Survivor, Lost, 24, The Office

Tonight, well, tonight is the reason why Survivor is such a great show.

Tonight's Survivor may go down as the single best tribal council ever.

Two immunity idols. You must play the idol before the votes are read. Two alliances, one go betweener, and a lot of chaos. 9 players left.

Edgardo, Alex, and Mookie plan, along with "Dreamz", to vote off Cassandra. Dreamz really is the "go betweener", because he's playing both camps. He tells both teams the plans of both teams, or so he thinks.

Turns out, the team of Stacy, Boo, Earl, Yau Man, and Cassandra tell Dreamz they are going to vote off Alex. Dreamz tells the other team this, so Mookie gives Alex the immunity Idol, but in reality, they were going to vote off Mookie. Then they wonder, "What if Dreamz is playing us?", so they decide to vote off Edgardo instead.

So Edgardo, Alex and Mookie think they are safe because the other team is going to vote off Alex, he'll play the idol, and then their vote for Cassandra will go into effect.

Dreamz thinks the other alliance is going to vote off Mookie.

The 5 some team has decided to vote for Edgardo in silence, so Edgardo goes bye bye.

It was absolutely amazing. Reality television isn't the best, but Survivor is truly amazing, as was the last tribal council.

Things that are going on in my life...

Hey all. I doubt I have any readers left after such an absence of new posts. I've noticed a lot of my blogging buddies are the same way as of late, fewer and fewer posts. Spring is a busy time of planning, with many activities to prepare for. Its also a time when no one wants to sit in one place for an extended period of time.

Last night, my wife and I saw the new flick out, "Blades of Glory", which was a crude movie but absolutely hilarious. Will Ferrell is a kind of guy that can be a hit or miss comedian, but what made it work was none other than Napoleon Dynamite himself.

What grinds my gears though are the people who go to watch a movie, pay for tickets and snacks, and then talk, rather loudly though the whole thing. Now, i'm a movie talker, but just to the person next to me, and in a quiet voice so not to disturb anyone else. This family (yes an entire family) with two teenagers, talked over the movie to each other, often answering their cell phones during, and generally made the environment poor. Argh...and there is nothing really anyone can do about it apparently.

I'm also concerned about this weekend. I'm in prayer as we speak over the Guntersville high school Prom. For the record, I do not like high school proms, what kind of environment they create, or the temptation it places upon our teenagers. But what I also don't like are the hundreds or even thousands of dollars that teens spend on the event.

All for them to stay up all night, being tempted by each other in all sorts of ways with all sorts of things. Then, none of them wake up in time to come to class, much less come to worship. They can't, they've stayed up until 4 or 5 in the morning, how could they?

I would probably be an unpopular principal, because I would cancel the prom. Nothing all that great can come out of it, except maybe a fond memory or two, which will be no doubt replaced one day with more rewarding things.

But stepping down off of my inconspicuous soap box, I pray that all teenagers will use good judgement this weekend, putting Christ first in all of their decisions, from how much money is spent to how much of themselves they give away to temptation.

Dear Father, please be with our teenagers this weekend as they journey to their Jr/Sr prom, and give them the character they need to stand up to Temptation as your Son did. Help them to be a light to others, and to see the importance of waking on Sunday and coming to be with their Christian family in worship to you. Amen.

What I'm Diggin' Right Now

Here's a few things that I'm diggin' right now. Its Spring, and its been great thus far!

1. Baseball Season: Just sitting here watching the highlight from the Cardinals and Mets opening game makes me happy. I'm just not that big of a fan of the NBA anymore. I don't know of many in the south who care about hockey. Even March Madness doesn't excite me, except for the bracketology, and on that I just guess.

2. Spring: One morning, I looked out our bedroom window, and realized that leaves were blooming. A day later, I think the leaves were full grown.

3. LOST: This show continues to amaze me. I've been slightly disappointed with my other go-to show, 24, but it promises to get better.

4. Helping Hand Housekeeping: My wife's business continues to thrive. She is full after just 2 months of being in business.

