Why did you have to go? Why did you have to leave us? The man threw himself over a grave, at the local cemetery, racked with sorrow. A concerned person attempted to comfort him. When did your wife die? The weeping man replied, This is not my wife's grave, it is my wife's first husband!
I must confess, it took awhile. I was not very fond of South Carolina. Something inside me died when God directed me south from Cincinnati, Ohio in 2002. I flunked God's test big time. I grieved like a big baby. Now, the air smells differently, the food tastes better, and I am quite fond of the people. Nothing changed from 2002 . . . but me. Now S.C. is starting to feel like home. I get it. My apologies.
Rather be in Tennessee this morning though. Nothing personal to my people in S.C. The Vols, the lucky, lucky Vols won Saturday. A bunch of Clemson fans are laying over a grave today, sobbing. The B.C. lost was painful, even for me. Sorry that I pull for both Clemson and the Gamecocks. I call it the transplant advantage. I know throw up just came to the back of your throat if you are a real Gamecock or Tiger fan. Of all the places of lived, this rivalry is number one. Oh well, settle it on the field next week.
What is a Pagan's Nightmare (Blackston, see Friday's Post)? There is more than one, and so, as a accomplished writer Blackston offers several scenarios (hint). For Ned and Larry (the main pagans in the story), one nightmare is never knowing true relationship with genuine believers. Perception is reality for Ned and Larry. Every place they went, they soon figured it out. People were passing information about them, talking about them, and identifying them. Yet no one cared enough to talk to them, only about them. Ned and Larry had become the enemy.
I am guilty at times. I am having this great big, ongoing conversation, both publicly and privately about those people. You know, the ones that have never experienced God's grace. Those who are far from God. But when I am with them, I whisper to myself, Shhhh! Here comes one. I made progress in 2007. I will tell you more about that later. But as I look to that list of goals, there are many more places I want to go. How about you?
Went to Highland Fellowship's screen church in Johnson City, yesterday. More on that tomorrow, live from Tennessee. Will be here until Thursday.
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