Florida (Vacation and Gators)

I decided to interview at a church in the panhandle while the family was on the way to the beach. As far as church names go, this one must be about as pure as it gets--that is, until some disgruntled members separate themselves from the gruntled members and form the More-Newer-Re-Regenerated More Holierness Church No. 3.14159. Cindy spotted this one. It was worth the U-turn. I don't think I've ever seen a sign more indicative of the frustrated Christian desire to become ever more pure. Once at the beach we had a grand time. There are moments in life when all is well. Sometimes, when we're really blessed, those moments turn into a whole week and God says, "Voila!!! See how wonderful the gift of life is!"

Yes, we went to church on Sunday. We went to an evening service at a nearby Episcopalian Church. I wanted the girls to experience a high liturgy. We almost doubled the size of the service, but it was very nice and the priest gave a good sermon. There was no singing (which for me, a horrible singer, made worship much easier. When we were doing reader-response liturgy I never once had to switch octives).

We did something that we would only do on vacation. We waited for an hour and a half to eat Joe's Crab Shack. This was Meghan's idea. At least it gave us plenty of time to take pictures, watch the sunset, and grow old.
For too long I haven't mentioned the Gators. So here are two quick stories of interest regardless of your love for, or hate for, the Gators.

Gator great, Tim Tebow, made news recently on his mission trip to the Philippines. He began by assisting doctors in circumcising children (My, my ... gospel missionaries sure have changed since the days of the Apostle Paul). By the end of the day he was doing the procedures unassisted. No word on whether opponents will fear him more this season.

I read an article in which Urban Meyer mentioned that Tebow has inspired him to travel with members of his own church on a short-term mission trip to Costa Rica. I am fascinated by the difference a player can make in his coach's life. I thought coaches were supposed to inspire players! The crystal football is no more. Recently Orson Charles, a potential Gator recruit "accidentally" knocked it off a table when he visited Gainesville. Charles, who appears to be leaning toward becoming a Miami Hurricane (big surprise there), didn't mean to do it. I blame my beloved Gators, of course. I don't know why the trophy wasn't locked away in a trophy case somewhere, but here's a link to the story. The Gators received two crystal footballs at the ceremony. Nobody knows if the broken one is the one Chris Leak(who just signed with the Canadian Football League's Hamilton Tiger-Cats) hoisted in triumph over my friend Bryan's beloved, besaddened, Ohio State Buckeyes.