Weekends like this

God made us for relationships. For relationship with him, and relationships with each other. Love God and love others.

That is one of the wonderful things about the short-term mission trips I have been blessed to be a part of. Not only have I seen the Lord do wonderful things in the lives of people all over the world, but every time I go I make the best friends. God has put some amazing people in my life.

Some of those people live in the Harrisburg, PA area. I never would have met any of them without going to Ethiopia. But I'm so glad I did. Last weekend, I visited one such family after a long absence from seeing them. The Swanks of Lebanon, PA.

It was so much fun hanging out with Scott, Lori, Sarah, and Rachel. And another friend from past trips, Sarah's friend Emily. I wish Jesse had been there too. The focus of the weekend was Rachel's performance in The Music Man as Mrs. Paroo. She did an outstanding job in the role, and I was very proud of her. But we also had a blast with great dinners, a monstrous breakfast, and a very cool coal mine tour.

However, the weekend did not get off to a great start.

I landed a little before 5:00 on Friday afternoon, ahead of schedule. When I landed Scott texted me and we decided I should just get my rental car and drive to their house before we decided what to do for dinner. Well, I got to the rental car and was putting my bags in the trunk when I thought, Hmmm. Is my Kindle in this bag?

It wasn't.

Of course it wasn't. It was in a seat pocket on the plane where I had left it. That's me - always forgetting things. I'd forget my head if it weren't attached to me. So I drove back around, parked, and went to the Delta counter. Yep, they found it. Unfortunately, everyone was about an hour late going to dinner because they had to wait on my boneheaded mistake.

And that's not all. I drove to dinner because, hey, I have a rental car. Well, we got to the restaurant... Wait - gotta point this out: It was the first restaurant we tried. It had a one-hour wait so we gave up on it. If I hadn't forgotten the Kindle.......

So anyway, I parked there and opened my door to get out of the car. It beeped. And beeped. And beeped. Beep beep-beep-beep-beep........

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS CAR?

Well, there was the little matter of the fact that I had opened the car door and started to get out while it was still in drive!

Why did I do this? Here is the only explanation I have:

This picture is the gearshift panel on my car. MY car. There is no stick, only a bunch of buttons. And if I open the car door, it automatically shifts back to Park. So I guess I have gotten so used to this feature that I stopped shifting to Park myself.

How embarrassing. Fortunately, however, I stopped the car before we hit anything.
________________________

Notwithstanding this wonderful start, we had a great time. Weekends like this are what life is made of.

And I did see Rachel's show. One and half times. That's right...but that's a story for another time.

Finally, the director's take on a show I've known for a long time was very interesting. So much so that it deserves its own post. So next time, let's talk about that.

Okay....shifting into Park......and DONE.

Surprise!

What a great day!

I love surprises - both when I am surprised and when I can surprise someone. That's why I loved my niece Macy's plan to throw a surprise party for her mother (my sister) today. And the best thing is...it worked!

So much fun when we saw Kristy walk in the door to see her family and friends.

And then we ate. Awesome burgers, awesome trimmings, homemade ice cream, and one of the best cakes ever.

Swimming, boating, talking...just hanging out.

I really think days like today are a tiny glimpse, a shimmer, of the joy God has prepared for his children in the new heavens and new earth. Eternity basking in the glory of the Lamb, and living life in community with all the saints from through out history. It's going to be glorious!

But while we wait for that, we can enjoy days like today. Awesome!

Happy birthday, sis!

And here we go....

So another week passes, and the Crimson Tide dominates another opponent. But this week is different. Why?

Because the first BCS standings were announced last night. And here we go.

Here we go with the endless speculation about who deserves the second spot. With discussions of whether the current standings will hold up as the season progresses. With constant reminders of how the computer formulae don't make sense and the human polls are the result of people not watching games.

But also...here we go with the question, Who can beat Bama?

As a fan, it's fun being on that end of the speculation. Some of my friends are upset that the Tide is hated; I'm not, because I know it's a reflection of how good they are. It's hard to get it to sink in sometimes, but when the rest of the country watches my team, there is a mixture of SEC fatigue, Alabama fatigue, and boredom. Being the gold standard is lonely.

