "I told him I'd try to get him a portable radio later and he said, `No, this is fine. This is beautiful.'"

She noticed that every morning he'd unplug his new gift and put it in a duffel bag he carried around with him throughout the day.

"I said, `You know, Manuel, you can leave the radio in your room.' But he wasn't having it."

Justin said that in New Orleans he worked odd jobs in the French Quarter. At times he lived with friends. At other times he lived alone in a trailer park.

He said he had grown accustomed to two things: carrying his belongings with him and recycling items to extend their use. An empty cigarette pack, for example, could double as a wallet.

He has learned to get by on very little, which is why he didn't mind that initially he couldn't do anything with the travelers checks he received from the American Red Cross. He and a few other evacuees couldn't cash them because they didn't have identification.

"I didn't need no checks," said Justin. "So it didn't bother me."

But it bothered White. "These people have been through so much and they didn't need any more hangups."

She told Justin that she would try to help him cash his checks. But so many other things vied for her attention, and they simply remained in his duffel bag.

Then last week, White was in a meeting at Madden, where she works in quality assurance. She happened to look up and saw Justin standing nearby, beckoning for her. "I said, `Wait a minute, I'll be with you in a minute.'"

Justin didn't move. He waited until White's meeting ended and followed her into her office.

There, he bent down and rifled through his duffel bag. He pulled out his cigarette pack. Inside were ten $10 bills. Someone from the Red Cross had helped him cash his travelers checks.

He handed her the entire lot. His offering, he said, was in case she needed something.

"I just cried," said White. "He had nothing..., and was prepared to give me all he had. I said, `Thank you, Manuel, but I can't take your money.'"

I asked Justin why he did it. His answer was spare and simple: "Because she was good to me."


Song of the Day: Caedmon's Call - "Only Hope"

Verse of the Day: "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." - Galatians 3:26-27

Sunday Bliss

After an emotional week of classes and fervent prayers for Blake and his family, it felt good to have a nice, quiet day to unwind a bit. Especially considering all that's coming up this week.

I ended up going back to FBC this morning. I'm so glad I did. First of all, the selected anthem for the choir was "On Eagle's Wings." A beautiful piece that describes how much we need to "dwell in the shelter of the Lord" day by day. God is our refuge, the only true, lasting source of peace there is. So I was glad to join the choir singing it.

We had a celebration of baptism scheduled for the service this morning. But apparantly, the two being baptized were late getting to the changing rooms, and so Pastor Randy had to go out into the pool and keep things going until they were ready. Not a problem, though. He simply asked Mr. Kirby to lead the congregation in worship, and so we sang a few hymns until the "baptizees" (for lack of a better term) came out and joined Randy. I felt it was a really cool example of how there needs to be a spontaneous nature in church services. I'm not saying they should dump the bulletins and wing it from here on out (although that would be cool to see happen at least once). But at any time, God might decide to deviate us from our normal, comfortable routine. Even in a worship service things don't always go according to plan. And to be honest, I prefer it that way. Think about it like this. Who are we to tie down the Holy Spirit with rigid, regulated services timed to the precise minute? God is all about shaking us loose from our comforts and throwing us into situations we don't expect. I occasionally wonder what some of our church-goers would do if, by some freak incident, the electricity in the Sanctuary went out. Or the keyboard fell to pieces. Or if (though this is stretching it) someone broke into the church and robbed all the pew hymnals?

All of those hypothetical scenarios are small potatoes compared to the "daily life" of the early church. They dealt with the persecution and ridicule of a government bent on stopping the spread of God's truth by whatever means necessary. Leaders like Peter and Paul were tried, beaten, and jailed for their role in the expansion of the church. Yet none of that could sway them from their mission. They knew their calling and strength rested in a Savior that the authorities and religious experts couldn't even fathom. Just think. A church of believers coming together with the full knowledge that they may not see each other the following night. These were "typical" conditions for them!

That's something we'd do well to think about in our churches today. Again, I'm not saying structure is a bad thing or criticizing any church that plans like that. But the fact is, the Holy Spirit can not be placed on a church bulletin. There's no planning when, how, or in what way it will show up. God doesn't work according to our rules or our schedules. He's nonsensical that way. But that's the trick. Are we willing to lay ourselves at Christ's feet outside our carefully-planned agendas, or do we only do so half-heartedly or whenever it's convenient? Do we need to get tossed about before we choose to rest in the hands of God? I know I've been tossed; several times, in fact.

Anyway, the rest of the service was great, and I was glad to be back at FBC again. As a pleasant bonus, I got to go to lunch with Anna Kate, a friend I made working with children over the summer, and her family. We went to Coach House and had an awesome time! She helps teach children at Wren Elementary, and they love her. :)

I returned to Furman soon after that, caught up on some e-mails, had a nice workout at the PAC, went to praise team practice in the music building, and then had a nice, long conversation with my Mom. All in all, a nice, quiet day. Enjoy those when they come along; that's my advice. Goodnight and God bless!

