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Last night, our youth group worked a consession stand at the Wake Forest-Clemson game.  This stand is our major fundraiser for the year.  I have been a Clemson fan since I found out my dad was a Clemson fan and my uncle started taking us to games back in the early 80’s.  When you’re a child of 10, watching the Tigers run down the hill is something that blows you away forever.  Watching it live never, ever gets old.  I will never forget leaving the Georgia Tech game in 1998, another Clemson choke job, and hearing fans chanting Tommy Bowden’s name in the hopes we would hire him as our new coach.  Bowden was in the midst of leading Tulane to an 11-0 season and is the son of All-Time great coach and thorn in Clemson’s side, Bobby Bowden.  Even then, walking to my car, I told everyone within earshot, “Having the right last name doesn’t make someone a good coach.”  Sure enough, Coach Tommy West was fired that week after the Tigers finished 3-8 and Tommy Bowden was hired.  In fairness, Bowden inherited a program in decline with facilities that had become subpar.  I attened his first game against Marshall in Death Valley.  I saw our kicker absolutely shank a field goal at the end that would have tied the game.  To this day, I have never seen such a horrible miss.  A one legged man wearing a blind fold would have gotten it at least a little closer.  For me, this became a sign of things to come:  disappointment upon disappointment, unmet expectation after unmet expectation.  For the past ten years, I have been consistent in saying that Bowden got the job based on his name and should be let go.  Ask anyone that knows me, I have been a vocal critic of his coaching(he is welcome to speak at my church any Sunday because of his solid faith) since the beginning.  I have never believed and never said that he is, was, or ever will be the right man to coach the Clemson Tigers.  For years, I have pulled against Clemson in the hopes that enough losses would lead to Bowden’s dismissal.  Always, somewhere there was a place in my heart that held true and loyal to the Tigers and hoped for the best.  Last night, that all changed.  I have been to lots of sporting events, but have never cheered as loudly as during Clemson’s last drive last night.  I was genuinely excited to see them fail.  I was cheering more enthusiasticly than any of the true Deacon fans(they are just my adopted team) and hugging anyone that would let me.  It was a new strange feeling as I watched Clemson do something that has become their calling card:  play a mind blowingly bad game against a beatable opponent.  On the way home, the Clemson team caravan passed us.  I recognized the Young buses from when they would transport the Tigers from their home locker room to Howard’s rock and the Hill.  I then saw a semi-truck painted in Clemson colors pass by.  On the back was a list of Clemson’s ACC championships.  What I realized shocked me.  Their last title came in 1991.  That means, that I have now spent more than half my life pulling for a losing(in terms of titles) program.  The glory days of my youth are long gone.  Across the south, many 30-somethings are waking up to the same reality.  Now, there are alot of more important things in life than having a team to love and that is what makes having a team to love so important.  It’s an escape.  It’s a safe place.  It’s home.  I will be going home this weekend, to Clemson, for a family reunion.  I hope I see that semi-truck again…parked in front of Tommy Bowden’s house.  There’s lots of youth groups that will help him move for free.

Most of you know I’m a comic reader, mainly Batman stuff.  Well, there’s a huge storyline going on now called “Batman: R.I.P.” and I am racking my brain trying to figure it out.  The main villain is a mug called the Black Glove who is probably someone we already know.  Now, with a movie I could just read the spoiler at www.themoviespoiler.com.  Not so with comics.  I have to wait another month to see what they’re going to do with my favorite character.

No, I did not watch the debate last night.  You watch debates to hear the candidates stand on the issues.  I know their stands on the issues because I have been paying attention for the last 2 years.  I don’t know if this election is going to be as close as many originally thought.  To me, and I’m not basing this on faulty poll data, there is no energy right now with either campaign and they’re all grasping at straws.  I think Obama has moved to the “Four Corners” offense and is trying to make sure that neither he or Senator Biden make any game changing mistakes.

Tamba Bay Rays…meet the Oakland A’s.  They used to be like you.  Young, cheap, and in the playoffs.  Soon you will be like them…your roster raided by big market teams and on the outside looking in.  By the way, has anyone noticed that most of the guys who left the A’s(Hudson, Zito,Giambi, Tejada) never were the same again.  It’s the Moneyball curse.

Let me know what you think of the new layout.

I just found out that there is no paper trail concerning my ordination.  NC East needs a transfer, but SC and Penn-Jersey have informed me that they have nothing to transfer.  Am I legally ordained?  Was it all a dream?  Does the document make the minister?  I have a sneaking suspicion where the mistake came from.

