Sunday, September 30, 2007

Sunday Morning in Newark

A couple of observations from this Sunday...
  • I have finally found a time in which the roads are empty here in DE. If you drive down 273 at 6:30 am on a Sunday morning, you are guaranteed to be one of the few people on the road. No school districts, and I only had to make 2 u-turns!

  • If you go to Starbucks (on Main Street) at 6:45 am on a Sunday morning (especially after a UD night game), you could very likely be the only person there, I was. Take a look at the picture. Main Street 6:45 am.

  • If you are missing the Sunday morning sunrises at Ogletown, you are missing something INCREDIBLE. (Easy for me to say...I look at sunrises, while my wife gets 2 kids ready. Something may not be right about that.)
Anyway, I am learning to love this place in just a short time!

Friday, September 28, 2007

Questions to help a new Delawarean understand important issues here

Getting adjusted to a new part of the country is an interesting experience. I thought I would ask for some answers to questions I have, after living here for 2.5 weeks.

Question 1 - Why do I have to make so many U-turns? I think I make more in a day here, than I have made in a couple of months anywhere else.

Question 2 - I am going out on a limb here, but I think there are parts of town in Wilimington that may not be completely safe at night. Is that accurate? I think I was in one of those places last night.

Question 3 - How can there be that many cars on I-95? Furthermore, how many people live around here? Every single road seems packed with traffic, all the time.

Oh well, I am not complaining (I have loved every minute here, except those 30 minutes going 2 miles on 95), just asking!

Sunday Preview

Sunday comes every week! You realize that more when you preach every week. :-) Truthfully, if the ole' sermon is not coming together, Sunday coming is not what you want to be reminded of. But, there are times when you just can't wait for it to come. I think I am in that category this week. In lieu of Sunday coming, here are a few thoughts...
  1. If you want to be way ahead of the general population, read Romans 7 and 8 this weekend. It couldn't hurt to read those chapters every weekend, but we are going to look at them this Sunday.

  2. If you know of someone who has struggled with guilt and feeling condemned by others and by God, do everything you can to get them here Sunday. I am not promising a great sermon, only a great attempt through the Bible to show God's heart for the biggest sinner in the world (that surely includes me)!

  3. SPOILER ALERT: If you don't want to know where I am going with Sunday's message do not read The Cross Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney. He articulates my passion for Sunday so well in that book, if you read that you could get an excused absence from Sunday. :-)

  4. I have also been challenged and blessed by reading What's So Amazing about Grace? by Philip Yancey (FYI, I am sure that I don't agree with everything Yancey says, but then again, I am not sure I agree with everything I say). Yancey always does an "amazing" job of making the Bible come alive. He really does a great job of painting grace in a contemporary, powerful way.

  5. I am doing something new Sunday. On the handout you get coming into the church, I have included a section entitled "taking it home." It is my attempt to make Sunday more than just a sermon. I want the message we hear to "have legs" and walk with us throughout the week. I guess we'll see how it goes.
That's enough for now. Can't wait to see you on Sunday.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Bible Reading from this morning.

I just wrote about my Bible reading plan. Today, I was in Psalm 78. A few things jumped out at me...
  • This is a great chapter recounting Old Testament history and theology

  • Verse 5 & 7 - God established a testimony to be passed on to children. This was done so that the children "should set their hope in God." What an awesome goal in parenting.

  • Verse 21-22 - God is angered by our lack of belief and trust in his saving power.

  • Verse 38-39 - Even in his righteous anger, he is compassionate, atones for our sin, restrains his anger, and remembers our condition. Wow!
Read Psalm 78 today if you get a chance, but expect to look in the mirror and be convicted. And expect to see the gracious hand of God in our lives!

Devotions, Quiet Time, Personal Bible Study, etc.

Whatever we might desire to call it, I think most Christians recognize that it is important to regularly be before God in prayer, meditation, and in reading Scripture. Just a side note, imagine what people did before they had access to a copy of Scripture. They would have to remember in their mind what they had heard, and meditate on that. Thank God for copies of the Bible in our own language. But, back to the matter of spending regular time with God. I wanted to give some insight into some of what I have done recently in that area. I am sure I will discuss this more later.