Song of the Day: Amy Grant - "Simple Things"

Verse of the Day: “ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. ”- Phillipians 2:3-4

Emotionally Spent

Miami 36, Clemson 30
(triple overtime)

It hurts so much to lose a game like this. No question going into this one that Miami had superior talent and depth on both sides of the ball. Yet we went into the Orange Bowl and upset them 24-17 (also in OT) last year. Could we capture lightning in the bottle twice?

This one was a thriller in so many ways. Two teams laying it all out on the gridiron, each one fighting to take out the other. The kind of game that makes your heart wrench like an inflated balloon. Yet you don't want it to end.

I hope our Tigers don't go home feeling bad tonight. Granted, we had our chances to win the game. But we don't need any moral victories from this, and we don't need any excuses, should've, could've, or would've. The fact is, we played hard. We made some awesome plays, but Miami just came out on top. It's tough to lose like this, but we have a lot to be proud of tonight. Once and for all, we showed that when other teams play us, they had better be ready to play the full 60 minutes. We will go out and fight and claw and scratch until the final seconds tick off. I love this team's resolve and "never say die" attitude. We lost the battle tonight, but we're very much in the war.

Let me also mention that Death Valley reached a new level of NOISE! I didn't think it could get any louder than it did against FSU in 2003, but the 80,000+ Tiger Faithful exceeded even that. By the end of the fourth quarter, the ABC sideline announcer was having trouble hearing his fellow commentators; the place was rocking so loud, it shook! Thanks for your awesome support, fans! Let's give the BC Eagles a LOUD welcome next Saturday!

GO TIGERS! Beat Boston College!

Song of the Day: Avalon - "You Were There"

Verse of the Day: "Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?" - Isaiah 2:22

Urgent Prayer Request

If you've been reading the papers lately, you may've heard about a tragic accident involving three Citadel cadets. Two of them, Clarke Russell and Brett Warren, were killed instantly (please keep their families and friends in your prayers), and a third, Blake Campbell, was critically injured. Blake goes to my church and I know him from Sunday School. He's been hospitalized at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. His condition hasn't been good. There's been swelling in his brain that required the medical staff to perform surgery on him earlier, and although it was successful, his vital organs have shown signs of shutting down. From what I'm hearing, he may not live much longer.

If you're reading this, please pray. Stop what you're doing right now and pray for Blake. Nothing is impossible with God. If He wills it, He could heal Blake right at this moment. It is not too late for a miracle to happen if He wishes it. Please pray for God's will to be done in this, and no matter what happens, may He be glorified. Pray also for Blake's family as they sit by his bedside, watching their son in what could be his last hours on this earth. I can't fathom their grief right now, but they've clung to God through it all and are doing as well as can be expected. Prayer is a mighty thing; please use it.

Holy Spirit, please come down and raise up Blake's body. If it's in Your will, Lord, let him survive this, let him live to see the faces of his grieving parents at his bedside and the friends who are also praying for him right now. May Your will be done, Lord.

*UPDATE* Blake died early this morning around 12:30 am. Please, please continue to lift us his parents and his friends in your prayers. Thank you.

GO CRUSADERS!!!

What a great series! The Shannon Forest Christian girls volleyball team played Asheville School this evening. I went down just behind Susannah and her boyfriend Mitch, and got there just in time for pre-game warmups. The first game in the series was won easily by SFC 25-16. Laura Cornett got two service aces and Savannah Boccio and the others looked polished on the bump-set-spikes. The second game was more difficult as Asheville started catching on to our offensive scheme, but Shannon never trailed and pulled out the win 25-21.

Then came the third game, one that would either clinch the series in our favor or force us to play them in a fourth contest. Our girls came out flat and soon found themselves facing a 10-1 deficit. Asheville started dominating up front, blocking their spikes and catching them off guard with some huge saves. Coach Godsey called time-out to try and pull them together, after which they narrowed the deficit to 10-5. But then AS started matching the girls score for score, and they couldn't seem to close the gap. Then they started making sloppy mistakes, and AS's lead increased to 22-13. Once again, we called time-out.

After that, the tide turned. The Lady Crusaders started a 6-0 scoring frenzy that slowly and methodically chipped away at Asheville's lead. But then they scored again to make it 23-19. The fans in the gym were going nuts, and I could hear some of the girls' moms yelling in encourgement for them to hang in there. I was yelling my lungs out too. And then, our girls finally broke through with another 6-0 spree, with Katherine Carter making a key spike at the end. Final score: Shannon Forest 25, Asheville School 23.

Whoo! Big Green Rumble! Go Crusaders!!

