Way to go Dabo!

This article comes from Ray Melik of the Birmingham News.

While we wait to see if America’s No. 1 prospect, St. Paul, Minn., lineman Seantrell Henderson ,ever signs with Southern Cal (he’s reportedly waiting until USC’s meeting with the NCAA in late February), it was nice to see Clemson’s Dabo Swinney decide against waiting on Anderson, S.C., linebacker Jake Nicolopulos.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney accepts scholarship of player who will likely never play a down. (The State)Considering that Nicolopulos will likely never suit up for the Tigers, that’s saying something.

Nicolopus committed to Clemson in February, 2009. But this past December, he suffered a stroke that left him unable to talk, walk, or write.

But after massive surgery and two months of therapy, Nicolopus had regained the ability to sign his name – and last Wednesday he did, on a National Letter of Intent that Clemson said it will honor.

“He’ll be a part of this family,” said Swinney, the Pelham native who played and coached at the University of Alabama.

Nicolopulos has started his second stage of rehab – six-to-eight weeks of outpatient physical therapy – in Atlanta. He might need speech therapy after that, his father said, before returning to Anderson, S.C., and a future at Clemson.

“This realized a dream for him that he achieved, that he earned,” Swinney said. “God had a little bit of a different plan for him. But I don’t have doubt at all Jake Nicolopulos will make an impact at Clemson.”

A great coach and even more a godly man.  Thankful for men like Dabo in the faith-Taylor

Tim Tebow Has Bigger Fish to Fry?

I was watching a local nightly sports-talk television show this week when the discussion turned to Tim Tebow and his practice performance at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL.  The four hosts were discussing his play at quarterback that week which by all accounts was less than spectacular.  Suddenly, one of the hosts decided to detour from talking about this play as a quarterback and how he may or may not be an NFL quarterback to “slamming” him for the commercial ad he will be featured in on Super Bowl Sunday.  They presented a clip from a Senior Bowl press conference where Tim was asked about the commercial which is a Pro-Life piece connected with Focus on the Family.  Tim defended his position in doing the commercial by referring to his mother as “courageous”, because she went against the advice of some medical professionals who encouraged her to end the pregnancy because it was deemed high risk.  Well, as soon as the clip ended the particular ”gentleman” decided we should all know his opinion on all things Tim Tebow.  He stated that Tebow had no real life experiences, that he had no idea what the real world was about.  He attempted to be-little the missions work Tim has done since childhood, and the prison ministry he now does.  He referred to his college lifestyle as cushy and pampered, and then he stated that instead of doing TV commercials maybe Tim should focus more on football saying, “Right now he has bigger fish to fry.”  In case you were wondering, yes he was saying that fighting for the rights of the innocent and unborn should not be important to Tim as his NFL career at present.  Remember the words of Jesus, “   ²¹“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. ²²All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:21-22).  This man attacked Tim, not to his face, but as a coward on television because he hates the God Tim Tebow serves, the God of Jesus Christ who cares and loves and creates the innocent and unborn.  Tim will go down as one of the all-time greats on the college gridiron, but he in my opinion is greater off the field.  This was much more than a personal attack against Florida’s #15, it was a clear view into a man’s heart who hates the spirit and person of Jesus Christ.  I am so grateful for the decision Tim’s mom made long, for his stand time and  again for his faith.  I realize the sports show host was attempting to criticize Tim for putting his faith and belief’s before football…if I am Tim Tebow I take that as a tremendous complement.  And even more if I were Tim Tebow I would think about and look forward to heaven and the many babies and people he will meet there who will embrace him in with Christ’s love for his and defense of them, those aborted and those whose mothers were influenced by Tim’s story and other’s like him.  One day his Heisman trophy will be rusty and forgotten, but his place and crown in heaven will never fade because of Christ.

I Corinthians 10:24-25 

²⁴Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

 ²⁵Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Are You Stealing Joy?

