Finally I will no longer have to hear David Neal and Dave Rowe calling games.  And now there will be even more Alabama games in HD. 

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3553033

or, here are more details:

http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082508aak.html

You don’t need me to tell you have exciting the men’s 400 meter freestyle was last night.  I’m just glad I turned the tv on at the right time–just in time to see the whole race (in high-def) and Lezak make an unbelievable finish in the water.  I loved it, especially since the French swimmers had supposedly talked some smack about beating the Americans.  It seemed impossible for us to win until about the last 1/4 of the race.   

This is the first time I’ve gotten excited about the olympics since Barcelona in ‘92.  I think I’ll see how water polo is going now. 

Tyson Foods in Shelbyville, TN has given in to their muslim workforce and traded Memorial Day for a muslim holiday, which falls in October this year.  “This is America and we celebrate Labor Day”, or that’s what I would tell everyone if I were in charge.  Tyson is taking what Barack Obama apparently said about our nation not being a Christian nation, but a nation of Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and Muslims (I haven’t verified Obama actually said this, but I’ll just go with it) to heart.  Read the article and I hope it fires you up like it does me.  And this happened in Tennessee, which is really a disgrace.  But, this also goes to show that I don’t see any good coming from unions these days.  Cheyenne, I know you agree. 

http://www.wsmv.com/news/17063986/detail.html

Recently I’ve received two phone calls at church from strangers wanting us to pay their rent to keep them from being evicted.  First of all, I’m not the man that makes that decision, so I don’t have to worry much, but I have had to relay messages.  When we don’t immediately tell them, “sure, we’ll pay your rent, and give you all the money you want for as long as you want”, they tend to get made at us.  Why?  I think we all know why; because many people are looking for anything free, with no intentions to pay back.  After a woman yesterday was told we don’t do that, she said “which church does pay rent?”  I expect that she went down the phone book to the next church. 

Our church has a very well defined and inspired welfare program that I don’t claim to know well, but I know the basics.  We expect people to work for their money and oftentimes our church provides opportunities for people to earn their wages.  This doesn’t seem like rocket science, but it’s different than the governments form of welfare.  Church welfare should not be the first option.  But, it’s available to those who really need it. 

So, if you’re thumbing thru the phone book wondering which church will give you the most money, ours is not the one.  We will help anyone in need, if they are willing to do some work and have a plan to get back on their feet.  I hope I’m never in need of financial help from other people, but I realized it could happen at some point.  I can’t tell you how many times strangers have approached me (or actually knocked on my door in college) and asked for money.  I will not do it any more. 

We hear about the number of our troops dying daily in the war in Iraq, but rarely have I seen the names of these soldiers, much less their hometowns and how they were killed in duty.  The death toll for July was 11 men (possibly one was a woman, just not sure about the name Jackie). 

http://www.al.com/newsflash/international/index.ssf?/base/international-44/121753645340600.xml&storylist=international

I am a big fan of the military and support what they are doing.  I do want this war to end soon.  Is it just me, or does it seem to have dragged on entirely too long?  We could have done some serious eliminating over there back in 2004 if someone would have made the bold move.  Hopefully Mark doesn’t have to get involved in that mess.  If he doesn’t, there will be other messes he’ll have to straighten up.