Song of the Day: Mark Harris - "For the First Time"

Verse of the Day: "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." - Colossians 3:17

The Other Shoe

So, we are officially three days into fall term, even though yesterday technically didn't count because I didn't have any classes. And so far, all three of my classes are going surprisingly well. Which makes me nervous. I'm one of those people who doesn't like it when things get too easy. I get nervous waiting for the other shoe to drop, and it will, sooner or later. I'd better make sure my feet are covered.

Okay, that was awful...

Idle tidbits:

- It seems that Krispy Kreme has changed its hours from midnight to 11 pm. Which puts a serious crimp in us BCMers plans to continue the grand tradition of hanging out there after TNT. I've only been a couple of times, but every time, I have enjoyed it. So we'll likely have to come up with a new late-night tradition. Stay tuned for future updates.

- I'm going home this weekend. Whee! :)

- 72% of Americans on an MSN poll say President Bush's speech from the French Quarter this evening did nothing to regain the administrative ground he's lost. I say the question in itself is pointless. Words can't rebuild lives and cities ruined by a catastrophic hurricane. It's the actions that count; going out and making it happen.

- Clemson and South Carolina will play their rivalry game on Thanksgiving weekend next year and for at least the following four years. My reaction? A Thanksgiving tailgate feast seems like a fast, cheap way to celebrate. Here's hoping we'll keep the family together with our usual tradition. With the television turned on, of course. :)

- Chat room sounds & emoticons = fun, yet distracting

Song of the Day: Point of Grace - "Keep the Candle Burning"

Verse of the Day: "But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life." - Jude 1:20-21

And So It Begins

Apologies for this post being a day late.

The first day of classes went very nicely yesterday. In fact, I'm inclined to say it was the best "first" day of classes I've yet had at Furman. Now that doesn't say very much, but it's something. Unlike my freshman and sophomore years, this one started off with a strong air of familiarity mixed with the newness.

Religion 33 - It's going to be interesting (and hopefully fun) studying Paul's life, thought, theology, history, and all that goes with it this fall. A major plus is having Dr. CroweTipton back as my professor. I enjoyed having him for Religion 11, and so when this class finally opened up, I jumped right on it. He was in top form, too, joking on the syllabus and mock-lamenting our crazy textbook situation. He gave us all a self-inventory to complete for Friday and cancelled class for today (did I mention I really like him. I do). The inventory dealt with our interpretation of the Bible and what influences it. I found it quite interesting and thought-provoking. I was glad he let us be honest.

English 21 - So now I go back in time. I took ENG-22 last spring (British & American Lit. Since 1798) and so now I'll cover the literature before that year. I've got Dr. Rogers again, and I'm certain he's already made some students want to crawl under their desks and slink out of class. If I hadn't dealt with his system in freshman year, we might have a problem, but now that I'm familiar with it, hopefully there won't be too many bumps. We're just two days in and I've already had to submit a literary analysis for Beowulf. I'm just waiting for other students to tear it apart with their responses. Okay, I've got more confidence in my abilities than that. We'll see how it goes.

English 39 - Rogers again! And not only that, but he also happens to be my advisor for English. Well, scheduling meetings shouldn't be too difficult this fall. He warned us right off that this course was going to be labor-intensive and most work would be done out of class. Such is the price we pay for having the class only three days a week. I'm already getting nervous about facing the dreaded syntax and diagramming exercises again. I did them before in English-11 and ... well, let's just say they could've gone better. So much prayer on that end would be greatly appreciated. A small part of me is glad to have the opportunity tie up that particular loose end once and for all.

TNT went extremely well last night. A few minor snafus. But God's Spirit is bigger than any of them. That's what touches people's hearts; not our fancy graphics or snappy announcement banter. That's all that needs to be said.

Song of the Day: Mark Schultz - "I Am the Answer"

Verse of the Day: "But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." - Ruth 1:16

Ice Cream Social

Well. The last night before classes. A new semester looms ahead of me. New faces to meet, new challenges to confront, new tests to fail ... just kidding.

Surprisingly, I'm not nervous. Maybe a little bit, I am, but it's not getting to me the way it has the last two years. I have the Holy Spirit to thank for that. Already, God has begun to give me a sense of peace and inner calm to let me know that He's there. No matter what happens, no matter how hard the classes get or how busy I get, He is always there giving me strength and peace. I received an awesome new example of just how great a healer and a comforter He is this morning. Over the weekend, I hurt my foot jumping down from a raised concrete surface. It wasn't until the following day that I noticed anything wrong, but by yesterday, my foot was throbbing really bad. But I prayed about it (and Jessie prayed too - bless her heart), that God would just touch my foot and take away the pain. And this morning, I woke up, climbed out of bed, stepped down on it - and the pain was gone. History.

Now, stress fractures like the one I had can take up to a week to even start healing. And that's usually when you notice bruising or redness on the base of your foot. But mine disappeared almost overnight. God be prasied!!