Perhaps I should phrase the question like this, are you robbing from your self?  Robbing from yourself, that seems to the logical man entirely counter-productive.  We do however rob from ourselves, every day.  We steal from our own lives joy when we settle for “things” that are less than Christ.  Joy thieves we all are.  As a Christian I have come to know and am fully convinced that there is to be found no greater sense of satisfaction and fulfillment than walking in constant fellowship with Jesus Christ.  There is no greater joy than finding oneself satisfied in Christ completely.  A true sense of knowing that nothing less than Jesus will do when it comes to our ultimate happiness.  The problem is, you and I as believers know this, we believe it, and yet we act as beings momentarily and completely irrational when we sin.  Sin before God is an irrational behavior for the Christian.  We can never justify our sin before a perfect God, and no excuse will ever suffice his holiness.  We know better and yet we still sin.  As though the sin were not bad enough, we settle for less joys.  We give into what John Piper calls “momentary and fleeting pleasures”.  We give into the temptation before us and receive form our wickedness and rebellion a short spark of excitement, satisfaction, or comfort.  We sin because we want to.  We sin because we like it.  The problem we soon realize after we lied, cheated on a test or taxes, lusted, coveted, or gossiped (just to name a few) is, after the initial ”high) we feel worse than before.  That is the Holy Spirit reminding us we have once again settled for less that the best.  What we thought would make us happy has made us miserable, and we are left feeling far from God.  William Wilberforce, great English Politian who is best know for his life’s work toward the abolition of the slave trade and slavery in England, was said to be committed to the “abstinence from anything that would rob him of his greater joys” ( Roots of Endurance: John Piper, p. 153).  All greater joys for the Christian are found in Christ.  We should work hardily to abstain from things that would cause us to rob ourselves of the greatest amount joy.  It makes no sense to steal from oneself…and if that is true it makes even less sense for you and me to sin against God.  Sin promises happiness and contentment, God delivers.

Philippians 3:7-8        

  ⁷But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

If Your Not Happy With Where You are Now…

I once had a conversation with another couple in which the then wife of my friend made the comment that she felt she would truly find happiness when she “made it” in her chosen profession.  She further attempted to make her point by saying,”you know Taylor you are probably a lot happier now that you are doing what you really want to do as a sports chaplain.”  I said, well actually Tenly will attest to this, but I was just as happy when I was teaching tennis for a living while we were engaged and then married and in seminary.  I told my happiness has much more to do with Christ than it does any position or title I hold, possession I own, or achievement.  Being happy for me is about being satisfied  and complete in Christ.  Paul writes in Philippians 4:12-13,   ¹²I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³I can do everything through him who gives me strength.  For the Christian, Christ is our primary and ultimate source for strength and happiness.  I realize the wisdom of Jesus Christ through Paul is completely countercultural to what most in our society believe.  If you have money…If you find the right person…if you are successful at you chosen profession…if you have friends and influence…then you will be happy.  God is not an IF he is I AM, and I AM is always better than If.  We have Jesus, and he is eternally greater than all the pleasures this world has to offer.  When you’re happy in and with Jesus…nothing else can compete or compare when it comes to your happiness.

Things That Will Never Be Cool…

You may ask what gives me the right to say what is and isn’t cool.  A fair and just question.  I am certainly not “the keeper” of all things cool, however, I am cooler than most people I know.

-Mullets (sorry Alabama fan’s)

-Unibrows (again sorry Alabama fan’s)

-Wife Beater tee’s (Ok Bama fan’s I am picking on you)

-Walmart (Last one Bama fan’s, I promise)   

-Hair-nets (Sorry lunch ladies…just no way to make a hair-net cool)

-Speaking of lunch…Mystery meat every Tuesday of my high school life.  I mean come on, does my $1.25 not afford me something better?  Oh and by the way, no matter how much gravy you put on that flat patty it will never be able to overcome the poor quality or presentation of the meat.

-Mouth breathers…Please close your mouth and open your nose.

-Crocs, they may be comfy but they are ugly.

-Any movie “starring” Matthew Mcconaghay or Brendan Fraser (except for School Ties…that was a fine film)

-Being the director of the Louisville Tennis Club’s Summer Tennis Camps.  You try digging ditches while baby sitting.

-Frat guys, yeah your right you are unique and cool…I mean who else in the world wears polo’s, costa del mar’s and flip-flops every day to class, nobody but you.

