Here's my annual Advent devotional I wrote for Wesley. Thought I'd share.
Read 2 Samuel 7:11b-16
I think it is safe to say we’ve all experienced the feeling as children. The date is December 21 or 22 and the presents are starting to accumulate under the tree. It’s less than a week till Christmas Day, but the calendar seems to stretch on forever before Christmas Eve, much less the actual day. Some years I could feel my excitement grow so strong that it was almost a pain. Anticipation for a coming promise is a pretty arduous journey. You know it is coming yet it seems so far away.
In the text for today, God makes David a promise. He promises His anointed King to make [him] a house…to raise up offspring after [him]…to establish a kingdom. These are all promises intended to fulfill the covenant made with God’s people long ago. The interesting thing about this passage comes in the first promise: “I will give you rest from your enemies.” Yet, in my translation, the next passage is titled “David’s Wars.” I think this highlights a simple element that we’ve lost in our culture today; an element that we’ve lost in our Church today.
Our microwave society has conditioned us to expect things immediately, to look for things as soon as we ask for them, to never wait on anything. In 2 Samuel, God makes David a series of promises, but still needs David to wait, to endure, to be patient. God needs David to be faithful.
The season of Advent requires us to wait. It, however, is not an idle period. It is a period in which we fervently prepare for that which is promised to us; that pledge is the coming of a King who makes all things new.
The word Paul uses many times for patience is often translated as “long-suffering.” When we come to Christ, we are not automatically equipped to bear the cross we are called to take up. Again, we are called to be patient, called to prepare, called to love.
Advent calls us to a time of preparation for a coming promise. It is such in our day-to-day lives as well. We cannot expect the promise of sanctification, of being made holy and perfect in God’s sight, to come automatically. Christ calls us to a long, sometimes treacherous journey; He also gives us the promise of walking with Him.
In this time of celebration that is Advent, let us rejoice in the promise that God has made us in the coming King. Let us also prepare to receive that which is love, that we may be ultimately perfected in the promise of an almighty God.
Rejoice, for unto us a child is born. Hosanna!
JC
Rasslin' With Them Angels
Let me make one thing perfectly clear:
I carry an unhealthy disdain of the University of Alabama...every single thing about that crimpsun-and-white wasteland of a campus and the legions of bubbas who have never even set foot on the aforementioned area of real estate.
Some have asked me, “Why get so riled up about something as trivial as football?” The simple answer? It’s not just football. It’s a job, a vocation, an M.O. Whenever a person is either born or moves into the Yellowhammer state, said job is assigned. You pick a side, not because you want to, but because it is foreordained. You are either orange-and-blue or red-and-white. It cannot be both ways. It cannot be “Well, I cheer for Auburn until they play Alabama.” It just cannot. We are Auburn, they are Alabama. With that assignment, comes a specific personality and job description. It is what it is.
Alabama fans are not insufferably arrogant, delusional, and mistakenly prideful because they want to be…nay, they just are. Auburn fans are not eaten up with an inferiority complex because we want to be, but because we are. It is our job as followers of The Creed to loathe all things crimson, and it is their job to act like, no matter how different reality may seem, those poor little aubies who come to beg at the table of the mighty Tahd are just a forlorn little brother who only wants to be like him.
My personal frame of reference comes from many personal experiences, starting all the way in elementary school. To be clear, most people included were born in 1986-7, the middle of Auburn and Pat Dye’s four year streak. We were barely in kindergarten in 1992, but for the sake of maintaining a seeming objectivity, we’ll include it. So, most of my Tide-loving peers knew little if any of the “tradition” that was constantly wagged in my face and others, namely my PIC, Neal. Yes, the Auburn fans were few, but even then, we acted as our job required. The years Alabama won, school on Monday was insufferable. Taunts came from every direction. Jokes were made, laughs were had, as if Auburn had never won a game…ever. The years the Tigers won, Neal and I would walk into school wearing the same proud Auburn grin we always carried around, saying little to nothing about the game, while our peer group from the West carefully explained away what should’ve happened the Saturday before; the mistakes that were made, the calls that were missed, and almost always, the excuses of why “Little Brother” had managed to be blessed with a win. It is the way it is.
I use the phrase “it is what it is” as partial truth and partial jab. The reference obviously comes from 2007 when newly hired part-time-coach and full time savior Nick Saban suspended receiver DJ Hall for the Louisiana-Monroe game, only to be on the brink of losing and “un-suspend” him. (They still lost, by the way). The partial truth comes from the fact that this is the way it will always be. While this particular action speaks rather profoundly to the Tahd’s ultimate corporate personality, I’ll leave it be for now. Auburn and Alabama fans alike will always be the way they are. Years from now, some child, born in the mid-90s, will claim “12 national championships” in the face of an Auburn friend, when really, he doesn’t even know that half of those championships are worth nothing more than some homer sportswriter’s word. That same Auburn fan will turn around to his friend, looking for some kind of affirmation from his friends that yell “ARR TEE ARR WOOOO!” because that is simply the way it is.
Despite the facts that since some long-deceased coach passed Auburn holds a decisive five-game lead, Alabama fans will continue to claim we are their “little brother.” Even though they’ve had almost as many scandals as they have head coaches since the early 90s, they will still feel like they are one of the most respected programs in the country. And though they will still feel like they have a right to win every game and every player they have will be at least All-SEC just because they are tha Unibuhsitee of Alahbumma by GAWD, they will still only be a moderately successful program by national standards.
Twenty years ago this year, a very large wrench was thrown into that personality, though. Most, if not all, Alabama fans swore that Jordan-Hare Stadium would never see the game played on its field. After years of haggling, the moment finally arrived. In what was undoubtedly the biggest Tiger Walk in history, the air that day has been described by many as nothing short of “electric.” As you probably know, the Tigers defeated the previously undefeated Tide, and suddenly, things began to look a lot more even. This event, possibly the biggest and most significant event in Auburn sports history, speaks tremendously to what I’m describing in this post. Alabama, the juggernaut of the 70s, finds it utterly beneath them to come to “that cow college.” To this day, most Turd fans will heartily deny that Auburn is even their biggest rival. Don’t blame them, though. It’s simply who they are. They will always be arrogant, dismissive, and high-and-mighty no matter how good or bad they are. It’s not a crime, it’s just their job.
We might not win on Friday. Hell, we probably won’t. But I will never stop pouring the most burnt orange and the navy-est blue liquid you’ve ever seen when I’m cut. I will never stop getting chills when the first drawn-out intro comes from the beginning of “War Eagle.” I will never stop bending my shaker into an L from effort put into cheering. I will never stop getting misty-eyed when my alma mater is played. I will never cease to be in awe when Spirit or Nova circles the stadium. I will not stop standing for those things listed in the Creed I love. Why? Because I believe in what Auburn is. I believe in those things, and by God, I love Auburn University with everything in me.
