The race results have been posted. I finished seventh out of eleven competitors in my division, a definite improvement from last year's dead last. I did the 2-mile run at an average of 8:10 per mile, better than I had planned. My ride was a little over 2 minutes slower than last year, which doesn't surprise me. I intentionally dialed it back some to leave more energy for the swim portion. Last year's swim took me 17:33 and this year it was 14:47. I had hoped for a bigger drop, something closer to a 5 minute improvement, but I feel good about this result and consider it a baseline for next year. I'll continue to work on my technique; lots of room for that. Total time for the event: 1:11:47. To move up one spot, to 6th, would have required cutting almost 7 minutes off my time. Not gonna happen.
The cops went to Tiger's house today to talk with the two of them about the accident the other night but were told by his agent that Mr. & Mrs. Woods were unavailable for the previously scheduled meeting. This comes after yesterday's canceled meeting, called off because Tiger was napping.
He is not required by law to talk to the authorities. It is being treated as a traffic accident, which only requires him to produce a drivers' license and proof of insurance.
Am I the only one who thinks Tiger may be auditioning for next season's Dancing With The Stars?
I had fun this morning. The wives were invited so the group numbered a dozen or so. We talked for the better part of three hours about theology, church formation, sharing our faith... and they were active participants. Good questions, and readily grasped both the big picture and the details. Solid group of people.
Tebow sure looked good today, huh. Next Saturday's Florida vs. 'Bama game should be terrific. I'm pulling for the Gators.
Tomorrow at Pathway we're going to look at Joseph, the "father" of Jesus. Joseph's father's name was Jacob, just like in the OT. I think that's nice.
The current issues of both TIME and WORLD both arrived yesterday. Those are the only two periodicals I take. Because TIME is weekly it helps feed the news junky side of me. I both enjoy keeping up with what's going on in our country and world, and also feel an obligation as a pastor to do so. Living the Christian life doesn't happen in a vacuum, and I should keep current on the zeitgeist so my ministry is relevant.
That said, WORLD Magazine is far and away a superior publication. It is a Christian publication in the fullest and best sense of that term. It gives me the news, but also discusses the issues involved in those events. It's rare that I don't read it cover to cover, and every issue causes me to think about things I would not have otherwise considered, or to do so from a different perspective. If this sounds like a commercial for WORLD Magazine, it is. It's just that they don't know I'm plugging their publication and I'm not getting paid for it.
If you take one magazine, I recommend WORLD.
A part of my sermon tomorrow will look at Matthew's description of Joseph as a righteous man who did not want to disgrace Mary. What does that mean, that Joseph was a "righteous man"? Was his righteousness that which led him to spare Mary's disgrace? Or does Scripture mean it as a separate virtue? "Joseph was righteous, and additionally he did not want to disgrace Mary." I think the text suggests this latter interpretation. Consider John 1:17, "The Law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." Truth is the core of righteousness and grace prevents disgracing someone.
That wedding of truth - of adherence to an absolute standard - and grace which forgives and protects, is a rare thing these days. On the right are voices demanding we hold fast to the truth of laws and standards. From the left comes the insistence that we give compassion, understanding and the second chance. In the middle is the Solomonic task of doing both, sacrificing neither. That is never simple work, but always God's work.
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