...and now, the Back-peddle

A few weeks ago, I was a little steamed up at the announcement that Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys had acquired Terrell Owens. For me, a life-long Cowboys fan, that was treason - second only to the debacle Jones created when Jimmy Johnson resigned in 1994.

In case anyone wasn't paying attention or didn't care, Jerry was jealous of the attention being heaped on his successful head coach. In a drunken stupor, Jones commented, to a pretty good-sized group of people, "this team can win - regardless of who the coach is." Oh, really?! Despite winning, the super bowl 2 seasons later, the Cowboys, as a franchise, was no longer among the NFL's elite teams. The team still isn't to this day. But, signing Terrell Owens after two tumultuous seasons in Philadelphia it tells me that Jones is desperate to win again and take the team out of Jimmy's shadow.

Now, having said that, I must confess that, after spending the entire day in training, the first thing I did upon being released from the class was to check the baseball scores. Yep. The Astros will throw out the first pitch in their first regular season game of 2006 in just a few minutes from now. And you know what? I wish I could be there. In fact, I'll probably listen to the game in my car on my way home. I wish I could stick to my boycott, but it's hard to turn my back on the national past-time.

Granted, the ballplayers are spoiled, the rivalries hardly exist (except for if you're a Red Sox or Yankees fan) and the game isn't as fast paced as those at the college or high school levels. But, when one goes to a big- league baseball game, they know what to expect. Win or lose, they usually get it - and pay dearly. Still, they get the show and really, that's what it's all about. Right?

Maybe I should have written before that I was giving up on the Cowboys. I'm sure there are many in my family who wish I would - and maybe I will. One thing is definitely clear tonight as I get ready to leave work for the night...I'm ready to hear the umpire yell "play ball!"

Ya-hoo! Go Astros!

Pelunsky Prison Blues, Pt. 2

It's some 12 hours after writing my previous blog. I was pretty nervous about the upcoming gig at Pelunsky Prison. As is often the case in my life, many of my fears were not realized. Actually, the entire experience will go down as a good memory for Danelle and I.

First of all, Pelunsky isn't in Huntsville. Nope. It's somewhere near Coldspring and Livingston, out in the middle of nowhere. According to my wife, there was some sort of uprising in 1994 that led to some changes in the prison system, which is why Pelunsky came about. Apparently, the powers that be decided to put this unit as far away from a major population center as they could. It took over an hour just to get to the place. I guess that's what was in mind in putting the unit out there where it is.

Secondly, despite the fact that Pelunsky is home to "Death Row," our band of miscreants didn't come anywhere near that part of the population. Instead, it turns out that those who were under minimum security were the only ones allowed to attend public meetings. Low risk inmates in a minimal supervision setting. Our concert tonight was a function that is part of a ministry headed up by our keyboard player, Walter Bennett. He practically knew everyone who was in attendance and practically orchestrated everything we did. We were in the best possible situation we could have been in behind the walls of the TDCJ.

Now, death row was there and on our way out, our guide for the evening, the prison chaplain, informed us that the 3 blocks of buildings to the southwest of the Pelunsky grounds is the most secure, heavily guarded facility in the state of Texas. From what I understood, those therein do well just to see the light of day.

Lastly, I think the most memorable thing that I took away from the evening was looking at the faces of men from so many different backgrounds who shared a common place and time. It's weird, but it was almost like I could see the crimes that had been perpetrated in their faces. There were several that knew that had made a terrible mistake. Circumstances beyond their control pushed them to the brink and they crossed the line. Now they were left to pay with their lives. Others had committed unspeakable offenses against other human beings and were forced to be reminded of their sins when they wake up each morning in custody of the state of Texas. Still, here they were, all together in the same room, listening to our band - singing songs of hope and deliverance.

But for me, it was way more than that. When I looked these men in the face, I realized that I had committed sins of my own, maybe not the kind that would get me thrown in jail. I was also reminded of times when I was so angry that I could have crossed the line or made bad decisions just as quick and rash, just as they had. The only difference between myself and them was the grace of God, pure and simple. Sometimes, that's what it takes. Someone has to look us right in the eye to makes see what we might miss otherwise.

So, after an afternoon of anxiety, I was relieved to sit down with my cohorts and debrief over some ribs and fried catfish at Florida's (a pretty good bar-b-que place near the prison). It was awesome to see ourselves used by God's hand the way we were tonight. It seemed the guys were really blessed by our being there. We were even invited back.

I won't be as concerned about going back as I was today. I actually made some friends on the inside. More importantly, I was reminded that we're all basically the same. If but for the grace of God, there go I. Indeed.

Pelunsky Prison Blues

I'm getting ready to leave work so my wife and I, along with 3 friends of ours, can go play music in prison. We'll be behind bars for 3 hours: 5-8 PM tonight. I'm guessing it will be something like Folsum Prison Blues, though I'm not sure if we'll be playing for a portion of the population or not. I thought we were going to a different unit, one that my wife and I had been to once before. It turns out we're going to the Pelunsky Unit, Death Row for male inmates in Texas, just north of Huntsville, Texas. I don't know why it made any difference, but when I found out we were playing "Death Row," the whole trip took on more significance. Death Row? The thought sends a chill up my spine.

Last night we had a short rehearsal and my friend Walter told us all the "do's" and "don'ts" for our visit: what to wear, what not to wear, what to bring, what not to bring. I'm playing the drums, which required a special security clearance because of all the metal in the kit (perfect for making shanks). Again, the idea of taking all this stuff to death row is a little freaky. I wonder what Johnny Cash was thinking when he went into Folsum Prison way back when. Was his drummer concerned about his kit, like I am about mine?

I had a cooky dream about the experience this morning. I don't remember the dream, but I woke up feeling uneasy about this whole thing. I'm thankful for the opportunity. I hope I'll be able to write about the experience in my blog tomorrow.

I'll end with that...

Givin' Up On Pro Sports...

Maybe I'm telling on myself, but I've always been a loyal fan of the teams of my choosing. I guess there's a childlike aspect about it. I grew up near the Dallas - Ft. Worth area and naturally, to me anyway, I was a Cowboys and Rangers fan. I cried when the Cowboys lost Superbowl XIII. I rejoiced when they won XXVII, XXVIII and XXX. I was watching the night that Nolan Ryan became the all-time strikeout leader in major league baseball. He was a Ranger then you know.

Now that we live in the Houston area, I've also become a fan of the Texans and Astros and follow them closely. As childish as I can be when sports are on the television, I'm no longer a child. As entertaining as professional sports can be, I'm at a point where I can't stomach watching them anymore. All the rivalries that were so real in my childhood are a distant memory, thanks to the free agency system of today. Despite all the claims that the superjocks are in it for the love of the game they play, it's pretty clear that it's all about the money. I was late to catch on because I hoped there might be some salvageable good still left in it. I'm now convinced that it's corrupt to the core. The love of money is at the heart of everything that is wrong with professional sports.

Case in point: Terrell Owens, the big-mouthed jackass who single-handedly dismantled the 2004 NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles franchise barely a month into the 2005 football season, was recently signed by the Dallas Cowboys for a 3-year deal . What is Jerry Jones, the owner of the Cowboys' organization, smoking?!! Not only is the guy a discipline problem, he's a destructive influence on his OWN team. Who cares what he does to the opposition! It's ridiculous.

Those closest to me have heard me talk about getting out to see a real football or baseball game more and more lately. I don't want to bother with going to see "professionals" who are more interested with their health and marketability than in making a play. Instead, I'm planning to pick up a high school or college game instead. That is where real rivalries come alive and kids play to win because they love the game, not because they're getting paid to play.

Stepping Out From the Shadow

I've been pretty introspective lately. I'd like to turn this subject into a song. I posted it on my My Space Music site. I've copied it here in case anybody wants to stay away from My Space altogether.

I've aluded in other blog entries that my wife and I are experiencing an epiphany of sorts. The channels of communication are wide-open. We've talked about things that have lurked under the surface of our lives for years on end. I've also chronicled what it's been like. It's been the most amazing thing I've ever seen - period.

In the course of these late night talks, we brought up something that has been a pretty big piece of baggage for us throughout our married life. I'm writing about it now because it really has been a source of much frustration and pain for us. I won't go into it specifically because of the personal nature that is involved. Suffice it to say it was a decision to do what I thought was the right thing to do at the time, but it was a decision made at a time of vulnerability. I felt I had no friends that I could turn to, or so I thought. Despite evidence to the contrary, I was told at the time "this is for the best." You'll look back on this one day and see it as a good thing." Yeah, whatever.

That decision has loomed like an enormous shadow over our lives, our relationship to each other and others and now, our family. It has overshadowed every subsequent decision that we've made since that day. It's as if we've been haunted by it. If only I had talked to someone else. If only I could have known that I could have talked to somebody else. Regret hangs like a stinking carcass in a meat locker. It sure would be nice to rip the thing down and throw it in a trash bin someplace or better yet, bury it!