So if we win, I will have never been more proud. If we lose, I will never stop being proud of being an Auburn Tiger. Auburn is not and will never be simply about one person, player or coach. We will never worship a coach like some people do. The men that are lucky enough to wear the AU on their helmet stand for something more. They represent a people, not all consumed with simply winning and championships. They are concerned with those things, but they are about being better people for having experienced what Auburn University is. They are better people for wearing the orange and blue. They are a part of something bigger.
Why?
Because it is our job.
“I ain’t smart enough to tell you how I feel about ya. I mean…it’s family, every one of you…you know it. Sure I’d like to be 11-0, ya know, but lemme tell you somethin’. I wouldn’t swap this year for any year that I’ve been at Auburn. I wouldn’t swap it, men. I wouldn’t swap because I’ve watched you struggle and I’ve watched you rassle’ with them angels…and I’ve watched you grow up and become men. I’ve watched you become men.”
-Patrick Fain Dye, December 2, 1989 :: Auburn 30, Alabama 20
Weagle weagle WAR DAMN EAGLE, kick the ever-loving crap out of the tooth in their houndstooth skull BIG BLUE.
War Damn Eagle.
I carry an unhealthy disdain of the University of Alabama...every single thing about that crimpsun-and-white wasteland of a campus and the legions of bubbas who have never even set foot on the aforementioned area of real estate.
Some have asked me, “Why get so riled up about something as trivial as football?” The simple answer? It’s not just football. It’s a job, a vocation, an M.O. Whenever a person is either born or moves into the Yellowhammer state, said job is assigned. You pick a side, not because you want to, but because it is foreordained. You are either orange-and-blue or red-and-white. It cannot be both ways. It cannot be “Well, I cheer for Auburn until they play Alabama.” It just cannot. We are Auburn, they are Alabama. With that assignment, comes a specific personality and job description. It is what it is.
Alabama fans are not insufferably arrogant, delusional, and mistakenly prideful because they want to be…nay, they just are. Auburn fans are not eaten up with an inferiority complex because we want to be, but because we are. It is our job as followers of The Creed to loathe all things crimson, and it is their job to act like, no matter how different reality may seem, those poor little aubies who come to beg at the table of the mighty Tahd are just a forlorn little brother who only wants to be like him.
My personal frame of reference comes from many personal experiences, starting all the way in elementary school. To be clear, most people included were born in 1986-7, the middle of Auburn and Pat Dye’s four year streak. We were barely in kindergarten in 1992, but for the sake of maintaining a seeming objectivity, we’ll include it. So, most of my Tide-loving peers knew little if any of the “tradition” that was constantly wagged in my face and others, namely my PIC, Neal. Yes, the Auburn fans were few, but even then, we acted as our job required. The years Alabama won, school on Monday was insufferable. Taunts came from every direction. Jokes were made, laughs were had, as if Auburn had never won a game…ever. The years the Tigers won, Neal and I would walk into school wearing the same proud Auburn grin we always carried around, saying little to nothing about the game, while our peer group from the West carefully explained away what should’ve happened the Saturday before; the mistakes that were made, the calls that were missed, and almost always, the excuses of why “Little Brother” had managed to be blessed with a win. It is the way it is.
I use the phrase “it is what it is” as partial truth and partial jab. The reference obviously comes from 2007 when newly hired part-time-coach and full time savior Nick Saban suspended receiver DJ Hall for the Louisiana-Monroe game, only to be on the brink of losing and “un-suspend” him. (They still lost, by the way). The partial truth comes from the fact that this is the way it will always be. While this particular action speaks rather profoundly to the Tahd’s ultimate corporate personality, I’ll leave it be for now. Auburn and Alabama fans alike will always be the way they are. Years from now, some child, born in the mid-90s, will claim “12 national championships” in the face of an Auburn friend, when really, he doesn’t even know that half of those championships are worth nothing more than some homer sportswriter’s word. That same Auburn fan will turn around to his friend, looking for some kind of affirmation from his friends that yell “ARR TEE ARR WOOOO!” because that is simply the way it is.
Despite the facts that since some long-deceased coach passed Auburn holds a decisive five-game lead, Alabama fans will continue to claim we are their “little brother.” Even though they’ve had almost as many scandals as they have head coaches since the early 90s, they will still feel like they are one of the most respected programs in the country. And though they will still feel like they have a right to win every game and every player they have will be at least All-SEC just because they are tha Unibuhsitee of Alahbumma by GAWD, they will still only be a moderately successful program by national standards.
Twenty years ago this year, a very large wrench was thrown into that personality, though. Most, if not all, Alabama fans swore that Jordan-Hare Stadium would never see the game played on its field. After years of haggling, the moment finally arrived. In what was undoubtedly the biggest Tiger Walk in history, the air that day has been described by many as nothing short of “electric.” As you probably know, the Tigers defeated the previously undefeated Tide, and suddenly, things began to look a lot more even. This event, possibly the biggest and most significant event in Auburn sports history, speaks tremendously to what I’m describing in this post. Alabama, the juggernaut of the 70s, finds it utterly beneath them to come to “that cow college.” To this day, most Turd fans will heartily deny that Auburn is even their biggest rival. Don’t blame them, though. It’s simply who they are. They will always be arrogant, dismissive, and high-and-mighty no matter how good or bad they are. It’s not a crime, it’s just their job.
We might not win on Friday. Hell, we probably won’t. But I will never stop pouring the most burnt orange and the navy-est blue liquid you’ve ever seen when I’m cut. I will never stop getting chills when the first drawn-out intro comes from the beginning of “War Eagle.” I will never stop bending my shaker into an L from effort put into cheering. I will never stop getting misty-eyed when my alma mater is played. I will never cease to be in awe when Spirit or Nova circles the stadium. I will not stop standing for those things listed in the Creed I love. Why? Because I believe in what Auburn is. I believe in those things, and by God, I love Auburn University with everything in me.
So if we win, I will have never been more proud. If we lose, I will never stop being proud of being an Auburn Tiger. Auburn is not and will never be simply about one person, player or coach. We will never worship a coach like some people do. The men that are lucky enough to wear the AU on their helmet stand for something more. They represent a people, not all consumed with simply winning and championships. They are concerned with those things, but they are about being better people for having experienced what Auburn University is. They are better people for wearing the orange and blue. They are a part of something bigger.
Why?
Because it is our job.
“I ain’t smart enough to tell you how I feel about ya. I mean…it’s family, every one of you…you know it. Sure I’d like to be 11-0, ya know, but lemme tell you somethin’. I wouldn’t swap this year for any year that I’ve been at Auburn. I wouldn’t swap it, men. I wouldn’t swap because I’ve watched you struggle and I’ve watched you rassle’ with them angels…and I’ve watched you grow up and become men. I’ve watched you become men.”
