MORE JAG CHANGES

In my last post I wrote about missed opportunities and referenced the missed opportunity of the Jacksonville Jaguar team in not drafting Tim Tebow. I noted that the team he is quarterback for is winning, and our Jag team is losing. I think not drafting Tim Tebow was a terrible mistake.

Today the Jacksonville Jaguars fired the head coach, Jack Del Rio. He is considered the goat for our losing team, but I think the root problem is deeper than just with the coach.

Now the team is being sold too. They say the team will stay in Jacksonville, but time will tell on that one. For now change is in the wind.

The coach will still be paid several million dollars so only is pride is really hurt. Millions of dollars will heal his wound and make him good as new.

What will the future hold for the Jags?

A new head coach.

More promises and hope.

More uncertainty for now.

Sooner or later, players have to make plays regardless of who the coach is. Sooner or later, the game is won or lost on the field.

For now the is change in the air. We will see where it takes us.

MISSED OPPORTUNTIES

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost yesterday. The Denver Broncos won. Why?

Could it be that Tim Tebow is the quarterback in Denver and not the quarterback in Jacksonville?

Our quarterback is a rookie and not playing very good. Hopefully he will do better and soon, but now we are losing. We could have had Tim Tebow in Jacksonville, but we passed him in the draft. Our team lost a great opportunity.

Sad, very sad.

I don't think that drafting Tim Tebow would have be a cure all for our team, but he is doing good. The Jags are not so hot right now. We are lacking leadership and determination. Tim has both of those in high quantity.

I wonder how many opportunities I have lost? I suspect more than I would like to know. I can think of a few. All of us have made poor choices and missed more good opportunities than we know. Maybe today we can all do better.

Look around. Make God-centered choices. Honor Him. Do good for others. Don't think of self so much. Give sacrificially. Live in the light of eternity. That will lead to less missed opportunities.

TURKY, TURKEY, TURKEY!

Well now, I have eaten enough turkey for the week. Can't someone pass another turkey sandwitch? How about another helping of turkey dressing?

YUM!

Pecan pie, pound cake, pumkin pie, all in my belly.

Now it is time to jog, walk, run, do sittups and pushupss, and leg lifts.

The best part is being with family. This year we are in Tallahassee with Wanda's family. They are a great bunch. It has been super!

Maybe one day Wanda and I can get all of our kids and grands together for a Thanksgiving celebration. That would be fun.

Now, Roll Tide!

Beat Auburn.

And then, go for the National Championship!

FAITHFULNESS

Love is very weak or even none existent when faithfulness is absent. How can one say that they love when there is no dependability, consistency, or commitment? Can one say that they love their children when they have no care or provision to feed or clothe them? Can one say to their spouse that they love them when they really are sneaking around and having an affair?

How can we say we love God when there is little or no evidence of following His Word or making time for Him?

People do what they love. If we love sports, then sports will occupy our time. Shopping? Then off we go to the malls. Or fishing? Get the boat ready, here I come. Or golfing, or motorcycling, or cooking, or traveling, or reading, or hunting, or any thousand other love?

Here is the deal. Love, I mean true love leads to faithfulness. It leads to consistent, passionate involvement. Love for God turns into faithful acts of discipleship.

The Word say, "If you love me....? then you will keep my commandments."

It is just that simple. We all do what we want to do.

Loving God turns into real action steps of faithful, following the One we love.

GIVING THANKS

This week is Thanksgiving week. We'll be gathering with family and sharing Thanksgiving with Wanda's family in Tallahassee. I have already enjoyed one Thanksgiving meal with the seniors of our church. There is more turkey in my future.

In my Thanksgiving sermon on Sunday, I shared the comic cartoon of Snoopy having dog food set before him for Thanksgiving dinner. He complained why do I only get dog food. Then he paused and said, "Well it could be worse. I could be a turkey."

Ha!

We can all find something to be thankful for. No matter how tough things may be, God is good. We can still be thankful.

If for nothing else, be thankful you are not a turkey.

So don't act like one.

TELL THE TRUTH

The story is told about a father who went to his sons and asked which one of the had thrown the outhouse in the river.

None of them would own up to it. So the father decided to make this a teaching moment. He reminded them of George Washington's father who asked his son, George, if he had cut the cherry tree down. George said that he could not tell a lie and said that he had cut the tree down. His father forgive him because he told the truth.

