Battle of the Brazos

Tomorrow is "D" day for the Baylor Bears who take on the Aggies from Texas A & M. Both schools are on the Brazos River which runs through the Heart of Texas, thus the name "Battle of the Brazos" for the annual rivalry dating back 103 years! The last two meetings have been decided in overtime! This is the first time since Baylor joined the Big XII Conference (formerly of the Southwest Conference) that we will sell out Floyd Casey Stadium. The largest crowd ever was in 1995 against TAMU with 51, 218. They have even opened up the south endzone (which is where I grew up watching Baylor Football) for an extra 3000 General Admission seats. ESPN ran an article on the game and it is all over...I bet Fox Sports and other networks are kicking themselves for not picking this game up. But you can catch the action on the Baylor Athletic Website for a live webcast HERE. Then click on the Gametracker in the box on the right.

S I C ' E M B E A R S ! ! !
G G G r r r r

Bells & Belles

What a F-U-N weekend I had...that was truly a Fall Break. I flew over to Huntsville, Alabama to visit my dear friends Elizabeth and Forrest Williams. We started with a home football game cheering for the Colts of Clements High School where Forrest is the Head Coach and Athletic Director. (check out EJ's blog) We sat in the stands and cheered for the team...among the parents. I enjoy high school football - of course I do, I grew up in Texas!! Then we trekked over to Starkville, MS for the Mississippi State Homecoming game at Scott Field. This was the first SouthEastern Conference game I have attended. I was raised on SouthWest Conference football and now BU is in the Big 12 Conference.

What did I learn?(A) Cowbells are for southern belles and they are LOUD! and...(B)"once a spirit leader - always a spirit leader." My friend Elizabeth enhanced the BU traditions for four years...she left a legacy here. Now she is doing the same in Alabama and it all started in Mississippi. What a saw (and heard) at the MSU game was amazing...the ringing of cowbells. Little did I know that Elizabeth started that little tradition in 6 short weeks of cheering for the Clements Colts. I also watched Miss Elizabeth, my favorite southern BELLE, live out a life of grace and love, being truly led by the Spirit within her.

Kickn' Buff

This is a picture of my dear friend Hope West and Mr. "I'm One" Jed West (thanks to Keith for taking the picture). I met these long time Kanakuk friends in Denver before Baylor's triple overtime win over the University of Colorado on Saturday afternoon. The last time we beat them here at Folsom Field (on mile high) it was 1991. They had won the national championship in 1990 and the Bears came up to the mountains and "We Kicked Buff." This was the shirt from way back when. Now maybe the front of the shirt will prove to be true this next week when we head down to Austin to take on the "shorthorns" of texas university! My Aggie friends Hope and Jed know exactly what that takes....a 12th Man. Just remember, Sic 'em or Gig 'em just never EVER hook 'em!

Daniel the LION hearted

Well, I am still studying the book of Daniel. It is hard to believe that so much happened in a book with only 12 chapters...two dreams, a firey furnace, an 80 year old Daniel in the Lion's Den and all that is just in the first 6 chapters. Daniel has served faithfully in Babylon through three kings. He was accused and singled out for his faith. He immediately went to his room to kneel and pray. When they found him he was "giving thanks before his God." King Darius gave the order to throw Daniel in the lion's den and said, "Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you." Then they rolled a stone over the entrance (sound familiar?) "so that nothing might be changed in regard to Daniel." Little did he realize that this would change everything. After King Darius realized that "no injury whatsoever was found on him because he trusted in his God," he wrote to all the peoples, nations, and men of evey language who were living in the land..."the God of Daniel...is the living God and enduring forever, and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and his dominion will be forever. he delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth who had also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions." (Daniel 6:26-27). This is not a sweet little kids Bible story. Those lions were hungry and ferocious and fierce. I am leaving you with a picture of the lions I saw up close and personal on safari in Kenya last year. We caught them napping. We were all inside the small open-air vans but I still trembled at the proximity of these wild animals. We saw several carcasses they had preyed upon and were fiesting on earlier that day. It was savage to say the least. My question is...if the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour...is my sword drawn? Am I on the offense or defense? Do I run or stand and fight? Daniel the LION hearted stood and fought - even in the face of death, he knelt and gave thanks. Am I thankful for those things or people that sharpen me?

Facing the Giants

Last night I went to see the movie "Facing the Giants." It was a low-budget movie because it was backed by a church in Georgia; however the message was rich in faith. I don't know how long it will be out but if you can get to see it, it is inspiring and moving. It depicts a Christian high school football coach uses his undying faith to battle the giants of fear and failure. After learning that he and his wife Brooke (Shannen Fields) face infertility, Grant Taylor, (Alex Kendrick) searches for hope and a stronger purpose for his football team. Filled with South Georgia football and clean humor, Facing the Giants is family movie inspiring viewers to live with faith and love! Don't miss this chance to vote for a Christian movie with a good message using the power of your choice at the movies. If you want to read about it or check to see if it is in a theater near you go to www.facingthegiants.com.

Flyin' High

Some of you may know that I live out on family land. Way back in the 1960 my grandfather moved out here. After my dad got out of the Navy, he came back to teach at Baylor. My aunt and uncle retired from the air force and also built out here. They guys in my family have always flown planes...small 2 or 4 seater planes. I even took ground school from my uncle but never logged enough hours to fly solo. We have two grass air strips and two hangers. This is a picture taken yesterday from my front porch when my cousin was flying my uncle's Stearman Bi-plane. You might know it better as Snoopy's "Red Baron" Plane. It has a 400 hp engine and two open cockpits. The sound of planes taxi-ing, taking off and landing is a normal one around here. As many times as I have been in an airplane (commercial or private) the idea of flight never ceases to amaze me...defying gravity with a machine and aerodynamics. I makes me further understand the Great God we serve...because it is "through Him and by Him and in Him that all things are held together."

Bubble Babes

Well, here you go...a great reason to get excited about being an aunt....my nieces in my jacuzzi tub taking a bath after a walk and night of homework and some craftiness (a picture card for my grand mother - their great grandmother who lives in California). I put some bubble bath in the jacuzzi tub, turned on the jets and there you go....bubbles for my babes.