-Patrick Fain Dye, December 2, 1989 :: Auburn 30, Alabama 20
Weagle weagle WAR DAMN EAGLE, kick the ever-loving crap out of the tooth in their houndstooth skull BIG BLUE.
War Damn Eagle.
War Damn Top 10
In honor of Football Season Eve, I’ve complied a list of my Top Ten games. I was in attendance at all of these, although that had no bearing on the list. Call it coincidence.
10. Ole Miss at Auburn, September 2, 1993 :: 16-12
I’ll start the list off with a little honesty. I don’t remember much about this game. I was a ripe six years old and this was my first game. I do remember thinking how ugly the old powder blue helmets that the Rebs used back in the late 80s/early 90s were. I remember something about Stan White being the quarterback, but other than that, this game bears little significance other than it was my orange and blue baptism, where I was forever changed ($1 to Scott Van Pelt).
Gross.
9. Alabama at Auburn, November 18, 1995 :: 31-27
My first Iron Bowl. Like #10, that is the most significant point in this game getting a mention. It was, unlike the ’92 OM game, a very exciting game, with the good guys coming out on top 31-27. This game is mostly known for the “controversial call” in the endzone on 4th down in which Freddie Kitchens threw the ball a little too wide for some dude, ending the Tahd’s chances in that contest. What stands out to me most from this game is not so much the football, but rather this really obnoxious Alabama fan that sat behind us with his puffy red jacket and huge honkin’ nose. I mean that thing was big. He yelled, cursed, grumbled and did all the annoying things that that token visiting fan does that somehow gets a ticket in your section. He especially said things that most wouldn’t say when you’re sitting right behind an 8 year old, but whatever; I didn’t care. As the famous last play came to pass, he celebrated wildly because the play was below us and we couldn’t see the sideline. As the official ran in to make the incomplete call, my dad came the closest I’d ever seen him come, or have ever seen him come to this day, of taunting another fan, when he turned around to the guy, smiled, and slowly shook his head and said, “nope.” After he did this, he gave me a huge high five and picked me up with one arm, pumping the other as we both wildly did a bit of celebrating of our own. It marked the beginning, in my mind at least, of the special football relationship we carry to this day.
8. Auburn at Alabama, November 22, 2004 :: 21-13
During the first half, the undefeated Tigers farted around, allowing the Tahd to get up 6-0 at halftime. The second half was much different with Campbell, Brown and Williams waking up and the clearly dominating team cruising to a relatively easy win. This is to take nothing away from Alabama’s effort in the game, because they played one of the better games of their seasons, but c’mon. Jason Campbell? Ronnie Brown? Carnell Williams? It should’ve been over by the first TV timeout. This is also a classic example of that maddening, awful, disheartening contraption we Auburn fans came to know so fondly as “The Tubershell.” After coming off an impressive 18-point drubbing of a top 10 Georgia team, everyone knew we had to kill Alabama to have a chance in jumping Oklahoma. (Editor’s Note: In case you care, my children will be raised to hate the University of Oklahoma because of this season. What a bunch of posers. Sheesh.) So what happens? We come out, put on a show in the third quarter, the run the ball up the middle series after series to run out the clock, changing what would’ve been a seemingly convincing 21-6 win into giving field position and allowing them to score to make it a seeming nail-biting 21-13 win. Stupid. It was my first real road game with Pops, though, which makes it pretty memorable (sorry Vandy, you just don’t count); that, and capping off an undefeated regular season.
7. Alabama at Auburn, November 18, 1997 :: 18-17
My 2nd Iron Bowl. What was going to be a family affair turned into another JC-Pops expedition when Mitch and Moms neither felt particularly well enough to battle the bitter cold. It was again, a game with a heavy favorite in the Tigers and a struggling Tide, their first year in the Clappy era. The good guys had a chance to clinch a West division title and a trip to Atlanta with a win, so hopes were high. The Tide, though, fought hard and was in perfect position to run out the clock with a 17-15 lead and just over a minute left when possibly the dumbest play call in history occurred. Run twice and the game’s over. Instead, that now-famous swing pass to Ed Scissum on the left happened and the rest is history. The fumble is forced and recovered by the Tigers, the ball is driven down the field, and Jaret Holmes splits the uprights for a dramatic 18-17 win. It was an exciting affair with a similar celebration to the ’95 game.
6. Auburn at Tennessee, December 4, 2004 :: 38-28
This game represented my second SEC championship experience, both times with the Vols as the opponent. The first came in ’97 when Peyton Manning decided to wake up in the second half, edging the Tigers out by a point in the end. After laying the wood to UT in Neyland earlier in the season, we all felt pretty good about our chances in the Dome. After showing the country in the first half that we were, in deed, deserving of a title shot, our old friend the Tubershell reared its ugly head in the second half and allowed the Vols back in the game. After realizing what was happening, the boys woke back up and put to rest any doubt that remained and secured the first SEC title of my recollection. It was a jubilant night.
I realize this wasn't the same game, but poor Jason Allen. It's just too sweet not to reference.
5. Georgia at Auburn, November 12, 2004 :: 24-6
Coming into this game, the Tigers hadn’t been played closely since the nailbiter in September against LSU. A top-10 matchup brought the three dweebs from Gameday as well as all eyes from across the nation to see if AU was for real. In what can be titled as nothing less than a good, old-fashioned beatdown, Campbell, Brown, Williams and Co. pulled out all the stops to hang 24 on a vaunted Bulldog defense. The defense didn’t disappoint, either, with Junior Rosegreen delivering the famous blow in the third quarter that left UGA receiver Reggie Brown motionless on his face, which come to be known simply as “The Hit.” As Brown was being attended to, the Auburn student section did something I won’t soon forget. Chanting “Reggie” in unison showed the class and integrity that embodies so much of what we are about.
4. Alabama at Auburn, November 19, 2005 :: 28-18
I struggled to not put this one higher on the list, but for some reason, it wound up at No. 4. The first quarter was what can only be described as pure bliss. The Tahd was 10-1, had been proclaimed “back” and adorned the cover of SI. Brodie Croyle was ascending to the throne to take his rightful place at the Bahr’s right hand, opposite Joe “I Wanna Kiss You” Namath. Two sacks in three plays on the first drive had the crowd stirred up in a blood-thirsty frenzy, along with a few impressive drives by the Tiger offense. We found ourselves up 3 scores before the deer in the headlights look could even descend on Shula’s face…and that is saying something. The reason this game falls on the list is for the infamous Tubershell. This game, coming the year after the Biggest Screwjob in BCS History, had a chance to put some pressure on the throat that our orange and blue boot was currently on. The live-to-punt philosophy prevailed, though, turning what could’ve been a real mudhole into a rather underwhelming ten point win. I will never forget, however, Brodie curled up in a ball as McClover stood over him. What a sight.