5. New digs for the office: I've been painting and reorganizing my office lately. Its now a neutral greenish color. I'm also getting a new desk!

6. Family: Next weekend marks the 4th Widick family Easter Get Together Weekend. Its going to be great.

So what else should I be diggin'? What are you diggin?

Planet Earth

I've always been a big fan of nature shows. However, I've never really watched one that I've just been left breathless by. I was very excited to see that a mini-series on the Discovery channel was coming out that claimed to be just what I was looking for.

Planet Earth is perhaps one of the best shows I've ever watched on TV. Talk about reality television, this is it. Just check out the link and see for yourselves. Sunday night, they aired the first three episodes, Deep Ocean, Pole to Pole, and Mountains. The series took over 5 years to film, and has several first time footage shots of marvelous things.

I guess the reason I love these shows so much is that it reminds me how wonderfully we are created by God. As unique and amazing as we are, there is a world full of creatures that are unique and wonderfully created by the same Creator. I beg of you to check this series out, you won't be disappointed. Set your DVR to record it, and start watching with the Pole to Pole episode. I believe they are re-airing them on the Science Channel as well.

To blog, or not to blog

Well, I haven't been around to blog in quite a while. Over a week it has been since my last check in. I haven't really even been able to go and read my blogging buddies' blogs.

I sat down on Tuesday and decided to figure out where all my time goes. It seems like as soon as Monday begins, Sunday night is over, and its time to start all over again. Where does my time go?

So I wrote out a schedule for what I need to do each day. When I was living and teaching in Houston, I had a pretty routine life, which I thought I didn't like. However I've realized that routine is not always bad. Especially when it comes to time management and exercise.

So, starting on Monday of next week, I will start sticking to a written schedule, placed on my desk, in plain view. I will also program it into my Outlook, so it will remind me of what to do. And everyday, built into the schedule, is exercising.

There is built in email, and blogging time as well.

Here goes nothing.

Well, LOST last night was nothing short of spectacular. We find out that Clair and Jack are basically brother and sister. We find out that Desmond is still saving Charlie's life. We find out that the "Others" do indeed live on the same Island as the Losties, with a force field type shield system all the way around their camp.

But, like the sucker I am, I have fallen victim to the trap set for us all in next week's episode. I hate it when they hype it up so much, because it doesn't let me enjoy the episode I just watched. Now I'm sitting on pins and needles waiting for next week's episode. Check out the promo:



And if that's not enough, check out the promo that aired in Canada:

Word to the wise about being President on 24, and other Television warnings

If you ever get the opportunity to be the president on the hit Fox series, 24, take it with the understanding that it will not be a long standing gig.

First Palmer is assassinated, then Logan is involved in a scandal, then Palmer part II is in an explosion, then Logan is stabbed by his ex wife while on house arrest (and she's crazy by the way).

So officially now, out of 3 presidents that have been on 24, 2 of them are dead (or at least we are led to believe that Logan is dead). Palmer part II is questionable at this time.

This season of 24 has been outstanding, to say the least.

Also outstanding this season: LOST. Questions are being somewhat answered, but leave enough to the imagination that it makes you come back next week. Be sure you check out ALL THINGS LOST, another blog by my buddy Jason.

And, if you're not watching the hit comedy "The Office", you're missing out on pure genius television. The writers of the show are tremendous. What makes the show great you ask? Well, Steve Carell makes an excellent lead man, but the cast of characters is one of the best ever put together.

Other than those three shows, I haven't had a chance to watch many other shows. I really wish I had started watching "Heroes", because I've heard a whole lot of great things about it. We're really in to Survivor, The Amazing Race, and Deal or No Deal, but I have to tell you some frustration with them. They hype up each episode so much on the commercials, and at the end of each episode's "Stay tuned for next week", segment. This past week, on the Amazing Race, it was hyped up to be the best finish ever. What happened? Rob and Amber (our personal favorites) got booted off, and nothing exciting happened at all.

Don't hype up stuff on commercials when its not true.

So what about you? What must see TV is going on right now in your life?