Anyway, we had Freshman Survival Night this evening. And as with the Luncheon, it was a marvelous success. We had a great turnout, played some fun get-to-know-you games, listened to Taylor and TJ offer testimonies on religious life at Furman and finding a good church to attend, and topped it off with some Marble Slab ice cream. It was actually the first time I'd tried ice cream from Marble Slab, but it was tasty.

So, I guess I'll sign off for now. I've got Religion-33 first thing tomorrow morning. But I'm looking forward to it. Prayers would be appreciated.

Song of the Day: Matt Redman - "Holy Moment"

Verse of the Day: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." - John 14:27

Lasting Love

I type this on the heels of praise band practice. I want to say that I look forward to our rehearsals every week, and I've missed them over the summer. Seriously, I love being with these guys. It feels like every time we come together to practice, we do so much more than learn songs, compare music sheets, and alternate chords. When we come together, we worship. Our hearts become united. The Holy Spirit just comes down and takes over the entire thing. From the moment we gather in prayer to the end of practice, it's a time I get inspired by the Spirit of Almighty God, and He sets my soul on fire all over again. It really is about more than just the music. It's about an expression of our love and submission to Christ. Praise Him for His mercy and love.

It's difficult to disconnect from that. There have been times that I've cringed at leaving worship practice to return to the real world. Because sadly, it's a world where Satan is in business. Greed, corruption, hate, discord, crime, and immorality run rampant. What's to look forward to in surroundings like that?

Plenty. The Bible says, "the fields are ripe for the harvest." We as Christians are called by God to be the salt and light to those who need it. And that includes those ready to shun the message of the gospel and all of those who embrace its teachings. Jesus didn't teach us to hide from the world. He didn't tell us to spout litugical phrases and then go hide in secluded holes. Jesus taught us to go out. Love our neighbors. Pray for those who persecute us. Live our lives are models of integrity and faith filled with the Holy Spirit. It's that same Spirit that wins lost people to Christ, just like it did for me as a child. The message of Christ's love and grace is for everyone; it's far from a private religion aimed at making us feel better. It's a deep, heartfelt expression of our sinful natures, and our cry for God to cleanse us with the fire of the Spirit and purify us anew. That's a love that is lasting. Eternally lasting.

That love especially hits me today, on the fourth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. I can remember every detail about that harrowing day, but most of all, I remember the ways God worked even in the midst of evil. Firefighters and rescue workers risking death to enter the rubble of the Twin Towers to search for survivors. Ordinary citizens hurrying out to their local American Red Cross to donate blood in record numbers. Republicans and Democrats putting aside their past differences (if only for a time) to stand united in singing "God Bless America." The heroism and courage demonstrated by the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93 such as Todd Beamer, who continues to inspire me to this day. Prayer and candlelight vigils held in communities including Furman, where several friends I watched graduate last June had only spent their first day as freshmen.

I choose not to dwell on the heartache and sorrow of that day, but instead to reflect on the life lessons that God taught. Dependence on God is our only true security. Every other foundation in our lives will eventually fail. And the love of Christ can shine even in the darkest hours, when it seems evil has struck a mortal blow. God doesn't take a backseat as tragedies unfold. He's right there working before, during, and after they occur. His light is the refuge in which we find comfort. Even the symbolic "Tribute in Light" towers are mere symbols compared to the light of Christ. I pray that the friends and families of those who lost loved ones four years ago will either find or remember that peace.

Sigh. I can say no more...

Song of the Day: Bebo Norman - "You Are So Good to Me"

Verse of the Day: "My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you." - Isaiah 54:10

The Heart-Attack Boys

Tommy Bowden?

I love you and your Tigers.

But enough with the heart-stopping comebacks! I can only take so much!

Clemson 28, Maryland 24

I'm ashamed to say we've got more than a few trolls in fans' clothing ready to tear down our team the minute we get into trouble. Case in point: after we dominated the opening quarter with a near-10-minute drive to go up by a 7-0 score, Maryland goes on a passing frenzy as QB Sam Hollenbach picked apart our secondary like a master. By the 4th quarter, we faced a 24-14 deficit. Byrd Stadium was letting us have it. We couldn't mount any threat.

I browse the Clemson message boards as I'm wont to do during games I watch on TV, and what I find is truly a sorry site. A handful of so-called fans claimed our season was doomed, clamored for the firing of Vic Koenning, our defensive coordinator, and basically started all sorts of garbage. This after the week-long momentum we had built up on a victory over #17 Texas A&M. We get punched in the mouth, and the spectators are calling it quits.

Well, thank goodness the Tigers didn't. This team does not quit. Hear that, Kirk Herbstreit? We're not quitters.