The Predator
3. LSU at Auburn, September 18, 2004 :: 10-9
The true turning point for the 2004 team. It was an incredibly hard fought game, all the way to the end. Not much is remembered by anybody before the last AU drive. The now famous fourth-and-long can be argued to be the turning point in Jason Campbell’s career as well. With the game hanging on this play, JC stood in the pocket, took a hit from the oncoming defender, and delivered a strike to Courtney Taylor just over the first down line. A few plays later, the same connection was made in the back of the endzone to take the lead for good. As soon as the ball hit the 86 on Taylor’s jersey, an eruption happened that is only surpassed by a moment in the number one game on this list.
2. Auburn at Florida, September 29, 2007 :: 23-20
This game for me is remembered not only for the game, but the whole trip as a whole. I secured an extra ticket from Tiger Hosts for Pops, so after we met in Auburn, we headed towards Gainesville. Saturday morning, the IHOP Breakfast Sampler was number one on the list. UA-FSU was happening in Jacksonville, so there was plenty of representation on both sides. An aside: (bammers in the booth behind us) The waitress asks us, “Which game are y’all going to?” to which Pops replies, “Which other game? The Auburn game of course! Oh yeah, I forgot…isn’t there a high school game in Jacksonville?” The bammers, waitress and Pops and I all shared a good-natured laugh, and returned to our grease-soaked sausage. We met up with some other TTHs at their tailgate and all walked around Jortville together. Some guys had enjoyed more liquid encouragement than others, making for one of the funniest walks I’ve ever taken. Example of such: “Hey that’s a nice scooter! Where’d you get that scooter? Well, if you weren’t a Florida fan, you’d probably be straight.” Hilarious.
The game was one of the most exciting games I’ve ever been to, culminating with the two game-winning kicks by true freshman Wes Byrum. The most memorable moment of perhaps my football-related stories came on those kicks, as well. As Wes trotted out on the field, the entire Auburn section found itself with arms locked together in one huddled mass, to the dismay to the police officers who patrolled the section all night telling us to get off the bleachers. As Wes nailed the first, we all went nuts, then became subdued again when we found out timeout had been called. So we linked up again. It was one of those moments where you feel like something bigger is going on…where community transcends football, where you get a real sense of what the Auburn family is all about. Holding each other up, praying together, celebrating together. It was surreal.
The next morning we returned to the same IHOP that held the same Breakfast Sampler, along with several hearty War Eagles, as well as your fair share of dejected bammers. We ate our breakfast in relative silence, letting our orange and blue do the talking.
1. Florida at Auburn, October 17, 2006 :: 27-17
Florida came into this game ranked number 2 in the country, with Chris Leak
and Tim Tebow putting up rather impressive numbers. The crowd was crazy at the beginning, but was quickly taken out of it by the Tigers’ inefficiency in scoring points and at being able to stop Leak, Tebow and Co. Going into halftime down 17-11, having scored only field goals and a safety, I felt as if it was only a matter of time before our defense wore down and the Gators blew it wide open. Tuberville, in the locker room, had a different idea. In the third quarter, the defense came alive, barely giving Leak room to breathe. On a particular third down, Leak stood in the pocket and then scrambled left, but was run down by Quentin Groves. As he hit the ground the crowd became louder than I had ever heard in almost 14 years of being in that stadium. Then, as the Gators were backed up in their territory, it happened. Snap, fumble, step, dive, block, scoop, flip. The Pontiac Game Changing Performance winning play saw a blocked punt by Tristan Davis and Jerraud Powers block the fumbled snap and attempted kick and Tre Smith scooped it up and flipped into the endzone, creating such noise that I thought the walls in the stadium would crumble. To this day, I’ve never been in an environment louder than that moment.
After a field goal from the Tigers, the Gators had one chance left, but a botched lateral led to the fumble that led to the final touchdown of the night. It. Was. Wild.
So that concludes JC’s Top Ten. War Damn.
10. Ole Miss at Auburn, September 2, 1993 :: 16-12
I’ll start the list off with a little honesty. I don’t remember much about this game. I was a ripe six years old and this was my first game. I do remember thinking how ugly the old powder blue helmets that the Rebs used back in the late 80s/early 90s were. I remember something about Stan White being the quarterback, but other than that, this game bears little significance other than it was my orange and blue baptism, where I was forever changed ($1 to Scott Van Pelt).
Gross.9. Alabama at Auburn, November 18, 1995 :: 31-27
My first Iron Bowl. Like #10, that is the most significant point in this game getting a mention. It was, unlike the ’92 OM game, a very exciting game, with the good guys coming out on top 31-27. This game is mostly known for the “controversial call” in the endzone on 4th down in which Freddie Kitchens threw the ball a little too wide for some dude, ending the Tahd’s chances in that contest. What stands out to me most from this game is not so much the football, but rather this really obnoxious Alabama fan that sat behind us with his puffy red jacket and huge honkin’ nose. I mean that thing was big. He yelled, cursed, grumbled and did all the annoying things that that token visiting fan does that somehow gets a ticket in your section. He especially said things that most wouldn’t say when you’re sitting right behind an 8 year old, but whatever; I didn’t care. As the famous last play came to pass, he celebrated wildly because the play was below us and we couldn’t see the sideline. As the official ran in to make the incomplete call, my dad came the closest I’d ever seen him come, or have ever seen him come to this day, of taunting another fan, when he turned around to the guy, smiled, and slowly shook his head and said, “nope.” After he did this, he gave me a huge high five and picked me up with one arm, pumping the other as we both wildly did a bit of celebrating of our own. It marked the beginning, in my mind at least, of the special football relationship we carry to this day.
8. Auburn at Alabama, November 22, 2004 :: 21-13
During the first half, the undefeated Tigers farted around, allowing the Tahd to get up 6-0 at halftime. The second half was much different with Campbell, Brown and Williams waking up and the clearly dominating team cruising to a relatively easy win. This is to take nothing away from Alabama’s effort in the game, because they played one of the better games of their seasons, but c’mon. Jason Campbell? Ronnie Brown? Carnell Williams? It should’ve been over by the first TV timeout. This is also a classic example of that maddening, awful, disheartening contraption we Auburn fans came to know so fondly as “The Tubershell.” After coming off an impressive 18-point drubbing of a top 10 Georgia team, everyone knew we had to kill Alabama to have a chance in jumping Oklahoma. (Editor’s Note: In case you care, my children will be raised to hate the University of Oklahoma because of this season. What a bunch of posers. Sheesh.) So what happens? We come out, put on a show in the third quarter, the run the ball up the middle series after series to run out the clock, changing what would’ve been a seemingly convincing 21-6 win into giving field position and allowing them to score to make it a seeming nail-biting 21-13 win. Stupid. It was my first real road game with Pops, though, which makes it pretty memorable (sorry Vandy, you just don’t count); that, and capping off an undefeated regular season.