-Skinny jeans on dudes, man those are some tight jeans.

-Those who get their information form Glen Beck, Keith Olberman, or Bill O’Riley and then try to pawn their views off as their own.  I didn’t care what any of them had to say the first time.

-Bible School, it was always less than two weeks after real school let out for the Summer.  Bad timing, bad name.

-Black Holes, I hear those things can like swallow a whole planet.

-Picking your nose in public…what’s fun in secret is not generally accepted by society.

-Bolonga, wow I don’t even know what to say.

-Admitting you are a Los Angeles Clippers fan, and you wonder why you don’t have any friends.

-Bowling on TV…not until you can tackle each other.

-Sharing a great story with a competitive listner…”oh yeah well listen to this”.

-Being on a 3 1/2 hour plane ride from Madrid to the Canary Islands that allows smoking.

-Or flying back from the Canary Islands to Madrid while some Greek kid keeps kicking the back of you seat.  I may not be able to speak Greek, but I can give the stank eye in any language.

-Proms, I just thought they were stupid, and looking back they were.

-Car/Truck antennas with a tennis ball attached to the top (sorry Bama fan’s, it just came to me).

-The smell at your grandma’s house…Dude something or somebody has got to be dead in there.

-The second day back at school, yesterday was plenty school for me this year. 

-The Flobee, hard to figure out why that one never caught on.

-Community showers, I don’t like other naked dudes.

-South Alabama in the Summer time…hell wishes it were that hot.

-Facebook and Twitter status updates, wow, you are ready to get off work, wondering where to eat lunch, in class bored, or looking forward to your favorite team’s game this weekend.  How do I say this proper, I don’t care.

-When the snow turns to rain (credit this one to that guy who wrote that sad Christmas song). 

-Litter boxes, can your cat really not “go” outside like every other animal?

-Morning breath, the rule should be “one may only speak after brushing their teeth.”

-Un-sweet tea…whats the point?

-Having someone explain their view to you over and over.  i understand you perfectly, I just don’t agree with you.

-Hell…It’s hot year-round, lonely, and away from Christ.  To avoid it all you have to do  is know and follow the Savior.

2009…Rewind

Here are the a few of the events that defined my 2009…

-Perry Rose turned 1.  We had an awesome 1st bday party at Tenly’s mom and dad’s house in Guntersville Alabama.  The best gift she received?  A potty chair from my Aunt Bellann and Uncle Fred. 

-I went 2-5 in my summer tennis league.  It was my first time to consistently play competitive tennis in over 15 years.

-Perry Rose began to talk.  Her first two words were “bye” and “ball”.

-Tenly and I joined our first church together, Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta GA. 

-My friend Andy’s wife walked out on him and divorced him nine weeks later.  It was so sad to walk through that with him…he and I talked everyday and prayed for God to intervene.  God did not intervene, but He is good and he will bless Andy for his faithfulness and for fighting for his marriage.

-I am now 90-95% recovered from my chronic fatigue.  This was the best year I have had since becoming ill in February of 2007.

-I surprised Tenly and took her out on the 10th anniversary of our first date (February 27th 1999).  

-We took Perry Rose to the Beach for the first time.  Our amazing friends Nick and Deanna Chapman let us tag along with them to Destin FL.  Perry Rose loved the sand…so much she kept trying to eat it.

-My great friend and favorite solider, United States Army Captain Dave Dice served and returned from a tour of Duty in Iraq.  Dave Dice is one of my heroes.

-We had to unexpectedly put down our 4 and 1/2 year old dauschaund Dax.  He hurt his back and within 48 hours was almost completely paralyzed.  He was the best dog I have ever had.

-My brother got a job and moved to Atlanta.

-After going 2-5 in tennis last summer…I rebounded and went 9-1 in the fall.  My only loss cam last week in the semi-finals of tournament. 

-The FCA ministry struggled tremendously financially at Tech…but somehow, someway God always provided.

-My brother and I teamed up to go 4-1 in our doubles league.

-Several of my close coaching friends moved for other jobs.