Tennessee Titans + Free Agency = uh oh.

Well, Travis Henry is a Bronco, and Drew Bennett is a Ram.

Way to go Titans. Capitalize on the great season ending run by getting rid of your best back and best receiver.

Just when I thought we were on track, we lose two of our best players. Better sign someone great to make up for it.

Slaves

Did you know that there are an estimated 27 million slaves throughout the world today? In countries such as Mexico, Pakistan and China, children are born into slavery, purchased or kidnapped for slave use. In fact, there are more slaves worldwide today than were involved in the pre civil war transatlantic slave trade.

Some of these slaves are sold into use for drug smuggling. Others are sold into slavery for labor, such as camel jockeys in the middle east. Most of them however are young girls sold into slavery for sexual reasons, for prostitution, and other various sex acts.

Check out www.amazingchange.com to learn more about the issue of modern slavery, also known as "Human Trafficking". To me, it was such a shock to learn about the slavery that continues today. When most of us think about slavery, we think of African American, pre civil war slavery. The human trafficking going on today is much different than that. An estimated 50% of the 27 million slaves worldwide are children under the age of 13.

None of us could fathom going through this. None of us can fathom being a slave, or can we? Truth of the matter is that we all are slaves. That's right. YOU are a slave. John 8:34 records Jesus telling us this: “ I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”

We might be apalled to think about the slavery still going on today's society. But, the truth be told, we are all slaves to our sin. We are slaves to the memories of sin that haunt us to this day. We are slaves to the sins of conceit and selfishness. We are slaves to our image and self esteem.

Romans 6:19 says: I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.

Some of us may have "used to offer" ourselves to the slavery of sin, but most of us continue to do so. Even though God has forgiven us, we can't forgive ourselves. The sin is still strapped to our ankles as we run from it. Sure the chain gets longer each time we flee from it, but it always seems to pull us back.

We have to remember what it continues to say in Romans. It goes on to say in Romans 6:20-21:
When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! Paul reminds us that these things we used to be slaves to gave us nothing but death.

Dear God, help us to flee the grasp of sin. Help us not to be slaves to sin. Help us to be slaves to righteousness instead. Amen.

The Rocks? They can't cry out, can they?

Every third Wednesday in the Guntersville Youth Ministry is the night we call Primetime Praise. We spend the entire hour in praise of some sort. Usually we sing, pray, read scriptures, commune with each other, and participate in other acts of worship.

I love a good period of praise time. Its a little different when you're the one who puts it together and has to lead it. However, tonight, I was brought to a realization. If we don't praise God, God will get His praise from something.

First of all, let's understand that praising God should give us joy. I've always been under the assumption that worship is for God, but I don't necessarily agree with that completely anymore. Read this:

My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you – I, whom you have redeemed.
Psalm 71:23

Obviously David is telling us that joy is on his lips when he sings praises to God. When we praise God, it gives us joy, or at least it should. True worship, worship with our minds focused on our God, will give us joy. In return, if our worship is shallow, one should not expect to find joy.

And why would we want to worship in a shallow way? Remember that story in Luke, as Jesus is entering into the city on his donkey, with leaves spread on the road for his grand entrance? The Pharisees have the audacity to tell Jesus to get his disciples to stop singing and praising Him. Jesus follows up in Luke 19:40 by saying "If I tell them to stop, then the stones will start to cry out".

The rocks will cry out? Rocks don't cry. Rocks don't have emotion. Rocks aren't alive. So what does this mean? It means simply this: If you are just going through the motions of worship, if you just mumble along because you're supposed to, then you don't understand what it means to praise our God. If the plants and animals God created, the dirt and rocks that He placed on earth, if the pavement under your feet and the roof over your head were allowed, they would be praising God. They are just waiting for the chance.

And here we are with the ability to praise our God, and so many of us just don't get it. When Paul sang at the top of his lungs in prison, when David danced before the Lord, and when the disciples of the Lord sand and yelled in praise as Jesus approached the Mount of Olives, they meant it. They wanted but also needed to praise God...so they could have that joy it brings to them.