7. Alabama at Auburn, November 18, 1997 :: 18-17
My 2nd Iron Bowl. What was going to be a family affair turned into another JC-Pops expedition when Mitch and Moms neither felt particularly well enough to battle the bitter cold. It was again, a game with a heavy favorite in the Tigers and a struggling Tide, their first year in the Clappy era. The good guys had a chance to clinch a West division title and a trip to Atlanta with a win, so hopes were high. The Tide, though, fought hard and was in perfect position to run out the clock with a 17-15 lead and just over a minute left when possibly the dumbest play call in history occurred. Run twice and the game’s over. Instead, that now-famous swing pass to Ed Scissum on the left happened and the rest is history. The fumble is forced and recovered by the Tigers, the ball is driven down the field, and Jaret Holmes splits the uprights for a dramatic 18-17 win. It was an exciting affair with a similar celebration to the ’95 game.
6. Auburn at Tennessee, December 4, 2004 :: 38-28
This game represented my second SEC championship experience, both times with the Vols as the opponent. The first came in ’97 when Peyton Manning decided to wake up in the second half, edging the Tigers out by a point in the end. After laying the wood to UT in Neyland earlier in the season, we all felt pretty good about our chances in the Dome. After showing the country in the first half that we were, in deed, deserving of a title shot, our old friend the Tubershell reared its ugly head in the second half and allowed the Vols back in the game. After realizing what was happening, the boys woke back up and put to rest any doubt that remained and secured the first SEC title of my recollection. It was a jubilant night.
I realize this wasn't the same game, but poor Jason Allen. It's just too sweet not to reference.
5. Georgia at Auburn, November 12, 2004 :: 24-6
Coming into this game, the Tigers hadn’t been played closely since the nailbiter in September against LSU. A top-10 matchup brought the three dweebs from Gameday as well as all eyes from across the nation to see if AU was for real. In what can be titled as nothing less than a good, old-fashioned beatdown, Campbell, Brown, Williams and Co. pulled out all the stops to hang 24 on a vaunted Bulldog defense. The defense didn’t disappoint, either, with Junior Rosegreen delivering the famous blow in the third quarter that left UGA receiver Reggie Brown motionless on his face, which come to be known simply as “The Hit.” As Brown was being attended to, the Auburn student section did something I won’t soon forget. Chanting “Reggie” in unison showed the class and integrity that embodies so much of what we are about.
4. Alabama at Auburn, November 19, 2005 :: 28-18
I struggled to not put this one higher on the list, but for some reason, it wound up at No. 4. The first quarter was what can only be described as pure bliss. The Tahd was 10-1, had been proclaimed “back” and adorned the cover of SI. Brodie Croyle was ascending to the throne to take his rightful place at the Bahr’s right hand, opposite Joe “I Wanna Kiss You” Namath. Two sacks in three plays on the first drive had the crowd stirred up in a blood-thirsty frenzy, along with a few impressive drives by the Tiger offense. We found ourselves up 3 scores before the deer in the headlights look could even descend on Shula’s face…and that is saying something. The reason this game falls on the list is for the infamous Tubershell. This game, coming the year after the Biggest Screwjob in BCS History, had a chance to put some pressure on the throat that our orange and blue boot was currently on. The live-to-punt philosophy prevailed, though, turning what could’ve been a real mudhole into a rather underwhelming ten point win. I will never forget, however, Brodie curled up in a ball as McClover stood over him. What a sight.
The Predator3. LSU at Auburn, September 18, 2004 :: 10-9
The true turning point for the 2004 team. It was an incredibly hard fought game, all the way to the end. Not much is remembered by anybody before the last AU drive. The now famous fourth-and-long can be argued to be the turning point in Jason Campbell’s career as well. With the game hanging on this play, JC stood in the pocket, took a hit from the oncoming defender, and delivered a strike to Courtney Taylor just over the first down line. A few plays later, the same connection was made in the back of the endzone to take the lead for good. As soon as the ball hit the 86 on Taylor’s jersey, an eruption happened that is only surpassed by a moment in the number one game on this list.
2. Auburn at Florida, September 29, 2007 :: 23-20
This game for me is remembered not only for the game, but the whole trip as a whole. I secured an extra ticket from Tiger Hosts for Pops, so after we met in Auburn, we headed towards Gainesville. Saturday morning, the IHOP Breakfast Sampler was number one on the list. UA-FSU was happening in Jacksonville, so there was plenty of representation on both sides. An aside: (bammers in the booth behind us) The waitress asks us, “Which game are y’all going to?” to which Pops replies, “Which other game? The Auburn game of course! Oh yeah, I forgot…isn’t there a high school game in Jacksonville?” The bammers, waitress and Pops and I all shared a good-natured laugh, and returned to our grease-soaked sausage. We met up with some other TTHs at their tailgate and all walked around Jortville together. Some guys had enjoyed more liquid encouragement than others, making for one of the funniest walks I’ve ever taken. Example of such: “Hey that’s a nice scooter! Where’d you get that scooter? Well, if you weren’t a Florida fan, you’d probably be straight.” Hilarious.
The game was one of the most exciting games I’ve ever been to, culminating with the two game-winning kicks by true freshman Wes Byrum. The most memorable moment of perhaps my football-related stories came on those kicks, as well. As Wes trotted out on the field, the entire Auburn section found itself with arms locked together in one huddled mass, to the dismay to the police officers who patrolled the section all night telling us to get off the bleachers. As Wes nailed the first, we all went nuts, then became subdued again when we found out timeout had been called. So we linked up again. It was one of those moments where you feel like something bigger is going on…where community transcends football, where you get a real sense of what the Auburn family is all about. Holding each other up, praying together, celebrating together. It was surreal.
The next morning we returned to the same IHOP that held the same Breakfast Sampler, along with several hearty War Eagles, as well as your fair share of dejected bammers. We ate our breakfast in relative silence, letting our orange and blue do the talking.
1. Florida at Auburn, October 17, 2006 :: 27-17
Florida came into this game ranked number 2 in the country, with Chris Leak
and Tim Tebow putting up rather impressive numbers. The crowd was crazy at the beginning, but was quickly taken out of it by the Tigers’ inefficiency in scoring points and at being able to stop Leak, Tebow and Co. Going into halftime down 17-11, having scored only field goals and a safety, I felt as if it was only a matter of time before our defense wore down and the Gators blew it wide open. Tuberville, in the locker room, had a different idea. In the third quarter, the defense came alive, barely giving Leak room to breathe. On a particular third down, Leak stood in the pocket and then scrambled left, but was run down by Quentin Groves. As he hit the ground the crowd became louder than I had ever heard in almost 14 years of being in that stadium. Then, as the Gators were backed up in their territory, it happened. Snap, fumble, step, dive, block, scoop, flip. The Pontiac Game Changing Performance winning play saw a blocked punt by Tristan Davis and Jerraud Powers block the fumbled snap and attempted kick and Tre Smith scooped it up and flipped into the endzone, creating such noise that I thought the walls in the stadium would crumble. To this day, I’ve never been in an environment louder than that moment.
