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When the Red Sox signed Manny Ramirez to an 8 year $160 million contract they had three goals in mind.

1.  Break the curse of the Bambino.

2.  Break the Yankees.

3.  Break the bank at the box office.

In his almost 8 years in Boston, Manny helped the Sox accomplish all three.  That’s why I say, it was all worth it and shame on any Red Sox fan who would bad mouth Manny.  Did his act grow tired?  Yes.  Was it time to move him?  Yes.  But that doesn’t change the fact that he did something no other big money player($18 mill or more a year) has ever done:  he earned every penny.  We didn’t pay him to hustle.  We paid him to lift our franchise out of 80+ years of futility.  A tall order indeed and Manny did it not once, but twice earning MVP honors in 2004.  We have also seen the hated yankees(I refuse to capitalize their name) fall into disarray all the while the Red Sox have become America’s team.  If you don’t believe me, go to any Red Sox road game(if you can call it that).  So, I wish Manny the best.  I’m not happy with the way things ended, but I would do it all over again.  They should retire his jersey tomorrow and go ahead and line up an artist for his statue on Yawkey Way.  And Manny, that had better be a B on your hat on your Hall of Fame plaque.

Now, is Jason Bay going to come even close to replacing Manny’s production and sheer presence in the lineup.  No, but he will free up about $10 mill for us to shore up some other needs.  And one thing we should have learned in these last 8 years…Trust Theo.

Well, after coughing and hacking for four months I finally broke down and went to the doctor today.  The guy we want to be our regular doctor couldn’t get me in, but they suggested an urgent care walk in place.  Here’s how the day went:

9:57-check in and fill out the paperwork

10:20-my name is called to fill out the paperwork that is already right in front of the lady

11:00-my name is called to go back, temp and blood pressure taken

11:30-Nurse comes to tell me, Mr. McKenzie, that it’s time for my lab work and asks if my x-ray has been taken then realizes that I am not Mr. McKenzie

11:35-Doc checks me out and orders a chest x-ray

11:55-Chest x-ray is taken

12:10-finally leave the x-ray room(hey, if the tech person has to stand behind a blast wall, is it really safe for me to be over here unprotected?)

12:25-Doc orders a breathing therapy

1:10-Finish Breathing therapy

1:15-Doc tells me that they’ll let me know about the x-ray and gives me 3 prescriptions

1:25 pm-pay my bill(to a lady that walked straight out the 80’s with heavy makeup and femullet) and leave

1:27-Resume coughing in my car which suddenly lost it’s ability to cool air

2:30-prescriptions filled(I requested that the nasty tasting medicine be flavored watermelon for $3)

On a side note, why is it we can put a man on the moon, but can’t make cough syrup that doesn’t make you convulse from the taste?

4:00-MLB trade deadline passes with Manny Ramirez’ Red Sox future in the air.

4:01-after taking medication, my future as a wide awake husband and father is in the air

Now, let me start off by saying that I was raised in the Baptist church, most of my family is still Baptist, and I love Baptists.  My biggest frustration with the whole Baptist/Wesleyan, once saved always saved/lose your salvation discussion is the misconceptions between the two groups.  As someone who has spent a significant time in both camps, let me try to explain.  My goal is to help us all grow stronger in our faith and stronger as the church of Christ.

1.  When a Wesleyan hears “once saved always saved” they make the assumption that Baptists believe someone can get saved, sin the rest of their life, and still go to heaven.  Baptists do not believe this.  By “once saved always saved”, Baptists mean that someone who has had a heartwarming conversion(for all you John Wesley historians out there) is able to walk in faith for the rest of their life by the grace of God.  They believe that someone who has had a true conversion would never turn away from the faith.  Someone who does, it is believed, was never a Christian to begin with.

2.  When a Baptist hears “lose your salvation” they think that Wesleyans live in fear that they would somehow do something that would remove them from God’s grace and hand.  I can state no more clearly than this:  Wesleyan do not believe you can LOSE your salvation.  Losing is something you do despite your best efforts.  I lose my keys everyday(sometimes my son Drake has put them somewhere else).  Wesleyan do believe that any person, no matter how long they’ve been a believer, has the choice and free will to WALK AWAY from the faith.  We do not believe that God forces us to remain saved if we don’t want to be.

Now, let me throw a few more thoughts at you.  If someone has a salvation experience when they are 15 and at age 22 decide to leave the church and the faith to live like the world then a Baptist would look at them and say,”They weren’t really saved to begin with.”  A Wesleyan would look at them and say,”They walked away from the faith.”  Both would agree that this person is now lost and in need of Jesus.  There may be a disagreement on how a person got to their current state, but there is no question on either side that this person needs to be shown the love of Christ for the hope of salvation.

There are just a lot more things we agree on than we disagree on.  The issue I will tackle later is “if Baptists believe in Eternal Security then why are so many of them insecure?”