With seven minutes to play, our offense finally came to life. Charlie Whitehurst, who'd had a very efficient outing throwing safe passes for 8-12 yards, found Curtis Baham downfield for a brilliant 51-yard touchdown reception. Jad Dean's extra point put us within striking distance at 24-21, and suddenly, you could see the fire in our eyes.

The Tiger defense followed suit, shutting down Maryland and forcing them to punt, giving our offense the football with about four minutes to go. We drove inside Terrapin territory and almost broke a huge 29-yard rushing play, but it was wiped out by a holding penalty. I was going crazy, unable to believe that we'd have to score on the last drive again to win the game. But following a timeout, that's exactly what we did. Our offensive line, with receiver Kelvin Grant making a huge block, sprang Reggie Merriweather for the 38-yard touchdown run to put the Tigers ahead to stay. I tell you, James Davis may be the freshman phenom, but Reggie's in a league all his own. We can always feel confident when Charlie hands it off to #37, he'll get the complete, total effort of a poised workhorse.

So to you fans who gave up on your team when things looked tough ... shame on you. I'm just glad you were at your computers and not at the stadium saying those things. How do you think the Tigers would have felt, to see their own "fans" quitting on them even while they're out there in a hostile environment trying to find a way to win the game? I'm well aware this comprises only a small minority of our network, but still, it's a sorry site to behold.

Congratulations, Tigers! 2-0, 1-0 in ACC play! Bring on Miami!

Song of the Day: FFH - "Still the Cross"

Verse of the Day: "The Lord will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge." - Isaiah 33:6

Getting the Word Out

Last night, I stated that one of the things I wanted to do as a member of L-Team was give back to the ministry. Another of my hopes was to help improve our publicity, getting the word out about our events such as Survival Night, TNT, and Katartidzo.

When you have to promote, flyers and online communities are invaluable.

I think I've posted over 120 flyers dealing with the Freshman Luncheon, Survival Night, and TNT in only the last couple of days. That means going back and forth between the South Housing residence halls to make sure every hall has at least 1-2 flyers in places students are bound to look. It also means dodging the O-Week decorations that each hall has plastered to their walls. Thank goodness for bulletin boards.

Using the Student News forum on Furman's FirstClass server has also proven useful. It's especially great when I have awesome visuals from Taylor to spiff up the announcements. I'll have to think about getting a large piece of white paper to make a roll-down poster promoting the first TNT next Tuesday, then hang it up in the Dining Hall. Maybe Lauren will know where I can secure one. Gotta keep students aware.

I truly pitied the poor kids who craved their sleep last night. Because unless one possessed the nocturnal rhythms of Rip Van Winkle, it wasn't happening. Not with the O-Week Midnight Serenade going on. I watched it from a safe distance on the first floor balcony of Geer. It went better than I anticipated in that nobody, to the best of my knowledge, threw hard candy at the crowd. Not that it would've stopped them.

Field Fest was the event for today, which I only saw a portion of. I'm typing this entry in the midst of a relatively new Furman tradition - Paladin Nites. It happens about once every couple of months or so and features a bevy of fun games, celebrities, food, and activities. I'm disappointed at the lack of Skeeball and Air Hockey this time around, though. Not even the Velcro Hug is present. Oh well, maybe next month...

Song of the Day: Big Daddy Weave - "Field of Dreams"

Verse of the Day: "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death." - 1 John 3:14

Pizza, Naps, and a Little Fun

If I have to explain what the above title is a takeoff from, you're better off not knowing. Trust me.

The BCM Freshman Luncheon was a big success. I heard others on the L-Team say it went much better than last year, although I didn't attend, so I couldn't comment. It gave me a chance to do what I'd vowed to do when I was chosen for the L-Team: to give back to the ministry. A big way to do that is to greet new people, making them feel welcome just as last year's team made me feel welcome. So I made a conscious effort to do that, and the whole thing went really well. The actual program was structured, but at the same time laid-back and relaxed. Rodney and Hilary handled the intros, I blessed the food, Taylor put together a brief skit for entertainment, and Jen West shared her testimony. But the majority of the period was spent doing something much more important: mingling. Like Hilary said today, it's cool if they like us, but it's the love of Jesus Christ that we want them to see.

I must have been tired after the luncheon, because this afternoon I did something I don't usually do very often: I took a nap. I always feel lousy when I wake up from naps; hence why I rarely take them. So I ended up napping until about 5:00, nearly time for dinner. Fortunately, I had plenty of leftover Papa Johns to tide me over. But still, I can definitely sympathize with the freshmen in getting burned out on traditional O-Week food such as pizza.

