How about those Syrupmakers! Number 1!!

Last night Angela was joking about my high school alma mater and how ridiculous it was that our team name was the Syrupmakers/Syrupmaids. I wonder how she will feel when I show this article on sportsillustrated.cnn.com

When I covered high school sports for The Tampa Tribune, it drove me crazy when a county would spend a fortune to build a new high school and then give it a generic nickname. How many Wildcats, Knights and Rams does the world need? Why saddle the youth of America with sobriquets that only emphasize the older generation's lack of creativity? We expect our children to excel, and since that's the case, their school teams should have excellent nicknames.

The schools on this list get it. These are the top 15 high school nicknames in America. In some cases, the name draws on the town's heritage. In others, school leaders simply sought an inspiring nickname. And with apologies to Burt Reynolds in Boogie Nights, those are some great names.

15. Stuyvesant Peglegs, New York

This Manhattan school is named after Peter Stuyvesant, the last director general of New Netherland. Stuyvesant was in charge when the Dutch lost what is now New York and New Jersey to the English in 1664. Stuyvesant, who lost his right leg while serving as the governor of Curacao, was nicknamed "Old Pegleg" and "Pegleg Pete." The school, founded in 1904, kept the nickname.

14. Colorado Rocky Mountain School Oysters, Carbondale, Colo.

Maybe it's the pioneer spirit, but Colorado schools have some fantastic nicknames. Brush High is home to the Beetdiggers. Lamar High has the Savages. Alamosa High has the Mean Moose, which has a better ring than the Agitated Antelopes. But nothing compares to the name of the boys soccer team at a small boarding school 170 miles west of Denver. Lots of schools have daring nicknames, but only one has the stones to call its team the Rocky Mountain Oysters.

13. Dunbar Poets, Baltimore

The school's namesake, Paul Laurence Dunbar, was a poet. Baltimore also was home to Edgar Allan Poe, who dabbled a little in verse. Dunbar's students are mighty with their pens, but they're also mighty on the football field. The Poets have won three consecutive state titles and six since 1994.

12. Don Bosco Prep Ironmen, Ramsey, N.J.

It's a bit easier to choose a nickname at schools with an all-male or all-female student body. There are no Rams-Ewes or Bulls-Cows issues. Still, the Salesians of St. Don Bosco went the extra mile, choosing a nickname that predicted the near-invincibility of the Bosco football program. Alas, Tony Stark is not an alum.

11. Lloyd Memorial Juggernauts, Erlanger, Ky.

Every year during the NCAA Tournament, somebody breaks out a Mascot Fight to the Death Pool. The idea is simple; choose the mascot that would win in a fight. Forces of nature (Miami, Tulsa or Alabama, for example) usually win. For this reason, I've always wondered why a mid-major didn't call its teams the 100-megaton Warheads. This name might be even better. A juggernaut is an unstoppable, crushing force. It would win every time. Alas, Marvel Comics supervillian Juggernaut is not a Lloyd Memorial alum.

10. Punahou School Buffanblu, Honolulu, Hawaii

Lots of schools use their uniform colors as their nickname. Plenty of Crimsons and Green Waves dot the sporting landscape. But no school combines its colors into its nickname quite like the one that produced President Barack Obama (class of '79) and America Online founder Steve Case (class of '76). The Buffanblu also get it done on the field and court. In 2008, SI editors named Punahou the nation's best high school athletic program.

9. Staples Wreckers, Westport, Conn.

A nickname that suggests what might happen to opponents is always intimidating. In the case of the Wreckers football team, which has won three state titles in seven years, it's pretty much a promise. It also doesn't hurt the school itself boasts a fantastic name. No relation, though.

8. Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits

The school that produced Billie Jean King, Willie McGinest and Snoop Dogg doesn't have an intimidating nickname, but just try catching a Jackrabbit. They're as fast as Philadelphia Eagles first-rounder Desean Jackson, another Long Beach Poly alum.

7. Watersmeet Nimrods, Watersmeet, Mich.

This Upper Peninsula public school won national fame in 2004 for its part in an ESPN advertising campaign. While most of America considers a nimrod a silly or foolish person, the folks in Watersmeet celebrate the Biblical figure Nimrod, who was described as "a mighty hunter before the lord."

6. Johnson Atom Smashers, Savannah, Ga.

The European Organization for Nuclear Research first smashed atoms with a Proton Synchrotron in November 1959. That same year, Sol C. Johnson High opened its doors. The Johnson football team's helmets feature an atom logo, and the school calls its gym the Reaction Chamber.