But I'm also very cautious. It's about this time last year that many of us thought Bama was unbeatable. Nobody had given them even the slightest competition, and we wondered whether anyone could hang with them. Then came LSU - and a last minute rally to come from behind and win. Then Texas A&M - and that story is all too familiar.

Yes, they got help after that and rallied to win their third championship in four years. But they can't count on that happening again. They need to take care of business week by week. If they do, the pieces will fall into place.

Get better every week. And start by beating Tennessee.

Roll Tide!

Bama football - Week 1

206 total yards. That one stat sums up most of what we're hearing from Tide fans about the 2013 season opener. Alabama throttled Virginia Tech, embarrassed their special teams with two TD returns, displayed a smothering defense, and got to play a ton of youngsters in a game against a name opponent. But fans love offense, and so there's a lot of hand wringing.

And that's understandable to a great extent. Next up is a legitimate Top 10 opponent in Texas A&M, a team that will likely score some points even on Bama's vaunted defense.  The offensive line play has got to improve, no question about it.

But, as Tony Barnhart points out in the third item of his column today, it all plays right into Coach Saban's hands.  If Alabama had come out and looked unbeatable in the first game, it might have been difficult to get the players' attention for all the things they need to learn before the September 14 battle in College Station.  But not now. He has their full attention and I expect a ton of learning to take place in the next 12 days.

I'll go a step further. I watched a good portion of the game again yesterday afternoon, and it looked to me like the quick strike from Christion Jones allowed Coach the luxury of letting things play out.  Don't get me wrong - I don't think he went into the game against a respected opponent with the intention of holding back. But I do think that once he got a big lead, that allowed him the luxury of teaching his offense a lesson. Y'all think you're so good? Well, I'll just keep pounding the ball up the middle against a nine-man front and let you struggle. Then maybe you'll listen to me next week.

Maybe not. But that's how it looked to me. I guess we'll see in two weeks.

Football is back...isn't this fun?

Let the season begin...

Twas the night before Christmas....ummmm....I mean football season.

Well it IS the most wonderful time of the year! And it starts in less than 20 hours, when the the two Carolinas kick it off.

I always look forward to football season, and I can't remember one that I've been more excited about. I'm not sure it's anything special about this one, even though it is the last year of the BCS system, and it is a year where history could be made. I think it's just that I am feeling especially appreciative of all the blessings in my life right now - and college football is a biggie.

So, as we move toward kickoff, here are just a few quick thoughts:

• Alabama. The Crimson Tide is coming off back-to-back BCS titles, something that is extremely rare. Even more rare is the fact that they've won three out of four. A couple of  milestones they are reaching for: In the AP poll era (since 1936), no team has ever won three in a row. And it's not just the team, but QB A.J. McCarron: no Alabama quarterback has ever gotten four national championship rings, or three as a starter. Yes, there is a lot to shoot for, and this Bama team is loaded with talent. But they do have question marks on the offensive line, and I always say that I'd bet on "the field" against any one team, no matter how good they are. So the odds are against them, but if they do it, it'll be special.

• Ohio State. Quarterback Braxton Miller is an amazing player and he has a lot of talent around him. And let's face it, the Big Ten schedule is not exactly a minefield. So the odds are very good that they will go undefeated and play for the BCS title. But I have a feeling they'll slip up along the way. It may just be that they will have to play rival Michigan two weeks in a row. If that happens, I think they'll go down in one of them.

• Florida State. Watch out for this team. Redshirt freshman QB Jameis Winston is going to be awfully good. I watched him play in the spring game and he looked game ready. Road games are tough for freshmen and so the Clemson game will be a real challenge. But Johnny Manziel did okay in Tuscaloosa, so it can be done. Watch out for the Noles!

• Johnny Manziel. No, you know what, I'm tired of this subject. Next.

• Stanford. I really like this team to go a long way. They play the tough physical brand of football that we love here in the South, and their opponents on the left coast are not used to it. That is a tremendous advantage, and also we know that style works don't we? (The SEC has won just a few championships with it.) Don't be surprised if they are in Pasadena on January 6.