May we understand how to praise our God. May we search within our souls to find the depth of praise that we read about in God's Word. May we find the strength to let go ourselves, and give all the Praise to God.

Dear God, help us to praise You daily, by our words, our actions, our thoughts. Help us utilize that ability You gave us to praise You. Help us to understand the Rocks would love to cry out to You. You alone are worthy of our praise. Amen.

Dear God

Dear God,

I'm sorry that I treat you the way I do.

I pray often, but usually its selfish. I pray for things to go well, for You to bless me, my wife, my family, and others close to me.

You see God, I really don't know how to pray. When I wake in the morning, I'm too tired to focus. When I lay down at night, I drift off to sleep before I can make sense. During the day, I'm distracted by too many things to focus.

So I usually just have time to say quick prayers, like for my food, for my wife, for my family, and others close to me. I also always have time to pray when I am sick, not feeling well about something, stressed, and other times like that.

I always just seem to go to You when I need You, but when things are going well, it seems like You're further from my mind. Oh You're still important, and You're still almighty, but those things just don't strike me when things are okay.

Father, help me to be more transparent and open to You. I know You can see everything in me, but I try so hard not to let You. I'm so inadequate to be called Your child, but You continue to acknowledge me as your own.

I go to you and expect something from You, yet I rarely ever give back to you in return. Help me to give over everything to You. Help me to let You be in control of my life. Help me to give it up.

You are beyond words that a mere human can put together into a sentence. There is no way to describe Your abundant love for us. If someone doesn't talk to us for weeks or months at a time, then they come and ask for something all nice and polite, we hesitate to even acknowledge them. We come to You after weeks or months of not talking to You, and You give it over to us.

Thank you, Oh my Father, for all that You are, carry me, show me the narrow path,

Amen.

Helping Hand

Sorry it has been a while. I was gone this past week to the FHU Lectureships. I had a good time, mainly because I got to see lots of old friends and teachers from school. The lectures are a good time to see a different side of things. My perspective is typically a more progressive approach, but the perspective there is considerably more traditional. When all is said and done, however, we are both worshiping and praising the same God. To Him, be all be glory and praise.

I solicit prayers at this time. My wife quit her job at Kid's Korner last week. Based upon a lot of thought and prayer, we decided for her to open up her own business. She is now the sole proprietor and owner of Helping Hand Housekeeping, a residential cleaning service. She loves children, and loves teaching, but she was just not happy where she was at.

If anyone is around the Guntersville area, and looking for a TREMENDOUS house cleaner who charges a reasonable price, look no further than Helping Hand Housekeeping!!

Tomorrow, I'll be old

February 1st has long been a great day for me. Its my birthday. Yup, that's right, I'll be 29 years old tomorrow. Time has flown by this past year. I barely had time to enjoy being 28.

So I have a few goals for the 29th year of my life, and here they are, in no particular order:

1. Get back down to my high school weight of 185 pounds. Only 66 pounds left!
2. Possibly start Graduate school, if I can find the money to do so.
3. Defeat "Zelda, Twilight Princess" on my new Nintendo Wii.
4. Do my best to read at least 6 whole books cover to cover (I really don't like to
read all that much).
5. Continue with less sarcasm, and more patience.
6. Pursue my dream of being a rock star

And FINALLY: Regrow all of my hair back from when I was a child.

Its official, I have a new car

My wife and I purchased a new, well, different car. No, its not a flashy vehicle. No, its not one that will win awards for its sleek looks or name. Its a bare boned, base model 2006 Chevy Malibu, with only 5600 miles on it. I didn't take the hit, but its just like brand new.

Its black, four doors, and saves a ton of money on gas. I loved my 1998 2 door Ford Explorer Sport, all black, tinted windows, running boards, roof rack, with power everything, but with 132,000 miles on it, and our other car reaching 95,000 miles, it was about time to replace one.

I'll drive the Malibu for about 2 or 3 years, and then we'll replace Kristen's car. She'll take over the Malibu at that point, and then we'll sell her Honda and buy me a truck.

