July is a special month for my family.  My parents were married in a small Tennessee town.  My family still has the ornate, beautifully written marriage certificate that hangs over a family fireplace.  July is the month of my Dad's birth; in the mountains of North Carolina into a very large family.  He wasn't a man with much schooling, but he was a great man who had to become a person of responsibility at a young age.  Working in the Smokey Mountains as a young lad, carrying water and supplies to the loggers.  His birth was meager, his life held much hardships, but he persevered to have in his lineage grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who accomplished much in their lives with education.  This month also holds special meaning for me.  It is my birth month as well.  It is fitting, my Dad was the first to hold me,  and I was the last to hold him as he took his final breath. 
My family was rooted deeply in the mountains of North Carolina.  During the Civil War from history's pages no sides were taken, not Union or Confederate. The war came to the mountains and my ancestors paid the price of war with their lives.  I honor them as Americans, not Union or Confederate who shed their blood.  The redness of blood that was shed in the mountains of North Carolina  by my ancestors, is signified by the red stripes of our flag.  The blue portion,  I believe, is the color representing the sadness and tears families have endured over the centuries, in the loss of love ones;  ensuring this flag still holds strength and purpose to a higher calling then self.  The white stripes are the symbol of the purity of hope from  past generations, as a crown to their unselfish lives, a torch given to new generations to carry their honor and sacrifice. Be a beacon of light, "one nation under God.  Indivisible with liberty and justice for all!!!  

Remember the family of this tragedy with prayers.  

This past Friday I was honored to see the same kind of day birthed;  blue skies, white fluffy clouds   as family came together to remember and honor my brother, a Korean War Veteran with a graveside memorial.  The steel blue casket had the Navy emblem on one bottom corner, the eagle and flag on another bottom corner.   The flag draping over the casket was removed and folded to exact specifications and given lovely to his daughter.  The sailor knelt down and said "This is presented to you in honor of your Father's service to our country."  We gathered as one, from different walks of life.  There was a message, singers, guitars, tears, laughter, enveloped by the nucleus of love for our brother, Dad, grandfather.  As the service proceeded you could hear jets approaching.  The sound got closer and closer.  In the blue blue sky and white fluffy clouds, appeared two fighter jets and they did a flyover.  It was one of the greatest things I have ever witnessed and how it touched our lives.  The family didn't request it and we aren't sure how it came about.  His daughter talking the day before said "I wish there would be a flyover for Daddy."  I told her "God hears our whispers."  

On this 9/11 day of 2023,   I pray there were flyovers, flags raised, singing, tears, laughter and most of all a nucleus of love as we honor the lives that were lost,  and the lives given in rescue of the fallen.    

AMEN!!!!  

The grave could not hold his deity, could not shutter his message, could not subvert his truth, could not dimish his love for mankind.  The stripes laid on his back, the nail scars on his hands and feet, the beard plucked from his face, his side pierced was agony for his disciples and mother to witness.  Was his ministry gone, ended?  Their hearts crushed with the brutality Jesus had endured.  His broken body begged for by Joseph...placed in his tomb.  They thought they were seeing the end of his ministry.  What will we do, who else has the words of life?  

Three days later, despair, uncertainty, without direction overwhelming their lives, the handmaids went to the tomb to anoint our LORD'S body.  The TOMB WAS EMPTY!!!! 

His accusers thought his message and ministry had died on Friday.  His followers saw death could not conquer or vanquish his message or ministry, it was still alive on Sunday, as it is today.

Amen!!!  Amen!!!

Notes from my Pastor's message 

"One More Day" ... Psalm 118:24

If we don't appreciate today, we live in regret or wish for tomorrow.  We live in the past of yesterday.  TODAY is what we have...REJOICE IN IT.  We are in a rush for TODAY to be over, because we want tomorrow to be better.

Jesus didn't give us the day of his return, because he wants us to be ready TODAY, not get ready tomorrow.  There will never be a President elected who can create a better TODAY for you.  Only Jesus can do that.

Matt 6:11 says "Give us THIS DAY our daily bread", not tomorrow.