After a field goal from the Tigers, the Gators had one chance left, but a botched lateral led to the fumble that led to the final touchdown of the night. It. Was. Wild.
So that concludes JC’s Top Ten. War Damn.
Standing on the Shoulders
Yesterday, I attended the memorial service of a loved one, albeit one that I felt I barely knew. My great aunt Jane, better known as J.J., passed away at the age of 85 on Wednesday. When I received the text from my dad informing me of the news, I found it hard to describe the emotion of the event, most likely because, as I said, it had been a few years since I had even seen Aunt Jane. I was definitely sad, but I hurt more for those that would be affected by her passing. I thought of my grandmother (Bet Bet, affectionately), and her loss of a sister. My mind went to my dad and his sisters at their loss of a beloved aunt. Finally, I went to my distant cousins, those I knew and had relationships with, but barely ever saw or communicated with, yet those that I hurt for at their loss of a mother and a grandmother.
These were all people I empathized with, relating to because the sting of losing my grandfather a year and a half ago is still fairly real. While I didn’t know Aunt Jane incredibly well, these people did, and I could almost feel their hurt. They were the most affected, having encountered this woman in a real way, knowing and loving her, being directly affected by her loss. What I didn’t realize going in, however, was all the people that my mind didn’t immediately go to when I learned of her death.
Rev. Joe Elmore, who officiated the memorial, spoke of looking through the archived history of J.J.’s church which bore the title “Standing on the Shoulders of Saints, Servants and Sinners.” I sat through the service hearing stories about my great aunt and her groundbreaking work in Tuscaloosa as an attorney, her service to her church, and her love for her family. Having these thoughts in my head, I decided to look up the article that was written in the Tuscaloosa News after her passing. This article chronicled her achievements all the way from being the first practicing female attorney in Tuscaloosa County to her work in starting a United Methodist Children’s Home for at-risk children, as well as her advocacy in Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
It was reading this article that got me to thinking. No, I didn’t know Aunt Jane that well. The hurt I felt for her loss extended more so to the people that I was closest to rather than her actual loss. But, I realize now that the influence we exert in our lives goes far beyond those we come in direct contact with. Aunt Jane’s passion for “unselfishly doing good for people” [my loose paraphrase], as my cousin Julia spoke of at the service reaches out beyond those clients she dealt with on a daily basis. Her heart for advocating for those who had no voice touches many more than those children that were provided a home at the Genesis House.
Aunt Jane’s influence reaches past two generations to touch even my life, as I see those values that were apparent to her family such as Bet Bet and later Pop, as well as to her nieces and nephew, my aunts and father. All these people that, unlike Aunt Jane, I am close to, have instilled in my life a passion to serve the poor, to do good at all costs and, as Jane used to say, to never give up when your cause is just.
All of this is evidence that we, as a people of faith, stand on the shoulders of those saints, servants, and sinners that go before us. The values and ideals of those that teach and lead us, whether in our lives directly or indirectly, guide and shape ultimately the disciples that we become. We go forward and learn more not because we are smarter, but because we stand on their shoulders, seeing further not in spite of, but rather because of. May we take those examples of women like Jane Dishuck and learn. May we recognize that because of women like her we move forward to accomplish that which has been set out for us. Doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly.
Thank you, J.J. May you rest in peace after a life well lived.
These were all people I empathized with, relating to because the sting of losing my grandfather a year and a half ago is still fairly real. While I didn’t know Aunt Jane incredibly well, these people did, and I could almost feel their hurt. They were the most affected, having encountered this woman in a real way, knowing and loving her, being directly affected by her loss. What I didn’t realize going in, however, was all the people that my mind didn’t immediately go to when I learned of her death.
Rev. Joe Elmore, who officiated the memorial, spoke of looking through the archived history of J.J.’s church which bore the title “Standing on the Shoulders of Saints, Servants and Sinners.” I sat through the service hearing stories about my great aunt and her groundbreaking work in Tuscaloosa as an attorney, her service to her church, and her love for her family. Having these thoughts in my head, I decided to look up the article that was written in the Tuscaloosa News after her passing. This article chronicled her achievements all the way from being the first practicing female attorney in Tuscaloosa County to her work in starting a United Methodist Children’s Home for at-risk children, as well as her advocacy in Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
It was reading this article that got me to thinking. No, I didn’t know Aunt Jane that well. The hurt I felt for her loss extended more so to the people that I was closest to rather than her actual loss. But, I realize now that the influence we exert in our lives goes far beyond those we come in direct contact with. Aunt Jane’s passion for “unselfishly doing good for people” [my loose paraphrase], as my cousin Julia spoke of at the service reaches out beyond those clients she dealt with on a daily basis. Her heart for advocating for those who had no voice touches many more than those children that were provided a home at the Genesis House.
Aunt Jane’s influence reaches past two generations to touch even my life, as I see those values that were apparent to her family such as Bet Bet and later Pop, as well as to her nieces and nephew, my aunts and father. All these people that, unlike Aunt Jane, I am close to, have instilled in my life a passion to serve the poor, to do good at all costs and, as Jane used to say, to never give up when your cause is just.
All of this is evidence that we, as a people of faith, stand on the shoulders of those saints, servants, and sinners that go before us. The values and ideals of those that teach and lead us, whether in our lives directly or indirectly, guide and shape ultimately the disciples that we become. We go forward and learn more not because we are smarter, but because we stand on their shoulders, seeing further not in spite of, but rather because of. May we take those examples of women like Jane Dishuck and learn. May we recognize that because of women like her we move forward to accomplish that which has been set out for us. Doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly.
Thank you, J.J. May you rest in peace after a life well lived.
"Give Me My America Back"
I was watching the Daily Show the other day when I saw a clip of a recent town hall debate on health care reform. A woman held the microphone and, while sobbing, pleaded, “This is not my America. I don’t know what you’ve done with my America, but I want my America back! Give me my America back!” As Jon Stewart quipped in reply, "Go tell that to the Indians." To see the actual crazy person-ahem...excuse me-crazy citizen, click here. The aforementioned clip begins around the 1:10 mark.
Obviously, she didn’t want “socialized” medicine, “government death panels,” “hostile government takeovers of our entire health care system,” or whatever else Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Glenn Beck or any other Fox News talking head had been telling her the President’s reform measures would bring.
My question immediately was, “What and where is this America that she was talking about?”
The root of her fear, it seemed was that the government would invade every facet of our daily lives and ruin all that is good with “her America.” Fear of the government, as the Great Beesh would tell you, is a very healthy thing. But, fear based on blatant misinformation can be completely destructive.