Somewhere along the way though, something changed, hence the epiphany. Instead of being hounded by the shadow, I discovered that I can step out from under it. The shadow is full of other people's expectations. All the predictions that people made about our success. All of that unreached potential - which can be a horrifying thing to look at face to face - can be left behind, just by walking out of the shadow and into the light. I'm not saying that the shadow will ever go away. It will probably stay just where it is. The fact is I don't have to stay in it or under it. I can walk away and I don't have to look back.

So, I guess we're "walking on sunshine" or in it anyway. It's kinda weird to look at the new scenery. It's a little frightening because it's really new, challenging and inviting. Is it for real? It most definitely is.

Carl Tapley Stories

My wife and I have been doing a lot of talking lately (see my previous post). One of the things we have talked about has been how my writing seems to be blooming lately (in large part as a result of keeping up my blog). Unlike so many blogs on the web, I've tried to make mine less about current events - though they have popped up here and there - and more about matters pertaining to East Texas. Hence the whole slant of this blog.

An indelible part of my affinity for East Texas is my experiences while growing up there. I'm sure people from a big city or a large town would have plenty of things to write about. As action-packed as such stories might be, I sincerely doubt they could rival stories I have of my friendship with one Carl Tapley. As I write this, I'm a little apprehensive of putting such personal information on the web, but I'm more apprehensive for myself than for Carl. He's the kind of guy that would likely Google himself every now and then to see if there's anything new out there about him. So, Carl, if you're reading this, you reserve the right to correct me on any of these accounts, because quite honestly it's been a while and my memory might be doing funny things.

Carl, or Tap-bone - T-bone for short, moved to Malakoff, Texas from Conroe - ironically where my family currently resides - when we both were in the 5th grade. He was always a tall, lanky sort of person. He was care-free from the time I first got to know him. We seemed to hit it off right away. He often would ask to spend the night and never seemed to want to go home the next day. Sometimes he would stay over two or three nights at a time. When he wasn't spending the night, he would often call me up and want to talk. When we ran out of things to say, rather than hang up like people usually do, I often had to pretend that something was wrong with the phone to get him to hang up. Even if I was successful getting him off the phone, he often would call back.

We played football and baseball on the same teams from elementary through high school. Both of us weren't very good early on and usually kept each other company on the bench. In the summer after our 5th grade year, our baseball team made the area playoffs and had to trim our roster by a few players. I made the team and Carl didn't. I really felt bad for him. He was a good sport about it and even came to the games to root us on. I never forgot that. He was team player if there ever was one.

But, Carl's "take one for the team" player attitude was often overshadowed by incidents that could only be described as "Carl being Carl." Here are just a few of Carl's priceless and memorable moments:

In the 7th grade, our coach was recruiting for an upcoming track meet. Our school didn't have a track, but our coaches wanted to make a strong showing at the meet. I was selected to run both the mile and 2 mile runs and to throw the discus. The faster guys were selected for all the running events, but nobody volunteered for the hurdles. I guess Carl saw this as his moment. He volunteered, though he'd never hurdled a thing in his entire life. The track meet was only a handful of days away, so none of us were able to prepare for any of our events. I'm not sure that any preparation would have helped Carl. On his first event, the 110 high-hurdles, Carl didn't clear the first one. Instead, on that first hurdle, he managed to hook his right foot under the hurdle rail and fell over the hurdle. As funny as the sight was, it was a painful event for him. He broke his wrist in two places, falling over the hurdle there on the track. Afterwards, that same coach was always quick to say, in reference to Carl, "I'll do it coach" and get a laugh out of everybody. The truth was that Carl would always volunteer to do anything and the team had to brace ourselves for the outcome.

That summer, during baseball season, we were playing a local rival, Kerens. They had a team pretty much like us, except for one player, Scotty Bryant. He was a super-athlete. He was outstanding in every sport, including baseball. He was a pitcher, not because he could necessarily pitch. He could throw incredibly hard around the strike zone which was more than enough in our league. On this particular day, we had not gotten many hits and were losing, but somehow we were still in the game. It came time for Carl's at-bat. He drew a 4-pitch, 2-out walk and proceeded to first base. When he got on base, he decided to do more than just "chatter" the pitcher (talking baseball trash at him). He started jumping and juking around in a way that I cannot describe with words. It was so ridiculous that the entire opposing team was laughing, including Bryant. It distracted Bryant just enough that he could no longer find the strike zone and walked two more batters. Carl moved from 1st to 2nd and from 2nd to 3rd base. Meanwhile, Carl kept up his goofy dance, but as was often the case, he took it just one step too far. His family was screaming "Carl Allen, you stay on that base!" Our coach was getting angry and ordered him to stop. More importantly, the opposing team wasn't amused anymore and I think they figured out how to stop him in his tracks. Just as Carl was getting his lead and beginning to shake his feet and hands, Bryant turned and threw to 3rd base. Carl froze in his tracks. He was tagged out with very little effort by the 3rd baseman. It was the end of inning and of our only legitimate scoring threat of the entire game.

Carl and I were in the 8th grade band. In our school district, our high school band would also use 8th grade band members to beef up the numbers on the field. Carl & I both played the trumpet and sat and marched by each other in the band. During rehearsals he was always joking around and often got us both in trouble. One particular time, before school had even started, Carl was joking around and some of the upper-classmen got upset. They took us to the far end of the Ag building and were ready to beat the literal crap out of us. They told us they wanted us to take things more seriously. I could see how grave a situation this was and I really didn't want to have to endure a beating, so I just went along. For some reason unknow to me - Carl couldn't keep his mouth shut. He proceeded to mouth off and summarily got us both knocked around. I didn't get the worst of it, but the whole time I was thinking "look what you've gotten us into!" Afterwards, those same guys didn't bother me, but they always had something for Carl.

In our school system, we were allowed to be in both band and athletics through Jr. and Sr. high, so Carl and I played football together, as well as baseball and other sports. One time, our 8th grade football team was playing Rusk Jr. High and had just scored the go-ahead touchdown on an incredible kick-off return in the closing seconds of the game. We're jumping up and down on the sidelines, celebrating the win. But, there on the field was a piece of yellow satin laundry, known in more proper terms as a penalty flag. "Personal foul, clipping, on number 80." Number 80? "Who the hell is that?" On the far side of the field is number 80. It's Carl - like the kid with his hand still stuck in the cookie jar - saying it wasn't him. He was guilty of clipping - making a block in the back of a defender, on his only play on the field that night - which garnered a 15-yard penalty. The touchdown came back and like so many times in our athletic history, we had just grasped defeat from the jaws of victory. Still, as bad as it was it's not the worst part. The block that Carl made was away from the play and had no bearing whatsoever on assisting the score. It's a good thing we played at home that night. Had we been away, I don't think Carl would have been allowed to ride the bus.

I could tell more stories, like the time I was nearly knocked unconscious by a baseball he threw when I wasn't ready while playing catch, or when we got into a fistfight at a youth event at our church, or when we got into a fight during baseball practice in high school. Such stories are endless. We had our share of fights, like any siblings or best friends are capable of. Now that I'm a grown man I treasure those experiences just because I had a friend like Carl. I've only seen him twice in the 19 years since we graduated high school. The last time I saw him was 3 1/2 years ago. He's hardly changed at all. I'd have to say that's a pretty good thing, too.

Life is Full of Suprises...

I never cease to be amazed. In the course of my life I have been so surprised by things that I thought never would happen or thought couldn't happen. It's like this...I have this idea about something and I think "there's no way in that dirty, dark place that my wife would ever go along with that." So, I don't tell her about it. I go along for days and finally mention it to her - because I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. She says "that's a great idea." I'm floored.

Everybody goes through rough times in their relationships. I've come to know that all too well. Sometimes, it gets SO bad that it seems it won't get any better. I have been surprised - again and again - by how something that appears so hopeless can be resolved just by taking the time to talk about it. I talked to a friend recently about stuff going on with my wife and I. "Have you said anything to her about any of this?" Nope. "Then how do you think it will get better?" No answer from me.

So, I take the risk and bring it up to my wife. We end up talking about this - and other stuff - for days on end. It's as if we've turned to a new chapter in our lives together. Surprised doesn't describe how I feel. Amazed. Stunned. It all works.

There are plenty of suprises that are bad. I think too often we go around bracing ourselves for bad stuff that we're afraid might happen and miss out on the good things that were a bit risky at the time. I like being surprised. I could use a lot more of the good kind.

Check Out Friends on My Space

There's been a lot of bad publicity surrounding the site MySpace.com and with good reason. Teenie-bopper girls have hooked up with older, sicko guys through this service. It's true that thousands, possibly millions use the site to hook-up with whoever. (Let me say this - out front - to my darling wife, who will likely read this post...I haven't even looked around. I'm only talking from what I've heard about the site in the news) But, I've learned that there's a good side to MySpace and I've really been able to enjoy that side quite easily over the last few days.