We spent a week in New Orleans with Mission Lab at New Orleans Baptist Seminary.  The Friday before we left, a spot opened and Karen was able to go with us.  So, we dropped the kids off with the grandparents in SC and off we went.  Mission Lab is like a missions camp(an idea we Wesleyan would be wise to “steal”).  The first day we helped a lady where water was pooling in her backyard.  Her house had been renovated(after much hassle and theft), but the yard needed work.  On day two we cleared a lot and Wednesday thru Friday we worked at Mattie’s Little Angels day care.  We had prepared a VBS type program, but went with the flow, singing songs, playing games, using puppets(which wears the inexperienced arm out quickly), and just loved the children.  I connected with a boy named Kameron who I believe is autistic.  He doesn’t speak much and generally kept to himself.  You could hear the ladies repeatedly call his name for him to sit down and quit running around.  Somehow, we started doing pat a cake together and this bonded us somehow.  I did find out that he gets personal tutoring everyday.  You have these 30 or so kids and the 4 or 5 women who work with them.  They have no place to play outside(unless you consider blacktop in the LA heat with debris and a rusted fence safe) and so it can get a little crazy inside.  On the flip side, the city has several beautiful dog parks for dogs to play in.  This is, indeed, a city turned upside down.  The people who have down little or nothing to help themselves have received the most government aid and assistance while Heather(the woman from Monday) has received no government help(or volunteer help until we arrived), but got her house rebuilt.  I know it’s easy to blast those who don’t help themselves and families who have relied totally on government help for generations.  I can’t carry anger in my heart for these people because what does Jesus see when he looks at me?  Someone who abuses the grace and mercy given to me and someone totally incapable of helping himself in regards to having my sins cleansed.  God has called us to help and serve everyone no matter their circumstances.  Rob Wilton spoke three nights at the seminary and the Andrew Ogea band led worship.  All were tremendous.  Rob’s dad is Don Wilton of North Spartanburg Baptist who I’ve enjoyed on tv occasionally with my mom.  Here’s how I was challenged this week:

To love Batman less and Jesus more.

To be able to quote more scripture and fewer sports statistics.

To do the things I’m good at more effectively while empowering those who do the things I’m not good at.

To be God’s ambassador instead of Heath’s ambassador

To go out on a limb for God because He made the whole stinking tree

This week I’ll be responding to some posts I’ve been reading on “once saved, always saved.”  It’s not what you expect, but hopefully another perspective.  Peace to all of you.

Yesterday was my first NC East District Conference and it had some good moments.  Every conference has it’s share of characters:  the person who talks way too long, the person who refuses to not read their report, the peanut gallery(youth pastor’s section), and confusing moments about when to clap, where to stand, and where to get your name tag.  I got two of those.  One with my name spelled correctly and one that said “Honorary Delegate Heath Mulliken.”  I got one vote for something as a layperson so I wasn’t even eligible.

Now, we had a crew of about 10 go to Asheboro to see the Dark Knight.  I wasn’t very emotional going in…not like Batman or Batman Begins although I was excited.  I answered a trivia question correctly before the showing(Batman first appeared in 1939) and won a Cinemark staff shirt with a Hulk promo on the back and a Batman-Gotham Knight poster autographed by one of the writers.  Now, I’m not going to give any spoilers, but if you haven’t seen the movie then read no further because I don’t want my opinion(which is great) to sway you.  You’ve been warned.  It’s ironic that on the day Andy and I were listing my top 50 movies that I saw what is now my favorite movie.  It’s the best movie I’ve ever seen. Period.  It’s not like watching a comic book movie but like watching an action psychological thriller.  Absolutely amazing.  Can’t say enough good things about all the performances and the Heath Leger Oscar buss is legit.  He is THE Joker.  There are at least 3 moments that took my breath away(sorry that sounds so girly) and made me say,”What?”  Now, this movie is not for the young or squeamish.  If you’re looking for Adam West then this is not the place for you.  Be prepared for a Silence of the Lambs type ride.  Gary Oldman is amazing as Gordon and hearing Michael Caine’s Alfred is like reading his lines from the monthly comics.  I’m making the trip to see this in IMAX in a few weeks.  Love to hear everyone’s thoughts.  I’m telling you, Chris Nolan has made his signature flick…until the sequel at least.

District Conference **.5

The Dark Knight ****

Well, Sunday night started the NC East Camp meeting.  The DS from the Dakota district is the speaker.  Sunday night was the best camp meeting sermon I’ve ever heard because 1-it was not 3 sermons rolled into one and 2-he did not feel the need to preach for over an hour(around 30 minutes I guess).  God used the message of being thirsty and coming to Christ for an overflowing drink to challenge my heart.

1.  Got a message from Jason(blog at left) that he has already seen the Dark Knight.  Well, I thought our tickets were for tonight in Asheboro, but it appears the movie is not showing until midnight Thursday.  Midnight is such a confusing time.  I distinctly asked the high school kid selling tickets if the show were Wednesday night and he said “yeah.”  Where’s the outrage?  So tomorrow will be

2.  District conference all day and then the Dark Knight at midnight.  I forgot how many people I knew were in the East district.  We saw and caught up with many of them Sunday night.  Hope to see and greet more tomorrow.  For the first time in 7 years, I have no report to give, I just have to report for duty…all day long.  I smell a lot of txting coming on.

3.  So, here’s where I’m at with the Mac.  I made all the songs in Propresenter disappear.  Anyone know what kind of file the library is and where it would be.  See, I tried to change the username and it switched alot of settings.  Also, I’ve learned that if you plug or put anything into the Mac that you must eject it or face losing precious data.  Still getting used to no right click, but I’m learning that they have other ways of doing all that stuff.  I told Karen to get ready cause this is what we are getting next.

4.  Andy Hames just called.  He’s my personal trainer and soda accountability partner.  Guess I shouldn’t let him know about the Pepsi machine down the hall.

5.  Arrived to the office yesterday to find a smoke filled basement due to two young guys trying to work out smoke machine that I didn’t know we had.

I will report more to come…

3.