Tonight was Carnival Night for the freshmen. That was fun. I did the ROTC climbing wall three times. The first time, I tried the 2nd-hardest side and made it three-fourths of the way up before my foot slipped. I couldn't get a good hand-hold that high up, and so I had to come down. But anyone who knows me knows I can't just leave it like that. So thirty minutes later, I was back. Made it to the top on my second try. So after that, I did the easier side, just for fun. I also did the Moon Jump and rode the swings. I saw Amanda and several of her friends, one of whom she'd met in Mexico over the summer. So we had a great time just hanging out and wandering around.

These poor freshmen. They're having fun now, but they have no idea what's coming. I made this comment at the carnival: "Next week, it'll be Furman. This week, it's Furman disguised as summer camp." I think that sums it up.

Song of the Day: Warren Barfield - "Mistaken"

Verse of the Day: "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man. though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:6-8

Mob Mentality

If you want a living definition of "mob mentality," look no further than Furman University on the second night of Freshman Orientation Week. Two words: fountain hopping.

It's times like these that I'm eternally grateful to stand on the other side of the tracks. But then again, I missed my chance to do this as a freshman because I commuted. But hey, it's not one of those things I'll look back on when I'm 80 years old, Lord willing I live that long, and regret. I'm not one to fall into the clutches of the mob madness. Too much of a lone wolf for that.

Other than that, today was tranquil. It was mostly preparation for tomorrow's Freshman Luncheon at 11:30 in the Gauntlet. That'll be a fun opportunity to meet, greet, and converse, I'm sure. Prayers would be appreciated.

Song of the Day: Nicole Nordemann - "Brave"

Verse of the Day: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." - Phillipians 4:6-7

Back in the Bubble

And so, another summer vacation passes. Like all previous ones, it wasn't nearly long enough. But I'm satisfied. I did lots of great things the last few months, and I feel like I've grown and matured in many ways. So it's all good.

I'm now back at good ol' Furman University, nestled into my new address in room 101 of Geer Hall. Many folks have expressed surprise at my choice to set up in what is considered a dorm for freshmen and sophomores. My reasons are simple. I wanted to avoid the North Village rush. I knew going into the Housing Lottery last year that because of a bigger-than-expected freshman class and some reduced housing options, North Village wouldn't be guaranteed to juniors (not that it ever was, for those who actually take the time to read the Housing Regulations). Translation: lots of unhappy juniors. And I wanted to steer clear of that at all costs. So I figured with most of the junior class focused on gobbling up the limited North Village apartments, my odds at reserving a new single room would be reasonably good. Turned out I was right. And so here I am, with a room all to myself once again. The joy of maintaining your privacy is worth the long hours of agonizing over housing options, and that you may tie to.

To my relief, moving in was much, much easier this time around. I got most of the work done yesterday with the little stuff, leaving only a few large pieces of furniture to bring over this morning. It pays to save things, my friends.

After a tearful goodbye on my parents' part (okay, I'll admit, I shed my share. I have emotions), I went grocery shopping at Publix. I needed a few extra items like Advanced Listerine for my pesky gums that keep puffing up and bleeding when I brush. Time to put a stop to that. I also needed a fresh bottle of Motrin for inevitable head pains that will come up during the year. Other than that, it was mostly the essentials. Tricuits, Chex Mix, frozen fruit bars (strawberry and lime...mmmm, sublime), cupcakes for L-Team, and two bottles of Lemon-Lime and Riptide-Rush flavored Gatorade. Those will definitely come in handy when I get back on my exercise regimen.

I settled for a snack lunch, and then headed over to the chapel for L-Team meeting. Happy belated birthdays to Jon, Lauren, Jenn, and John! We celebrated with a chocolate-chip cookie cake Hilary and Dawn baked, as well as my cupcakes. Then we spent the next couple of hours planning the agenda for our BCM events taking place during Orientation Week. As you might expect, lots of idea-bouncing ensued.

The evening was great. My Dad came by to drop off a desk table to set my phone and answering machine (and I still need to hook those up), and we ended up going out to Pizza Hut for dinner. I ordered a Personal Pan Pizza for the first time in years (I'd forgotten how small they were). Then we stopped off at Lowes so I could pick up some Plasti-Tac to hang up my posters. One of them, naturally, is a mountainous landscape, since I simply adore the mountains. Another is a lighthouse in the midst of a raging storm. The third is a three-squared depiction of a live tiger. Add two Clemson cloths and a dry erase calendar, and the room looks a lot more dimensional now. :)

So, in sharp contrast to last year, settling in at Furman went splendidly today. It helps to actually know many of my dorm-mates this year. Taylor, TJ, Jon, and Bryan are downstairs on base, and Chandler, Jenn, and Chibuzo are on the second floor above me, with Markey all the way up on the third floor. So yay for having good friends around. Hopefully, I'll make more in my hall before too long. And that's it for today. Goodnight from the Bubble!