My Bible reading is directed from a plan developed by a Scottish preacher years ago. I actually use an adaptation of that plan created by D.A. Carson. You can find it in a couple of books he has written called For the Love of God. It is a devotional book that highlights a thought from the passages I have read. I actually have a hard copy of the book, but I get an email sent daily to me with the reading plan and the devotional sent to me. You can get that by clicking here. Over the last year, the plan (actually it has been the Word, not the plan, but you know what I mean) has been a great source of strength.

One disclaimer...the plan has you reading 4 chapters a day. I know that is aggressive for someone just beginning to read the Bible and understand it. So, if that is too much, scale it down. But spend time in God's Word!

More about prayer and meditation later...

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

On the way to work this morning

Today as I came to work, I had some extended time to pray (Fog had slowed the traffic to a crawl, and traffic was rerouted due to the dreaded fender-benders). I was praying for a friend of mine and I began thinking about some of my high school/college/seminary friends:
  • I have a friend who is planting a church in Oklahoma City
  • I have another friend doing collegiate ministry in Knoxville, TN
  • I have another friend who is a missionary in the Middle East
  • Another friend pastors in Pennsylvania
  • Another friend has planted a church in Midland, Texas
  • Another friend is in Washington state serving a church there
I have so many friends (not even named here) who are in ministries around the world. But, those aren't the only friends who are serving Christ.
  • I have a friend who is a lawyer in the DC area, and actively involved in serving the students of his church
  • I have another friend who is a contractor in Georgia, and is diligently leading his family in a way that honors Christ
  • I have a brother-in-law who is a policeman and a sister-in-law who is a stay-at-home mom who are actively serving a church in Michigan
So many of the people who I went to college/seminary with are still serving God faithfully. For some of those people that means being in full-time paid ministry. For many others that means being faithful servants in their church (minus the paycheck).

I am glad for the people at OBC as well who have decided to serve whether noticed or unnoticed, recognized or unrecognized, paid or unpaid. Colossians 3:23-24 reminds us that we work for God anyway. He sees it, He rewards it, and He is honored by it.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Sunday Evening Post

Although Monday was my first "day on the job," I have to admit that being here for Sunday services makes it seem more official. Some thoughts on the first Sunday...
  1. The sunrise this morning was incredible. I got to see the church with the sunrise in the background. Thank you God for the blessing of creation.

  2. Baptizing 4 people was such a treat for the first Sunday.

  3. There are a lot of people that come through these doors on Sunday.

  4. There is so much more I wanted to say in this morning's message. I guess it is good that (Lord willing) I am going to be here for a while.

  5. I had to remind myself of the gospel even between services! God is good to sinners!

  6. From the person who unlocked the doors, to the person who helped me out with the details of baptizing, to the people who parked and greeted those who came, to the ones who watched the kids, to the deacon who made sure I was taken care of, OBC is blessed to have so many servants. I am blessed to be here.

  7. I felt once again very grateful to be the pastor here.
Oh well, my favorite team (I will not disclose who that is for fear of a voting recount on my being called as pastor) is playing Sunday night football. I will blog more later.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

A month is a long time (or at least it seems like it)

Over a month ago, I remember anticipating preaching at Ogletown for the first time. The feelings I have today are different and similar to that Saturday.

They are different because...
  • Obviously, I have gotten to spend more time (even if its only been by blog or email) with many in the church than I had before
  • I am not coming off a weekend of several meetings
  • I will come to church from a house, not a hotel

But, in many ways it is similar to each time I open God's word and teach because...
  • I have great confidence in the Word
  • I recognize a great dependence on the Spirit
  • I sense my (many) inadequacies, but God's overwhelming sufficiency
  • I absolutely cannot wait to share what God has taught me over the last several weeks.

As I said, there are similarities and differences, but I am glad that this Sunday has (almost) arrived. I am praying that God would give us a great day being changed by the Word, encouraged by the fellowship, and sharpened by his Spirit.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Just a thought

Have you ever had a verse that you have read before, but it speaks to you in a fresh way? I read this verse this morning...
My tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long. Psalm 71:24
So, who is going to hear from me about the righteous help of God today? Who can I share it with? What a challenge!

A PRAYER CELEBRATING GOD'S HELP

Father, you are our help.
Far more than just helping us,
You are our source of help,
You help us by giving us peace, hope, and guidance.
You stay close when others don't or can't.
You reaffirm your grace.
You reassure of your purposes.