And throughout all of this, I'm very proud to say, we paid cash for the Malibu. I'll never have a car payment again!

Check us out!

We have a webpage for our Skinny N Rich team. Go see us all HERE!!

We're going to win, so everyone look out!

Skinny 'N' Rich

So today was the official weigh in day for "Scale Back Alabama". The team I am on, Skinny 'N' Rich weighed in at around 1200 pounds. There are five of us on the team: myself, Jason Bybee, Jon Stacy, his wife Stacy, and Douglas Hargett.

I'll post a team photo later, blogger is giving me some issues right now, and I can't get it to post.

My official beginning weight: 265 pounds. Of course, that's with 3 shirts on, dress shoes, blue jeans, and a jacket.

Stay tuned to my other blog, Fat Man, for updates on the progress of our team!

What's in a Song?

Its amazing how a song truly can take you back. Music has always been a passion of mine. I used to love and sit in my room and play my guitar. Its something I haven't done in a while, and I think I may have to back to it.

When I hear certain songs, I'm taken back to a very specific moment. When I hear the song "Fields of Gold" by Sting, I'm taken back to my very first real date. I was 15, she was 17, and she had to pick me up. That song was playing in her car, and I always go back to that nervous state of mind when I hear it.

Every time I hear the song "Life is a Highway", my mind is taken back to a particular day at the Hickory Hollow Mall with my good friend Jason. We really wanted to buy the Cassette Single (man, that dates me, doesn't it?), and we had no money between the two of us to purchase the $3.00 single. Events ensued, and we "found" the money lying around on the floor of a very water covered floor in the middle of the mall.

When I hear Guitar Town by Steve Earle, I'm taken back to the tiny town of Rochester, Minnesota, and my first real Mission Trip. Jason and I listened to it over and over again on the way up there (the worst and best 20 hour bus ride ever).

Songs like Hard Day's Night, Steal My Kisses, and Wonderwall remind me of wonderful times with Kevin Westmoreland in Brigance 206 at Freed Hardeman University. We would sit and sing in the room till the wee hours of the night.

The song "Long December" by the Counting Crows has a special place in my heart as well. I actually bought a Keyboard to learn how to play this song for Kristen, back when we were still in college. She told me at one point that she really loved that song (we heard it the other night, and she couldn't remember why she loved it so much!).

The song "Only Hope" by Mandy Moore, will forever remind me of when I saw Kristen for the first time in her Wedding dress, as that was the song she walked down the aisle to.

So what about you? Are there any songs that bring back those moments? What are they?

I May Just Have to get one of THESE!!

So on Monday, I finally had to get a new cell phone. I decided to go with the stunningly small and slim Motorola KRZR, not the RZR phone. I had heard nightmares about the Rzr phone, especially from my carrier, Verizon. The KRZR phone supposedly has beefed up the functions, and it is an MP3 player phone as well. So far I love it. I think its great. It fits in my pocket well, and its also very sleek looking.

And then, this came out. It may convince me to switch to Cingular. Watch the whole video. My jaw literally dropped several times watching it.



So what do you think: Is it just hype, or will this replace cell phone technology as we know it?

The New 7 Wonders of the World

If you'll go to New 7 Wonders you'll be able to vote on the new 7 Wonders of the World. Voting ends in like 170 days, but its pretty neat to do. They have about 20-25 things to vote on. You pick your 7. Here's who I picked:


1. Christ Redeemer: The statue of Christ in Brazil






2. The Colosseum: The Ancient Roman Colosseum







3. Easter Island Statues







4. The Great Wall of China








5. Pyramids of Giza: The only original of the Ancient Wonders still standing







6. Stonehenge: Don't knock it till you have actually seen them. They truly are a wonder.







7. The Taj Mahal: Its probably one of the most beautiful man-made structures on earth.

Hooray Florida??

Never ever thought I would say this, but, Hooray Florida! I'm glad you beat the stew out of Ohio State last night.