It all started last month, when my brother-in-law, the coffee meister himself, asked us to take in 3 rock stars from the band Discover America for the night after their show nearby. We didn't get to take them in. It would have been out of their way. We put them up in a hotel, dropped some cash in their coffers and had a nice talk with one of the guys. During the discussion, he asked if we were on MySpace. I told him no, but we exchanged e-mail addresses, gave them directions to the hotel and went on home.

Later that week, I decided to look up DA on MySpace. When I found them, I wanted to post them a message, but discovered that I needed to sign up in order to proceed. So, I did. I thought it was cool and moved on. Within just a few days, I heard from a friend from high school, another person who was a friend of a friend from my home town, two friends from Mississippi and got in contact with people I had long since lost touch with years ago.

So, if you're interested in finding old friends, want to keep up with the friends you have, want to make new ones or even pretend that you're a rock star, you might want to give MySpace a once over. You can start by looking at my profile and the profile for me, the musician. How's that for shameless, self-promotion?

A Highlight of My Life Just Took Place

Every now and then, something happens that sort of brings life in to a different perspective. I guess it's something like when retrospect collides with the here and now and stirs up emotions that were once thought dead. If that last sentence made sense, then I might be able to put into words the experience of seeing Maynard Ferguson, live in concert last night. I'm writing this barely 8 hours later just to make sure I don't forget what I just experienced.

I first heard about him and his band coming to town in the middle of this last week. Nonchalantly, my daughter showed me a flyer she was given at her intermediate school. It read something like "The legendary Maynard Ferguson will be performing live at the Conroe High School auditorium..." My daughter and I were definitely going to this show!

My oldest daughter began taking band this year and her band director told the class "this, kids, is a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to see a living legend. She actually just made the switch to french horn over the last few weeks. But the fact that her grandpa and I were also trumpet players fueled her interest when the school year started. She used both of our trumpets so she wouldn't have to carry one to and from school. Seeing her play the same horn I once played and carry the same case that I once carried stirred up emotions that I thought were long since dead.

You see, years ago, I was once a promising trumpet player. I started playing in the elementary school band in Malakoff, Texas in the sixth grade. I excelled early on, performing with high school band in the jazz band ensemble and earning first chair in my section during in my seventh grade year. In the eighth grade, our school got a new band director, James Sprayberry, an old alcoholic cajun, who had been band director at other area schools. He and I bonded very quickly and that bond ruined my plans to quit the band after my eighth grade year to get in to Agriculture whenever I entered high school. Imagine that, me as a cowboy or the FFA type! Thank you, Mr. Sprayberry!!!

After football season, I started taking private lessons with Mr. Sprayberry. He told me to listen to Maynard because he thought I could relate to his style. If you've ever played the trumpet, or know someone who has, playing in the upper registers, a Ferguson trademark, has instant appeal. I spent weeks on end with "Spray," as he was affectionately called at our school, perfecting my technique. I bought an Arban's Technique for Trumpet book and Spray worked me over. It wasn't long before it was time "chair tryouts," or whatever they were called, and surpassed two seniors for first chair. I also made 2nd chair at a district band competition that year, as well. My sophomore year saw similar success, only it was not quite as dramatic as the year before. I was also involved in high school sports which divided my attentions. Still, Spray was very quick to offer encouragement, even though sports kept me away from the band hall after school. That year, at the spring concert, Spray organized a Jazz Ensemble that played that night. We played a piece called "Dixieland Jam," a medley of dixieland favorites. We practically brought down the small-town house.

Three days into my junior year of high school (September 1985), Mr. Sprayberry died suddenly, stricken with a heart attack. Our school was devastated. Moreover, my mentor was gone. In the course of the year, I had personality clashes with his successor and lost my love for the trumpet. I won't go into what happened here because I've already written more of the background for last night than I wanted to.

The opening act last night was a tight area jazz quartet that I thought would set the tone for the evening. I simply was not prepared for what happened next. Before a short intermission, another quartet, part of Ferguson's band, was non-chalantly introduced. They played a couple of songs and their style was a much more aggressive form of jazz. It merely left the audience thirsty for more. After the intermission, we all got what we payed to see. The trumbone player, Reggie, spoke into the microphone "please welcome to the stage, the legendary Maynard Ferguson." The old, white-headed, heavy-set bandleader sauntered out to the middle of the stage, as the band played a song that reminded me of what used to be played on the Johnny Carson Show. He smiled, pointed toward the audience and winked, and then lifted a worn-looking Bb trumpet to his mouth. For the next hour and fifteen minutes, I and my daughter were mesmerized. Flanked by a world-class pianist, bassist, drummer, trumbone, two saxaphones and three incredible trumpet players who obviously have benefitted from his tutelage, Mr. Ferguson was the master of ceremonies in his own traveling, musical carnival. Playing songs like Bird Land and a medley, including the hit from Rocky, Gonna Fly Now, I was taken back to that side-room in the high school band hall where I had spent so much time over 20 years ago. I experienced a highlight of my life.

Wanna Get Away? Try La Grange

Perhaps you're old enough that you remember when the story broke about the Chicken Ranch just outside the sleepy town of La Grange, Texas. If you're like me, the only thing you ever heard about the place was the song by ZZ Top.

Actually, my wife and I have often driven through La Grange on our way to other places. It's a beautiful little town with some of the most georgeous scenery in all of Texas. Still, we never actually thought of it as a destination, that is until this past weekend.

We went, on a whim, just to get away overnight. On Sunday, at day's end we could hardly bear the thought of leaving. While we were in town, we discovered a great little eatery called Bistro 108, which combined the elegance of big city dining with the down-home hospitality you would expect from a "hole-in-the-wall" restaurant. We visited Monument Hill and the Kreishe Brewery which is now a state park, which combines history of Texas with that of a local man and his dedication to a community. If antiques are your thing, there are plenty of antique malls in town and within driving distance. The historic towns of Fayetteville and Round Top are just minutes away, with plenty of unique suprises and delights in either location.

I hope in the coming weeks to add more reviews like this one. Hopefully they will provide ideas for getaways all your own.

Yates Headed For Rusk State Hospital

Andrea Yates has been released from prison and has been returned to the Rusk State Mental Hospital to await retrial for the drowning deaths of her 5 children. I'm sure everyone in our country has heard about this case and has an opinion about it - either way. However, I wonder if anyone has thought about what is going on in regard to how this case has affected the members of her family. Of course there was the immediate impact on her children. They can't be replaced and her conviction will never bring them back. But, before we begin a discussion about how deserving of punishment she might be or what should be done to her, think about this...

When a crime is committed, the impact goes much farther than just those who were victims of the crime. Families of the perpetrator also bear the load of guilt and often have to pay their bills. Yates was released from jail this week and her family had to pay $20,000 in order for her to be released. The Kennedy family, Yates' parents, is not a well-to-do family and likely can't afford the price for their daughter's bond. Once she's released and remanded to the state hospital, the treatment she will receive in Rusk will have to be paid by family members, as well. If she happens to be re-convicted for the crimes for which she was charged, her family will likely incur more legal fees. If she is acquitted, by reason of insanity, she will likely be committed to the same state hospital for the rest of her natural life with her family left footing the bill.

Crime hurts everybody, doesn't it?

Texas High School Sports News - UIL Realignment Announced

Every two years, the Texas University Interscholastic League announces a realignment of Texas schools and school districts all across the state of Texas. District alignments are arranged by school attendance and their proximity to other schools of similar size. In the past 20 years, the UIL has been able to track the trend of migration of families from rural and urban areas to the suburbs of Texas population centers: Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio.

The times and traditions - they are a changin'...

If He Wanted Attention, It Looks Like He Has Plenty of It

My friend Joel Stein likely expected to get some attention over his article that appeared in the LA Times this week. It looks like he has plenty. I guess my question is how to respond to such a guy. Beat him up and he becomes a martyr for the pacifists. Ignoring him can potentially add fuel to the insurgency against our troops.

What do we do?

Where I'm From, Those Are Fightin' Words...But These Types Aren't Worth It

One of the things I love most about East Texas is the fact it's a salt-of-the-earth, grassroots kind of place. It's where one can find some of the most patriotic citizens in this great country of ours.

A long way from East Texas is Los Angeles, California, which we all know as a much different place, with very different values and concerns. Those conflicted ideas and perspectives might explain the viewpoint of this article. It seems the columnist Joel Stein is a self-described pacifist and has gone where spineless Washington democrats and other goof-ball wackos fear to tread: criticizing the military.

I'm not concerned about how people see our war in Iraq anymore. I don't care so much about the war on terrorism, either. I think discovering the truth about where we stand in this conflict is next to impossible. It depends on who might be telling the story. It's messed up, but we're there and that's the way it is. We can't forget about the hundreds and thousands of men and women who are on the battlefield right now. They may not want to be there. Then again they may. While we're busy bickering about the right or wrongness of this conflict, they're in it and pay the price daily.