I could go on and on...I love this topic. But let's wrap it up, and look forward to kickoff. So ready.

Roll tide. 

They're here!

Remember that scene in Fever Pitch where Ben's Red Sox tickets arrive? He runs outside in his boxers to get them, and then hugs the UPS guy. And then he opens the box and he and his friends smell the ticket sheets and he says, "This smells like the year."

Yep, that's what today feels like. It's like Christmas for us Alabama fans - the tickets have arrived!

It's one of the signs that football season is upon us. Shark Week, the Little League World Series, and, of course, the arrival of the tickets.

Let the Road to 16 begin.

Roll tide.

A new wave

Last night was awesome. I spent the evening hanging out in Tallahassee with my friend Steve. But instead of going to a movie or a ball game, we went to listen to some live music. It was at a coffee shop called Redeye sponsored by his church. The music was excellent - there is a lot of talent in that community of faith. There was praise music, love songs, and songs that were just plain fun. But what struck me was the reason for the music. They were helping support one of their own in a major decision - a young lady maned Lindsey who has chosen to spend a year of her life following God's leading to the ends of the earth. It's called the World Race.

If you want to know more about her upcoming adventure and even support it, she can describe it a lot better than me, so check out her blog. Basically, she'll be spending 11 months of her life living in 11 different countries spreading the love of Jesus everywhere she goes. It's worth digging into.

But what really struck me is the wave I'm seeing in today's young adults. I am seeing an amazing enthusiasm for following Jesus and caring for the poor and oppressed of the world. Everywhere I go, it seems that I encounter another young person who is consumed with the desire to disregard their own comfort, pleasure, and even safety so they can be ambassadors for God's kingdom. It is so encouraging to see!

So I was happy to be part of an evening devoted to helping this one young lady, whom I had never met before. Yes, I enjoyed the music and the coffee. But more than that, I loved the energy and enthusiasm in the room for reaching the world.

And yes, the music was fun. One of the artists, Sydney Simpson, has a youtube video of a fun song that went, you might say, semi-viral. It was fun (especially for us Star Wars geeks), so here's my part in maybe getting rid of the "semi" part. Enjoy:



And check out Lindsey's blog. And support her or some young person you know who is following God's call. We are the verge of great things from these kids.

And I can't wait!

Loving it

It's got to be my favorite city. I'm talking about a city as a city. Does that make any sense? There are other destinations more majestic due to creation (e.g., Rocky Mountains) or that have it beat because of people there I love (e.g., Ethiopia). And of course, home is home - nothing like it. But for the sheer joy and energy of being in a great city, it's London.

Everything I love about New York - high energy, great theatre, awesome food - London has it. Then you throw in the fact that it's like, more than a thousand years old and has the architecture to prove it...well, you can't beat it.

We have worked hard while we've been here. But that's why we're here, and even that is pretty cool. And, well, when I step out on the streets of London as the sun goes down, energy pulsates through my veins. I was just walking down Shaftsbury last night saying to myself (and those with me, to their chagrin), "I love this city!"

What a place.

Work is done, and there's one more night before catching a flight home. And the sun is setting...

Yep, I love this city. Time to soak it in.

Tag

I don't ever want to grow up.

When I say that - and I do a lot - I'm not saying that I relish childish immature attitudes or that I want to avoid having adult responsibilities.

But still...I don't want to grow up. Meaning that I don't ever want to stop looking at life like I did when I was a child. Life is an adventure, and it's fun. I want to relish that. I also want to always be growing, always learning new things, always in touch with the best of God's creation. More than anything else, I don't ever want to hesitate to do something big because I'm too old and set in my ways.

But this post isn't about doing anything big. It's about keeping that childlike playfulness, that attitude that keeps you energetic to try big things. And how, well, jealous I was of this group of friends.

My friend Caroline tweeted a link to this article that talked about some friends in their 40s who are still playing a game of Tag after 23 years. The same game. Rather than me trying to describe it, here's the article:

It Takes Planning, Caution to Avoid Being "It"

What fun! While I have no idea whether these guys get it when it comes to life in general, I can say they get it in one respect: Putting a little fun in your life and finding a way to stay in touch with old friends is a good thing.