5. Poca Dots, Poca, W. Va.

Named by a Charleston newspaper writer in 1928, the Dots are the best marriage of school/city name and nickname in sports. The only other sports nickname that comes close is the Macon (Ga.) Whoopee, a defunct minor league hockey franchise.

4. Cary Imps, Cary, N.C.

The name is awesome, but the logo is even better. Imagine if the Great Gazoo from The Flintstones had turned demonic and started a steroid/imp growth hormone regimen that even Bill Romanowski would have considered excessive. You would let this imp call you a dumb-dumb.

3. Lakeland Dreadnaughts, Lakeland, Fla.

According to The (Lakeland) Ledger, Lakeland principal I.G. McKay praised the 1923 Lakeland football team for "rolling over the opponents just as a massive ship steams through stormy seas." That ship, McKay decided, was a Dreadnought, the British ship that revolutionized naval warfare. The current-day Dreadnaughts usually roll over their opponents, too. In 2005 and 2006, USA Today crowned Lakeland the high school national champ.

2. Glenville Tarblooders, Cleveland

Christian Bryant, a senior defensive back at Glenville who is being recruited by most of the top 25, was kind enough to explain the origin of his team's nickname a few weeks ago. Bryant said the name came from the men who built the railroad through Cleveland. The tar from the stakes would splash the men, causing them to bleed. To the untrained eye, the men appeared to bleed tar. Their namesakes have done them proud, and "sweat blood" remains the ultimate motivational creed for Glenville athletes.

1. Cairo Syrupmakers, Cairo, Ga.

The name of this tiny south Georgia town is pronounced like the syrup, not like Egypt's capital. But contrary to popular belief, Karo syrup is not produced in Cairo. The old syrup plant used to churn out Roddenberry's. Now, the Syrupmakers just churn out championship football teams. Next month, Cairo will begin its defense of the 2008 Class AAA state title.

Random # 3

Grace

Just started reading Paul D. Tripp's book, Broken-Down House, and as with all of his books that I have read thus far I am enjoying it immensely.

I love his description of Grace. . .

So grace is a story and grace is a gift. It is God's character and it is your hope. Grace is a transforming tool and a state of relationship. Grace is a theology and an invitation. Grace is an experience and a calling. Grace will turn your life upside own while giving you a rest you have never known. Grace will convince you of your unworthiness without ever making you feel unloved.

Grace will make you acknowledge that you cannot earn God's favor, and it will remove your fear of not measuring up to his standards. Grace will confront you with the fact that you are much less than you thought you were, even as it assures you that you can be far more than you had ever imagined. Grace will put you in your place without ever putting you down.

Grace will enable you to face truths about yourself that you have hesitated to consider, while freeing you from being self-consciously introspective. Grace will confront you with profound weaknesses, and at the same time introduce you to new-found strength. Grace will tell you what you aren't, while welcoming you to what you can now be. Grace will make you as uncomfortable as you have ever been, while offering you more comfort than you have ever known. Grace will drive you to the end of yourself, while it invites you to fresh starts and new beginnings. Grace will dash your hopes, but never leave you hopeless. Grace will decimate your kingdom as it introduces you to a better King. Grace will expose your blindness as it gives you eyes to see. Grace will make you sadder than you have ever been before, while it gives you greater cause for celebration than you have ever known.

Grace enters your life in a moment and will occupy you for eternity. You simply cannot live a productive life in this broken-down world unless you have a practical grasp of the grace you have been given.

- Paul Tripp, Broken-Down House, pp. 42-43

Pray for True Repentance

A friend of mine shared this quote with me earlier today via text message. God is good to know the words that we need to hear and exactly when we need to hear them.

"The truly repentant are often so purified and humbled by disaster that they are willing to do anything. If persons who claim repentance are still arrogant and unwilling to take responsibility, they are probably missing the fruit of repentance. They are a long way from ready. Don't bail out on them even then! Help them, speak the truth in love, and pray them to true repentance!"

- Beth Moore, When Godly People Do Ungodly Things

Go Do Some Good

As Beth concluded the Simulcast on Saturday she had each of us stand and find a woman next to us, take their hands, look them in the eye and repeat these words of commissioning:
My Dear Sister, God has not overlooked you.He has not ignored you He hears every petition and intimately knows the heart beneath it. Give Him full access to all your longings pray every single day to become a person who delights in Him. When it seems to disappear remember to check your JAW! Are you jealous? Are you angry? Are you worried? Roll it all on Jesus; He's strong enough to carry it, big enough to handle it.
Trust God with all your heart. Now leave this place and go into the world and do some GOOD.