I think the worst thing about this entire conflict is the fact that we have the resources to complete the job. But rather than use them, our politicians listen too much to guys like Joel Stein and are too concerned about what they might write about them.

What do you say to someone like Joel Stein? He admits he's well-to-do. He's never served in the military and probably doesn't know many who ever did. He's like so many in our country that haven't connected the sacrifices of our forefathers to the liberty and prosperity that is enjoyed today. He might just be a little too smart for his own good, too. In East Texan vernacular, he's a smart-aleck. He meant to say those things likely to get people who sympathize with him to rally around the cause. That's fine, too. He's got the right to say them.

As for how East Texans, and other salt-of-the-earth Americans, might see Joel Stein, they'd just as soon rip him apart, limb-by-limb as look at him. Then again, he's just not worth it.

I wonder who he's going to call the next time LA goes up in flames? It just might be one of those troops he doesn't support.

Sometimes Life Is Ugly

In this blog I've alluded a few times to the fact that I enjoy being a parent. I always wanted to be one. But, there's one aspect to parenting that I never really anticipated: dealing with death, in general. It's not a pleasant subject and I don't particularly like to talk about it in the first place. In this instance I'm not necessarily talking about the death of family or friends but an animal or a pet, which can be worse than the former - in some ways - for children.

As a kid, I experienced the death of pets quite often, now that I think about it and it was traumatic. I had a dog for a good part of my childhood to die from being runover by a car. I still feel sad about that. Another time, a couple of kittens decided to crawl into the engine compartment of one of our cars. I'm still squeamish about what happened then. Probably the worst was when our horse, Penny, was found dead. It's a little easier to arrange to bury a cat or a dog.

Throughout all of that, my parents were always so supportive. I never thought - before I had children - that I would have to deal with the death of a pet with MY kids - like my parents did with me. Well, I did this past weekend and it had quite an affect on me.

My youngest daughter decided she wanted to spend some of her change to get some gum. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, so we all decided to walk with her to the local convenience store a few blocks away. Our route was along a busy street into our neighborhood, but we didn't really think about it. Along the way, a chocolate lab pup we'll call "Brownie" comes out of nowhere and proceeds to follow us. We noticed she had a collar and tried to find where she lived. After an unsuccessful attempt at one place and not seeing anyone at another, we decided to continue the walk and allow her to tag along. We tried to coax her to walk in the grass as opposed to the street to avoid the passing cars. When we got to the store, the pup went right in with us. The store manager didn't seem to mind, but we decided to turn her out just in case she might decide to relieve herself or tear something up. We let her out and she waited at the door for just a second and then left.

After what was just a few minutes in the store, we started back home. I whistled for the dog, expecting her to pop out of the bushes or come from behind the store. We figured she may have taken up with someone else or just gone back home, so we started walking back, too.

In a matter of moments, after we hadn't seen her, I noticed something on the horizon that absolutely horrified me. I couldn't make it out, but it appeared to be a brown shape of some kind. I didn't say anything at first, but thought out loud "Oh God!" Of course the response from the girls was "Oh God, what?!" I said "there's something in the road." The girls looked and ran ahead. The next few minutes literally ripped my guts out. It was Brownie.

It was the most awful thing I'd ever seen (thank God she wasn't mangled). Only moments before Brownie was playing with us. We stood there on the edge of the street just looking at her. The girls cried for quite a while. Their mom and I were pretty choked up, too. Since Brownie wasn't our dog, we couldn't take responsibility for her disposal. We left her where we found her so that her rightful owners could find her. It was bad enough that she had followed us and gotten killed.

We walked home, arm in arm, consoling the girls. We spoke of how nice it would be to be able to turn back time. It would have really been nice if we could have right then. Eventually everyone calmed down. The owners apparently found their puppy and took her elsewhere.

That night before I went to sleep I was reminded of the fact despite the beauty we have in our world, there's also plenty of ugly to go around. It serves as a reminder that this world isn't all there is. There's another world where everything is beautiful - with no ugly. Until we get there, we'll likely see a lot more beautiful and some ugly, too. It kinda makes me wish and hope for that new world a little more. In due time, I'm sure I'll get there.

In the mean time, I look around at our pets and I think about our family members. I'm reminded in the short life of that puppy, Brownie, that life is precious. I need to enjoy them all while they're here.

Pat Robertson - Others Speak Out

It looks like Pat Robertson won't be winning any popularity contests any time soon.

After making those now infamous insensitive remarks about Ariel Sharon's physical condition, it seems that many of his peers in broadcasting have heard enough. The White House was quick to condemn his statement as were others. He has since apologized for the statement. Thanks, Pat. Please forgive us if we aren't quite ready to forgive you.

How can someone say something so careless on live TV in the first place? I would think that an experienced TV mogul, like Robertson, would weigh what he says and use discretion. Afterall, the 700 Club is seen in millions of homes throughout the US and the world. He's been in the business for over 30 years. He ran for president and started a government watchdog program, the Christian Coalition. But, it seems that Pat Robertson and the Christian Coalition - once forces to be reckoned with - are suffering withdrawal symptoms that anyone who falls out of public popularity experience. Apparently it's worse for those who consider themselves powerful. Power corrupts. Just say something outrageous or ridiculous and get in the news. I guess it's beginning to make sense.

Now for a bit bit of irony...

Every year, Pat Robertson takes a trip to the Holy Land with 700 Club members and his supporters who would like to see the relics and holy places first hand. He has taken several such trips over the years. He may not be welcome this year and it serves him right. Everyone has an opinion. We've all heard what opinions are like. Frankly, just because someone owns a broadcasting company, it doesn't give them the right to say whatever pops into their mind.

It would good time for Mr. Robertson to just shut up. The problem is he won't. He can't. 3 cheers for free speech!

Nice Development in the Home Country

When I first started this blog, I wanted to bring to light some of the uniqueness of what I call home, which is East Texas. Over the past year I observed one of the most remarkable true-life stories I've ever known.

You might remember hearing last year about the coach who was shot by the disgruntled parent of one of his players. The coach was Canton head football coach Gary Joe Kinne, Jr. At the time of the incident, it was feared that the coach might die from internal bleeding or eventually due to damage to his vital organs.

To the amazement to thoses in Van Zandt County and most of the country, the coach made a remarkable recovery, returning to the Canton Eagle's first football practice of the 2005 season. But the story didn't end there. Coach Kinne's Eagles, led by his son, Gary Joe III, dedicated the new season to their head coach and went on to become the most successful football team in Canton high school history. They lost in the state quarterfinal round to the eventual state champ, Tatum.

But that's still not the end of the story. His son was named the player of the year in the state 3A division and as a high school junior, promises to be one of the state's most prized college recruits in 2007. Coach Kinne received national coach of the year honors by Adams USA after the end of the 2005 football season. And finally, on a more bitter-sweet note, Coach Kinne was offered a job with his alma mater, Baylor University, this week. Baylor is said to be one of the universities already in contact with the younger Kinne. Disney couldn't have written a better script - except that the Eagles were able to win the state championship.

Though I don't know the coach, I'm very happy for him and East Texas. He, his family and the Canton community are all a great example of turning the worst of circumstances into the greatest of opportunities.

Can We Come Up With Another Name for Christian?

I've been a Christian for the majority of my life. I was born a little over 37 years ago on a Monday. That following Sunday, I joined my parents in church (like I had any choice). Actually, my dad was the Sunday School Superintendent and my mother was the piano player. The musician Brian Duncan has a song in the early 90's that mirrored the story of my life - Mr. Bailey's Daughter. I went on to attend Bible college and was a licensed minister for several years. Church and church life is something I'm very familiar with.

I wrote in my blog some time back about the fuss raised by Christians about what was happenening with the Christmas Holiday this year. Now, there's another bru-ha-ha stirring in regard to the up-and-coming TV series The Book of Daniel. Undoubtedly this will be Hollywood doing what it does when it comes to religion and I don't mean painting a good picture. However, when I read the story line for the pilot, I couldn't help but see the majority of "Christian" households being described there. Parent's struggling with an issue in their life while their children are struggling with others. Unfortunately, ministers aren't exempt from the pains and misfortunes of life. What is it about the Christian crowd that makes them freak out when a little bit of reality raises its head? Is this a case of the dog barking because it just got hit by a thrown rock? I just have to laugh.

But, I'm not writing about the Book of Daniel. Instead, I'm writing is in response to one of the most dispicable statements think I've ever seen in print in my lifetime. Pat Robertson, in response to the news that Ariel Sharon was stricken with what will likely be a mortal stroke, said this could be an "act of God" against the man for handing the Gaza Strip over to the Palestinians a few months ago. He also attributes to the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin as also being possibly at the hand of God later in the same article. Of course this isn't the first time. Not long ago, Mr. Robertson hinted on the air that the president of Venezuela should be assassinated and suggested that Pennsylvania voters should not expect the help of God in a natural disaster because they were "voting Him out of their schools." Is the judgment of God something to be celebrated?