Ok, so I get a call Saturday that a young man named Scott had a bad accident.  Scott came to our church in Pennsylvania and I got to baptize him on my final Sunday there.  Saturday, Scott was changing the brakes on his truck when the jack collapsed and the truck fell on his leg.  Several people had to lift the truck off of him and it was feared that his leg was crushed and he might lose it.  The paramedics feared the worst.  A few hours later, I was informed that Scott had no broken bones and was just sore and on crutches.  What a miracle!  I have told that story dozens of times and it never gets old!  God is awesome!

Congrats to Adam Jones who got married on Saturday.

Going to have lunch with the Apostle Tall today AKA Andy Hames AKA…well, we won’t go there.

Is it just me, or is my blog becoming like Larry King’s USA Today column?

Life is more fair than fantasy football.  Fantasy Football is more about how many points your opponent scores and you have no control over that.  Good thing Fantasy Basketball starts in a few weeks.  I think Jerry said it best when he said of Kramer,”His whole life is a fantasy camp.”  Or did George say that?

I’ve rambled enough.  I am out.

Okay, here’s what happened in the last few days.

1.  May Rally was awesome.  Great to be with the East youth and Josh LeRoy did a great job.  God has challenged me to let go of some things(DVD’s), help a friend in need, and have a challenging conversation with another.  As of this minute I am 1-3 although my friend is still in need.  The other two I hope to get to this week.  Where’s the best and fastest place to sell DVD’s?

2.  Josh LeRoy and I had a great conversation about a man in his community.  Josh referred to this man as a hustler.  He had spent time in prison, was recently shot, and basically just “hustles” people to get by.  I did not take this to mean that he was doing anything illegal from the way Josh spoke of him.  My only question was, “Is hustler really a good name for him and what he’s doing?”  Seems to me that if someone really hustled then hustling would be unneccesary, but, technically, they would still be a hustler.  No one has ever accused a hustler of actually hustling.  My coaches always told me I never hustled enough.  Oh, I beg to differ.

3.  Just finished reading Rob Bell’s new book “God wants to save Christians.”  Go buy it right now.  I love all his work.  God uses it to really kick my butt and get my mind in gear.  This book amazed me in the way it was critical of some things our country does without sounding un-patriotic and partisan.  Rob connects things in scripture that blow me away every time.  He’s got two DVD’s out:  Everything is Spiritual and The Gods aren’t angry.  I’ve seen one on DVD and one live.  Both amazing.

4.  I heard from several of you on the write a book/standup comedy question.  I am printing off info from Wesleyan Publishing House as we speak on submitting a book proposal.  It will incorporate some of my standup material.  Lots of work to be done before next week.  Thanks for your encouragement.

5.  Did I mention that the Red Sox won?  There is the potential of a Dodgers-Red Sox World Series matchup.  Now as I’ve mentioned before, I am no Manny hater.  That trade has worked out great for both teams as Jason Bay scored the game and series winning run(and got his hand spiked in the process) last night.  Such a matchup, to me, would only further Manny’s legend as he would then before the first $20 million man to lead 2 teams to the World Series.  How many great players can say that?  I was surprised by the Red Sox celebration last night.  I guess it was deserved since they beat the best team in the AL and were the underdogs record wise.  Sure would be nice to see them win the whole thing at home for a change.

6.  Today is going to be a great day.  Hope yours is too.  If you haven’t registered to vote…better luck next time because you missed the deadline.

Do you know how hard it is to watch a debate, wrestling, and playoff baseball at the same time?

I didn’t hear anything in the debate last night that I hadn’t heard before.

How good do the Phillies and Dodgers look right now?

I think TNA wrestling is going down the same path that ruined WCW.  They keep signing old talent from WWE instead of growing their own.  Sounds like the Yankees.

I’m heading up to May Rally at Victory Mountain Camp this weekend.  It used to be in May.  Now it’s in October.  At least they didn’t call it “Fall for Jesus.”  Now, see if there’s at least one bulletin board in your church that has that slogan on it.

I’m being serious when I say this:  we should start something called Operation Clean Sweep.  I’ve been thinking about it for a week now.  Basically, it would be a push to replace all the politicians with regular people over the next 8 years.  It will take willing citizens and a whole lot of cash.  Of course, everybody think their representative is doing just fine so nothing ever changes.  Term limits sound like a great idea too.  If you think the circus will be over after election day then you are mistaken.  This is the new America where we are just moving from one election to the next.  The election cycle never ends.  Let me end my political riff with this:  in four years, whoever the president is will have to explain their vote for this bailout bill.  It’s not a good bill and will have enourmous repurcussions for all of us.