Treasures Unfolded

Our weekend at the Living Proof Simulcast was awesome! God has given Beth Moore a wonderful gift and she is not sitting on it but is sharing it with others and in this day and time that is awesome. Below are some of the treasures found in the Word that Beth shared with us.

I was created to delight in a God who delights in me.

God delights to show me mercy (Micah 7)

Nothing dictates our lives like our desires - People do what people want to do. A legitimate heart desire is a sustained longing that is unaffected by mood or surroundings.

Beneath the desires of our heart is the heart of our desires - keep praying! What is under the layer of that desire. Is destiny or God's glory at stake?

Delighting in God adapts our desires into inevitability - when we delight in God there is a wonder. Give me a heart that delights in you.

Ask God to give you specifics to work on in your life - wanting to be a woman of God is too general - move to a more focused desire (deal with grief, addiction, tongue).

Nothing external can steal our right to delight. If we don't delight it's not external, it's internal. We can't blame people or circumstances if we don't delight in Him.

Every man desires unfailing love - Proverbs 19:22

What's taking a bite out of my personal delight? Look to the JAW
J- jealousy (desire tinged with envy -John Piper).Who am I jealous of?
A- anger - refrain from it - what am I mad about? Anger is constricting - delight is freeing. Anger has a degree of grief. There is always a degree of sadness in madness.
W - worry - to eat or gnaw into . . . to affect something by biting or gnawing it. Worrying never changes it. When we worry the thing we worry about ends up looking like a raw hide bone that a dog has been gnawing on. God can control it but I have no control.

We want everyone and everything to get fixed so we can be happy.
To make room for delight we have to commit.

Commit - roll your burdens upon Christ. Some of us have no delight because we refuse to commit.

Our behavior betrays our beliefs.

Fill yourself with holy passions.

Way = journey, your road, passage, course of life. Our rear ends are sore from sitting on the fence.

Nothing is passive about patiently waiting for desire to turn into delight.

Be still (v.7) stop, hold your peace, be silent. Sometimes we need to SHUT UP. There is a danger of being doers and not hearers. Learn to listen. Before you pass on a truth, receive it and meditate on it.

Wait = anxious expectations. Chiyal - to twist or to twirl - to bring forth.

Nor is glory piled upon glory good for you (Proverbs 25:27 - The Message). Self glory is not good for us. The biggest offense we can commit is arrogance. God will go to great lengths to protect our humility. Humility brings intimacy with Christ.

Til faith becomes sight trust in God and do good. Faith will become sight. Speak faith to each other.

Trust him and do good. If my objective is to be right and proven right this is not the right attitude.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)

Don't sit back waiting to be proved right, get out and do some good.

Dwell in the Land - I have an inheritance. Until I receive it dwell in the land where God has placed me.

Safe pastures: feed on his faithfulness

v. 13 - the Lord sees the evil and he will deal with it.

The Heritage of the Righteous and the Calamity of the Wicked

The first Beth Moore study I did was over 10 years ago. It was through this particular study, A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place that God created in my heart a longing to dig deep in His Word. I also developed a love for Beth’s style of teaching, her dynamic personality and her heart for women. Ten years later I have gone through many more studies (not all of them by Beth) and God continues to give me a desire and hunger for the truths, peace, and wonders that are found in the Bible.

This weekend a group of ladies and me will be attending a simulcast that Beth is doing! I am so anxious to hear her unfold the treasures found in Psalm 37. There is no doubt that God knew I needed to hear and apply these scriptures to my life.

As I have prepared my heart this week for this weekend, God has also been at work preparing others to reiterate the message of Psalm 37. Here’s a list of how God has been at work:

• Prior to finding out the Scripture Beth would be teaching from I had a conversation with a dear sister in Christ this week about how I worry constantly about the way certain individuals continually treat me and others as if we are dirt beneath their feet and it seems like God just turns his eyes from what is happening and they never get what’s coming to them (Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb).
• Our pastor gave me the order of worship for this Sunday and guess what the Scripture reading is . . . Psalm 37:23-25 – The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand.

It has never failed yet when I am going to a Bible study or conference that God uses some other means (individuals, conversations, reading, sermon, etc.) to drive home the point he wants me to grasp.

