An Empty Seat

It was a sad week for our family.  My daughter, Lizzy, and her husband, Trey, had to say goodbye to a dear family member.  All three of their human children are ok, but Bailey, their beloved dog, had to be released from her pain.  Bailey has been a member of the Joyner family for 14 years - longer than any of their natural born children.  Their family has never known life without Bailey.  Bailey was a rescue dog.  Nobody really knows what kind of dog she is, but since she is black, she must be "part lab".  I don't see much lab in the way she looks, but I can tell you that Bailey did love the lake.  She would run as fast as she could the length of the dock and soar through the air into the water to retrieve a toy.  She would swim the toy into the shore and then bring it back to the dock for another throw for what seemed like hours.  She also loved riding in the front of the boat with her ears flapping in the wind like the flying nun.  After a long day on the lake, she would find a sunny spot on the floor inside and curl up for a long nap.  Bailey's dock jumping slowed down over the last few years, but she still loved being at the dock and riding on the boat so she could keep an eye on everyone.  Bailey will be sorely missed, but our memories of the joy she brought to our family will never be forgotten.

Champion's Platform

 

Most of you know my blood runs red and black.  My wife and I, our kids, and their spouses all went to the University of Georgia.  The Dawgs have had some great football seasons recently, but this year they yielded the field to Notre Dame and Ohio State.  While I didn't have a dawg in the CFP championship game, I was very interested in the final matchup.   The game got a little out of control early with Ohio State taking control in the first half, but Notre Dame tried to make it interesting - until Will Howard connected with Jeremiah Smith for a 50+ yard pass play on third and long to seal the deal.  Those two are explosive on the field, but I was also impressed with Howard's early morning interview the next day.  He looked a little more clear-eyed than Stetson looked after his national championship game, and Howard is giving glory to God every time he gets the microphone.  I obviously don't know Howard personally, but I sure like what I see.  And I love seeing good guys doing well for themselves.

Something Worth Watching

I have a confession to make.  I watch a lot of television.  I like college football.  I like tennis.  I like the reality singing shows.  I like good movies.  But I also like that streaming has brought us the limited series. It's like a movie divided into parts, except the creators have 10's of hours to develop characters and story lines instead of 1-2 hours with movies. And unlike the weekly series that we grew up on, you can watch the episodes back to back if you have time.  A lot of what I watch is entertaining, but I don't feel like a lot of what I watch is great.  One of my favorite series of all time is The West Wing - 7 seasons with over 140 episodes.  I love that show because you don't always get what you expect, and the show has heart.  It was probably my favorite TV show of all time until the one I just finished -  The News Room - with a cast of actors that is very impressive - Jeff Daniels, Jane Fonda, Oliva Munn, Sam Waterston and B.K. Novak just to name a few.   But the secret sauce is the creator/writer Aaron Sorkin, who just so happens to also be the creator/writer of The West Wing.  Not only are the stories smart, fast-paced and interesting, they have something that most television and movies are lacking - decency.  You won't find one sex scene or one murder in the three seasons, and the characters stand for something besides self-promotion.   If you decide to watch for the first time. or watch again if you have already seen it, don't skip the "Inside The Episode" following each episode which gives Sorkin a chance to talk about what went into his thinking in putting each episode together.   Let me know what you think if you take the time to watch.

All Consuming Fire

 

I have watched with horror over the last couple of days the news reports of the raging fires in and around Palisades. I pray for those whose lives and homes have been threatened and for the safety of the residents and the rescue workers that risk everything to save others. I have heard the fires that are being fueled by the Santa Ana winds described as "all consuming". Those words made me think of this worship song that also talks about an all consuming fire. The lyrics talk about how God's breath blows on the embers of your soul turning it into an all consuming fire - a fire for Him that will burn brightly for everyone to see.  I ask God to breathe His holy breath on you, me and all those affected by the California fires.

Pickleball Fail

One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year was a portable pickleball net and paddles.  We set it up in our driveway, where we had just enough space for a regulation court.  Things went great for a couple of days until a heated match I played with my son and two granddaughters.  As it turns out, while we had enough space for the court, we did not have enough space surrounding the court.   After running for a crosscourt return, I went headfirst off a 4' retaining wall to the sidewalk below.  I was pretty banged up, with the most serious injury being a broken elbow.  I was so fortunate to have Trey, my son-in-law, and Emily, my daughter-in-law with me who have excellent relationships with healthcare professionals through their work.  After a trip to the emergency room on Friday, they were able to get me an appointment with an orthopedic doctor on Monday and surgery scheduled for Tuesday.  I was very anxious about all of this, but the support I received from my family and friends made things much easier.  I met with the surgeon, Dr. Abrar Ansari at Piedmont Orthopedics in Athens, for the first time Monday morning.   I was in tears after he left, not from pain or fear, but from an overwhelming feeling of relief and gratitude that I would be in his capable hands.  I later realized that those feelings were certainly the results of family and friends that had been praying for me, Dr. Ansari, and all of the other support staff that took care of me while I was there.  I was able to begin recovery with the same activity that I would have been involved in had I not had the accident - watching two days of football on television.  Thanks to each of you who sent prayers of support, and if you ever have to deal with an orthopedic injury in our area, I strongly recommend Dr. Ansari and the whole Piedmont staff.