I've got nothing against Pat Robertson. I grew up watching him with my parents (one TV in the house. Mom and Dad watched what THEY wanted to). But, it seems like that every time he's in the news it's because he has insinuated or said something that is a huge stretch for Biblical Christianity and has to answer for it. Strangely enough, worldly people know what the Gospel is supposed to sound like and are quick to cry foul when Christians step out of line - and they should.

Of course he's not the only offender. Jerry Fallwell blamed the terrorist attacks of 9/11 on the abortion industry and any and everyone who had sex outside of marriage. I remember thinking "if that was the case, why weren't there more planes? They could have set the entire country on fire to kill everyone who was 'in sin'." Any number of TV evangelists create another set of problems for any of us who try to live out our faith everyday.

I don't claim to have all the answers or to have the perfect theology or philosophy for this life. I'm just trying to make my way like anyone else. But, if these guys can't keep their feet out of their mouths, the rest of us will need to come up with something else to call ourselves - because Christian has already been taken - for the worst.

The Eyes of Texas - and the World - Are Upon You...

Unless you live under a rock or don't give a rip, the Texas Longhorns football team shocked the college football establishment last night with an incredible, nearly unbelievable 41-38 win over the USC Trojans in the Rosebowl at the NCAA national championship.

After an entire month of speculation, the two teams finally faced off in one of the most anticipated football games ever - whether amateur or professional. USC was seeking a 35th victory in a row and an unprecedented 3rd national championship. The team boasted two Heisman Trophy winners in the same offensive backfield (Matt Leinert - 2004, Reggie Bush - 2005). The game was truly one for the ages. There were 6 lead changes and a combined 1130 yards of offense between the two teams. The true difference maker in the game was clearly Vince Young who compiled 467 yards of total offense himself, clearly out-shining both Leinert and Bush on the national stage and overshadowing the perennial football powerhouse in their own back yard.

If you were one of those folks who didn't care to stay up late and see the finish first hand, you may have missed the most poignant moment of the night, and it didn't happen within regulation. In the ABC post-game interview with Leinert, the USC star was asked how he felt about his team's performance. He replied "I think we're still the better team. We just didn't execute when we had to." Oh really!? If they were the better team, why didn't they win? There was speculation today that that comment could cost Leinert around NFL Draft time.

A sports analyst said later that Leinert went to the Texas locker room after the game to congratulate the team. Someone else said that he happened to bump into some Texas players outside of the locker room and was invited in. Whatever the case, the phenom came across like the kid who wanted to take his ball and go home when the chips were down. It's hard to run away with the ball when it is taken away in the first place.

Actually, throughout the game, the Trojans acted like a team that believed all the media hype about them. All the while, the Longhorns seemed to keep their nose to the grindstone and plugged away. Sure the defense gave up a lot of ground. But, when it came down to the soon to be infamous 4th and 2 from the Texas 45, the Trojans ran a play that had been successful for the entire night - 27 Power. Len Dale White had been killing them all night with it. But, this time, when it counted most, the Texas defense didn't budge. 10 fateful plays later, Vince Young marched his team to an upset of magnanimous proportions.

On a night when everyone was watching, the stars came out. Some shined more brightly than others. One outshined them all.

Miracle Christmas

It seems for our family that December is the financially tightest month on the calendar. Merle Haggard has a well known song "If We Can Make It Through December" which embodies the sentiment. I suspect that we're not alone. The holidays can be the most financially tight times of the year. The pressure to purchase presents gets pretty high - especially if there are kids in the house.

This December looked to be the worst in the history of our family's existence. Having lost my job barely a month ago, we were behind on bills for most of the year. We were in danger of losing our house and a car. There was no way we could afford anything for Christmas this year. We tried to prepare our children in the weeks leading up to the holiday. It seemed like I'd be singing Merle's song the entire month, only there was no end in sight.

We've tried to teach our children over the years that Christmas isn't about the gifts. Down deep, however, having to do without gifts at Christmas really hurts. I remember the feeling of returning to school after such a Christmas as a boy. Just hearing kids talk about what they got over the Christmas Break was more painful than anything I had ever known. Forget all that "supposed to" stuff. It just hurt.

As Christmas neared, I tried to gradually prepare our kids and could see disappointment in their faces. To their credit, they didn't pout about our circumstances. We often talked about previous Christmas memories. One of the most memorable was two years ago. A friend of the family gave us a Toys-R-Us gift card to say thanks for our friendship. Wouldn't it be nice if that happened again! The truth was that such a thing wouldn't happen again and sadly we all knew it.

But, just when we resigned ourselves to our situation, the miracles started unfolding.

The first miracle took place shortly after Thanksgiving. My former boss was in a conference call with my now current boss. Shortly after the conference call, my former boss received an e-mail from me. He had told me when I left the company before "if there's anything I can do for you, please let me know." My wife and my dad both encouraged me to contact him to see if anything might be available with the company. I sent him the e-mail and he promptly contacted my current boss to tell him about me. Within a few days, I was happily re-employed by my former employer. Coincidence? Hardly - that is if you believe that God is still at work in the world today.

About the same time, I was trying to claim unemployment benefits. (I was notified that I would not receive benefits, due to circumstances surrounding my dismissal. Currently this is in appeal with the TWC) Still even more miracles began to take place.

I started receiving calls from different ones needing work done on their computers and was paid well for my time. We received several checks, one of which was from a former employer for proceeds on a sale of outstanding shares of stock that I didn't know about. People offered us cash out of the blue. It was like watching "It's A Wonderful Life" - only we were participating in the story.

My wife and I were up late on Christmas Eve wrapping Christmas presents. After the last present had been wrapped and tucked under the tree, we sat down together in our living room, basking in the warm lighting from the Christmas tree. We marveled at how our circumstances had changed so dramatically in the course of a month. Just being in our home, celebrating Christmas like this, was more than we could have hoped for only days before.

We like to say that God is concerned about our circumstances. We are told to believe God for the big stuff and we often see such prayers answered. But, every now and then, God does something that is so completely unexpected that it takes us by suprise. How can we begin to explain stuff like this?

It's the stuff that miracles are made of. That is why for our family, Christmas 2005 will forever be the miracle Christmas.

What's Big Deal About Christmas?

With only 4 shopping days left, my opinion on the topic of celebrating Christmas this year is quite a few days late. There's already been a lot of blather on the topic - Christians who are offended by those who insist on the use of the word "holiday" instead of Christmas. At this point, I'm not even sure stores like Target, Home Depot and others, who have opted to use "holiday," have caved into the pressure from the religious right to use "Christmas" again. Earlier this month, that was the talk everywhere. The president also caused a stir when he chose to use the word "holiday" in the card sent to his supporters this year. I thought he said he was a christian?!

I don't think most of the folks who have been stating their offense with the omission of Christ from the season have been paying attention, well for the practical length of their lives. Christmas in our culture is not about Christ. It hasn't been about Christ in a long, LONG time. In fact, the term "post-Christian" has been circulated for nearly a decade and a half as a description of our culture. In a time when church attendance is in decline, government is removing references to religion. In case this comes as a shock, back away from the computer and take a couple of deep breaths.

(Pause)

Now, is this offensive to you? Does it make you mad? Before you start planning to blow up my house or set my car on fire, stop for a second. What are the most prominent aspects of Christmas right now? What are the predominant concerns that people have as they enter the holiday season in our country? Ask nearly anyone anywhere, it will go something like this:

"I have so many gifts to get. I don't really have time for all the shopping I've got to do. Then, there's getting together with family. How are we going to work it out? Where will we/they stay? I have so many things going on this year. So many parties and get togethers. I'm so stressed. I can't wait for it all to be over!"

So much is made each year by how commercial the Christmas holiday has become. I get frustrated when I start seeing Christmas decorations on display in September and October. We can complain about it all we want. But, if we're spending money and running up credit card bills and running ourselves ragged with holiday events and stress - just like everyone else - we're just feeding the beast. Most folks do all those things and complain because Jesus isn't on display in the stores and shopping centers they go to. If it were on display, it would only be window dressing. There's no question why everyone is there - money is changing hands.

The truth is that it's not the job of any merchant to put Jesus on display in the first place. It's fine if they want to. It's their right to decline as well. It's not any business for any federal, municipal or civic governments to be involved in, either. This falls squarely on the shoulders of believers. What the world needs is not some clever marketing that includes the name of Jesus or pictures of a baby in a manger. Calling it Christmas or winter holiday won't make a bit of difference. No, what the needs is a fresh demonstration of Christ from His body - the church - plain and simple.

Remember the stir caused by the Passion of the Christ not too long ago? Christian leaders started calling that movie the greatest tool for evangelism that the world had ever seen, or something like that. How did people come to Christ before the Passion? Was it possible to become a Christian without it? No wonder it's been so hard to become a Christian all those years before! There are stories of those who turned to Christ as a direct result of watching the movie. In the time since, the furor has died down. With the release of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe this year, the same people are saying some of the same things about this movie as they said about the Passion.