Very few of us can jut around the country playing Tag with our college buddies. But I dare say we can all find ways to value relationships and put some adventure in our lives. Any ideas?

One for the ages

The Crimson Tide of Alabama now has SEC Championship #23. And it's on the a quest for National Championship #15. But it was not without a "dawgfight." A few weeks ago, I wrote about the LSU game and tried to put it in perspective with the best Bama games I have been blessed to attend. I was not wrong - it was an amazing game and contained that one moment you can look back on if you win a championship. But what I saw Saturday night..well, it was at another level. Let me explain...but first, let's take a moment to enjoy the key moment:



So I've been asking myself, "What makes this one so special?" At the risk of overanalyzing, I've come up with this: All the great games on my list contain at least some key elements that make a game memorable. Elements like:

• An exciting finish, with the outcome in doubt until the final horn,
• Tremendous intensity from both sides throughout the course of the game,
• A handful of plays from both sides that were turning points,
• Multiple changes in momentum,
• A refuse-to-lose mentality from both teams,
• High stakes, and
• A packed house and an amazing atmosphere from the the fans.

As I look back on all the games I've attended, a few stand out - as I mentioned in the previously linked post. But as I looked over the list, I noticed that most of them were amazing because of some of the items on this list. For example, the 1985 Georgia game had everything except the high stakes - there were no championships on the line. Or the 2009 SEC Championship Game:  it had the high stakes and will always be a wonderful memory as a Bama fan, but Florida did not do their part to make it an all round classic like this one.

But this one...wow! Everything on that list - everything! - was there. Back and forth, back and forth. Big plays. Turning points. Teams in the brink of disaster but somehow rising up to fight again. A finish that will be talked about for decades. And stakes up there with the highest - the championship of the sport's best conference and a chance to play for the big prize.

And finally, one of the best examples of mutual respect I've ever seen between two fan bases.

What a day! Roll Tide! And, because they earned it...Go Dawgs!

40 hours from now...

Alabama.
Georgia.
One goal...the championship of the nation's best conference.

"Go teach the Bulldogs to behave..."



Let's get #23. Roll Tide!

One of those nights

Last night was amazing.

Yes, the dominoes fell to get my Crimson Tide back in the BCS race. Yes, there was amazing football to watch. Yes, I was on the edge of my seat, and even pacing, as the incredible game between Stanford and Oregon played out.

But mostly it was amazing because it was one of those "shared experiences" (a perfect term used by my friend Brian). I didn't just watch the greatest sport on earth and feel the drama as several games played out all at once. I did so with a group of friends and family totally about 20. It was a night with those people that I will never forget. It was like /I was frozen in time, and that frozen moment will always exist.

As much as I might try to capture every day like that, there are some that stand above others. This was one:

November 17, 2012

Saturday in perspective

I think this tweet says it all:

Barrett Jones ‏@BarrettAJones

This weekend was a great reminder that nothing (including Alabama football) can truly fulfill you besides a relationship with Jesus Christ.

 You think you're into football? You think it's important to you? No way it can be more so than it is to Barrett Jones, who invests blood, sweat, and tears into being the best offensive lineman he can be. And yet, this is his perspective.

So yeah, Saturday hurt. That's the point and fun of competition: the "thrill of victory" that comes from the fact that there is always the possibility of the "agony of defeat".

But it can't fulfill. Thanks, Barrett, for the reminder.

To God be all the glory.

Reflections in the afterglow

I'm still trying to process what I saw Saturday night. It was the most amazing ending under the most intense pressure you'll find in a football game. Everything was on the line for both teams and it was another classic Bama-LSU game. This has become possibly the top rivalry in the SEC. And when TJ Yeldon crossed that goal line....

....well, wow!

The emotion of that night is summed up in this video posted on youtube:
(If you follow this blog, you may recognize someone at the 1:51 mark.)



It was a night I'll never forget. It makes me reflect on other great Bama games of the past. Here is a Top 11 list of games I've been to in the 44 years since my parents first took me to a game. If I thought through it on a different night, the list might be different. By tonight, this seems like a pretty good one. They are selected based on how memorable the game was from an "on-the-field" perspective. At some point, I plan to compile a list based on how meaningful a game might have been from a family/friends or off-the-field point of view. That list will definitely be different.