There is no convincing me that God doesn’t pay attention to the details no matter how big or how small.

My "Yea But"

John Wesley once visited General Oglethorpe, governor of the colony of Georgia. The General mentioned a man who had angered him and said, "I shall never forgive him!" Wesley replied, "Then I hope, sir, you never sin."

At different times in my life I have lived with deep resentments toward someone who has done me wrong or has offended me. And at times I have allowed that resentment to turn into burning anger and rage. Even in the midst of those feelings, I know it's wrong. Living without mercy is a prelude to dying without mercy. However, when I show mercy to others it will result in my being treated with mercy. Jesus said, "Blessed are the mericful: for they will be shown mercy" (Matthew 5:7)

The word "mercy" appears several times in Scripture. Sometimes it is depicted as "mercy", at others, "kindness," or "loving kindness." Mercy, as demonstrated by Jesus, involves the way a person truly feels. Mercy is to see others as Christ sees them and feel toward others as he feels toward them. In short, mercy is to have the attitude of Christ toward everyone. It is unconditional and equal compassion and forgiveness for everyone - - even when they don't deserve kindness or forgiveness. God shows his love and mercy to each one of us in that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). If I have an attitude of mercy, my actions will reflect it. Having a merciful heart makes itself known in a multitude of ways by your actions.

If I show mercy as God has shown me mercy, I will be kind and gracious to others and quick to forgive. I will always look for the best in people. Redemption, not condemnation, will be my concern. If I am merciful, I will strive to lighten the loads of others by my actions, not by just my words and feelings. Even when I may have every right to be resentful, the practice of mercy will help me to forgive. Happiness will then come from reflecting on God's mercy to me and from knowing I have shown mercy, a characteristic of God himself.

I have the head knowledge, but I need to start applying it.

Choices - Will They Land You in the Ditch?

Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. ~ Genesis 12:1-5

Choices. . . we all have choices. If you are anything like me you like to have some idea what the end result will look like. I'm not big on stepping into the unknown. I've been faced with choices throughout my life, but never one such as the one Abram was faced with. Imagine God telling you not only to leave the home you have known for years, but to leave without even knowing your destination. Wouldn’t that be earth shattering news to break to your family?

Abram had to make a decision, be obedient or to disobey God. God didn't ask Abram "do you want to go?" Instead he told Abram," Get out of your country. . ." Abram didn't know what the end result would be. I wonder if Abram told God, "let me think on this, let me pray about it." It's not recorded that he did, so my guess would be that he simply obeyed even though he had no clue the outcome. God knew the route perfectly and already knew how he would provide for his every need. Abram was obedient and God delivered him.

As I've thought about Abram and his obedience to God, I realize that God wants me to get to the point that I start to see and know His Character. When I do that, I won’t have a problem with obedience even when I can’t see the end result.

I'm reminded that the will of God will never take us where His grace won't protect us. God desires for us to be obedient and when we are obedient he provides for our every need. When I'm selfish and disobedient, it's then that Satan gets a hold of me and I end up in the ditch every time.

Random # 2

Vanilla Says. . .

it's hot in Florida especially when you are waiting at the mobile vet clinic to get your stitches and drain tube out. Dr. Shana is such a sweet vet and my ear is doing much better. I have to continue those annoying drops for another week, but I guess I'll survive, mom says they will make my ear feel better. Next time I go for a ride or have to wait at the mobile clinic, I'd prefer that mom would take me in vehicle that the air works properly.

Random Photography

I'm learning to venture out and take pictures of weird things. I read a while back at Photo Bliss to "not be too concerned that you won't like what you shoot. Just shoot – you will be delighted with what you discover and ultimately, you will learn from this kind of exercise! So shoot away; give any "weird" idea a try." The author suggested trying to get people to ask how did you get that shot, what is that, how did you come up with that?

So I'm venturing out and trying to find random things to shoot. This is one attempt.

A good many are kept out of the service of Christ, deprived of the luxury of working for God, because they are trying to do some great thing. Let us be willing to do little things. And let us remember that nothing is small in which God is the source. . .

D. L. Moody, quoted in The Berean Call, Bend, Oregon, March, 1997

Gotta Love It

The month of August is bound to bring a named Atlantic Storm and of course the storm has it's sights on Florida - with a track that could have it bearing down on us — or barely missing us — by early Thursday.


