Down to the Wire

The end times are a-comin.' No, I'm not referring to the eschatological end times as prophesied in the Bible, although that's also true. I mean the end of Fall term is fast approaching. As usual, it's gone by pretty quickly. You don't usually find much time to just sit down and reflect. So I'll try to do some of that right now.

It's been an unusual term in several ways. For one thing, I haven't dug myself an early grave. I started off with good, solid grades and have pretty much stayed the course the rest of the way. That's uncommon for me. In a typical term, I'll have some miscues early on and be forced to spend the remainder of the term playing catch-up. I've always had a tendency to really pour it on and perform at the top of my game in the second half of the term. So it's a refreshing change to start strong and actually keep things steady. Here's hoping the smooth ride lasts.

Also, this is not in any way boasting on my part, but more along the lines of excitement over the improbability of such a feat. But I have a chance, a very real chance, of finishing out this fall term with all As! That has never once happened for me at Furman. The closest I've come was last winter, but I only had two classes, and one of them technically was an A-. But this is huge. It'd be a meteoric boost for the old GPA, and I'm always happy for that.

I've had professors from previous terms teaching me this fall. Dr. CroweTipton was my Religion 11 professor, and it's been a lot of fun to experience the journey of Paul with him. From his background to the letters to his ethics and theology, I've enjoyed his light-hearted yet informative approach to the subject material. Dr. Rogers has taught both of my English courses (another oddity), and what's more, he's also my academic advisor. So needless to say, it hasn't proven difficult to schedule appointments with him. He's the closet teddy bear type.

Well, it's been a fast trip. Only five class days left. And of course, there still remains quite a bit to accomplish. I have a research paper to finish for Paul class, and it's only halfway complete. I've also got a report due for my English class next week, but I'll worry about that later. We're coming down to the wire, folks.

Song of the Day: Stephen Curtis Chapman - "All I Really Want for Christmas"

Verse of the Day: "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." - 1 John 4:7-8

Hanging of the Green

Every Sunday is special (every day is special in its own way), but today felt even more so. Today officially began the celebration of Christmas at my church with our "Hanging of the Green" evening service. I'll come right out and say I look forward to this one all year. It's one of my favorites. Basically, the whole congregation comes together in the sanctuary, and we sing lots of familiar Christmas carols. Our Joyful Hearts Choir helps lead us, and I enjoy hearing their voices. But the best thing about it is, as we sing, groups of people file in all throughout the sanctuary to decorate it. While we're singing "Deck the Halls," they'll be coming out in two long lines carrying long streams of garland to hang on the banisters and edges of the choir loft and baptistry. During other songs, families enter in carrying poinsettias, golden trumpets with bows on them, holly wreaths and the ornaments for the Chrismon tree. Just for your information, the Chrismon tree is different from the Christmas tree in that it features ornaments with very special meanings. There's the star the shepherds saw in their fields of ship the night of Christ's birth, there's the angel who proclaimed the good news, the manger scene with baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the animals and the wise men, and the cross, which symbolizes Jesus' death for our sins. The green color of the tree also represents new life, everlasting life in Jesus. It's a very special version of the tree. I love to see it decorated and lit later on.

So tonight, I was able to go to the Hanging again (I missed it last year), and Anna Kate came with me, which of course made a special night even more enchanting. She could have been finishing up homework for her classes, but she managed to come. That meant so much to me. We had a marvelous time. I can't describe the feeling I get at seeing the church transformed in less than an hour. The experience is something that you have to see for yourself to really appreciate; my words can't do it justice. Anna Kate has a beautiful singing voice, by the way. Just though I'd throw that one out there. Hope your Thanksgiving break was great! Goodnight and God bless!

Song of the Day: Point of Grace - "O Holy Night"

Verse of the Day: "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation." - Colossians 1:21-22

Black Friday

The day after Thanksgiving. Nationally recognized as the busiest shopping day of the year. And I had to work.

Let's just say it lived up to the name.

My day-length adventure began at 5:30 this morning as I dragged my groggy self out of bed to the sound of three alarm clocks. I picked up a cold early during the week, and it's found its way into my sinuses. Yesterday I woke up to a biting migraine that thankfully died out with some persuasion from three Ibuprofen caplets and a cold rag. I wasn't taking any chances of sleeping through my radio alarm, so I set my cell phone alarm to go off, and I got up bright and ready. Add some Total cereal with dried strawberries mixed in with the milk, and I was set.