Note: The list is chronological. It's too hard to rank them! In the case of bowl games, dates are based on the season rather than the actual date of the game.

1. Alabama 14, Penn State 7, 1978. This was in the Sugar Bowl and was the first of five national championships I've seen the Tide win in person. Known mainly for "The Goal Line Stand" where Barry Krauss famously called across the the Penn State QB, "You'd better pass." They didn't.
2. Alabama 20, Georgia 16, 1985. The first final-drive comeback from Bama that I ever saw. After falling behind on a blocked punt with only a minute left, QB Mike Shula drove the Tide to the winning score. Like the game this week, they got into field goal range where they could have tied it, but didn't settle for that.
3. Alabama 25, Auburn 23, 1985. The Kick. Probably the most exciting fourth quarter ever, with four lead changes and a long drive leading to a 57-yard field goal by Van Tiffin. The key to the drive was converting a 3rd-and-18 (with 4th-and-4) after a sack. 
4. Alabama 28, Florida 21, 1992. The very first SEC Championship Game, played in Birmingham. Florida seemed on the verge of blowing it open all night, but never could. Then, Antonio Langham broke a tie with a never-to-be-forgotten pick-6. Bama was SEC champions and headed to play for the national championship in the Sugar Bowl.
5. Alabama 34, Miami 13, 1992. And this was the result. The heavy underdogs manhandled  the Hurricanes including a famous play where George Teague stripped the ball from Lamar Thomas and returned it. The Canes have never been the same.
6. Alabama 22, LSU 16, 1998. Saturday's game was reminiscent of this one, although there was not nearly as much on the line then. It was memorable because it was an incredible comeback in Tiger Stadium and is the only time I remember where the Tide recovered an onside kick as part of a comeback. They recovered from a 16-7 deficit with less than five minutes remaining.
7. Alabama 40, Florida 39 (OT), 1999. A double digit underdog to the third-ranked Gators, the Tide rode the back of Shaun Alexander to the most exciting overtime win in their history. I never will forget that 25-yard run.
8. Alabama 12, Tennessee 10, 2009. "Rocky Flop." This was almost the negative image of the 1998 LSU game. A vastly less talented Tennessee team hung around and hung around.  Then they scored and got the ball back from an onside kick and could have won with a  field goal. But Terrence Cody blocked his second FG of the day, and Bama had faced their biggest challenge on the way to...
9. Alabama 37, Texas 21, 2009. "Remember the Rose Bowl, we'll win then." There was nothing like winning the national championship in the Rose Bowl venue, because that was where our national tradition had been born in the 1920's.
10. Alabama 21, LSU 0, 2011. Just a dominating performance against an intense rival. Getting to play them with everything at stake was huge, and then to shut them down like that - awesome! And...
11. Alabama 21, LSU 17, 2012. Maybe it's too soon to put it on the list. Maybe the glow is so strong that I have no historical perspective. But this was the most thrilling finish with most on the line...ever. That combination is so rare. If Alabama goes on to a championship, this is the moment where they became that team.

So there it is. Alot of years, summed up in 11 incredible games. There are so many more. You just can't beat college football. Right?

Right!

The night before "Christmas"

Well, I just arrived in Baton Rouge a little while ago, and I am now settled into my hotel room. And it does feel a little like Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve, when as a kid you are so excited about what the next day will bring. For Alabama and LSU football fans, this day has become like that. Every meeting seems to be proclaimed a "game of the century." Once again, it's a battle of Top 5 teams with national championship implications. This has truly become the most anticipated game on the Tide's schedule every year. For good reason.

So...random thoughts as I sit here trying to decide if there's any point in trying to sleep.

• Objectively, all the data about team performance this year suggests that my side ought to be alright. The QB play has been worse than mediocre, which is what I expected as expressed at the beginning of the season in this blog post.