Do you see what's happening? We're expecting someone else to step up to do something spectacular that will "win the world." The truth is it's a lot harder to demonstrate a living Christ as we live out our lives. We can mess it up and often do. We have so many cares and burdens and have so little time to spare for anyone else. It's easier to tell someone to go watch a movie or give them a book and ask them what they thought about it than to get involved with them and their lives. Getting involved often gets ugly. But that is what makes a difference in someone's life.

As for "saving" Christmas, I don't know that it's possible to save the holiday at this point. Commercialism surrounding the season is big money. Our culture doesn't need another marketing scheme. It's become brazen to them, which is why we see more and more shocking means of advertising. If we approach it as a marketing scheme there will be no lasting affects. Public sentiment can be swayed as easily as the wind blows. The church must demonstrate to the world of what Christmas is supposed to be.

So, stop crying about the world recognizing Christmas. It's your chance to show them exactly what it is.

Ever Heard of Friday Night Lights?

By now most folks in this country have heard about the book or the movie called "Friday Night Lights." It's the story from the entire 1988-89 football season in Odessa, Texas at Odessa Permian High School. Having played organized football for 10 years of my life, the story was one I could relate to. I've never been much of a reader, but I've known of the book for many years. It was a good thing for me when the movie came out. It was such a good movie that it made me want to read the book.

If you've only watched the movie, you may have gotten a different take on what really happened over the course of that football season in West Texas. According to many in the town, there were a lot of hurt feelings that emerged when the book went to print. Racial strife, bigotry, class warfare, excessive measures taken by coaches, parents, players, school faculty & students are observed and trumpeted to the world in book form. It's no wonder the whole town felt violated afterwards.

Unfortunately for Odessa, their city was the one selected by Mr. Bissinger (the book's author) out of the many hundreds of schools and towns across Texas - just like them. However, in the introduction, the writer makes it clear why he chose the home of Mojo as his subject audience. Odessa Permian is easily one of the most storied schools in the state with several state championships and many more playoff playoff appearances. Football is king in Texas but it's the center of life in Odessa. When anything garners so much energy, excesses follow and Permian High School is a prime example.

So, if you've not read the book or watched the movie, make an appointment for yourself. The truth is you may not like it.

Then again you may.

Lightning Strikes Twice - But with More Money

We've all heard the fable or myth that lightning never strikes the same place twice. It's a phrase that's as old as the hills, but there's not really any truth to it. Then again, maybe there is.

I'm not concerned about whether it happens in real life or not. Just as soon as I endorse a statement that says "lightning does indeed strike in the same place twice," somebody will show up that can definitively prove me wrong. That's not my concern.

This last week I was offered a position with Stewart Title - again. (Those of you who actually read my blog might remember that I left Stewart for the "opportunity" at Sam Houston State University. Of course that opportunity fell apart like a cheap suit.) After walking away from a job that I really enjoyed before, I've received another chance with the same company with another good boss. There are challenges, to be sure...a long commute, later hours and a different assignment that will involve more "over the phone" skills. But, I'm back with a company that I enjoyed to work for. That alone is something to sit back and think about. Who you work for AND with makes up about 80-90% of the work experience. If the people you work with really get on your nerves, it's hard to enjoy the job - as a whole.

But, the fact I get a second shot at the same thing - or same company - makes me stop and take notice. How often does lightning strike the same place - twice? How often does one get an actual second chance at the same opportunity? My experience has been not at all. However, I've been extended a second chance. I'm truly in awe of a God who can orchestrate the events of one's life so that things like this take place.

Despite the odds, it appears that lightning indeed struck the same place twice. The spot is smoldering. I go to work Monday morning. It's pretty cool.

The Return of Cheap Oil

After a year of seeing gas prices explode to unprecedented levels, it looks like they're going to fall off - sharply. In a report issued by many top oil company executives, gas prices could continue falling. Ironically, this news comes on the tail of a series of public service announcements instructing the public to curtail oil and gas usage until the shortages experienced as a result of hurricanes Katrina and Rita are replenished. Kinda ironic, huh?

For those who can remember back a further than a couple of decades, when prices have reached all time highs, the periods were followed by production gluts and significantly cheaper gas prices. During these periods, oil companies complained of their losses, begging for sympathy, suggesting federal assistance in some cases.

So, if prices continue falling, keep this in mind: Just a month or so ago, oil executives from Shell, Exxon-Mobil, BP, Chevron and others all boasted their record profits in the neighborhood of 250-300%. Maybe it's just me, but it's hard to feel sorry for the those who orchestrated their own good fortune.

Of course, all I can think about is that I sold the stock I had in an oil company in March of this year - just as the prices really began to take off. Perfect timing, huh?

I wonder in a few months if any of the same executives might be wondering if they should have run those "save gas" public service announcements in the first place.

High School Football - Follow-up to the Follow-up

I'm still following the Texas High School Football Playoffs and now, as we enter the 4th week of competition, the contenders have definitely emerged from the pack. Some pretty good teams have fallen by the wayside.

If any of these games come to your back yard, it might be a good time to take in some Texas High School Playoff Football.

Plenty To Be Thankful For

A few weeks ago, I wrote here how excited I was about the new direction I was taking in my career. That new direction came to an abrupt end last week. I wasn't given an explanation. I was just told things aren't working out. So, at the age of 37, I get to start all over again - from scratch. Pretty cool, huh? It doesn't help that I have to look for permanent work just as the holidays are getting started. Job counselors have all said the same things "it would have been nice if you were let go after the holidays. This isn't a good time to be looking for a job." Just what I needed to hear.

But before I go too far and make it sound like I may be bitter about what has happened, I pause to say I'm a very thankful man. A wise man once told me "real problems are the kind that money can't solve." Considering the kind of year we've experienced as a family, we've got plenty of financial problems. But, we've been blessed that we haven't been visited by any real problems. Jobs, money, houses, etc., come and go. People are what matter, or so I'm finding out. Thankfully, my entire immediate family is healthy. My father-in-law had a scare recently, but it appears his condition was discovered in time and can be treated.

Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday. You don't have to exchange gifts. You really don't have to spend a lot of money - unless you plan to eat a lot. All you have to do is get together with people you love and celebrate each other. I like that. No expectations - unless you plan to eat a lot. Our family usually plans on eating a lot. We also pause to tell each other what we're thankful for. I've had time over the weekend to reflect on what I'm thankful for. Here's just a few things...

I'm thankful for my family. My wife is an incredible encouragement to me. She is the master of giving me more of what I need instead of what I want. If I'm feeling bad about how things are going and would like sympathy, she doesn't give it to me. Instead, I get that swift kick (it's not too hard, though) in the pants that lands me back on my feet. I'd be a mess without her.

I've learned so much from my children. I know it's supposed to be the other way around. Some of my most enjoyable entertainment of my life is to watch them when they don't think I'm looking.

God has given me incredible parents. I enjoy asking my dad for advice. He often says "I don't think I can offer any advice for that." I still ask anyway. I figure I can learn something from someone who survived the Battle of Bastogne. I think I get my grit from my mother. She doesn't know the meaning of the word "quit." Maybe it's because she's German. Dad is Scotch/Irish descent. No wonder I'm stubborn. (Which is why I often need the aforementioned kick.)

I'm thankful for my in-laws (they'll likely see this blog, so I'd better mention them). I've heard horror stories about people and their interaction with their in-laws. I don't have nearly that many. Just kidding! My in-laws (which includes both my brother-in-law and sister-in-law as well) have always been supportive of both me and my family. It means so much.

I'm also thankful for friends. My family has been blessed to be part of the Vineyard Church of Conroe for the past 5 years. We've known many of the same people for much longer. They've been there for us through some of the most challenging events of our lives - and they continue being there for us, even now. Proverbs says it best - "better to have a friend close by than a brother far away." I'm glad I have a lot of friends close by. Some of them are just down the street.

I could continue, but it would make for some pretty boring reading - for anyone that actually reads my blog (according to my page count, somebody must be reading something).

I close by asking this question: what are you thankful for? You might say "not much." Really? Try writing a few things down. Before long, you'll have quite a list - if you're honest.

I know I don't have much in the way of money. Hopefully, something will come along to change my job prospects. Still, I have what counts, which means I've got plenty to be thankful for.

Have You Seen A John Woo Film Lately?

There's been a lot of talk in the news about the decline in proceeds at the boxoffice within the last couple of years. This is with good reason: the material sucks! For every good movie, there are 5 or 6 terrible ones. At $5-8 a pop, it's no wonder that people are staying away from the silver screen. It's much cheaper to rent the same films on DVD and discover this same release was a complete bomb.

That leads me to the director, John Woo. If you happen to see his name as the director of any movie you might be interested in watching, stay away. Why, you might ask? There are several reasons.