I was enjoying the pleasant Christmas music playing on HIS Radio as I drove on the interstate with the sky still dark until I got to Haywood. It's a bad omen when all the parking lots are filled to bursting at just after 6:00 in the morning. I did find a decent parking space, though, and hurried inside. You'd never know it was early if you saw the interior of the mall. People were everywhere! Moms, Dads, even little kids were already out in force to storm the stores once they opened for business. Christmas decorations were up, too, and that combined with recent renovations done to it made it seem fresh and new. A sense of urgency, too. I rushed to the food court.

Customers. Crowds and crowds of customers already piled up outside of Chick-Fil-A. My jaw literally dropped in shock; I mean, I was expecting this, of course, but ... *sigh* I sped up my pace and dashed inside. No sooner had I clocked in than I was dropped into hashbrown duty. For the next three hours, I shoveled mountains upon mountains of hashbrowns and helped serve the occasional chicken and sausage biscuit. I'm not really a breakfast person, so my time came later with the lunch crush. Hashbrowns turned into french fries. Lots and lots of french fries. I had to keep seven mediums, four smalls, and three larges in stock at all times, and had all four fry cookers working overtime to stay loaded. It pays to have a system, but I was seriously afraid the machines were going to overload from the excessive heat. By morning's end, the peanut oil was the color of charcoal. I know, I know. Too much information for you.

Somehow we made it through the day. God is awesome. It's so much better to lean on Him and not my puny strength. At least Saturday felt more normal. Goodnight and God bless!

Song of the Day: 4Him - "The Season of Love"

Verse of the Day: "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." - Hebrews 12:28

Grateful Hearts

What's the first thing you think of when you see Thanksgiving coming up on the calendar? Is it the delicious turkey dinner, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie? Is it the afternoon devoted to the marquee NFL football game? Is it the time spent preparing your house for visiting family members with one eye on the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in the kitchen? Is it that nap on your couch after a hearty feast?

If you answered "yes" to any of these, don't feel bad. I'm not here to say that it's wrong to look forward to such things. They are very much a part of what makes the holiday uniquely special for each of us. I only bring them up because I'm drawing from my own personal experience; I look forward to each of these on Thanksgiving (well, not so much the nap - I don't do naps very well). I have many fond memories based on these.

Yet as I considered a devotional to write reflecting on this holiday, it occured to me. How much time do I spend thanking God for being able to enjoy pleasures like these? How often have I been more apt to plunge head-first into the holiday festivities without taking the time to reflect on my Heavenly Father Who makes it all possible? How much of my heart is grateful, and how much of it is greedy? Definitely more of the latter.

I think it's easier for us to lose sight of the joy and pleasure in our blessings when we lose sight of our "power source." It's like trying to make your radio or flashlight work without fresh batteries. All you get is a lot of static or a dull beam, or nothing at all. As a result, you can't enjoy the music or the light they provide until you remember the power source they need to work properly. The same thing happens when we're not fully in tune with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God Almighty is our source of power. Apart from Him, we have nothing, and we are nothing, which is a lot worse off than a dead radio or flashlight. When we aren't abiding by the will of the Holy Spirit, it's a lot harder to find joy in the things that we do. Even if it's time spent with family around the dinner table, we aren't into it. Something is missing. Our greedy hearts aren't right with God.

Let me clarify what I mean here. Say you're seated with your parents, grandparents, cousins, and relatives at the table, and you're sharing the Thanksgiving meal together. What's going through your mind? Is your attention focused on what the others around you are saying? Or are you already transitioning into the next 'big' thing you've got coming up? Maybe it's going back to class on Monday, your evening work shift, or some other event unrelated to your present surroundings. Instead of soaking it in, you're getting caught up in the holiday rush, not taking the time to listen and plug in to what's taking place around you. Things can get crowded without time for reflection. And that's a recipe for a greedy heart.

I know what you're probably thinking right now. "Yeah, easy for you to say. You had time to sit down and write this whole devotional. How can I carve time out of my busy schedule for reflection?" I won't pretend that it's an easy thing to do because it's not. We aren't grateful creatures by virtue of our sinful nature. Most of the time, I'm more concerned with gratifying myself than just plain being grateful. That's why we desperately need God's help. We need to return to our power source, and that is our Lord and Savior who died for us and was raised to glory so we could be redeemed back unto Himself. We need to have the attitude of David, who, while not a perfect follower, repeatedly thanked God even during trials and suffering. Psalm 35:18 stands out particularly in that it is said to have been written while Saul was pursuing David, intending to kill him. "I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you." David remained thankful to God and cried out to Him to deliver justice (God's, not David's) to his enemies. Verse 23 says, "Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord."

