Gators-Noles Tops (part 3)

Top 5 Most Painful Memories:

1. 2003 - The Swindle in the Swamp. Florida is cheated out of a victory by Jack Childress and his ACC crew. This is a pretty fitting description of what happened and the Gator Nation's lingering bitterness: http://www.orangeandbluehue.com/2007/11/19/fsu-hate-week-remember-the-swindle/ (you may have to cut and paste...links are fickle).

2. 1993 - Charlie Ward to Warrick Dunn. Swamp crowd goes from bedlam to silence in an instant. I watched this game immobilized, 5 days after tearing my ACL.

3. 2001 - Even though the Gators pummelled the Noles, scumbag Darnell Dockett's intentional injury of Earnest Graham resonated in the following game, a loss to Tennessee and the loss of the SEC East crown.

4. 2002 - Not so much for the game itself, which was bad, but because I watched the majority of it in the emergency room with my extremely ill 8-month-old son.

5. 1996 - I felt real, physical pain watching Danny Wuerffel get drilled late, time after time, by the cheatin' Noles. Missed field goals hurt, too. So did INTs. Thankfully, the pain was eased a month later with the crushing in the Sugar Bowl.

Gators-Noles Tops (part 2)

Top 10 Most Loved Gators:

1. Danny Wuerffel - a fine, upstanding man with a love for Christ. Humble and polite, he was also tough enough to withstand the constant scrutiny of the consumate perfectionist (Coach Spurrier) and the cheap shots levelled by the Noles. Upon finishing his college career, he held the records for highest single-season passer rating and highest career passer rating in NCAA D1 history.

2. Tim Tebow - super-caffeinated Wuerffel. Loves God and running over defenders. Has a tremendous loyalty and sense of responsibility to Gator Nation. Like Wuerffel, though, his greatest qualities are demonstrated off the field.

3. Steve Spurrier - while I wasn't born when he played, I had a chance to watch him coach. He gets the credit for putting the Gators on the national map. Led us to our first National Championship as well as 6 SEC titles.

4. Emmitt Smith - watched him all 3 years at UF. Tremendous vision and more speed than he gets credit for. My favorite memory is watching him shred Alabama for over 200 yards as a freshman. Generally regarded as the greatest Gator in the NFL.

5. Rex Grossman - definitely a risk-taker and a gun-slinger, Rex had one of the greatest statistical years ever by a UF QB. In 2001, he threw for 300 yards in every game but 1 and should have won the Heisman.

6. Percy Harvin - an unbelievable athlete at both tailback and receiver. Has a lightning fast first step and the uncanny ability to make people miss. Every time he touches the ball he could score.

7. Reggie Nelson - known for laying the wood on opposing receivers. He wasn't very big, but extremely intimidating. Also had an infectious smile and great personality. Cool dreds, too.

8. Fred Taylor - Maybe the second-best RB to come out of Florida. Greatest memory was watching him run all over FSU's top-rated defense in 1997.

9. Earl Everett - he makes the list if only for his helmetless tackle of Troy Smith in the 2006 BCS Title Game.

10. Jimmy Fisher - a Gator QB in the 70s, he makes the list because he's a personal friend and he gets me tickets to one UF away game every year.



Top 5 Most Hated Noles:

1. Darnell Dockett - Battle of Twisted Knee in 2001. Classless. Enough said.

2. Bobby Bowden - a tremendous coach in his day, but created an environment of institutional thuggery and covered it up with a good ol' boy, aw shucks demeanor that the media lapped up like puppies.

3. Mickey Andrews - the one who trains his hired guns to hit late and cheap.

4. Deion Sanders - just as much respect on this one as hate. Speedy, flashy, and mouthy.

5. Peter Warrick - one of the two geniuses behind the Dillards scandal. When interviewed, couldn't understand the uproar, claiming, "It wasn't like I shot the president." Score.

Gators-Noles Tops (part 1)

This Saturday the good guys from the University of Florida will travel to Tallahassee to take on the hated Florida State Seminoles. In honor of the heated rivalry, I thought I'd weigh in with some of my favorites.

Top 10 Favorite games (in order):

January 2, 1997 - Florida embarrasses the top-ranked, undefeated Seminoles 52-20 in the Sugar Bowl for their first National Championship. Danny Wuerffel avenges the late hits dealt by the Noles during the last regular season game, won by the Noles.

November 22, 1997 - Doug Johnson hits Quezzie Green for a HUGE gain in the game-winning drive. Two Fred Taylor carries later, the Gators were in the endzone and the undefeated Noles were sent packing, 32-29. This was the first of four Spurrier-devised alternating QB games.

November 24, 2007 - After listening to threats and trash-talk from the Noles for the week leading up to the game, Tim Tebow accounts for 5 touchdowns (3 passing, 2 running) as the Gators rout the hapless Noles, 45-12.

November 20, 2004 - In Ron Zook's last game as Gator coach, the Gators go into Tallahassee and ruin the dedication of Bobby Bowden Field by stunning the Noles, 20-13.

November 17, 2001 - Led by Rex Grossman, the Gators frustrate the Noles, 37-13 (also, the last game I attended at the Swamp).

November 26, 2005 - In Urban Meyer's first taste of the rivalry, special teams, offense, and defense all play lights out in the 34-7 Gators victory.

November 30, 1991 - The Gators prevail 14-9 with a gutsy last minute defensive stand. As the last-gasp FSU pass fell helplessly to the ground in the endzone, Gator Nation rejoiced.