Tropical Storm Ana (pronounced AH-NA) has a 40 percent chance of becoming a hurricane by Wednesday (oh how lovely that bit of information is). However, the computer models cannot agree on their strength predication's. The forecasters are predicating anything from a total collapse of Ana (I prefer this predication) to a category 2 hurricane. But for now the forecast is a tropical storm, but we all know how quickly that can change.

I just love hurricane season and living in South Florida (NOT). There is a bright side, however, my grass will be a beautiful green instead of a crunchy brown!

"The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds."

Only Trust Him

The last 3 months have been filled with many emotions ranging from sorrow to excitement. In April our Senior Pastor passed away. During my time at the church as a member and an employee I have experienced many things, but I never would have thought I would experience the death of a pastor. Within the body we have experienced pastors leaving for one reason or another, but this was a first (and I pray a last). I have been encouraged to see my Father's guidance and divine providence, grace, mercy and love poured out among His people. Just as God in history led His children, He continues to lead them today.

At times, I confess, I have doubted and stressed over the circumstances we were facing. I have a fear of the unknown. Who would lead us? Would we be united? But God in his infinite wisdom knew from the beginning of time the outcome over the last 3 months. The only thing I really needed to do was to seek the Father and pray that his will, not my own, be done. I will never be able to look into the future and see what lies ahead, but there is one who does.

While I feel like the storm is calming, I know that there will be more storms to come. But how sweet it is to look back and testify to God's sovereignty through it all. Just a few of the ways I've seen God at work within this body:

• protection, comfort and shepherding of Katherine and her boys during this time .
• members loving and caring for one another.
• Joshua (our associate pastor) and his wife (Cari) loving and ministering not only to Katherine and her boys but the church body as well.
• Joshua's godly counsel and leadership to the church body.
• Todd (worship pastor - now senior pastor) loving, leading and serving a church body he hardly knew yet faithfully surrendering to God's call to become the senior pastor of our church.
• Ginger (Todd's wife) as she's prayed and supported this body and her husband from miles away.
  
• Our deacons faithfully serving and supporting the pastors wherever needs arose.
• Our church family uniting in love as we prayerfully sought God's will.
  

The list could go on and on, but it has been marvelously evident that God has a plan for us, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11). We may at times doubt, but all we truly need to do is look around to see that He truly works all things together for good for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

It's with joy and great excitement that I look forward to see how and where God will lead us in the days to come.

Surgery

Our cat, Vanilla, will undergo surgery tomorrow morning to remove an ear hematoma. Ear hematomas are caused by a collection of blood and fluid between the skin and cartilage of the ear. A blood vessel in the ear ruptures and the loose space under the skin will fill up with blood. The pressure from the ruptured vessel will often cause the entire surface of the ear to swell creating a very painful condition. These hematomas will occur very quickly, often within minutes of the vessel being ruptured. Affected animals will have a noticeably swollen, fluid-filled ear that is extremely painful to the touch. If left untreated, the pain will subside somewhat after several days, but the swelling will continue and eventually, as the fluid-filled space generates scar tissue, the ear may become permanently disfigured.

At this point we are not sure what caused the hematoma. It could be self-trauma from scratching or head shaking or it could be due to the infestation of ear mites. We won't know the cause until after the surgery because the vet could not check his ear due to the swelling.

Following surgery, Vanilla will stay at the vet's office until Monday afternoon. We miss having him at home, but are praying that once home he will be over all his ear issues.

Under My Skin

When I was younger I believed in fairy tales. You know the ones where boy meets girl and they live happily ever after. At timea I think I have become cynical when it comes to fairy tales and happily ever after.

However, I was reading a book the other day and found this quote: "I once heard someone say that this guy had gotten under her skin. And it struck me as a remarkable thought - that someone would affect you so deeply they'd always be a part of you. There's an image that goes with that phrase: something fluid and warm that starts at your heart and spreads all the way out to your fingertips and your toes, carried by the blood."

The more I thought about this quote the more I realized I'm not as cynical about the happily ever after as I would lead people to think. I know there are those people that have experienced the happily ever after.

But that's not the thing that struck me the most about this quote. What got me was the fact that when I've heard the phrase "he/she really gets under my skin" I've thought of it in a negative sense. However, I can see the positive in that aspect. Tonight I sit here thankful that I've experienced someone getting under my skin in a positive way. I'm thankful that "he gets under my skin". Whether he is here or miles away, when I think of him he gets under my skin and it starts in my heart and spreads to my fingertips and toes.

Is there someone that gets under your skin in a positive way?