It's that simple (and that hard). If we call out to God, He will answer us. If we are willing to drop our burdens at His feet and surrender our will, He will take care of them and show us a better way. If we go back to the source of our power and get refreshed in the Holy Spirit, then we will experience a joy like nothing this world can give us! Restoration in the Spirit cleanses our hearts of greed and makes room for gratefulness. We won't be able to help being thankful to God for all that He's done in our lives, for the good times and the bad. Best of all, we feel a stirring; a call to share that love and joy with others who need it just as desperately. But that can only happen if we ourselves are in tune with the Spirit.

This is my prayer of Thanksgiving. Father God, I am on my knees in awe of You. Your glory and majesty is revealed in so many ways, I could never count them all. Thank You for being Who You are, my God, my Father, and my Redeemer. Thank You for loving me first, even though I have been stubborn and shunned You and chosen my will over Yours so many times. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, not just for His death and resurrection for my sins, but for His true, perfect example of righteousness and holy living in this world. Thank You for using me as a vessel of Your love and hope even when I don't realize it. Help me to be grateful when I'm tempted to be greedy, and to fortify my heart with your Holy Spirit so that your love can shine through me. Thank You for my parents, family, church, and friends, and all that they mean to me, and all the lessons that You have taught me through them. Help us all to seek Your joy and peace in the midst of this hectic holiday season, and to accept that whatever happens in life, good or bad, it is for Your glory. I pray all of these things in the name of Your son Jesus. Amen.

Song of the Day: Ray Boltz - "Thank You for Giving to the Lord"

I dreamed I went to heaven
and You were there with me
We walked upon the streets of gold
Beside the crystal sea.

We heard the angels singing
Then someone called your name.
You turned and saw this young man
And he was smiling as he came.

And he said, "Friend you may not know me now"
And then he said, "But wait"
You used to teach my Sunday School
When I was only eight.

And every week you would say a prayer
Before the class would start.
And one day when you said that prayer
I asked Jesus in my heart."

Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave.

Then another man stood before you
And said, "Remember the time
A missionary came to your church
And his pictures made you cry.

You didn't have much money
But you gave it anyway.
Jesus took the gift you gave
And that's why I am here today."

Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave.

One by one they came
Far as the eye could see
Each life somehow touched
By your generosity.

Little things that you had done
Sacrifices made.
Unnoticed on the earth
In heaven now proclaimed.

And I know up in heaven
You're not supposed to cry.
But I am almost sure
There were tears in your eyes.

As Jesus took your hand
And you stood before the Lord.
He said, "My child look around you.
Great is your reward."

Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave.
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave.

Verse of the Day: "In everything, give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

One Piece at a Time

Having a whole week off from Furman is great in so many ways. It makes it much easier to budget my workload over the span of several days, chipping away a little bit at a time. I've got an article review for Paul class due for Monday, but I've got five pages of it finished already. It still needs a bit of fine-tuning, but at least the bulk of the work's done. I've already posted a new English analysis, but I need to practice my grammar project pretty soon.

Speaking of work, Chick-Fil-A's giving me plenty of it this week. It feels like a typical summertime week again. Black Friday is already shaping up to be a killer. But I've survived before.

Furman defeated Chattanooga last weekend 56-35, which brings their regular season record to 9-2, 6-2 in the Southern Conference. As we found out yesterday, the Paladins qualified for the playoffs, and even better, we'll be playing our opening game in the comforts of home. So hopefully, we'll have a decent turnout when Nicholls State comes to Paladin Stadium this coming Saturday at 12:30 pm. Good luck to my knights in shining purple!

I made it to choir practice last night for the first time since August. We have some new people, and I missed a few familiar faces, but that's okay. It's a hectic time of year. We're preparing our Christmas cantata, known as "Forever Gloria." It's a little different from the styles we've done the last two years courtesy of Camp Kirkland. The songs are much more traditional, and there are some incredibly awesome variations on some of the chords. It's going to be a terrific worship experience; I can tell that from just one practice with the selection. Hopefully I can make it to a few more rehearsals and get comfortable enough with the music to participate. Awesome stuff.

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

Verse of the Day: "I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you. Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my Lord and God." - Psalm 35:18, 23

"First-and-35"

Clemson 13, South Carolina 9

And so ends another rivalry game, the 103rd meeting between the Fighting Tigers and the Gamecocks of South Carolina.