Song of the Day: Steven Curtis Chapman - "Much of You"

Verse of the Day: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:4

Best Foot Forward

Clemson 25, Texas A&M 24

Or rather, Dean & Stuckey 25, Texas A&M 24

Last night in Death Valley, I came away with a very positive feeling about the new direction of our team. Tommy Bowden couldn't have made a better decision than to hand over control of our tired offense to new coordinator Rob "Mad Scientist" Spence. The change was immediate. Gone was the "Hurry Up and Wait" offense that wore on both the players and the fans. In its place came a whole new scheme founded on establishing the run to set up the pass. Folks, you might have heard that term many times before, but it's been a rarity in the Tommy Bowden era of Clemson football. His philosophy has almost always been pass-first, run never; his claims to the contrary. But now that we have a coach firmly controlling the offense with a dedication to transforming our running game into a real force, I think we're in for some good times. Good teams get it done on the ground and in the trenches.

Granted, we're far from where we need to be in that regard. Our sole touchdown of the night came as a result of a beautiful 47-yard punt return by Chansi Stuckey. Sooner or later, the offense has got to find the endzone if we expect to stay in contention. We still looked too tight, too conservative at times when we pushed into the A&M redzone. Don't get me wrong; more often than not, conservative football wins more games than going for the kill. But we've got to show some real fire when we drive into a goal-line situation. Granted, we did take a couple of shots; a Charlie Whitehurst-to-Cole Downer pass fell two yards behind the coverage with Downer wide open.

Dean, Dean, Dean. What more can I say? After last night, I'm inclined to check his DNA and birth certificate to find out if he's the son of fabled CU kicker Chris Gardocki. Six field goals, including the game winner. Add that to his kickoffs, and I wouldn't blame Tommy if he took it easy on him in practice. His leg's got to be killing him.

Speaking of playmakers, how about James Davis? If you watched him in his collegiate debut last night, you saw the future of Clemson's rushing attack. James has that killer instinct and breakaway speed that we haven't had in many years. A true freshman playing his first game in front of 80,000 screaming fans, and he was shrugging off tackles and turning upfield like a seasoned veteran. Every time he touched the ball, it sent a jolt of electricity into the sellout crowd. How about his eight straight carries that set up Dean's winning FG? That shows a lot of faith and confidence the coaches put in his ability to make things happen and give us the yards we needed. The jury's still out, but sorry, Shamecocks. I'd say we got the better kid in the Davis family. :)

By the second quarter, Whitehurst was back to his 2003 form. The offensive line took several plays to gell, but once they did, man did that make a difference. The new motions, new wrinkles in the line opened up the routes that were absent last year for Charlie. We actually used the tight ends on multiple occasions! He was well on his way to 200+ yards passing before he went down to a mild concussion. Sorry, Maryland. He's back next week.

Of course, with Charlie gone for much of the 4th quarter, that gave junior backup QB Will Proctor a chance to show what he could do. Wow, Clemson fans just love the backup quarterback. I think he received one of the loudest cheers of the night. And he filled in admirably, made no mistakes, and our offense didn't miss one beat.

In fact, that's what pleased me about last night. Save for using Duane Coleman instead of Reggie Merrieweather in the red zone, we played hardnosed, mistake-free football. You could see the much stronger focus on nailing the fundamentals from years past. Pounding the ball up the middle, winning the time of possession battle, and committing zero turnovers (while forcing one). No fancy trick plays, no cute schemes or formations that tended to blow up in our face. Just tough, grind-it-out football in which we did just enough things right to win the game. For all of the focus on the Longhorns, the Aggies of A&M are not to be taken lightly. Last year's Cotton Bowl performance aside, they are a powerful team, and Reggie McNeal is going to get some attention on the Heisman ballots before it's all over. All we could hope to do was contain him and limit his action. Mission accomplished.

So despite the lack of offensive TDs and McNeal's Herculean performance, we're 1-0. I think we showed a lot of folks something last night. It's not the complete package yet; that's still a long way off. But we're getting there. Next up: a trip to College Park to take on Ralph Friedgen and Maryland, who had to sweat through a difficult clash with the Navy Midshipmen on Saturday. Hopefully, we can do without the dramatics next time around. I love Jad Dean, but I'd rather not come to rely on him to haul us out of the fire every single week. GO TIGERS!!

Song of the Day: Casting Crowns - "Lifesong"

Verse of the Day: "So when you make a promise to God, don't delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. It is better to say nothing than to promise something that you don't follow through on." - Ecclesiastes 5:4-5

Lumps of Sugar

What in the world made me think of that title? My mind scares me sometimes when it's late and I let my thoughts wander. Excuse me while I try to herd them back in.

::sounds of shuffling and pushing::

There, I think that's all of them. ::sees a thought tiptoeing off to the side:: Hey!

..... ..... .....

Oh, are you still there? Excuse me...