God, we need that help!
Our minds are not sharp enough.
Our wisdom is not superior.
We do not exercise sovereignty.
We cannot claim omniscience.
We know nothing of omnipotence.

So we ask for your help,
Rejoicing that it is ours for the asking.
We ask for
Your gracious sovereignty
Your all-wise omniscience, and
Your humbling omnipotence.

We praise you for your help, and do not hesitate to speak of it.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Welcome to I-95

I had a friend arrange for one of our vehicles to be towed up to this area. He arranged (for free, I might add) for it to be dropped off in Laurel, MD. That arrangement saved us a lot of hassle.

The only hassle was navigating I-95 this morning. I think everyone in the Northeast Corridor was heading that direction today. And, a great number of them were driving somewhat recklessly causing the interstate to back up about every 1/8 of a mile. So, I got to "take my time" going through Baltimore this morning.

In addition, I got to pay to sit in this traffic.
  • $3 to get out of Delaware
  • $2 to go into the Ft McHenry Tunnel (Canaan loved it, by the way)
  • $2 (times 2 with my car and Shawna's car) to get out of the Tunnel
  • $5 to get out of Maryland (times 2 again)
  • $3 to get back into Delaware (times 2 again)
Welcome to the Northeast. I think all my new Yankee friends are smiling.

Hard hats, sharpies, dusty shoes, and an enduring promise

This afternoon, I got to revisit the construction site. The last time I walked on the property, there was no steel. How great it was to put on the hard hat, and walk around what will be a great tool for ministry. Jim Templeton located a Sharpie marker, and I was able to belatedly sign the steel, joining many others at OBC who had done so.

I wrote my name, and under it I wrote Matthew 16:18. I thought I would share why I chose that verse. It speaks of Jesus and His promise of building his church. As much as I am excited about the possibilities of ministry in a new facility, I was reminded that bricks and mortar aren't the church. And even beyond that, construction workers don't build the church. That is the work of Jesus alone.

He has used many buildings to do that at Ogletown over the years, but if all the buildings were gone, He could still build His church. So as I have the privilege of looking at the building going up, I can remind myself daily that while men and women build buildings, Jesus builds his church. And what's more is that we have His promise of NOTHING being able to prevail over it. Thank God.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Written Prayers

There are some great things about being a Baptist. (I have been one since about 4 months old, so it really is all I know). However, I think sometimes we have missed out on the way other believers express their faith. For instance, most Baptists do not write out their prayers. I think that the desire is to be spontaneous and "pray from your heart." I appreciate that sentiment. And yet, I have found that there is a great benefit to writing out prayers. I have tried to discipline myself to do that at least once a week. I was introduced to a book of written prayers (called The Valley of Vision) a few years ago. I wanted to share some of a prayer that I read this morning. The language is somewhat dated, but the truth is piercing.
Thy cross was upraised to be my refuge
Thy blood streamed forth to wash me clean
Thy death occurred to give me a surety
Thy name is my property to save me
And again
Thy cross has brought me near, softened my heart, made me thy Father's child, admitted me to thy family, and made me joint-heir with thyself.
Great words! And, I am so glad they were WRITTEN so that I could read them years later.

Monday, September 17, 2007

"What do you do on your first day?"

I have been asked that question several times (even by my wife). Let me give you a few bullet points:
  • Above all, I found the Dunkin Donuts on the way to work this morning. On my list of favorite things about living in Newark, right behind getting to be the pastor at OBC was getting to be within 4-5 miles of 3,716 Dunkin Donuts!
  • Scheduled some meetings (How awesome to walk into the first with nothing on my calendar! I think that will be the only time I feel that.)
  • Prayed for the people that I now have the privilege of shepherding
  • Found the printer
  • Did some initial work on Sunday's sermon
  • Discovered some of the many rooms at OBC (Is it just Baptist churches that have rooms that would take a good hunting dog to find your way out of?)
  • Met with the great staff team at Ogletown and got caught up on the calendar
  • Found an internet connection so I could post about the first day

Thursday, September 13, 2007

My first post from the first state


We made it, and fortunately left the heat and humidity in Tennessee (I hope it stays there). I made my first visit to the office. Some of my "friends" from Chattanooga had mailed a Texas Longhorn plaque to be mounted in my office at Ogletown. I realized that contrary to what I had been told about the heathens and pagans up north, the real pagans were the ones who had mailed that garbage up to Delaware (thanks Sean and Arlinda). :-)

Seriously, we have had a great trip, and look forward to beginning work in a couple of days. You cannot imagine how we have been prayed for, and we have felt those prayers. We have managed to keep the crankiness to a minimum (I am referring to Shawna and me of course), and the kids have done great. We have enjoyed being here and cannot wait to get started.