Before I get into the details of the contest, I just want to say this. I'm a junior at Furman, and I have a lot of good friends for whom I have all the love, respect, and admiration in my heart. But many of them have on occasion made light or given me grief about my love for Clemson football. While I was just starting to plug into "rivalry mode" as I call it last week, most of them were consumed with beating Wofford or I-AA playoff hopes. The Clemson/USC rivalry just doesn't register very high on their pigskin radar, and they don't understand how I can get so pumped up about teams that, more often than not, aren't battling it out with all the chips on the table, i.e., for a conference championship, a playoff/BCS berth, whatever. It's been a huge bone of contention for us.

To that end, I say, "Oh well." They just don't get it. And that's okay. A lot of people outside the elite schools of the state don't get it. It's not something we can share. This is MY rivalry. I'm not ashamed to be a Tiger fan even though I'm a Paladin at the same time. I bleed purple both ways - one way just happens to be tinted with orange. If I get grief for it, so be it. If I'm labeled a traitor to Furman, so be it. My family and my close friends know very well that I cheered FOR Furman when Clemson played host to them two years ago (I was a freshman then). My loyalty to Furman football is unquestioned, but I will always be a Tiger fan. The Clemson/USC rivalry means the world to me (I know the world isn't very much in the big scheme of things, but what more can I say?). I live and breathe this rivalry each day of my life. I bask in the thrilling joy of beating the Gamecocks and savoring the win for 364 days. I grieve in consternation when they beat us and claim the bragging rites. Vicarious living at its best.

This rivalry is about pride. Old-fashioned, hard-earned, grind-it-out-in-the-trenches pride. Proving that we're the best in the state. Showing that no matter what the other school has accomplished during the year, we can still go down there and kick the pants off them. I really don't care if other forms of media notice us or not. That doesn't change the fact that we play for pride. Not for the ACC/SEC title or the fill-in-the-blank Bowl. Pride - it's that simple. And if other people can't understand that, then I'm sorry. We're not elite rivals that garner national appeal like other schools. We're not guaranteed to be televised by ESPN, ABC, or Jefferson Pilot Sports (as this year proved). We're not Auburn vs. Alabama. We're not Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee, Florida State vs. Florida, or even Furman vs. Wofford. We're Clemson/USC. That's how it's been since 1896, and that's how it is now. Neither Clemson nor USC is morally better than the other; neither is the model a perfect school should live up to (and neither is Furman). But pride is what our statewide clash is about. It's my rivalry; it's the rivalry of every fan that has invested so much of their lives to the significance of this one game. And that's all that needs to be said.

NOW ... thoughts on the game ...

- The drive down to Columbia was not nearly as bad as I feared. It wasn't until we got to Bluff Road, which puts us about three miles from Williams-Brice-Stadium, that we hit bumper-to-bumper traffic. Of course, having Anna Kate, Susannah, and her friend Adam Pitts in the car helped to make the drive an enjoyable one. It's also worth noting that this was my first game, excluding Furman, to attend without my parents. So yay for growth! (right...)

- Driving and dinner also went without a hitch. $10 for parking is a GREAT deal when you consider the factors. And even better, we parked right next to a gas station that just happened to have a Subway attached. Coolness!

- We got to the stadium with plenty of time before kickoff (over an hour). Security was so nice and polite; we all brought bottled drinks in, and they let us keep them. :) Anna Kate and I shared a box of popcorn to pass time.

- Much as I despise USC, I have to say their band is a nifty one. I feel kinda bad that "2001: A Space Odyssey" is forever ruined as a song I can enjoy because it's the USC theme. But hey, there's always "Eye of the Tiger."

- Pre-game handshake. I appreciated the gesture by both schools, but (and this is just my opinion, which means nothing) I still felt it was painfully forced to close the book on the 2004 debacle, which has been and will remain known as "The Brawl." I'm of the mind that pre-game gestures dissolve once the ball is kicked off, and you first get smashed in the mouth. Same is true for the "revenge factor." I'd prefer it if both teams "closed the book" by letting their actions on the field determine it. Which they did, for the most part. It was a generally "clean" game.

- The [Georgia Tech] Tigers showed up for the first half. We looked flat and out of sync on every offensive play. You know things are bad when your fifth-year senior QB throws as many pass completions (2) as interceptions, and his yardage total matches the number of his jersey (6).