One of the greatest weapons of warfare Christians have is THANKSGIVING.  "Enter into his gates with THANKSGIVING, and into his courts with praise, be THANKFUL unto him, and bless his name. Psalm 100:4

Sadly, we have lost the power of today.  We miss 365 days to THANK God where we are, where we're going, and who he is.  God doesn't have hypothetical grace, which we tend to live in..."what will happen tomorrow?  God says, I've seen it all, been through it all and brought them through.  He'll bring you through.  There is an enemy that attacks flesh, but he cannot  attack our God.

TODAY should be about "progress, not perfection."  If the enemy can get you to 'UNTHANKFULNESS, your day feels hopeless.  How do you handle imperfect days?  Do you throw it away?  God made the world in 6 days, because he wanted mankind to see "progress, not perfection."  What victory other than being alive makes your day?  When you know what something is, instead of what you've been told, you celebrate it.  

TODAY when you woke up, your yesterday is over.  You have TODAY to rejoice in.  If you anchor in death or what's wrong, you take that trophy from the past, and bring it into your TODAY to disappoint you.  

Groceries are going up, but they aren't higher than Jesus.

Heb 3:13 "Encourage, strengthen, lift up one another DAILY."

One more day... why not TODAY!!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!! 

My paw says that it used to be, Whenever the minister came for tea

'at they sat up straight in their chairs at night

An' put all their common things out of sight

An' nobody cracked a joke or grinned, But they talked o' the way that people sinned

An' the burning fires that would cook you sure, When you come to die, if you wasn't pure

'Twas a gloomy affair that used to be, Whenever the minister came for tea.

But now when the minister comes to call, I get him out for a game of ball

An' you'd never know if you'd seen him bat, Without any coat or vest or hat

That he is a minister, no siree! He looks like a regular man to me

An' he knows how to go into the dirt, For the grounders hot without gettin' hurt

An' when supper's ready, both him an' me, Have to get washed up again for tea.

He's played all the games that the fellers play, When he was in college, An' one big day,

He came to bat with the score a tie, An' the pitcher slipped him one, Shoulders high,

An' he walloped it over the fence for fair, An' he won the ball game right then an' there!

An' my paw knows that it's true. Coz he, Wuz up in the grandstand where where he could see,

Once in a football game he played, An' the winning Touchdown alone he made--

My Paw says that whenever he got the ball, He could run so fast that he'd beat them all.

He says that the feller who'll just play fair, Is fit for heaven or anywhere,

An' funs alright if your hands are clean, An' you don't cheat and you don't get mean,

He says that he never understood, Why a feller can't play and still be good,

An' my Paw says the he's just the kind Of a minister he likes to find--

So I am always tickled as I can be, Whenever our minister comes for tea.

1920 Edgar A. Guest

It’s been quite a while since I’ve been on the boards. Nearly 5 months now. While I won’t go into exact details — I felt it necessary to get away and take a break from most forms of social media. I left the board and also left Facebook for over 2 months. I used that time to look inward, instead of always looking outward and trying to find the negative around me. 

Through it all, I feel like I’ve started to turn a corner in my mental health. My family has went through the gauntlet this fall and winter. Multiple deaths — many due to Covid — have taken away people I loved dearly. Rifts with family and friends. Personal health and financial hardships. We’ve been through it all and come out (so far) stronger. 

Over the last several years, I’ve become unnecessarily combative to those around me — and that includes many of you here. For that, I am sorry. I’ve seen the pattern of who I was as a human, and continue to strive to correct that flaw on a daily basis. I don’t always win the battle — but I am determined to win this war. I hope that you can forgive me for things I may have said or done in the past that were out of line and unnecessary. If not — I understand that as well and truly respect where you’re coming from. I did years of damage to relationships and friendships that aren’t easily repaired. 

In any case, I am excited to get back and talk local sports with all of you. We are so lucky to be alive and healthy and able to talk about our amazing athletes from Radford to Ewing (hey Brady). 
 

Also, a huge thank you to GMan for checking in on me in what was a low point. I really do appreciate it. 

Had the honor of coaching him in rec basketball when he was much younger.  Great kid back then.  Extraordinary young man now.