November 25, 1995 - Florida caps its first perfect regular season with a win over the Noles in unseasonably chilly Gainesville, 35-24.

November 25, 2006 - After going up 14-0 in the first half, the Gators give up two TDs in the second. With the score tied, Chris Leak hits Dallas Baker for the game-winning score to finish up the regular season with a 21-14 victory and send the Gators on to the SEC Chmpionship and BCS National Title.

Disclaimer: These are not necessarily the best games of the rivalry, but they are all games I have watched and revelled in.

A New Perspective

Like everyone else, I have been depressed (no pun intended) about the current state of the economy, and especially its effect on my 401k. As I have watched my retirement account dwindle, I have been tempted to despair. Will I be able to retire when I want to?

But I am a firm believer that God is sovereign over all things, so I began to wonder how God's purpose in the failing economy might be for my good and His glory. Here's the thought that gripped me yesterday: what if I am unable to retire when I want so that I would be forced to preach to live in my declining years. Not that I don't love preaching, but I can see myself falling to temptation at age 65 or 70 and just sitting back and getting lazy. If that were to happen, there would be one less gospel preacher fulfilling his passion and call. Sometimes I need a kick in the seat, and, just maybe, a depleted bank account will be the factor that keeps me proclaiming the gospel for the name and renown of God.

BTW, here's the video that got me thinking about this:

Blessed

I serve a wonderful body of people at the First Baptist Church of Nocona, TX. Are they a perfect church? No. Am I a perfect pastor? Not by a long shot. Do they make mistakes and do things they shouldn't and often stumble and fall in their walk of faith? They do...just like their pastor does. But just as God loves and accepts me in Christ and in spite of my repeated failings, and just like our church does the same for me and for one another, I love them, too.

I have spoken with other pastors who are often frustrated when church members act mean or hateful or jealous or rude or controlling or greedy or selfish. And while I, too, am tempted to let those things really bother me, God has been so gracious to remind me in those instances that the church is a collection of broken people who haven't reached the end of the journey yet. I'm one of them. And despite my sin and my selfishness, God has not given up on me. Scripture affirms that He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it until the Day of Christ Jesus. I am a work in progress and so is every member of our church. And so when I am forced to deal with the imperfections of real people, I am reminded of God's grace...toward me and toward all those who have been redeemed.

As Pastor Appreciation Month draws to a close, I want to say thank you to my church for the words, notes, cards, and gifts of appreciation. Thank you for your affirmation and encouragement. Thank you for your love and care toward me and my family. And thank you for being a constant reminder of God's goodness and grace extended to those who have not deserved it.

When you don't quite measure up

As a pastor it's hard to know how to measure success. Even biblically it's a difficult thing. Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, the Apostles...they all met with mixed results, even when they were doing EXACTLY what they were supposed to do. So how do I gauge my effectiveness in ministry? I do my best to study fervently. I aspire to preach the gospel passionately. I strive to teach skillfully. I attempt to love our people deeply. As it is, I manage/administrate adequately (my major weakness, in my opinion). And yet I look at what has happened in our church over the last 4 years that I have been pastor, and it's a pretty mixed bag.

Encouraging things: We are engaged in more Bible study opportunities now with some real discipleship happening as well as our women's Bible study. We are pretty healthy financially. We are willing to take steps to prepare for an unknown future (clearing land, renovating facilities). There is little visible strife. Our student ministry is booming and reaching untold numbers of kids and parents. We have families desiring to join our church.

Things that depress me if I let them: Sunday School numbers continue to plunge (one class of young adults has vanished). There is an overall sense of contentment/apathy in our community that has crept into our membership. Sports is an idol that keeps people away from the fellowship of the body. Very few people are willing to serve. We have well over half of our church roll who do not attend worship, even semi-regularly. AWANA is on life support. VBS and WAM week (our summer children's events) are dead, and have been for 2 years now. I don't know if we, as a church body, really love people like we say we do.

And all of this is hard for me to admit. While individuals certainly bear some responsibility for our failings as a church, I am the undershepherd. I'm ultimately accountable. I'm supposed to have a handle on all this, right? Isn't the church's failing to some degree the pastor's failing? And so I'm tempted to evaluate my success as a pastor on outward, visible, measurable things - attendance, programs, leadership, people's faithfulness. If that's the standard, I am a failure and I should just go ahead and pack up and let someone else take over. But if the standard of effectiveness is rooted in something else altogether, maybe there's hope for me. Maybe I'm still usable. Maybe if I continue to study and preach God's Word, continue to love and care for God's people, continue to pray, and continue to surround myself with people who are strong where I'm weak, maybe I'll make it. That's the plan, anyway.

Dave

The Best Medicine

A little insight into the life of Dave: I love to laugh. I like jokes. I like comedy. I like gags. I like humorous t-shirts. But the thing that makes me laugh out loud more than anything else is watching people fall down. I know it hurts. I know it's painful. But I can't seem to help myself. When we watch America's Funniest Home Videos (my kids' favorite show...because they like to watch people falling down, too) and something strikes me as funny, I will watch it over and over and over again (much to the chagrin of my wife...who doesn't like to watch people falling down as much as I do). Ultimately, I will collapse in a giggling, quaking, crying, snorting mass. For your viewing pleasure, I have included some of my favorites. Be sure to check out 0:33 of the pinata video (the wild flailing is genius), 0:23 of the trampoline video (at what point does he realize he's not going to make it?), and of course, the third video, which proves that I am not the only one who goes into a cackling fit when people fall down. Please to enjoy...