- USC, however, stormed out and looked poised to take control of the game early. Blake Mitchell was slinging the ball left and right down the field, and our secondary struggled to keep up. Their tailback Mike Davis (brother of Clemson tailback James) tore gaping holes in our offensive line for big chunks of yardage. I remember looking at Anna Kate and saying "They haven't been able to run the ball all year, and now look what they're doing!" Heh.

- Despite the yards given up in the first half (264), the Tiger defense played well enough to keep us within striking distance. If not for the powerful leg of Jad Dean and our defense, we would've trailed at least 14-0, and that may have taken the wind out of our sails. As it was, we were fortunate to go into halftime trailing only 6-3, having held Carolina out of the endzone on some tough short yardage situations.

- I heard an older man behind me saying "I'll bet ol' Tommy's giving one of his rousing speeches to the team right now." That shows you how much we're used to playing with our backs to the wall. I'd like it to be the other way around now and then, especially against USC, but the fact that he could say that speaks volumes about how we are trained to respond. One thing you never, ever do in a football game is to count Tommy Bowden out. He will come after you and get his team to fight you until there are no ticks left on the clock. It's happened so many times in the past, and our section of 10,000 or so Clemson fans hoped he could pull another miracle out of his hat then. So as concerned as I was at halftime, I had faith that we could still get the win. Somehow, we'd make it happen.

- In the closing seconds of halftime, I caught Will Proctor, our backup QB, throwing warm-up passes near the sidelines. Charlie was doing the same, but it told me the coaches were pondering the wisdom of benching him for the second half. Anna Kate definitely wanted to see Proctor get some snaps. I wouldn't have minded seeing him in action either, if it gave our offense the spark it needed to stay in the game. As I learned later, they were going to give Charlie one more drive to produce. And as it turned out, it was a very wise decision.

- The Tigers took the kickoff and went to work, chugging across the field and making efficient, if not spectacular plays. Davis finally began to make some long strides, penetrating the USC line and finding yards after the contact as Whitehurst settled down and changed tactics. Instead of forcing the long throws off his back foot into double coverage, he started using short screens and dump-offs to his receivers, and waiting until the right moment to go long. The difference was immediate. After a horrendous 6-11 for 27 yards and two INTS in the first half, Charlie went 11-15 for 145 yards in the second. Major kudos to Rob Spence for the halftime adjustments he made. So needless to say, the [Georgia Tech] Tigers took the bus home, and the [Florida State] Tigers took over.

- We nearly had a pulsating TD on a James Davis run to finish off our first drive, but it was nullified by a holding penalty against Dustin Fry. Still, we salvaged the drive with a 23-yard field goal by Jad Dean, pulling us to a 6-6 tie with USC and giving us some much-needed momentum. In that hostile environment, we needed every drop.

- We went back on defense with every intention of stopping USC on three-and-out. That didn't work out very well, as Blake Mitchell and Mike Davis forged ahead with their pass/run punch, and before we knew it, we were backed up at our own 25-yard-line with the Gamecocks driving for a touchdown. But at that point, the Tiger D bent no further. Facing 3rd-and-9 from the 24, Mitchell tossed a pass down the middle to Sidney Rice , and it was senior safety Jamaal Fudge (one of Anna Kate's favorite players) who came down with the interception.

- Sadly, despite some timely ball movement, the Tiger offense wasn't quite awake enough to capitlize on USC's turnover and shove it down their throats. We bogged down at the 25 and attempted a 42-yard-Jad Dean field goal that was partially blocked. USC took over, but our defense stiffened again and got the three-and-out that we were looking for. But then disaster struck. USC's Josh Brown punted the football, and it bounced inside the 20-yard line, where Chansi Stuckey scampered to try to scoop it up. Big mistake. The ball popped off his hand, and a second later, it was trapped by a USC defender. A collective groan went out from our section as the rest of Williams-Brice erupted in cheers. It was one of many chances we gave USC to take over the whole game.

- So once again, it was up to the Tiger D to bail us out, with USC on our 11-yard line, and thankfully, they were more than up to the task. Three offensive plays netted the Gamecocks -2 yards, capped off by three of our big defenders stuffing Mike Davis on a run. Still, Josh Brown got them a score with a 29-yard-field goal. 9-6, USC.

And then came the drive of the game. The one moment that everyone will remember USC/Clemson 2005 for.

- Clemson began first-and-10 at the 20, and Whitehurst hit wide receiver Aaron Kelly in his stride for a huge 27-yard reception to place us on the 47-yard-line. Then came the stupid penalties. Twice, Chip Myrick was hit with clipping and holding penalties on back-to-back plays. 15 and 10 yards of backward regression to our own 22.