Finally one of the boys fessed up, "I did it. I can't tell a lie either. I am sorry."

The father quickly grabbed the boy up and took him to the woodshed and gave it to him.

After his whipping, the son asked, "Why did you whip me. George's father forgave him."

The father said, "I understand, but George's father wasn't in the cherry tree when he cut it down."

Ha!

What is the point?

Truth is the best policy. Doing what it right always pays even if you have to take the punishment. So many today are taking shortcuts to a bad end. Truth eventually surfaces. No one is getting by with anything.

The worse thing that can happen with sin is for it to stay covered and not be found out until it is dwelt with when one stands before God. Then it will be too late.

MY PLEA

When I began this blog, I had numerous thoughts about the direction I should take. My initial blog writing began due to my first wife's illness and death which eventually led to my own blog. Plea became the vehicle to express my thoughts.

Why the title Plea?

I feel a desire to write to appeal, inspire, and encourage readers by sharing my thoughts, dreams, and feeling through personal experiences and observations. I am a preacher, and preachers preach. They proclaim. They exhort. They encourage, convict, and inspire.

Lamentations 3 reads:

⁵⁵ I called on your name, LORD,
from the depths of the pit.
⁵⁶ You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears
to my cry for relief.”
⁵⁷ You came near when I called you,
and you said, “Do not fear.”

The Lord hears our pleas. He does not close His ears. He soothes and calms our fears. We do not have to be afraid.

My plea is for the higher good, to encourage a better future, destiny, and end.

God will hear that plea. I pray others do too.

HOT! HOT! HOT!

I am in New Iberia, LA, with Wanda and her family. One of her favorite uncles died, and the family asked if I would help with the funeral. It has been a quick trip, and we are headed home today.

We did have a few moments to tour the factory on Avery Island where they make Tabasco Pepper Sauce. When we drove into their parking lot you could smell the hot sauce and it slightly burned your eyes. It takes over 3 years for them to make the sauce as they age it 3 years before they mixed it and bottle it.

Their plant bottles over 700,000 bottles a day and ship around the whole. This process has been going on for almost 150 years back into the 1800's.

I love food. I mean I love any kind of food. But I don't enjoy hot stuff. I can take just a tiny bit of spicy stuff, but not much. They gave each of us four small bottles of the hot sauce. Don't know if I'll try any. No, I know I want try any.

Thy make ice cream with it too. Cool but hot, hot, hot.

Interesting. I tried less than half of a spoon full. That was enough for me. I can still taste it.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

WHAT IS IMPORTANT?

My last post was about Penn State University and Head Football Joe Paterno and the scandal they are dealing with concerning an assistant football coach abusing little boys. It is a very sad story. For years there was a coverup at worse or negligence at least to deal with the assistant coach. Now it is all coming to light and heads are rolling. Only God knows how many innocents were abused.

The President, Head Football Coach, Athletic Director, and a Vice-President have all been fired. Their failure to properly report and protect little boys have brought them all down.

Why did they fail to report the abuses? How could this happen?

Those and other questions are still to be answered, but one thing is certain, priority is being brought into focus. The Board of Trustees are having to deal with one of the worst scandals imaginable. It is so very sad.

Some are wanting the Head Coach to continue. Lots of attention is being placed on JoePa as they call him. They worry about his legacy.

So what!

Here is the issue. Football is not king. No one is above the law. Little ones should be protected. It doesn't matter if they ever play another football game or not there. What matters is that there is a return to sanity and a real world.

How can you really feel so sorry for a few coaches when little boys have been abused and violated. That is where the attention and sorrow should be.

May God have mercy on those little ones. That is what is important.

WHAT ABOUT JOE PATERNO?

Who is Joe Paterno?

He is the long time head football coach for Penn State University. He is the all-time winningness football coach ever. He has over 400 wins beating all other head football coaches. He is 84 years old and has been known to be respected and well thought of as a "good guy".

Now he is under fire because he fell to report an assistant football coach who was reported to him of abusing little boys. This happened years ago and no one did anything to find or help the little boys or other little boys.

Now Penn State Athletic Director and other administrative heads are rightfully under fire for not reporting this to the police. Coach Paterno is being called into question over this also. Legal and moral obligations were not properly met or exercised. How so very, very sad for all these little boys.

What is the point here?