After seeing his 2003 release, Paycheck, I was reminded all over again why his films suck. For one, they are known for dazzling explosions, combined with lots of broken glass, plenty of sparks and ridiculous live-action stunts. That might be fine for some movie-goers. But, if you're interested in an actual story in your film, you probably won't find it. In this particular movie, the main character becomes a science experiment, which involves erasing his memories. Somehow these have a link to the future. Make sense to you? Me neither - even after 2 hours of watching the story unfold. Several times my wife and I looked at each other and said "this is ridiculous!" But, with nothing to do on a rainy Saturday afternoon, we hung in there.

Still the worst specimen of Mr. Woo's film expertise I can think of can be seen in the movie Windtalkers. The story is based on the true story of a small group of Navajo soldiers who were responsible for developing a code based on their language. If you know your history, the Navajo code was impossible to be cracked by the Japanese and Nazi forces in World War II. In the film, the story is lost amid Woo's trademark sparks, "death-defying" stunts and meaningless explosions. It was an incredible story - lost in a terrible movie. Sadly, Windtalkers followed much better movies like Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line and never matched the quality.

But, there are other bad examples of Woo's movie-making acumen. There's the ridiculous Face Off, where Nicholas Cage and John Travolta exchange their faces so they can fit in to their roles in separate worlds. If the idea wasn't bad enough, it emerged again in the movie Mission Impossible II, with the manic Tom Cruise trading faces in that one. Broken Arrow, Hard Target, Once A Thief and Blackjack have the trademark explosions, car crashes, broken glass and physical stunts just like any Woo movie would. They also have the typical 1 or 2 star rating that usually accompanies his movies.

Don't think that John Woo is content to rest on his movie-making laurels. He's scheduled to release more feature films in the near future. In 2006, there are 7 scheduled, of which 1 is currently being filmed and 2 are in production.

So, when you're thinking "that might be a good movie. I might like to see that one..." make sure that the name "John Woo" is nowhere in the movie credits. If it is, I can save you some money... it's probably going to suck!

Texas High School Playoffs - A Follow-up

One week ago, my son and I attended a game which marked the 3rd playoff appearance by my high school alma- mater in the past 60 or so years. I wrote then that I didn't think they, or their opponent belonged in the playoff tournament. A week later, I think that observation has been partially vindicated. The score in the Area round of the 2A Div. 1 playoffs: Newton-62; Hearne-13. Hearne defeated Malakoff last week 41-7. I can only imagine the outcome had the draw for last week's game been such that Malakoff played Newton in the first round instead.

What does it say about a team who squeaks into an expanded playoff system and gets annihilated by a much better opponent? Many will argue "that's just the way it is," and they are right. But, I go back to my original argument in this thread - why invite those who don't really belong? Is there any benefit in allowing more teams in so they can feel good about their season?

Why do I make this argument? Frankly, sport is such that no matter what extent someone tries to make everything fair, at some point it just won't be. There are always bigger and faster players. There are some schools that just develop better players in droves. That usually means that only a few schools are truly successful and the rest are part of the pile.

I remember during the course of high school getting word of district realignment and discovering we would no longer play some of our most hotly rivaled opponents. The way it was explained to us players then was it was a chance to be aligned with teams that we can compete with better. I didn't realize it then, but the realignment process was set up so that the UIL could promote "fairness" so that better teams could not keep a long-standing advantage over weaker ones. Since our school was mostly outmatched by the teams in our district, the prospect of being aligned in a "more favorable" district was very attractive.

Once, after the alignment process had ended, one of our coaches told us "men, you shouldn't be relieved that you won't play those teams anymore. Your new opponents will also be a challenge to you. It should make you sad that you likely will never get the opportunity to get revenge for the last time your old opponents beat you." He was right. We played other schools, with which we had no history and saw long-standing rivalries abandoned. According to UIL rules, it had become necessary to be realigned because many of our rival schools had grown significantly. Still, there would be no chance for revenge or to redeem ourselves as a team against those foes. We also found the new alignment to be just as feisty as the the old one and garnered very limited success.

There has always been a struggle in athletics. There also has been a winner AND, sadly, a loser. Having been on the losing side for most of my athletic career, I have to say losing, far more than winning, builds character. My coaches throughout junior-high and high school sports, who were likely considered also-rans in their profession by their peers, are still some of the most esteemed people in my life. They taught me life would never be fair and, win or lose, the only thing that would matter at the end of each night would be how much effort I gave in each contest.

Why is it, then, that we as parents try so hard to insulate our children and to protect them from the lessons of life? I'm not saying that we should just let them go and learn everything the hard way. That would be ridiculous and stupid. I think our kids deserve the best opportunities we can give them. Sometimes it's important to step in a protect them from something that is potentially a destructive force in their lives. More often, in concern for self-esteem, we intervene and rob them of the richest lessons they will ever learn in life.

At some point, however, we have to teach them that life will not be fair. We have to teach them that most of life's situations and circumstances don't have a story-book ending. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter whether you win or lose, because there will always be a winner and a loser.

It's ALL about how you play the game.

The Saga Ends...Now Jesus Can Come Back

When I tell stories about my childhood, I usually get a lot of laughs. It's not because they're particularly funny stories. It's usually because they're told in the context of ignorance, misinformation or miseducation - the byproducts of hailing from East Texas. There's lots of superstition and misinformation in just about everything. Church was usually the worst.

Having been raised in a Pentecostal home, I was taught a hodge-podge theology that resembled that of any main-line Baptist church. The Pentecostal aspect of the faith made us more of the wild-eyed, wrong side of the tracks, uneducated and plain old weird church in town. Ours was the church that had the reputation of people who jumped pews, fell out in the aisles and swung from chandeliers - only we couldn't afford chandeliers in our church. The truth was it was an enthusiastic but often Biblically ignorant atmosphere.

Sermons were often preached about the Rapture, a pseudo return of Christ. The actual word isn't in the English Bible. It's actually in the Greek text and it means "caught away." It's then instance when Jesus calls the church out before the "Great Tribulation," 7 years before his actual, earthly return. I heard countless sermons that often ended with "altar calls" that went something like this: "If Christ were to return tonight, if the rapture took place on your way home, or while you were asleep, would you be ready?" That sort of appeal was designed to scare little kids on the edge of their faith, as well as the hardest sinner that might ever darken the doors of the church. In my young life, such preaching made quite an impression. The rapture could happen at any time. Don't mess around with God. Get right!

Another thing that preachers preached about was that attending movies, or "picture shows," was wrong for a Christian. My parent's didn't allow me to watch movies in theaters until I was much older and could afford to get in on my own. There wasn't a good reason, except that God might not want to go into theater to get me for the "rapture." It never really made sense - especially when there were decent movies to watch. Case in point was the release of "Star Wars." I was 8 years old when it was first released and it was out of the question for me to see it. Of course, all of my friends saw it and couldn't understand why I would ask so many questions about the movie and could not fathom why I hadn't been to see it myself. I never bothered to tell them my reason and eventually got around seeing it by reading comic books based on the movie (because there wasn't anything wrong with comic books, unlike movies).

I eventually got to see the movie, as well as the Empire Strikes Back (on the first run in theaters, which is another story) and was totally immersed in the Star Wars story. I learned everything there was to know about the cast, characters, the director, George Lucas as well as the supposed time-line for the release of other movies, particularly the Return of the Jedi. Fans of Star Wars know that in George Lucas' story, there were actually 9 parts to his story. Star Wars, Empire and Jedi were just the middle 3.

If you remember, Empire was released in 1979 and Jedi came out in 1983. Still, this caused a dilemma within my theology: "what if Jesus comes back before Return of the Jedi comes out?" What would become of Luke Skywalker, or Han Solo? Would Darth Vader crush the rebellion once and for all?" Considering the fact that I was so caught up in a movie and wasn't supposed to watch them in the first place put me in a precarious position with the Good Lord. Still, I was grief stricken and often prayed "Jesus, can you please wait until I can see the Return of the Jedi before You come back?" I was sincere in my faith in the return of Christ and just knew it would undermine the Star Wars saga forever.

Of course, it's pretty safe to say now that Jesus didn't return (not necessarily in answer to my prayers) and in the years since Return of the Jedi was released, the entire trilogy has since been re-mastered and re-released twice. (I guess in the heart of the unbeliever, that would be cause to give in to wild living) The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and finally The Revenge of the Sith were finally released, providing a brilliant backdrop for the original story. So far, I own 3 copies of the original trilogy (the original release on VHS, the Special Edition on VHS and most recently the DVD edition) as well as Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones on DVD.

Two weeks ago, Revenge of the Sith was released on DVD. According to George Lucas, this would end the Star Wars saga once and for all. Forget the last 3 installments. 6 movies and 28 years of work are now a complete work for the ages. It ties up the loose ends of the story that came alive to me so many years ago. It is so much more than just a story or a bunch of movies. It was a vital part of my life and development.

But, now that it's over, what am I to do? I guess I can camp out on a rooftop and wait for the Rapture. I can sell my house and all my stuff and make preparations for the return. I can also add a chapter to that ill-fated book "88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could be in 1988." I'm sure there are many more reasons now than 17 years ago.