So there we were. Facing an impossible 1st-and-35 situation. The Carolina fans were going ballistic, jumping up and down, practically rocking the stadium while we Tiger fans could only hold our collective breath and pray. So what happened? The Tigers did what theyve always done when the going got tough. They got going in a big way.
First, Whitehurst dumped a short pass to Davis for 9 yards to the 31. 2nd-and-26.

Then, Whitehurst hit Stuckey down the middle for 14 yards to the 45. 3rd-and-12.

Finally, Whitehurst rolled out and found clutch receiver Curtis Baham on the left side. Baham caught the ball and motored up the field until he was finally dragged down at the USC 27. THAT was the turning point of the game.

As if he still had something to prove, Charlie again showed why he's earned his stripes by digging us out of that tremendous hole and lighting a fire under our offense. USC defenders could only shake their heads and wonder how they let a certain stop slip through their fingers. By all counts, that should have been it. But we had new life.

From there, Whitehurst handed the reins to James Davis, who rumbled 23 yards to the USC 4-yard-line. From there, it took only two plays for Davis to plunge it into the endzone for a Tiger touchdown, the only touchdown scored between both ball clubs this night. Jad Dean's kick was good, and the Tigers took their first lead, 13-9.

To say that Williams-Brice sounded like Ghost Town, U.S.A. at that point would be a vast understatement.

The fireworks weren't over yet. USC came back on offense with a chance to drive the length of the field and get back on top. On third down at their own 15, C.J. Gaddis intercepted Blake Mitchell's long pass and ran it back the opposite way. However, before Tiger fans could celebrate, USC's Sidney Rice, enraged at being denied his catch, lunged at Gaddis from behind and stripped the ball out of his grasp. Rice recovered the fumble and USC regained possession. What had been a potential game-clincher right there turned into a 24-yard pickup for the Gamecocks. Tiger fans everywhere gnashed their teeth in dispair. I felt nearly catatonic. I wanted to vault over the stands, run onto the field and throttle C.J. "YOU HAD THE PICK! IT WAS OVER! ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS FALL DOWN! WHY DIDN'T YOU GET DOWN? ARRRGGHH!!" Ooooh yes, we were angry.

BUT - never say die. Not with these Tigers.

Yet again, back came the defense to bail us out. This one was for all the marbles. USC had a first down right at midfield with their sights set on the endzone. Only 5:38 left in the game. Mike Davis and Daccus Turman rushed for 7 yards to bring the Cocks to our 43-yard line. On 3rd down and 3, our defensive linemen rushed ahead and wrapped up Davis for a 3-yard loss. Okay. 4th-down. 3 minutes to go. Do we have one more huge stop in us?

Heck yes! Charles Bennett picked off Mitchell's last pass and brought it back to our 49. I remember bounding into the air screaming "GET DOWN! GET DOWN! GET DOWN!" while squeezing Anna Kate. And he did.

With only 2:26 to go, the Tiger offense had only to run out the clock to preserve the victory. Two running plays netted us exactly 0 yards. And we all thought, "Oh no. Will they...?" But then, as if we needed to be reminded of who was in control, it was none other than Charlie Whitehurst who took the ball on 3rd down and dashed up the middle on a QB draw that gave us 10 yards for the clutch first down that iced the game. Seeing him emerge from the USC pile waving his triumphant finger in the air was a sight to behold. A resounding cheer went out from our section, "CHAR-LIE! CHAR-LIE! CHAR-LIE!" Once again, our embattled QB had proved his critics wrong.

And that's how this game ended. A 13-9 triumph by the Tigers over the Gamecocks. Our fourth consecutive win and eighth in our last nine contests. We'll be expecting a rent payment after this. Since we own WBS, you know.



Welcome to the rivalry, Mr. Spurrier. I dare you to say it's "just another game" next year.

Because we'll be more than happy to make you learn the hard way again. Long as it takes.

Desert Places

Robert Frost wrote this poem. These lines particularly stick out:

The woods around it have it--it is theirs.
All animals are smothered in their lairs.
I am too absent-spirited to count;
The loneliness includes me unawares.

And lonely as it is that loneliness
Will be more lonely ere it will be less--
A blanker whiteness of benighted snow
With no expression, nothing to express.