-My flag football team finished second on our league.

-Ultimately, I fell short many times in many ways…but God remained faithful.  I realized I need Jesus more each day I am alive.  I have so many areas I need God to improve about me.  Jesus is greater than all my sin…and I need that.

Jesus Is Not The Reason For The Season…

Jesus is the reason for life. Jesus is the reason for our existence, as well as the existence of the cosmos and all contained within.  Christians, this time of year make a habit of reminding others that “Jesus is the reason of the season”.  Yes, it is true that Christ is the meaning and the point of Christmas, but he is so much more.  Jesus is the reason for Thursday’s and February, and clouds, and giraffe’s, and rain, and children on Christmas morning.  Psalm 24:1 states that the world and all that is contained within belong to God.  We are also told by Paul to do all things to the glory of Christ in I Corinthians 10:31 (whether you eat idle meat or not).  Every day, each moment, in all things, we Christians are to glorify God in our lives.  Life is because of Christ.  You and I have been redeemed for and through Christ (II Corinthians 5:17-19).  My hope, my goal for you and I as we celebrate Christmas and God’s gift of a child, we would also celebrate new and abundant life every day in all we have and do.  Our lives are filled with opportunities to either glorify God or ourselves.  We all were born to glorify God, we are born again to glorify Christ, that is the reason for season of life.

Colossians 1:15-20

        ¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. ¹⁷And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.    emphasis added

Cancer And The Christmas Quilt

Christmas 1992 will forever live with me.  It was the last Christmas for my mom’s mother, my “Granny Jo”.  Granny Jp was diagnosed with lung cancer in November of 1992 just prior to Thanksgiving, she would only live until March of the next year.  I don’t recall every Christmas of my life, but that Christmas I remember well.  I can still see my Granny Jo sitting in a chair at my Uncle Dale and Aunt Donna’s farm near Boaz AL.  Her head was covered in a wrap to keep her head from being exposed to the elements of weather and the hearts of  her family.  Chemotherapy had taken Granny Jo’s hair, cancer would soon to take her life, but first she had a Christmas gift to give.  My mother’s side of the family is very large.  Mom has six brothers and sisters and most have several children.  I don’t recall what Granny Jo got everyone that year, I only can tell you what she gave me.  When the time came to exchange gifts we all gathered in a large formal sitting room in the front of the house which overlooks large oak trees in the spacious front yard.  All thirty or so family members squeezed into that one room for gift giving and receiving.  I don’t recall if it was the first gift I received, or the last gift I received, but in my mind’s memory it is the only gift I received that day. I was sitting on the stairs that lead to the entry way of the house and the over nine foot Christmas tree that welcomes all who enter.  My mom walked over to me carrying something in a large white trash bag.  As she sat down next to me on the stair and she tearfully watched me pull out my gift.  It was a beautifully hand-made quilt my Granny Jo had made for me.  Being twelve my mom was worried I would be a bit disappointed by a quilt, so she began to tell me this was a special quilt and a special Christmas.  I let her explain that to me, but I wasn’t disappointed.  I did not fully understand many things at twelve, but I understood my mom’s tears, I understood cancer, and I understood Christmas.  I told mom I really liked it and went across the room to where Granny Jo and Paw Paw Slick were sitting and I hugged her neck wrapping both arms around her and told her thank you for my quilt.  I am twenty-nine years old today, which means I can recall about 23 Christmas’s.  I have been given more stuff over more Christmas’s than I can recall, The Quilt is the greatest and warmest gift I have ever received.  Today in Atlanta GA in my living room in a wicker basket I keep that precious quilt.  The Quilt has been with me in Louisville KY, Auburn AL, and now here in Atlanta.  It has kept me warm, my wife warm, as well as guests who stay the night with us.  One day I will pass th Granny Jo Quilt on to my daughter Perry Rose and share with her the story of its warmth and love.  Granny Jo gave me the best gift she could on her last Christmas.  God gave us his best gift on the first Christmas in Jesus born a baby to a virgin in Bethlehem.  Christmas is about giving and receiving,  God gave us a Son, and just as I treasure the Christmas Quilt…even more precious is Jesus to me.  May your Christmas’s be filled with less presents you don’t really need and more quilts, and may Jesus born to us a child be all we really want this year. 