A friend of mine pointed out a blog that said a church can’t focus on the people inside and reach new people at the same time.  The blog’s opinion was that churches need to focus on the people who are there.  It seems to me that most churches aren’t doing either.  If your church closed tomorrow, would the community notice or care?

Sometimes I wonder if Eve hadn’t eaten the fruit and given some to Adam if we would all be going around naked.  If she hadn’t, then naked would be normal and not such a big deal.  Then again, it’s pretty cold today.  In conclusion, I wish there wasn’t any sin, but I would still like some clothes to wear.

I’m either going to write a book(which would just be like a long blog with chapters) or I’m gonna work on my stand up comedy routine.  I just decided this so let me know which one you think I should pursue.  Would Wesleyan Publishing House put out a book called, “I’d let you in my head, but the voices say there’s no room”?

Have a great weekend-go red sox-phillies world series-Clemson please lose again-and good night now!

Gotta make this quick…

1.  Placed third in the pastors golf tourney Monday with Kris, Philip, and Tuggle.  Golf is so addictive.  All is takes is one good shot to make you think you can get better.  Right now, I just hope my body feels better because I am sore.

2.  I hate magazine where it’s impossible to find the table of contents.  I picked up a mag in Wal-Mart today and just gave up.  I couldn’t tell if the TOC was before the 103 ads or after them.  By then I had forgotten why I picked it up in the first place.

3.  For a long time churches have done a good job of turning sanctuaries into auditoriums.  Now, with a new wave of church planting, churches are doing a good job of turning auditoriums, theaters, and cafeterias into sanctuaries.

4.  Go to www.daveramsey.com to find out what you can do about the big bailout.

5.  I just finished reading “Seven habits of highly effective people” and it was great.  Now, I’m working on “The Millionaires” which is a novel by a guy who writes comics sometimes.  I also picked up Rob Bell’s newest book.  I love his writing style.

6.  Red Sox start the playoffs tonight against the Angels. We have owned them in the playoffs since 1986.  Hopefully, our guys get healthy and that trend continues.

7.  I am going to beat a girl…in fantasy football this weekend.  Deb’s undefeated streak comes to a close against the Denton Diaper Dandys.

8.  I’m exciting about the changes in my life and ministry and know more are still to come.  God is molding me into His image and I like it.

9.  I hear a lot of short jokes.  I wish people would come up with new short jokes.  I make a lot of situational short jokes, but I really think some people are being mean about it deep down.  I have faced discrimination for being short, but I’d rather face that than have to hear, “Stand up, Heath” one more time.  I think deep down I just don’t like unoriginality.

10.  So much for making this quick…or short.

Well, since I will be off playing golf in the NC East Pastor’s tourney tomorrow I figured I would go ahead and post tonight.

A few quotes that I liked this week:

1.  “Well, everyone’s got gas.”-unnamed source on the gas shortage in Charlotte

2.  “The only difference between fantasy football and real football is that fantasy football matters.”-Heath Mullikin

3.  “I rode in Kirk Cameron’s van.  He wasn’t in it, but still.”-Scott Hart

4.  “As soon as knew the computer was the bad guy I left the movie.  I said, ‘I’ve seen this before.  It was called I, Robot.'”-Jam

5.  “Pluto is a dog and acts like a dog.  What’s the deal with Goofy cause ain’t he a dog too?”-Me

6.  If you haven’t heard about this, it’s just another reason not to like PETA or eat Ben and Jerry’s.

7.  If you watched the debate then you saw both candidates compare their bracelets honoring fallen soilders.  Here’s one key difference.

8.  I hope the Minnesota Twins make the playoffs.  How bad do you think Johan Santanna will feel after taking the big money from the Mets and not making the playoffs while his former team gets in?  How can the Twins manager not win manager of the year?  Dude, I hate the Mets almost as much as I hate the Yankees.  Also, how do you think former Brewers manager Ned Yost feels?  All those years to get the Brewers this far and he gets fired 12 games before they clinch the playoffs.

9.  Confession time:  I was watching New Kids on the Block perform live on VH1 before coming to the computer.  No, my wife wasn’t even in the room, but I did get the heads up from a fellow youth pastor.  His name is Philip Martin.  Now if you google New Kids on the Block+Philip Martin it will bring you to my blog, I hope.

10.  Did you know that since 2000, Clemson has lost to an unranked team at home 7 times while in the top 25 themselves?

And finally, I hope this story makes you tear up like it did me.  It puts things in perspective, and you have to admire his courage.