Pig skin

After worship on Sunday, Pat and I hopped into our Saturn Ion and sped to LVL. My mother had invited us down to celebrate Pat's birthday (which was Saturday). Mom fixed a chocolate pie for Pat. (A friend had already made a huge chocolate cake.) We had a wonderful dinner Sunday evening, then went to my mother's church for an evening of fellowship and singing of Old Songs--followed by desserts made by each choir member. I stuffed myself. No self-control. We stayed overnight. We're now back home. It's hard to decide what to do when you have both chocolate cake and chocolate pie in the house at the same time.

While we were in LVL, there was a rivalry going on: the UK and UL football teams were playing each other. My family is largely made up of UK fans. But since I have a degree from UL, I tend to lean that way. But UL got crushed.

Our daughter and son-in-law were watching the Alabama/Clemson game. Surprisingly Alabama won, and won big. But coach Nick Saban played down the win.

I have a UK-fan-cousin who lives in Ohio, who went to the OSU game. Tickets are $62. A bottle of water cost $4; and a hot dog was $4. I guess when you're OSU you can ask people to shell out. (And I can hear some of those folks being offended when their church asks them to give $50 for a special offering.)

I'm really not a big college football fan. I watch Pro ball. I'm still rootin' for the Bengals, but not holding my breath. I really didn't understand what my hero Brett Favre was trying to prove in pre-season. But I guess he can do pretty much what he wants to.

The "controlled violence" of football is good violence. Athletic competition is hard on the body (and the mind). Non-violent purists live with their heads in the clouds. Life contains violence. That doesn't mean we have to create unnecessary violence. But life at all levels is a violent struggle. Animals eat other animals. It's part of God's plan. So is football.

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Is the pastor the quarterback of the church, or the coach?

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On the way to Louisville I saw a bumper sticker that said: "Jesus loves you, and I'm trying real hard."

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