Luke 2:8-14

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ^[a] the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

 ¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
 ¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest,
      and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

The Lion Has Spoken

 

In C.S. Lewis’ great literary work The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe there is a scene in which The Great Lion known as Asland speaks boldly to the Witch…the imposter ruler of the land of Narnia.  Edmond, the younger of two brothers has betrayed his other three siblings.  After being rescued from the camp of the ice queen, the Witch demands a meeting with Asland.  The witch acting as a prosecuting attorney attempts to remind Asland  the true ruler of Narnia that as a traitor Edmond is to be given over to her and put to death.  Asland responds by saying, “Don’t recite the deep magic to me witch, I was there when it is written.”  This scene in the movie literally brings chills to my entire body.  The Lion Asland, is perhaps the best characterization of Christ I have ever seen in film.  What Asland says is a great reminder to we Christians of our great Savior and his authority over all things…even before they exist.  The Gospel writer John in his narrative writes,  

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was with God in the beginning.

 ³Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:1-3).

Christ the Word, is preeminent, he is before all, overall, and the meaning of all (Colossians 1:15-20).  And just as the Lion has spoken, so Jesus has spoken and his roar is loudest of all.  The devil is much like the white Witch in the movie, an accuser.  Christ is our defense attorney, and when we stand before God on the day judgment our great savior will be the one who advocates to God on our behalf.  No one in Christ will stand in the judgement before God alone, Christ will stand in our place.  He has taken upon our sin, he has removed our transgressions, and he alone will give us access to the Father and eternity.  We have been justified by the blood of Christ.  No accusations or attempts by the evil one can or will overcome Christ’s blood shed for us.  In those moments when Satan attempts to prosecute us before God on the basis of our sin (and we are well deserving of the eternal death sentence apart from Christ)  can you picture our Lord with a great roar, boldly reminding the enemy whom he is speaking with…Don’t recite the law to me Satan, I was there when it was written, it was I who wrote it, it exists for me and because of me…I am the true law of God because I alone fulfill it’s righteous requirements.  Glad that Lion is on our side.  The Lion of Judah has spoken…It is finished!      

Colossians 1:15-20   

        ¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Familymas?

Yeah really…that makes a lot of sense right?  Well I thought the same thing until tonight when I was driving to meet some friends for dinner while listening to 98.5 Atlanta’a home for the holiday’s and soft rock favorites.  I was enjoying some lovely Christmas tunes (some more than others) when syndicated radio talk person Delilah (please don’t take my man card…I was simply trying to hear seasonal Christmas music) began to share in a thoughtful moment about Christmas.  She encouraged her listeners to not focus on trying to find the perfect gift or throw the perfect Holiday party, but instead focus on what Christmas really means.  I was like yeah Delilah tell em now what it’s all about, hit a Christmas home run. Christmas is about family!  What!?  I quickly went from attentively listening to apologist in a matter of one word.  She would go on to explain all the neat things family’s could do to make this Christmas a special and memorable one without presents…and apparently she forgot to say with out Christ.  Christmas is about Christ chiefly and nothing else.  Without Christ there is no Christmas, and no reason to celebrate.  The real danger lies in what Delilah left out, Christ.  But there is also danger in what she said.  Gift’s party’s and yes even friends wont and can’t satisfy the deepest longings of your soul.  If you go into Christmas hoping your family will ultimately make you happy, then you are in for a major let down and committing idolatry along the way.  Gee Charlie Brown, it’s 2009 did you not hear what Linus said Christmas was all about?  He sure didn’t say family.  So for all the Charlie Brown’s out there (I once was one) Christmas is all about the birth of Jesus Christ the true Son of God.  If you try to find joy and peace in any other person or place you will be let down and most likely find yourself singing Elvis’s version of Blue Christmas in your heart for the next month.  But you don’t have too, and Jesus is the answer for the Blue’s and for all sinful idolatries at Christmas time including your family and mine.

Luke 2:8-14

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

 ¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
 ¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest,
      and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”