Now, I don’t know this woman. I don’t know what her exact political views are. But, I think it wouldn’t be too irrational to assume that she longs for the days of Republican/George Bush power. Power that brought warrantless wiretapping, secret CIA prisons across the globe, torture, Dick Cheney and Halliburton tomfoolery, waterboarding, even more torture, the Patriot Act and the politically-motivated firing of US attorneys.
Programs and acts, it appears to me, expand government’s role far, far more than a public option so forty million of Crying Woman’s fellow citizens can proceed without fear of being tossed into financial ruin because of a broken health care system.
These programs fly in the face of the sacred document each President swears to uphold. Those are forgotten, though, when a Democrat takes office. Bigger government role in social programs? Nay…it is socialism, we’re told.
Fear, when kept in check, is a healthy thing. The fear of the Lord, for example. But fear of Uncle Sam in a SWAT team outfit kicking your door in and killing your grandmother because she is unproductive is destroying democracy.
In a blog written by my man Bob, he tells that it’s time to get back to school, where you don’t speak unless you raise your hand and are acknowledged. If I had shouted down Shannon Jones in third grade like some of these “grassroots protesters” (sarcasm implied), I would’ve been strung up…literally. It’s about respect…respect for the Constitution, respect for your fellow man, and respect for the democratic process…all things that are a part of “My America.”
This woman’s? I’m not so sure.
***For a much better and more well-written response to this video and sentiment, visit THIS blog.
Obviously, she didn’t want “socialized” medicine, “government death panels,” “hostile government takeovers of our entire health care system,” or whatever else Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Glenn Beck or any other Fox News talking head had been telling her the President’s reform measures would bring.
My question immediately was, “What and where is this America that she was talking about?”
The root of her fear, it seemed was that the government would invade every facet of our daily lives and ruin all that is good with “her America.” Fear of the government, as the Great Beesh would tell you, is a very healthy thing. But, fear based on blatant misinformation can be completely destructive.
Now, I don’t know this woman. I don’t know what her exact political views are. But, I think it wouldn’t be too irrational to assume that she longs for the days of Republican/George Bush power. Power that brought warrantless wiretapping, secret CIA prisons across the globe, torture, Dick Cheney and Halliburton tomfoolery, waterboarding, even more torture, the Patriot Act and the politically-motivated firing of US attorneys.
Programs and acts, it appears to me, expand government’s role far, far more than a public option so forty million of Crying Woman’s fellow citizens can proceed without fear of being tossed into financial ruin because of a broken health care system.
These programs fly in the face of the sacred document each President swears to uphold. Those are forgotten, though, when a Democrat takes office. Bigger government role in social programs? Nay…it is socialism, we’re told.
Fear, when kept in check, is a healthy thing. The fear of the Lord, for example. But fear of Uncle Sam in a SWAT team outfit kicking your door in and killing your grandmother because she is unproductive is destroying democracy.
In a blog written by my man Bob, he tells that it’s time to get back to school, where you don’t speak unless you raise your hand and are acknowledged. If I had shouted down Shannon Jones in third grade like some of these “grassroots protesters” (sarcasm implied), I would’ve been strung up…literally. It’s about respect…respect for the Constitution, respect for your fellow man, and respect for the democratic process…all things that are a part of “My America.”
This woman’s? I’m not so sure.
***For a much better and more well-written response to this video and sentiment, visit THIS blog.
Toasty/Bagel Hope
My apologies for the Dust-Bowl type drought in the updates. I would tell you that I just didn’t have time, but in an effort to be transparent, I’ll just say that I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Honestly though, the second half of the summer was much, much different than the first. We didn’t have as many groups that came on Sunday night and stayed till Friday morning, for whatever reason. Because of this, there was a substantial amount of downtime for Tori and I. Many groups came in just for the day and worked or painted, while some came and stayed for only a few days. To pass the time, we brushed up on our forensic skills and tore through Season 1 of CSI.
Now that the summer is over, I’ve been trying to process what I learned, or didn’t learn, from this summer. It is safe to say that while last summer taught me extensively about things I’m good at, this summer taught me exactly the opposite. It seems to be a theme of this particular journey. Being reminded of my inequities is a good thing, I suppose, but is never an easy thing to stomach. It’s a good starting point in addressing things I need some grace for, beginning ministry. It is, however, hilarious to look at the ways you can rationalize or talk yourself out of doing certain things is certain situations. I would expose some of these things, but I’m not ready to be quite that vulnerable yet. I’m sure you’ll understand.
Much of what I’m about to type has been said before by Deb, so I’m not going to act all profound by saying it here and claiming credit, just so you know. Just giving credit where it’s due.
There were many times this summer when I asked myself “Why am I here?” My experience this summer had the unfortunate and unfair position of being compared in every way to my experience from last summer, so I was continually asking myself if what we were doing was accomplishing anything. Last summer, we oversaw 15 homes that were repaired to be warmer, safer and drier; that is, the families that occupied those homes’ lives were vastly improved. This summer, inevitably because of many of our volunteers, I struggled to see the good in what we were doing. Sure, the homes looked much better with a fresh coat of paint and trim, but what did we do to alleviate the problems that faced these homeowners? We would only be there a week (maybe two), so it’s not like we could enter into deep, meaningful relationships. We were just…painting. The neighborhoods they lived in were still riddled with crime, the schools would continue to be subpar, the health problems many homeowners carried around were still there and they would continue to be overlooked. Painting their home for them seemed to be, in my eyes, putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound.
Thankfully, as the summer progressed, I was able to see a bigger picture. In the neighborhoods we worked and lived in, there wasn’t much light. Crime, as I said, drugs and poverty were simply ways of life. But throw a coat of paint on a house, though, and a little light begins to break through. Deb mentioned of times when neighbors, seeing the new house, would come outside and try to tidy up their own property by picking up trash and doing yard work. Hope, she said many times, is contagious. So while many homeowners still have rotten siding, accumulating medical bills, live in fear of their own neighborhoods, and struggle to buy groceries, perhaps we have done just a little to brighten up their lives. Hopefully, we have made enough of a crack in what was despair so that some light can break through.
Light, in toasty and bagel.
Now that the summer is over, I’ve been trying to process what I learned, or didn’t learn, from this summer. It is safe to say that while last summer taught me extensively about things I’m good at, this summer taught me exactly the opposite. It seems to be a theme of this particular journey. Being reminded of my inequities is a good thing, I suppose, but is never an easy thing to stomach. It’s a good starting point in addressing things I need some grace for, beginning ministry. It is, however, hilarious to look at the ways you can rationalize or talk yourself out of doing certain things is certain situations. I would expose some of these things, but I’m not ready to be quite that vulnerable yet. I’m sure you’ll understand.