See you soon.

P.S. For all the Tennessee readers wondering what state Delaware is in...It is a state, and as the blog post says, it is the first state.

Monday, September 10, 2007

700 miles + 2 kids - an internet connection = NO BLOGGING


Well, my wife has done an amazing job of getting us packed up. You can see from the picture what our ENTIRE house looks like. I would have pitched in to help, but I have a cardboard allergy. Just kidding, my excuse didn't work with her either (I credit Jim Manning with that one!).

Anyway, those who have been tracking the blog will have to be patient with me over the next couple of days. I will be ready to blog when I get hooked up and online again.

As my first blog said, "I just want to go to Delaware now." I think I would change that slightly to "I just want to be MOVED to Delaware now."

Keep us in your prayers. We are armed with enough Dora, Little Einsteins, Elmo, Bob the Builder, and many other things to last us several hundred miles with minimal "interruptions" (I can't tell you how much I appreciate the guy who invented portable DVD players. He's my hero).

See you there, soon!

Unemployed (for a week)

Last night closed my time at Brainerd Baptist. I don't start at OBC until next Monday, so I guess that means I am unemployed (at least for a week). :-) Seriously, yesterday was a special day. Lots of goodbyes from a lot of good friends. I told the group that came to our reception that in our 8 years at BBC, we have always felt loved. What a privilege it has been to serve such special people.

Thanks so much for your prayers. It is awesome to know that 2 church families are praying for us (the one we are leaving and the one where we are going). God is good.

Well, there are boxes to be packed, so I better go for now.

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Farewell Tour

A Baptist preacher's farewell MUST involve food. Did you know that? In the last 2 weeks I have been to or eaten...
  • Provino's Italian Restaurant
  • Panera Bread (love the cinammon rolls and bear claws)
  • Starbucks (Caramel Macchiato for me, Pumpkin Spice Latte for Shawna)
  • Red Lobster (Canaan's favorite)
  • Cracker Barrel (Smokehouse breakfast was the order)
  • Huddle House (waffles, eggs, and grease)
  • Ichiban Japanese Steak House (teriyaki chicken cooked right in front of you)
  • Buck's BBQ
  • Chick-Fil-A
  • Blue Plate Diner (great place on the TN River)
  • Rib and Loin BBQ (BBQ pork potato)
  • Sticky Fingers BBQ (do you notice the BBQ theme? I am not sure we can get Southen BBQ in DE!)
  • Cornerstone Cafe (fancy-shmancy, hoity-toity, etc)
  • Fuddruckers (great hamburgers)
  • MacDonalds
Thank you friends! I have gained 10 pounds, at least. :-)

Some things (among many) that I feel my parents did right

Most people reading this blog won't have had the privilege of meeting my parents. My wife and I are both blessed to have godly parents. Our kids are blessed beyond measure to have 4 such influences on their lives. Dad and Mom were not perfect (still aren't), but they are godly, and I was thinking about some things that I SO appreciate about them.
  1. They were authentic. What they were at church we saw at home. Never anything different! I can't emphasize what that did for me as I watched them. It taught me that the Christian life can be real, and it is not an act.

  2. They came to my ball games and track meets. This seems like a no-brainer, but I had friends in high school who NEVER had their dad come to a game. Imagine what that communicates!

  3. They encouraged me toward the ministry without pushing it. They had such a big part in my preparation for ministry, and yet I never felt like I was "mama-called" and "daddy-sent." They let God work, and rejoiced when He did.

  4. They set an example of service to their church (they still do). My parents have never been recognized leaders of the church (like an elder, or deacon). And yet, they have always served in amazing ways. My mom has almost always taught children's Sunday School classes. My dad is leading a Bible study for adults with special needs (I have a sister who is mentally handicapped, who is in this category). They are servants, and have always avoided recognition.