• However, Bama is playing a team that can match up with them physically for the first time all year and that can't be ignored. If LSU comes out with their best game, it will be a war. I hope that when the Tide is in a war - for the first time this year - they'll be mentally tough enough to close it out. I think they will, but - as they say - "that's why they play the game."

• I don't know which game or games, but I believe there will be major upsets tomorrow, and there will be a reset of the BCS discussion. Oklahoma State is so explosive offensively that I suspect it'll be Kansas State falling.

• And, despite the ineptness of Lane Kiffin as a coach, don't count out USC against Oregon. The same thing applies to them as LSU. Incredible talent that has been underperforming.

• Ole Miss has been much better than expected and Georgia is coming off a huge, emotional win. The Bulldogs had better be ready...this one smells dangerous.

Regardless, it's all going to be fun. I can't believe we are already in week 10. It goes by waaaaaaay too fast.

Roll Tide. Beat everyone.

Just in case you're confused...

If you are my friend, you know this is my current facebook profile picture, taken in Knoxville last Saturday...

Now, I know what you're thinking. Those are the two young ladies who were all over ESPN during the game Saturday night! Right? Like in this screen shot from the broadcast:

So...clearly, I saw them on campus and said, "Hey! I know y'all. Can I get a picture with you?"

No, not quite. They are my nieces and I am very proud of them. Not because they were on TV but because of who they are.

It was a great trip, and another great Bama game.

More on our road trip legacy later in the week. Well, it's a crazy week at work, so if I can carve out some blogging time, more later.

And if you see Haley or Macy, be sure to ask them for an autograph. Or a picture with them... ;)

A Sunday surprise

As I type this at the gate in the Port Columbus airport, I'm still basking in the glow. Not of the game I came here to attend, but of the worship time this morning. It's amazing how God works.

_______________________

This is an open date for the Crimson Tide, and usually when that happens I will attend a Florida State game with my good friend Steve; it's a great reason to get together with my brother who lives over three hours away. But this year, there was no FSU home game. So I planned something crazy. I decided to go see a college football game between two legendary programs in a stadium I've always wanted to see. Nebraska at Ohio State:

It was alot of fun. Wonderful, cool fall football weather. An impressive and extremely loud stadium. Several very cool traditions - every school has them and theirs were fun to watch. Great trip. Done, get some sleep and go home.

But even when traveling, I like to try to find a place to spend some time worshipping with other Christ-followers. So last night I did a little online search, and found something surprising. This morning there was a service at a perfect time relative to my flight plans (10 am) at a Vineyard Church. I checked a couple of links, and it was indeed connected to the church I attended in Tuscaloosa a few weeks ago.

The point of sharing this? About midway through the pastor's message, I realized that this was probably God's purpose in getting me to Columbus. (Yes, I believe he uses fun to bring us where he wants us to be.) I made a choice to be here for one thing, and he said, "Uh huh. You just think that's why you're going."

What was so special about this message? Well, it's hard to put into words in a blog (especially if I want it to be short enough for you to keep reading). But here are a couple of key points:

• Romans 12:9 says love must be genuine, and the following verses give examples of what genuine love looks like. I've never thought of the passage that way before.

• First, we should hate what is evil and cling to what is good. If I really love someone, I will violently hate the things that harm them or cause them to harm others. Real love is not (as our society is telling us) unconditionally supporting every choice someone makes. It is having the courage to speak the truth and help them cut off those things that undermine their God-given purpose. (And yes, since I hate confrontation, this one is hard for me.)

• Genuine love is marked by showing honor. Am I courteous to people? Do I show respect, even to those who are against me? Do I show honor to people who serve me in restaurants, airports, and other service industries?

• Finally, and this one was a ton of bricks, genuine love is marked by God's energizing power. When a fire is lit, it doesn't keep burning on its on. Similarly, my fire needs to be fanned every day. Was there a time when my fire for loving God was hotter than it is now? The pastor said that he starts every day with a prayer to this effect: "Jesus, apart from you i can do nothing. I can't think like you, feel like you, love like you..." So true. I need to be connected every day, or the fire will go out.

Yep, it was a great trip - alot of fun. But I don't think it's why I was here. Thank you, Lord, for Sunday surprises.