Much of what I’m about to type has been said before by Deb, so I’m not going to act all profound by saying it here and claiming credit, just so you know. Just giving credit where it’s due.
There were many times this summer when I asked myself “Why am I here?” My experience this summer had the unfortunate and unfair position of being compared in every way to my experience from last summer, so I was continually asking myself if what we were doing was accomplishing anything. Last summer, we oversaw 15 homes that were repaired to be warmer, safer and drier; that is, the families that occupied those homes’ lives were vastly improved. This summer, inevitably because of many of our volunteers, I struggled to see the good in what we were doing. Sure, the homes looked much better with a fresh coat of paint and trim, but what did we do to alleviate the problems that faced these homeowners? We would only be there a week (maybe two), so it’s not like we could enter into deep, meaningful relationships. We were just…painting. The neighborhoods they lived in were still riddled with crime, the schools would continue to be subpar, the health problems many homeowners carried around were still there and they would continue to be overlooked. Painting their home for them seemed to be, in my eyes, putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound.
Thankfully, as the summer progressed, I was able to see a bigger picture. In the neighborhoods we worked and lived in, there wasn’t much light. Crime, as I said, drugs and poverty were simply ways of life. But throw a coat of paint on a house, though, and a little light begins to break through. Deb mentioned of times when neighbors, seeing the new house, would come outside and try to tidy up their own property by picking up trash and doing yard work. Hope, she said many times, is contagious. So while many homeowners still have rotten siding, accumulating medical bills, live in fear of their own neighborhoods, and struggle to buy groceries, perhaps we have done just a little to brighten up their lives. Hopefully, we have made enough of a crack in what was despair so that some light can break through.
Light, in toasty and bagel.
Home Again
The trip is on its last leg and reflecting on it, I’ve learned many things. Some seem pretty profound, while others are pretty trivial. I guess in a sense, it all really is, but it all in all, God seems to work through the trivial moreso than not. Our last day in Riga, we spent the day with Dan, Courtney, and Ceara, the 11-day old latest edition to the Randall family. Dan and Courtney, both Duke Div graduates interestingly enough, are UMC missionaries in Latvia and together, essentially run the church. It was great talking with them about the new baby, Camp Wesley, as well as our common friends we had. LT and Eidson spent half of last summer with them in Latvia before heading to Russia, and Courtney was previously a youth director/minister at a particularly outstanding church I got to know really well last summer from Cary. The world is small indeed.
We broke schwarma together before saying goodbye to D, C and the baby and heading to old Riga. We decided to try our luck as street musicians in one of the old squares in town. Turns out, it was really hot and we hit an epic mental and musical block, which rendered us unable to think of anything to play, thus turning into a really long blues jam in E (obviously).
That night, we found a restaurant and ate one last meal out before doing various things the rest of the evening. Once we arrived in Frankfurt and made a futile effort to get an earlier flight home, we prepared for our 22-hour layover in Germany. After much indecision, we decided to take a train into the city to eat. We settled on a small outdoor café in which we ended up spending the next four or so hours sitting around. We tried to get the check at one point, but John, our Filipino waiter who lived in Germany but spoke English in what sounded like a California accent, insisted we hang around. Restaurants are one place in which American and European cultures differ dramatically. There is hardly a rush to turn tables, mainly because tipping is much different. I’m sure many servers were shocked to see the amount of tip we left throughout our various eating adventures, but oh well. I bet it made them happy and that is worth it enough.
The train ride back to the airport was as big of an adventure as we had. We followed all the correct signs back to the terminal, but when we stopped at the main Frankfurt terminal, the train shot us back the other direction towards the suburbs. It took forever to finally get it worked out, but we finally made it back around 1:30 a.m. local time. Turns out, we weren’t the only ones wandering around that particular city, though. Literally, and I’m not exaggerating on this, one in every seven or eight people was wearing a Bruce Springsteen shirt. It seems the Boss had made a stop in the city that night, which caused what would normally be a pretty vacant train station to swarm with people. It definitely made things more interesting. Once we got back to the airport, we set up shop in a dark area and each went about finding our most preferable sleeping positions. Some preferred the seats, while the Bob, Beesh and myself ended up on the floor. We left Frankfurt at 10 and arrived in D.C. a few minutes before one. We’ll leave here at 5:10 EST and get to Birmingham just after 6:00, thus ending the trip once and for all.
In Gallup’s StrengthsFinder, your top five strengths are determined from a list of several questions that you answer. When my results came back, not surprisingly, number one was connectedness. It is the idea that everyone in the world is seemingly connected, that we are all related somehow, that something greater links us together in a community that most, if not all, cannot understand. People with Connectedness carry this belief in the forefront of their mind, which coincidentally or not, is something that’s been happening to me all year long. God continually shows me ways in which we are tied together, be it through paint brushes and rollers at Urban, guitars in Latvia or anything else. He is teaching me something, though I’m not quite sure what it is.
One doesn’t need to spend much time around any number of people in my immediate or extended family to know that music is an important thing. To hear the Hastings family rip a 9-part harmony to the doxology before lunch or dinner at the lake is all-in-one hilarious, beautiful, inspiring and well, beautiful. Music has been such a large part of my life so far and I don’t think God did that as an accident. Music provides a place that the connectedness I’m talking about can manifest itself in my life. I knew going into the trip that I would be touched by the transcendence of the language barrier that would happen at the worship workshop at Camp Wesley. That, in itself, is a beautiful thing. The moment that I was really flooded by the emotion came during “All Who Are Thirsty,” as our Latvian friends gradually took the lead on more and more songs. They chose this particular song because they had the words translated in Latvian, so away we went. As I played for Sonita and Kristina, I began to sing the words in English to myself. We all started to jump into, gradually increasing the volume as they became more comfortable leading the song. Once the chorus hit, it was almost unearthly.
“Come Lord Jesus, come.”
Harmony knows no language. Harmony is universal. I believe, as I alluded to earlier, God gave me somewhat of a gift in music to lead me to a place where I can not only lead worship, but that I can realize this web of faith that is woven when we do worship. As we sang that simple chorus, with blending languages and everything, the presence of God was eerily palpable. It was almost as if words didn’t matter; we were offering what we could give, the harmony, the melody, in worship to a God who provides a way that connects us all, even when we can’t begin to understand words the other is spoken. I believe in a way, God is harmony. We’re not all in the same place, but we are in a place that when we summon that gift or offering inside us, beautiful music is made.
Throughout the trip, these things have continually been made present in my spirit and mind. Desmond Tutu speaks of this communal sense using a traditional African word: ubuntu. To have ubuntu is to recognize that your humanity is innately tied in your fellow man, that we are all, indeed, connected, that I am human because you are human.
May you recognize, affirm and live in this spirit of connectedness and ubuntu each and every day. Grace and peace.
jc
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