The point is that we do have moral responsibilities. We cannot turn our backs on innocents. There are acceptable and non-acceptable laws of behavior. Mankind does have a moral obligation.

I don't know the truth or details of all this. Coach Joe Paterno may not have done anything wrong, but it strongly appears that a cover-up was in the works. It appears their sacred program was held in higher esteem than the care of innocent little boys. It appears something was terribly, morally wrong at Penn State. As of this writing, Coach Paterno has been unwilling to talk to reporters or anyone about his actions. He has had hundreds and hundreds of press conferences about football, but now he cannot meet and answer what happened to innocent little boys.

No one gets by with anything. They may or may not be found out in this life, but God sees all and knows all. He has a total observation of every detail and misdeed. Before Him, we will all give account.

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

Well by now you know it, at least if you know anything about college football. Alabama lost to LSU 9-6 on Saturday night. It was billed at the game of the decade, or even the game of the century. LSU was ranked no. 1 and Alabama was no. 2 of all Division 1 colleges. It was a defensive battle from start to finish. I don't remember a football score in recent years of being tied 6-6 at the end of regulation playing time. LSU won in overtime with a field goal 9-6.

Sad!

More than sad!

You should have seen the looks of all those Alabama fans. Tears were welling up in all their eyes.

Yet we should have, could have won the game. We missed four field goals. We had a pass take-a-way interception on the one yard line that surely would have produced a winning score.

There were too many missed opportunities. Sad. More than sad.

Yet, I wonder how many missed opportunities we all have that have greater consequence than a football game.

A missed opportunity to say a kind word.

A missed opportunity to make a life moment special.

A missed opportunity to make special times like birthdays, anniversaries, or other such events really big.

Alabama lost a shot to win a National Championship which can never be realized. The opportunity is gone. Forever. They had chances, but they let their opportunities slip through their fingers.

Here is the point. Don't waste or miss your opportunities today. Make it a point to make a phone call. Send a card. Go see a friend. Give a nice gift. Forgive. Forget. Go do it. Do it now. Otherwise you may forever miss your opportunity for blessing and goodness.

TECH ADDICTION?

I recently read an article that dwelt with tech addiction to smart phone, iPads, iPods, and computers. It listed many marks of possible addiction and I think I had one or two of them. I thought the only thing I was addicted to was coffee and Wanda and not in that order.

How do you know if you're addicted?

1. Waking up in the night to check computers, iPhones, or iPads.

2. Paying more attention to tech stuff than people in the room with you.

3. Thinking that an event hasn't happened until it is posted on the Internet.

4. Feeling that your missing something unless you're online.

5. Always grabbing for your phone when hearing a ring in a crowded room.

So, should I turn the iPhone and iPad off?

For me it is a work tool, but admittedly it has to be kept in proper place. People are more important than an email from a national campaign group or other spam. Tech stuff has not life or love or care. It is just mind occupying, time consuming geek tools. Am I a geek? Don't think so.

So the issue is balance and keeping life in order. It is doing work in a smart fashion, but not losing people in the background. I don't foresee getting rid of my tech stuff, but I do see reigning it is some.

Wanda will be glad to read this, and she will be gladder if I follow through. Have I moved from couch potato to computer potato?

Oh, one other thought.

Roll Tide! Beat LSU!

ONE ANOTHER

Encouragement is a difference maker. A good work spoken can lift the spirit, release new hope, strengthen, and propel to a better future. Everyone needs encouragement. Kinds words shared at critical times can foil failure and compel the discouraged to become more than a conquerer.

How can we encourage? I am glad you asked. Here are a few ways.

1. Say thanks to someone doing a new or hard task.

2. Say thank you for jobs well done.

3. Smile.

4. Smooth over a failure of a friend or stranger.

5. Offer a cup of cool water to the heavy laden.

6. Be a peace maker.

7. Speak truth in love. Make that lots of love.

Paul wrote that we should encourage one another. He shared:

Serve one another-Gal. 5:13

Bear with one another-Eph 4:2

Forgive one another: Eph 4:32

Submit to one another: Eph 5:21

Comfort one another: I Thess 4:18

Edify one another: I Thess 5:11

We are further told to greet one another, be hospitable to one another, to consider one another, and to encourage one another. Over and over we are told to love one another.

The truth is we need one another. No one does well on an island alone. Everyone is important in God's KIngdom.