I think I can really relate to the poet in this work. Over the past few weeks, I've kind of been stuck in my own "desert place." Lately, I've fallen back into my old melancholy moods, haven't spoken as much to people, and felt really low and drained spiritually. I still do my quiet time and prayer every morning, and continue to attend TNT, L-Team, and family group every week, but I haven't felt like my heart was really in it. I can feel it most clearly when I sing. For reasons I still haven't completely figured out myself, there just hasn't been any real fire or passion in my voice at all. I knew it last night, and about halfway through the songs, I just walked away from the microphone, sat down off to the side of the Watkins Room, and buried my face in silent prayer. I had no business being up there trying to lead worship when my heart wasn't in it. I felt like the world's biggest phony.

I'm not entirely sure why I'm in a desert place spiritually. It's not that I'm having a crisis of faith. If anything, my faith is stronger than ever because of this. I've learned to depend on God in every aspect of my life, but most importantly, to be mindful of His will in good times and bad. Sometimes God teaches us the biggest life lessons during our toughest periods. When our backs are up against the wall and we have nowhere else to turn. That's when God astounds us all over again with His glory and steadfast love. My faith will never be perfect. Without a doubt, I'll continue to have my spiritual highs and lows, but God's love is steady like a rock all the way through.

My dear friend Anna said something at family group the other night that struck me as deeply profound. She said that we can try everything to shake off these "funks" we get into. Going to bed earlier. Eating right. Having talks with people you trust. Prayer. But in some cases, we just come to a point where we run out of ideas. There are times in which we have to come to grips with the fact that for whatever reason, God has let us fall into a chasm and we're not going to climb out of it immediately. We have to struggle. We have to squirm and claw and fight. But that's really not a sign of lacking faith. I don't believe for a second that I'm facing this alone. If I did, then I would've given up the fight a long time ago. God still lives and works in me; He's running my race right next to me. He's already set the steps for my journey, and He knows exactly where they lead, and what I'll face in my travels. But He never said it was going to be easy. Sometimes God conceals His presence from us (but never leaves us completely alone), testing our faith to see how strong we really are in Him. We grow stronger in our struggles. They are a sign that we're earnestly seeking God. Contending for the faith in our own inner turmoils.

I don't know how long I'll be in this desert place. It's not as dark and blank as it was, but I know I haven't fully emerged from it yet. But God has me there for a reason. I'll just have to wait and pray to see what that reason is.

Song of the Day: Joy Williams - "We"

Verse of the Day: "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." - Psalm 18:2

Hands in the Air!

Hands down (or should I say up?), the single best moment in Death Valley this season. I'll get to that in a little bit.

Clemson vs. Florida State
Bowden Bowl VII

I'm among the growing majority of fans who feel that the mystique has long since departed the seven-year-old matchup between Papa Bobby and Son Tommy. It's no longer about the young upstart matching wits with the battle-worn veteran. It's about the teams and which one can beat the pants off of the other. Just as it should be.

Going to a noon kickoff is a rarity by itself. Combine that with the opportunity to tailgate, and you have a once-in a-lifetime game experience. I got to come home from Furman and go with my family, so I was extremely pleased to do that. Susannah and Baxter brought their friends also, and Anna Kate sat with us right on the 50-yard-line. The sky was crystal blue, and there was a crisp chill in the air (although it warmed up once we got to the Valley). It was a perfect setup for college football. It really pays to take note of the little things in a game-day experience.

Today was Senior Day for the Tigers, and we started a new tradition for the occasion. The PA announcer called out the names of our graduating seniors as they ran individually down the Hill. I'd be touched by the sentiment if I was one of them, but I can't help but feel a kind of longing to run down the Hill one last time with my teammates. Oh well; they looked like they enjoyed it regardless, so I won't claim to speak for them. It was a nice gesture.

The opening quarter showcased a Tiger team ready for battle. We took the opening kickoff and rolled 72 yards down the field, drawing first blood with a 22-yard TD strike from Charlie Whitehurst to Chansi Stuckey. Florida State was forced to punt on their first series, and our offense went right back to work. Charlie tossed a screen to Stuckey, who dashed 36 yards into the FSU redzone. From there, James Davis, playing with a soft cast on his wrist, punched it in from the 1-yard-line. With 5:17 to play in the first quarter, Clemson pounced on the favored Seminoles 14-0. By the end of the quarter, the Tigers had piled up 231 yards of total offense. In fifteen minutes.

In our initial second quarter series, FSU stopped us at their 40, and Jad Dean missed a 56-yard field goal try. It proved to be a momentum changer as the Seminoles turned the tables on us in that quarter. Florida State tied the score and shut down our offense by sacking Whitehurst three times and forcing an interception. Tiger fans were nervous as cats with a 14-14 tie going into halftime. I heard rumblings about benching Whitehurst, benching our punter Cole Chason (we averaged punts in the mid-20s and had a punt blocked that FSU picked up for a TD in the endzone), and the like. I prayed we would keep the faith and get things untracked for the second half of play.