Today was fairly ho-hum. Nothing too exciting happened as I restlessly await this weekend. Clemson football kicks off Saturday with Texas A&M at 8:00 PM in Death Valley. Permit me a few moments to elicit a cheer:

1-2-3-4! 1-2-3-4!
C-L-E-M-S-O-N!
T-I-G-E-RRRR-S!
FIGHT TIGERS! FIGHT TIGERS!
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

Heh heh. Admit it; you knew that was coming at some point. :)

But anyway, I'm looking forward to returning to the Valley tomorrow evening with my friends and family to see my Tigers take the field. There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding us this year with new coaches on both sides of the football. But we've got a lot of skill players on offense and defense, and for the first time, we're beginning to build some real depth behind our starters. Guys like Aaron Kelly, Tyler Grisham, Antonio Clay, James Davis, and Josh Miller have stood out to me among our freshman class. These five are among the lucky ones that will see playing time immediately. Of course, we have Charlie Whitehurst, Tye Hill, Jamaal Fudge, Chansi Stuckey, Reggie Merriweather, and plenty more from the old guard back for another season. I believe we're in for some good times, but I'm not dreaming of championships. At least not yet. I haven't shaken the memories of last year when our offense looked anemic, our defense couldn't stay off the field, our struggles to sustain momentum, and committing the unpardonable sin of losing to (gasp!) Duke. It's beyond me how a team goes from upsetting the king of the mountain (Miami) one week and drops a stunner to the conference doormat the next. That's nothing but a glaring lack of discipline and mental breakdown. So hopefully, we won't have such problems this season.

My early GameDay prediction? The old ticker will hate me for this, but it's going to be a close one. Clemson will have its hands full trying to slow down Aggies QB Reggie McNeal, who has the elusiveness and daredevil speed that made Woodrow Dantzler such a force at Clemson. The Tigers may need to rely on their offensive firepower to match up with A&M, so Charlie's receiving corps should be on alert for a lot of balls to get thrown their way. Fortunately, the Aggie secondary looks to be a potential weak spot, so hopefully we can exploit that. And let's not forget special teams. Jad Dean says he's gotten better on his kicking accuracy, but the A&M kicker made 12 of 13 FGs last year (but missed five EPs). If it comes down to one kick to determine it, we'll see what happens.

Staying cautiously optimistic, I say Clemson capitalizes on its "unknown" factor and turns the tables on the Aggie squad that cleaned their clocks in Texas last year. The Fighting Tigers pull out a narrow win over A&M 38-35.

Song of the Day: Jim Peterick - "Eye of the Tiger"

Verse of the Day: "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." - Matthew 9:37-38

Welcome Diversion

Oh wow. What a difference one night makes.

After dwelling on the gloominess from Katrina the Katastrophe all this week, I welcomed the "official" start of the college football 2005 season with open arms. Even if it was Steve "No Love for Visors" Spurrier and the South Carolina Shamecocks leading the charge on ESPN. Bah and feh. The way the commentators ... uh, commented, you'd never know USC played one down. I never knew a head football coach could double as a one-man team.

::Blake Mitchell to Noah Whiteside for a 50+ yard touchdown:: "Spurrier's back! The Cock 'n Fire offense is on a roll tonight!" (..."Cock 'n Fire?" Okaaayyy...)

::Blake Mitchell to Syvelle Newton for a 20-yard touchdown in the redzone:: "Man, isn't it great to have Spurrier back? I just love it!"

::UCF QB Steven Moffet to Mike Walker for a touchdown to make it 24-10:: "Uh oh, better watch Steve! Will he throw the visor? Will he?! YES, HE THREW THE VISOR!"

ANYWAY...once I got past the gushing over the Ol' Ball Coach's return, the game was actually pretty exciting. In many ways, it was eerily similar to the Clemson/Miami game last year. USC, like UM, came out firing on all cylinders and jumped on the Golden Knights early 14-0. But after they took their best shot, UCF adjusted and kept things close the rest of the way. In fact, they could've won had the breaks gone just a little more their way. No way are they going 0-11 this year; not after how hard they battled tonight. Final score: USC 24, UCF 15.

In more interesting news ... the Furman football team faced its first test of the season this evening, squaring off against Jacksonville State, a team they pummeled in the playoffs last year 49-7. No such luck this time. Things were tight going into the final quarter as the Fighting Paladins seemed to close the deal on several occasions, but turnovers and special teams mistakes allowed the Gamecocks to hang around. Suddenly, they found themselves staring down a 35-31 deficit with only one second left and the ball on the JSU 9-yard line. Time for one miracle.

A miracle named Justin Stepp, who caught the winning TD pass from Ingle Martin, giving the Paladins a thrilling 37-35 victory! Wow, what a finish. Go Furman football!

Song of the Day: Chris Rice - "Smile"

Verse of the Day: "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." - 1 Peter 4:8-10