  5. They knew when to let go and let me grow up. I guess I didn't realize that until I had kids. I can imagine that it is hard to let them move away. I can imagine that you would want to hang on as long as possible. You invest 18 years in their lives, and then they are not in the home anymore. Yet, my parents let me do this. It's amazing that thier influence may be stronger on me now more than ever.
The list could be 500 instead of 5, but I have a house to pack!

Thank you God, for giving me a godly parents. May I have the same kind of influence on my kids!

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Reflecting on Psalm 40

Do you ever read something familiar and have it hit you in a new way. I was reading these verses from Psalm 40 this morning.

I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation;behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.
As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me!


A couple of things were so encouraging to me...
  1. The "good news" did not just begin with Jesus. Certainly, the "good news" finds its completion in Jesus, but even in the Old Testament there was glad news of deliverance. The Old Testament is full of reminders that God had a plan and that was "good news" to the nations.

  2. I love the two uses of "restrained" in these verses. The psalmist says that he has not restrained his lips from praising God. But, he also recognizes that God does not restrain in showing mercy.

  3. It also speaks of telling the glad news "within the congregation." I know the psalmist wasn't speaking specifically of the church, but I think the application is there. What better place to talk about what God has done than in the place where His people assemble.
I look forward to joining you many Sundays (and throughout the week) in listening and sharing of God's faithfulness and salvation.

Changed Lives

On Tuesday and Wednesday I had two meetings with people that were a strong reminder that God is at work, changing lives. One person I met was a stranger, another has become a good friend. And yet their stories were similar in that God chose to show His grace in amazing ways. Let me summarize...

One of the persons I talked to had struggled with substance abuse and addictions since very early in his teen years. He had spent years in detention centers. Can you imagine the pain? And yet through some "coincidences" (I don't believe in those, by the way), God had opened his eyes to the good news that He forgives sinners. This wasn't an "I found Jesus" moment, that you hear about and question. This was a "God found me and my life hasn't been the same" moment. He stopped by our church and requested that God would continue a work in his life.

The other person was a person I baptized 4 or 5 years ago. I remember baptizing him and his wife. God had changed their lives immediately. God had rescued them both out of a life of emptiness and pain. I remember him sharing that he and his wife had begun to read their Bible (the New Testament) out loud together. I said, "Where are you reading?" And he said, "We have read through those first books (meaning Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), and we are reading Acts now." They had been following Christ for less than 2-3 weeks. Amazing. Years later, they are still strong in their faith.

Why do I share those stories? Because God is a God that is mighty to save. He rescues people. I also share the stories because they remind me that salvation is not just about a one-time prayer. God has told us to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). A disciple is one who follows Jesus no matter the cost. That is what has happened in both of the lives I described above. I closed both conversations, praying with confidence that God would finish what He has begun in all of our lives (Philippians 1:6).

I wonder how many lives in the Newark area need to be rescued. I am thankful that God is merciful, and can change lives.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Moving and Transitions - Part 3

I have posted twice on the subject (here and here), but thought I would finish the thought tonight.

Tonight was a good time for the Hill family. We spent it eating dinner with a special friend. The restaurant was right on the Tennessee River which flows right through Chattanooga. After dinner, we walked along a sidewalk that is close to the river. As we were walking, I think Shawna and I both realized that it might be our last walk as a family along that river for a long time. It's a special place, as you can tell by the pictures, and we wanted to spend some time there.

I thought once again about our move. When you know you are going to move, you invest your time differently than if you are going to stay. For instance, tonight we could have come home, gotten baths squared away at the preferred time. But, we knew as a family that we would not be able to take a walk there again, so we chose to invest our time in that way. We have also realized that how we spend our money has been affected by the move. We are not investing money in things that would make life in Chattanooga better. If we spend money, we spend it with our future in view.

Spiritually, I wonder how our lives would be different if we invested our time and money as if we were leaving rather than staying. I think it would have to change it. It is not that we would miss out on any fun. It just would shift what is worth investing in.