But it looked like FSU was ready to take full control of the game as the third quarter began. With a couple timely throws down the field, we seemed incapable of stopping them. Then freshman Michael Hamlin made a highlight-reel-worthy interception of FSU QB Drew Weatherford. It sent a jolt of electricity through the crowd, and that seemed to reenergize our offense. Five plays later, Whitehurst again found Stuckey on a screen pass that he ran for a 32-yard-TD reception to put the Tigers back on top 21-14. Our defense clamped down on Florida State in their next possession, forcing the punt, and back came the offense. To my sheer delight, we kept the pressure on them, daring them to stop us as we gambled with big plays and went for the ever-elusive knockout punch in the contest. James Davis eventually scored on an 8-yard TD run, his second of the day, for a 28-14 Tiger lead.

And we weren't finished yet. C.J. Gaddis picked off Weatherford's pass on FSU's first play of their possession, and we were back in business. Facing third and goal on their 4-yard-line, Whitehurst opted for a long ball to the endzone, where it was caught by Aaron Kelly, one of our fast-emerging go-to-receivers. However, the officials initially ruled that Kelly was out of bounds when he made the catch. We caught the replay on PawVision, and it clearly showed Kelly's shoulder coming down in-bounds with the ball in his hands. The stadium went CRAZY! Tommy Bowden quickly called a time-out to get the officials to take another look at the play (if we'd snapped the ball, it would've been too late), and sure enough, with Tiger Fans shaking Death Valley with their yelling and screaming, the officials signaled for an instant replay. After five minutes, they came back on the field. But Tiger fans didn't need to hear the verdict. We knew just what happened. In what is now an all-time favorite moment of mine in all my games attended, all 80,000+ fans stood up with their hands held high, signaling for the touchdown.

WOW.

I can't describe the feeling right at that moment. Just tremendous.

Let's just say if the referee hadn't given us the TD, he would've felt the wrath of the entire Clemson community on his head. But fortunately, he did. And so the final score of Bowden Bowl VII: Clemson 35, Florida State 14.

Song of the Day: Mark Schultz - "Letters From War"

Verse of the Day: "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm." - Psalm 20:7-8

It's Been a While

I should probably be typing one of my Paul papers right now. Instead, I'm updating my sorely neglected Blog. Fancy that...

My grandpa's out of the hospital, finally. They took him off the draining tube just the other day and allowed him to return home. Wonderful news, that is, but he's still got a long way to go before he'll really be back on his feet.

TNT this past Tuesday was terrific. It was helped by the fact that we met in a small, box-shaped room in North Village instead of the UC Watkins Room. Now to some of us, that was a recipe for disaster, thinking such a shift would disrupt the normal flow of our night (which it did). But our discussion was the best it's ever been. Rodney talked about confession of sins, and lots of people were very responsive. Being in such close quarters helped to stimulate some really thought-provoking dialogue. I'm all for giving that another try some other Tuesday evening.

I watched my first complete episode of ABC's "Lost" last night with Taylor, Jon, and Lauren. It was interesting, but I won't say I'm hooked just yet. I'm intrigued enough to give it another viewing next week. That's something.

That's all for now. Good morning and God bless!

Song of the Day: Katinas - "Draw Me Close"

Verse of the Day: "He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded. The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death." - Proverbs 13:13-14

A Break From the Norm

I'm doing a morning post. Hey, it's my blog.

Religion-33 was cancelled today because Dr. CT had to go to the hospital for some reason. I can't recall why, though, but prayers for that situation would be good.

Some troubling news on my Grandad. The fluid in his chest cavity still isn't draining out of him the way it should. So it looks like they'll have to do invasive surgery to speed the process along. The doctors are trying to make the prognosis seem positive, no big deal, but surgery is still a setback in terms of his recovery. Please continue to be in prayer for him. I missed TNT to study last night, but half the time was spent pacing outside the library waiting for my Mom to call with news. I hate being on the receiving end of such things but I don't have much of a choice.

Not much else to report, so farewell for now. God bless.

Song of the Day: Overflow - "Cry on My Shoulder"

Quote of the Day: "What if Superman was born in the age of cell phones? Where would he change clothes?" - Dr. William Lavery (LOL!)

Verse of the Day: "Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet." - Proverbs 27-5-7