One of them should be the Star Wars saga is finally over.

Another Tough Loss For The Tigers

I attended that playoff game in Waco Saturday night. My son and I drove 3 hours to get there (even after a wrong turn) and truly enjoyed ourselves - that is, until the game began. Emotion was running high on both sides of the field as the two mediocre teams squared-off in state playoff competition. Noone cared about their team's regular season record anymore. This was a new season of hope - at least for about 5 minutes after the start of the game.

Malakoff received the opening kick-off, ran three plays and were forced to punt. That's when the trouble began. Hearne blocked the punt and recoved the ball inside the Malakoff 20-yard line. 3 plays later, the score was 7-0, in favor of Hearne. The ensuing kickoff was fumbled by the Tigers, recovered by the Eagles on the Malakoff 17-yard line. 4 plays later, the score read 14-0, Hearne. Malakoff moved the ball after the game's 3rd kickoff, but had to punt again. The punt got away, but only traveled 10 yards. Hearne got the ball on the Malakoff 25. 3 plays later, 21-0, Hearne.

I do not intend for this blog to be sports column. There are much better sports writers around than I could ever hope to be. Instead, the outcome of the game, which was 40-7, Hearne over Malakoff, highlights two recent trends in Texas high school football that can be seen statewide. First is the matter of the expansion of the playoff system, which I discussed here previously. The 2005 Malakoff Tigers legally made the playoffs this year, but clearly showed they didn't belong or deserve to be there. The score beared that out.

The second trend, which is a result of shifting population centers, seems to be more of a factor from year to year. The trend isn't just happening in Texas. It's a national phenomenon. People are leaving rural areas for cities and suburbs. Larger cities in rural areas are even feeling the pinch as traditional job sources dry up forcing residents to look elsewhere for employment.

Case in point, Texarkana, Texas, which is a city of roughly 40-50 thousand. The former 5A powerhouse Texas High School was reclassified in 2004 and is now in the 4A class and is the number 1 seed in the 4A playoffs. Palestine, a city of 20,000+ has been a 4A playoff team for decades. This season was their first to be in the 3A class, thanks to an exodus of some 3-5 thousand residents within the past decade. This year, they, too, are well ranked as they begin their playoff run. Hearne was a good sized 3A school just a decade ago. In that span, railroad and oilfield work has dried up, forcing townsfolk elsewhere. Now, they are an underachieving 2A squad. Such stories are repeated all around the state, rural schools are losing students in droves year by year.

As for the cities and suburbs, enrollment continues to explode. New powerhouses continue to dominate throughout the season, year after year. Southlake Carroll, a 3A school only 10 years ago, is now classified as super 5A, enjoying the benefits of DFW area urban sprawl. In Montgomery County, north of Houston, the Woodlands High School also reaps the benefit, as the super 5A football runner-up from a year ago. There currently is another high school in the Woodlands. University Park HS had only 9th grade students this year. Within 4 years, the school's attendance should be roughly 5,000 students. The Woodlands High School also will have roughly 5,000 students. Magnolia HS was a 4A school only 3 years ago. Now, they are a mid-sized 5A school, trying to find their way among 5A powerhouses. There are plans to begin construction on a new high school in Magnolia in the next 3 years.

So, what does this mean? Possibly, the death of the small, rural school - at least as far as athletics is concerned. As the national trend continues, more and more people will continue to move to be closer to jobs available in big cities. As they do, they leave behind a rich history of competition, sportsmanship and small town comeradery that typifies sports in a small town.

Texas High School Football

I found out over the weekend that my high school alma mater, Malakoff High School will participate in the Texas UIL State Playoffs for the 1st time in 15 years and only the 3rd time in the last 60. That's big news for the town known as the Gateway to Cedar Creek Lake. In Texas, if somebody goes to the playoffs in football, it's a big deal. Who cares about the other sports! Football is king!

The more I've thought about the success of this Tiger team, I've given a lot of thought to the UIL playoff system in Texas. In at least the last 15 years, there's been a rule change that, in my mind, has diluted the achievement from what it once was. In Texas, there are all kinds of schools, small to really, really big. The classification system has pretty much always been Class A for the small ones and 5A for the big ones. Everything else is graded between A and 5A accordingly. In the "old days" there was one champion per class, which is fitting. The best of the rest.

In the late '80's or early '90's, there was a division made between the "smaller" 5A schools and those called "Super 5A" which were just incredibly big by anyone's standards. It made sense to make a division. Some schools were enormous while the others barely qualified for the rank. Suddenly, there were 2 - 5A champions. Then, the trend followed - 4A was divided, then 3A, 2A and finally class A. The argument goes "it's not fair for a smaller school to have to compete against a larger one within their own division." Everyone wants to be "fair" these days. Here's the playoff pairings for the 2005 football season in Texas. At the end of this football season, there will be 11 state champions from the Lone Star State.

For those reading, you might wonder "what's the big deal?" This is it in a nutshell: of the 3 playoff teams from Malakoff, the 2005 team posted the worst record of them all. The 2005 Malakoff Tigers were 5-5 overall and will be playing an opponent with a 6-4 record this weekend. They lost to teams with winning records and beat the ones with losing records. I doubt this team will advance beyond the Area round - if they can get past their next opponent on Saturday. The issue in my mind isn't whether they'll go deep in the playoffs or get eliminated in the first round. My issue is "do they even belong there at all?"

There were two teams prior to this one who made it to the playoffs in the State of Texas. The Malakoff team from 1946 was a perfect 12-0 and went as far as they could in those days, which was the regional championship. The other playoff team from 1990 was 9-1 and was eliminated in the Area round of the playoffs by a team that lost in the state championship game. See the difference? It's a comparison between outstanding achievement and being an also-ran. I don't know about that 1946 team, but the 1990 team had high hopes from the start. The frustration that followed their early departure from the playoffs that season ultimately led to Head Coach Jim Wills to resign before the next season. That team was that good.

It might seem like I've got something in my craw about this. One could ask "what did the teams you played for do in those seasons?" I never played on a team with a winning record throughout high school. But, as a kid, I was a fan of some of the most incredible teams ever fielded by Malakoff High School, in that playoff drought from 1946 to 1990. From 1977-1983 probably some of the most talented teams I ever saw graced the old Tiger Stadium at the corner of Hillcrest and Smith Streets in Malakoff. Bennie Rogers, Homer Turner, James Jackson, Tim Farrell, Harold Driver, Todd Shelton, Chip Souza, Billy Whitely, Curtis Ivey, Wes Hughes, Ronnie Dennis, Joe Bailey, Clint Clements, John Cross and others were the names of my real-life heroes. They played against teams from places like Red Oak, Crockett, Palestine, Rusk, Lindale, Fairfield, among others which all had one thing in common - an enrollment double to ours.

Anyone familiar with high school sports knows that enrollment is the key to a school's success or failure. Playing schools with attendances that dwarfed ours, my heroes were successful. They stood toe to toe with blue-chip college prospects and held their own. Their success was limited due to the odds they faced each time they walked on the field. For 4 consecutive seasons during this span, the Tigers were 7-3. Twice they were 5-5. There was a time I could recite from memory the events that turned the tide in the crucial games - often just a matter of inches. They were heartbreaking losses - especially to their many fans - kids like me. Under today's rules, those Tiger teams could have gone on to play in the playoffs just like the 2005 Tigers will this weekend.

I mean no offense to the 2005 Tigers. I'm sure you have a good team in your own right. In fact, I'll be in the stands rooting for your success. You will be going where I was not able. But, I can't help thinking what if one of those teams - the teams of my heroes - had the opportunity to advance in a second division? That is a question for child-fans to ponder. As an adult I know, such questions are foolish and a waste of energy.

But, what if?

In the world of the Malakoff Tigers - past and present - we will never know.

History Lesson - Up Close and Personal

Our church spent the last weekend at Fort Parker State Park near Groesbeck and Mexia, Texas. Of course, any time there is a fort something or other in the state of Texas, you can bet there's quite a bit of history involved. Fort Parker is no exception. A cool East Texas slant is part of the story. It's hard to believe that East Texas was once part of the wild frontier. A lot has happened in the last 150 years.

Thank You Astros

It's already been a week since the Astros fell to the Chicago White Sox. Despite being swept by the Sox, there is so much to be proud of and relish as a fan. Despite being swept, the "good guys" never were out of any game. As heart-breaking as each loss might have been, this team thrilled fans, just like me, like never before.

Astros' fans, think of all the teams that have been fielded by the Astros in the last 20 years. The 2005 version was not the strongest team by any stretch. Yet, they were as opportunistic - if not more - than any team before them.
I'm here one week later wishing they were still playing. Of course, the season would be over by now - whether they won or lost. The memories of this season will last for a long time. I hope they last for the rest of my life. I hope folks never forget the excitement generated by this team. This season was fantastic and one to remember.