Here's something to think about, all you guys who say that the SEC is not the best conference in the free world:

1. Ohio State, the beloved Buckeyes, who went number 1 from wire to wire this year, have never beaten an SEC team in the post season.

2. There are 6, count em, 6 SEC teams in the final top 25 of the year.

3. Florida beat the stew out of a team who was supposed to beat them by the same score.

4. Year after year, there are people who say the other conferences around the nation are better, yet year after year we consistently have 6-8 teams in the top 25 year round.

5. I don't believe Notre Dame has beaten a ranked opponent in 2 years, but they got a BCS bowl? What gives?

6. Florida played about 27 freshman throughout the year, and most of those broke records.

7. Out of conference the SEC was 41-7 for 85%. The Big 10 was 33-11 for 75%. As for who they both played out of conference, without 15 wins against the MAC the Big 10 would have to play someone. They did play 8 division II high school teams and lost 25% of those.

8. 9 bowl games were played in by SEC teams.

9. Lee Corso, the not so bright guy he is, said this morning on ESPN that Ohio State was still tired after playing...hah...Michigan??

10. With about 75% of the SEC teams making a case to have some sort of ranking at the end of the year, and 75% of them being in a bowl game, who else puts up those numbers, not just this year, but EVERY year?

Hiatus

For the next week or so, my wife and I will be gone to Colorado for the National Conference for Youth Ministers. I hope the terrible snowstorm going on out there takes a rest so we can make it out there and enjoy the week. On top of us being able to learn and unite with friends and hang out with people of my profession, we'll get to rest and relax a bit too.

So for the next week or so, I may be on hiatus from blogging, or I may not be. It just depends on if I'll have internet in my hotel room.

I'll be preaching this Sunday at Guntersville as well. Hope that goes well.

And by the way, my XM radio is up and running, and I love it. I also love that activation and the first free month was FREE!!! Its great to have my talk radio back in my car.

Happy New Year everyone.

My 2006 Christmas

If I could sum up my 2006 Christmas Season, I would have to say it was probably the merriest Christmas I've ever had.

It started off in Lebanon, TN with my family. We celebrated with my entire family. It is so enjoyable to see all the children open up their presents. I must say that I'm really at the point now that I would rather see the joy on someone else's face while opening a gift I got them than getting any gift myself.

However, I had a very merry Christmas. One of my favorite gifts was my Delphi RoadyXT XM Radio. Now all I have to do is hook it up and be well on my way to listening to XM radio.

We then came back south towards Kristen's parents' home, and celebrated Christmas with her mother's family. We did the great and fabulous Dirty Santa, and I ended up with a wonderful Best Buy Gift Card (my parents had given me one also).

The next morning, which was Christmas Day, I opened up Season 5 of 24, followed by some tremendous looking Golf Club Covers my wife had given me. We then headed off to her parents house again, where I opened up another Best Buy Gift Card!

There were some other things interspersed throughout the day, like an Alabama Sweatshirt, a Deal or No Deal game, and many other things.

But I guess what i was really excited about was that my family got along well, and Kristen's family got along well. Everything was great. It was indeed a Merry Christmas.

HAPPY 10,000!!!

Just a little under a year ago, I fell into peer pressure and joined the online world of blogging. Little did I know how much joy it would give me.

Today, after writing about the really cool new Transformers movie due out this summer, I have officially had my 10,000th visitor. I don't know who you were, or if you are a regular visitor, but thanks for being #10,000.

Now I know that several others who visit this site from other links have had upwards of 30,000-100,000 visitors. But for me, who never imagined anyone would even care about reading my random ramblings, I'm ecstatic. Here's to the next 10,000!

More Than Meets the Eye

Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, Hollywood releases
Is anyone else excited about THIS?

I remember as a kid, this was probably one of my favorite shows. I never owned any of the toys, but I had a friend who had Optimus Prime, with the truck bed that opened up and everything.

When I found out they were doing this movie, I felt like a little kid. Nothing beats being an adult, watching a movie about your favorite childhood cartoon. Link to the site above, and watch the exclusive trailer on Yahoo!