I have been challenged in the last few days (as you can tell) to live for eternity. An old gospel song put it this way, "This world is not my home, I'm just a' passin' through." The sentiment is a reality expressed by Paul in many places, especially Philippians 1. And it should be a reality to us.

I guess I have just been trying to not feel too "at home in this world anymore."

Monday, September 3, 2007

A great day for Lefty

By the way, this has nothing to do with OBC, just thought I would share! :-)

To prove that I can think about something else this time of year other than college and pro football, I watched my favorite golfer, Phil Mickelson today and he had a great win. To find out more, you can read about it here. [Just so you know, I am a big-time golf fan. I grew up in Augusta, GA, and because of a little tournament they host there, I think everybody who has ever lived in the city loves golf.]

I don't idolize Phil, but I do like him and I pull for him to win every tournament he plays in. The 2004 Masters was one of my favorite golf tournaments ever. I also can't help but pull for a guy when I read stories like this one. I know he is not perfect, but he seems to realize that he is playing a game for a living, and can use his resources to help people in great ways.

Moving and Transitions - Part 2

In a previous post, I talked about how the Hill family is in such a state of transition. I talked about how in a sense, we are living in one place with our mind and our heart set on another place. I mentioned that moving and transitions affect your decisions. But, it is also true that moving affects your priorities.

We have a limited amount of time in Chattanooga. So, how we spend it becomes extremely valuable. If we weren't moving we might take time to do some different things. Frankly, every minute in the next few weeks counts. Getting all of our "worldly belongings" to Newark is a HUGE priority to us (and thank the Lord, we are making progress in doing that).

In addition, we have made it a priority to spend time with friends. It seems like we are eating with friends every time we turn around (I think we are all going to gain 10 pounds in the next week). We want to say good-byes to those who mean a lot to us, so that has become a priority.

In much the same way, if we truly realize that living this life on earth is not all there is, our priorities will change. We will make a priority out of preparing for another place. What is important there (in the presence of Christ in heaven) will be important to us here. Consequently, I think out lives will reflect that. Too often, I think, we make a priority out of things that won't matter at all in eternity.

So, what will be important to me? How will my priorities be shaped? In our world here in Chattanooga our priorities are shaped by 2 big things (1) we are only here for a few more short days, and (2) we have a new residence and life awaiting us. Spiritually, I think living with those 2 realities could help us honor God with our lives.

I guess I am awaiting 2 moves, and going through 2 transitions!

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Moving and Transitions - Part 1

I was talking (actually emailing) with my favorite BSM director, Blake. He was drawing my attention to the uniqueness of this time in our lives. It is such a time of transition. We are living here in TN, but we know this is not our permanent place. We know in a short time we will be moving. So, that affects and occupies our hearts, our thinking, our time, our decisions, our priorities, and so much more.

What Blake reminded me of is that in a similar way, our life on earth is spent in a "transition." We are living in this world with thoughts of another world awaiting us. So, our future destination (the presence of God forever) drastically affects how we live here.

Take for example the decisions we make. If we were not moving to DE soon, our decisions would be very different. Even little decisions we make have to be made with a move in view. We cannot afford to make decisions like we will live in Tennessee forever (if we made decisions like that, we would be disastrously unprepared for the next several weeks), because a move and a transition is in our future, God willing.

I am challenged that simple and what I view as mundane decisions should be made with eternity in view. Ultimately, that is what matters, not earth. If I make decisions as if this life is all there is that matters, I can only imagine that I will be greatly disappointed when I get to my permanent residence. I will be totally unprepared to live in the presence of Christ forever.

I will talk about this more in another post

Saturday, September 1, 2007

One of my favorite days of the year

I am going to take a break from the "spiritual" posts, and let you know about one of my favorite days of the year. It is the beginning of college football season. As you can tell, the Hill family knows how to get in gear for the day.

As far as the Oklahoma gear, I was brainwashed by my dad as an infant in the glories of OU football, and I have continued the family brainwashing at an early age (as you can see from the attire of my "sweet-pea" on my lap). Just so you know, my wife will even get in on the activities, but someone had to take a picture.

Included in the pre-game preparation is a visit to one of my favorite sites.

Oh well, let the season begin. Boomer Sooner!

By the way, Canaan can sing every word of "Boomer Sooner," and can also say "Boo Texas" with great enthusiasm. Where did he learn that? :-)