No stopping them

Okay, have you heard about the Alabama football fans who had a slight detour on the way to the Ole Miss game last weekend. A slight detour as in, a plane crash! But that didn't stop them because....well, here's a link to the story...see for yourself:

Bama fans undeterred by plan crash - CBS Sports

Crazy, no? I know football fans in this state are dedicated, but that's a whole new level.

But....it did make me think of two games in my past.

1) I was on my way to a home game (I think it may have been Ole Miss) with a friend. We were going around the loop onto University from McFarland when I felt a bump from behind. Yes, when I stopped to yield, the car behind me kept going. It turned out that there was no damage and we moved on. But what I remember the most is that I didn't think, "Dang, my car is damaged!" or "Dang, my neck is sore!" My first thought was, "Dang, I'm going to be late to the game!" True story.

2) In 2007 my nieces and I were sitting by our car in Starkville, MS tailgating before the Bama-MSU game. We were listening to the radio from my car when suddenly the sound stopped. It stopped because the battery was dead on my car. Well, I called around a little to see who could come and jump it off but with ball game traffic there were no good options. So I made the only rational decision I could: I decided we would go to the game and worry about getting the car started afterward. All of us agreed - we couldn't miss the game. Again, true story. (Right, Macy? Haley? Brooke?) Fortunately, the car gathered enough juice sitting idle for several hours that it actually started when we got back. I'm not sure that taught me the appropriate lesson.

So yes, we football fans are a little focused on game day. It is so much fun that we don't want to miss it. But rest assured: if I'm in a plane that crashes and I'm lucky enough to survive, I'm done for that day.

Promise. Really.

Another great Saturday

I love this time of year. Yes, it's redundant for me to say so. But there are worse things than redundancy.

Today's football Saturday had all the elements. Great weather. Good food. Family spending the whole day together. Football games to follow around the country. The wonderful atmosphere of football in Bryant-Denny. And oh, of course...another Bama win.

In addition, I had some visitors from the other side of the pond. Some friends that I work with from London were in town and got to catch the game with us. And see the entire campus atmosphere. It was so much fun to show them around. And I think they enjoyed it...

What do you think?

And then the day ended hanging out with family after the game. And I really enjoyed talking football and also some plans with two of my nieces. I am very aware that my nephew and nieces are now all adults now and our relationship is different than when I was their adult uncle who needed to take care of them. But tonight for some reason, I realized how much I like that. I realize that I used to dread it. But it just hit me anew tonight how cool it is to have four new grown friends...and that they will be so for the rest of my life. Thanks, y'all, for making that transition so easy. Looking forward to the next (God willing) 20-30 years.

Well, that's a wrap on September 22. Roll tide.

In the air

You can feel it in the air. As I walked outside our Bedford, Texas hotel, there was something different in the air. It's the start of college football season and I love it. Why?

• It's something I can do with family. Most football games involve going with my family. For home games, my sisters, my dad, and the rest of our family spend the whole day together. It's like a birthday party every week. And road games are a chance to travel with family too. Today, for example, my nieces Haley and Macy are in Arlington for the Bama-Michigan game and we will spend the whole weekend together. That's time I wouldn't miss for the world.

• But not just family..friends too. I see lots of friends at games that I don't see any other time. This weekend is a great example. Out of my team that went to Ethiopia in July, two of them live here in the Dallas area. Along with Macy and another friend who traveled with us, we will have a mini-reunion this weekend - five out of the seven team members! Stuff like this happens all the time when we go to games. And I make a point of going to games with good friends (in fact, I'm a Florida State fan because of my good friend Steve) or getting together to watch games on TV with them.

• It's a reminder of great times with my sister Kim. We went to games together from the time I was eight years old up until her passing in 1996. I never go to a Bama game without thinking about her and my mother.

• I've seen alot of places going to road games. I love seeing new cities and different campus atmospheres on game day. It will be fun to see a game in Cowboys Stadium (aka JerryWorld) today.

• Scoreboard watching. It seems the whole country is connected as the national drama rolls out throughout a day. I love feeling like we're all in the same place. It makes it a small world.

So many reasons. So much fun. Let's kick it off!

Roll tide.