Who will win? The Autobots or the Decepticons?

Top 10 Most Memorable Christmas Presents/Memories

In thinking back amongst the presents I've gotten over the past 27 Christmas Days, I thought I would bring to you the top 10 presents I've ever received. These don't necessarily mean my favorite gifts I've ever gotten, but the most memorable ones.

10. Bow and Arrow with Rubber Sticky Things: When I was around 12 years old, I asked for one of these. Of course I meant a bow and arrow with suction cup tips, but I didn't know what they were called, so I asked for a bow and arrow with rubber sticky things.

9. A box full of colored briefs: When I was about 10, in front of everyone at the Widick Family Christmas at my grandparents house, i got real excited when I had the biggest package there. When I opened the box, it was full of packages of colored underwear. Wow, in front of my sister and brother and cousins and aunts and uncles.

8. Back to the Future Soundtrack: Around 1985/1986, after the movie had come out, Santa brought me that soundtrack and put it in my stocking. I bet I listend to that tape about 500 times before it finally just broke. Full of great music from Huey Lewis and the News, and on the flip side several oldies like Johnny B. Goode.

7. David Palmer Jersey: My good friend Jason and I always swapped gifts on Christmas. One year he got me a jersey for the Deuce, David Palmer, all purpose guy for the Crimson Tide. Why was this one so memorable? Jason brought it to me, wrapped up in none other than a pillowcase off his bed.

6. A terribly great trip to Florida: Back in 1992ish, my brother got married on December 22nd in Central Florida. We drove down instead of flying, our minivan broke down twice on the way down, and we ended up renting a car from a place called "Rent-A-Wreck". The tuxedo fitting guy was not so straight if you catch my drift, and it was the first time I heard my dad say the word gay.

5. Nothing at all: Last year, my wife and I were in Memphis for Christmas Day. We had spent the day before at my parent's house, and weren't going to her parents house till much later because we had spent Thanksgiving at Disneyworld with them. We got stuck in traffic on the way back to Memphis on the 24th, got home 7 hours after we left (it should have taken us 4). We woke up, went to church, no one invited us over for lunch, and we spent Christmas day taking down the decorations because we were so depressed. Fortunately, later that night, our friends Michael and Catherine came back in to town and we went to eat mexican food.

4. My Granddaddy Smith from around 1990 till he passed: My mom's parents would always spend Christmas Eve night with us, and wake up with us to enjoy our presents Christmas morning. As my Grandfather got older, he wasn't able to walk very well at all. He shuffled his feet around, and took forever to get anywhere. My parents wouldn't allow us down the stairs until all the adults were in there (so they could see our faces when we turned around the stairs). Eventually, it got to the point where he was taking so long to get ready, we would fall asleep on the stairs waiting for him. One Christmas Eve night, my grandmother yelled at him to stop shuffling his feet, cause he was waking up the whole house. He yelled back at her, for the first I could ever remember, saying "Your're waking up the whole house by not shutting up!"

3. The year we finally won Trival Pursuit: Every Christmas, my entire family would play Trivial Pursuit at my grandmother's house on Christmas day. The kids always got grouped into a team. We never stood a chance, until one year, when I was a junior or senior, we finally beat the adults in Trivia.

2. No family: When I was assistant coach in Houston at Westbury Christian School, I was able to fly in on December 24th, and I had to fly back out Christmas morning because we were playing in a tournament in Midland, TX. I was alone, all by myself the night of Christmas, and had to go to a basketball tournament the next morning. That was the main reason I did not pursue coaching the next year.

1. A wife! I proposed to my wife on Christmas Day, 2002. She had come up to Lebanon to have Christmas with my family. We were slated to be in Hartselle, AL with her family that night. Around 4:30 or 5:00, my family still is opening gifts and lollygagging around. I'm rushing Kristen so we can get to her house, so we can have Christmas with her family, and then have Christmas with each other. At around 11:50 on Christmas Day, I finally got to get on one knee and propose to her. She said yes, and the rest is history. No doubt, the best present I ever received.