Tribute to Josh Slocum

Rodman Arrested at His Restaurant
By The Associated Press
January 7, 2002, 1:52 PM EST
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Dennis Rodman has been arrested again, this time for allegedly obstructing police officers who were looking into a possible code violation at a restaurant he co-owns. Police took the 40-year-old former NBA star into custody early Saturday after he refused to let them enter Josh Slocum's on Pacific Coast Highway. Sgt. Neal Harvey said Rodman violated a Business and Profession Code, which bans alcoholic beverage service after 2 a.m. Harvey said Rodman, who has a seaside home nearby, stayed inside Josh Slocum's past that hour. But restaurant customers said they break no laws. "We were all hanging out, sobering up to come out (to Rodman's home)," said his friend, Joey Hinojoza, 27. "Dennis is serious about people sobering up before they drive. He's offered his limo or will pay for a cab." Officers saw cars in the restaurant parking lot at 2:40 a.m. and tried to enter. Rodman was at the door, but reportedly refused to open it and allow them inside. About 30 minutes later, patrons were let out and Rodman was arrested and taken to the city jail. He was booked at the Orange County jail in Santa Ana, and later released. His case will be submitted to the county prosecutor for review. The Los Angeles Lakers waived Rodman in April 1999 for tardiness and other problems. He wanted to play, but no team signed him. Since then, police have responded to his beachfront home more than 70 times because of complaints about loud parties. He's also been convicted of misdemeanor drunken driving and faced allegations of sexual harassment and assault.

And He's Off...

A lot has happened in these first twelve days of 2006, so I will update you on a few of the high points.

1. We grilled out at the Leverett residence (we meaning me, my family, and some of my friends), and then enjoyed a time of playing with fireworks. Ashley, Jesse, my dad, and I kept the yard pretty well lit up for a while with pyrotechnic displays.
2. I left on that Sunday night.
3. The very next day, Tuesday, I started a one week I-term class called The Christian Ministry. It was a great way to get three credit hours done. Too bad we can't do every class one week at a time like that.
4. On the following Monday, I got a job at the school with the Physical Plant. I am on the Housing Make Ready crew, which means I get to make sure student housing is clean and ready for move-in. It's great to be working again.
5. Tuesday, I got moved into my new house. I am living with the noble Dean Pickard. I met Dean on my very first day at Southwestern. We had orientation together and we were given the same advisor (not to mention that we've had quite a few classes together). Josh Slocum will also be joining us in the house soon. Good times! The house is amazing, and I'm kind of glad to be out of the dorm (hehe).
6. That brings me to today. Today marks the beggining of yet another semester of school. I arranged my schedule so all my classes will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays, freeing me up to work on the other days. This semester I'm taking Leadership for Christian Ministry, Systematic Theology II, Old Testament II, and Applied Ministry.

Well those are just a few points of interest. I have enjoyed seeing my friends again and look forward to catching up with some others (and maybe even make some new friends). I also want to thank the Russells for considering me as if I were their own son.

That's about it for now. Stay up and may the Lord bless you. Much love!

I Didn't Know That

Here's a few facts about Chuck Norris that I didn't know until recently. I'd like to thank Ben and Josh for bringing these facts to my attention. These are just a few of my favorites...the list is much longer. I left out the ones that I thought were in bad taste.

• Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. But he is so tough, he has never cried. Ever.
• Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.
• Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.
• The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain.
• Chuck Norris has counted to infinity. Twice.
• Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting infers the probability of failure. Chuck Norris goes killing.
• In fine print on the last page of the Guinness Book of World Records it notes that all world records are held by Chuck Norris, and those listed in the book are simply the closest anyone else has ever gotten.
• Crop circles are Chuck Norris' way of telling the world that sometimes corn needs to lie the heck down.
• The Great Wall of China was originally created to keep Chuck Norris out. It failed miserably.
• If you ask Chuck Norris what time it is, he always says, Two seconds til. After you ask, "Two seconds til what?" he roundhouse kicks you in the face.
• There is no theory of evolution, just a list of creatures Chuck Norris allows to live.
• Chuck Norris is the only man to ever defeat a brick wall in a game of tennis.
• Chuck Norris doesnt churn butter. He roundhouse kicks the cows and butter comes straight out.
• When Chuck Norris sends in his taxes, he sends blank forms and includes only a picture of himself, crouched and ready to attack. Chuck Norris has not had to pay taxes ever.
• The quickest way to a mans heart is with Chuck Norris' fist.
• A Handicap parking sign does not signify that this spot is for handicapped people. It is actually in fact a warning, that the spot belongs to Chuck Norris and that you will be handicapped if you park there.
• Nagasaki never had a bomb dropped on it. Chuck Norris jumped out of a plane and punched the ground.
• Chuck Norris originally appeared in the Street Fighter II video game, but was removed by Beta Testers because every button caused him to do a roundhouse kick. When asked bout this glitch, Norris replied, "Thats no glitch."
• The opening scene of the movie Saving Private Ryan is loosely based on games of dodgeball Chuck Norris played in second grade.
• Chuck Norris once shot down a German fighter plane with his finger, by yelling, Bang!
• Chuck Norris has two speeds: Walk and Kill.
• Someone once tried to tell Chuck Norris that roundhouse kicks aren't the best way to kick someone. This has been recorded by historians as the worst mistake anyone has ever made.
• Contrary to popular belief, America is not a democracy, it is a Chucktatorship.
• Chuck Norris can drink an entire gallon of milk in forty-seven seconds.
• Rather than being birthed like a normal child, Chuck Norris instead decided to punch his way out of his mothers womb.
• If you say Chuck Norris' name in Mongolia, the people there will roundhouse kick you in his honor. Their kick will be followed by the REAL roundhouse delivered by none other than Norris himself.
• Time waits for no man. Unless that man is Chuck Norris.
• The Chuck Norris military unit was not used in the game Civilization 4, because a single Chuck Norris could defeat the entire combined nations of the world in one turn.
• In an average living room there are 1,242 objects Chuck Norris could use to kill you, including the room itself.
• Chuck Norris can touch MC Hammer.
• Chuck Norris doesnt read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.
• Cars were invented to have a faster way of fleeing from Chuck Norris. Not to be outdone, Chuck Norris invented the car accident.
• As a teen Chuck Norris impregnated every nun in a convent tucked away in the hills of Tuscany. Nine months later the nuns gave birth to the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only undefeated and untied team in professional football history.

I'm Dreaming of a Stormy Christmas?

At this posting, a storm is raging here in Milledgeville. Rain is pouring like water through a sift, and the thunder is rolling in and shaking the house. Actually, it's kinda good to hear that sound again. Are there any other thunderstorm fans out there?

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas everyone!!! I love you all, and may God bless you as we near the start of 2006. Remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. In fact, He is the reason for our existence in the first place. I proclaim on this day (the celebration of the birth of the child and the giving of the Son) that Jesus Christ is Lord of all, and He is worthy of all of our worship, honor, and praise!

"For unto us a child is born and unto us a son is given..." Isaiah 9:6

The Micah Mandate

"He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

Have you ever wanted to know what God's will is for your life? Well, Micah lays it out for you very clearly. Reflect on what it means to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Today, commit the Micah Mandate to memory.

Suggestions for Prayer: 1. Ask God to show you ways to put the Micah Mandate into practice. 2. Ask God to help you to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him.

What I've Been Up To

This is a list of the things I've been doing since I got home yesterday.

• Played with Marcus.
• Went out to eat with my family.
• Worked on a sermon.
• Read some of Evidence That Demand's a Verdict.
• Went to work for my dad.
• Went grocery shopping with my mom.
• Laughed with my sisters.
• Helped my mom cook poppy seed chicken.
• Saw Taylor and Teddy at church last night.
• Spoke with Lance, Ben, Austin, Cameron, and Tonia on the phone (not all at once).
• Ate at Zaxby's (was told that Zaxby's should be in Texas next year).
• Played my piano.
• Read blogs.
• Updated my blog.

Well, that's enough for now. I've done even more than that, but it will take too long to list everything. Plus, I'm being called back into the kitchen to help my mom. Peace out!

Do You Have A Healthy Diet?

"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, 'If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.' Jesus answered, 'It is written: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."'" Matthew 4:1-4 (NIV)

In this life we are going to face trials and temptations of many kinds, but we must endure until the end. Jesus was led to the desert to be tested. Do you sometimes feel like your life is in a "desert" without any water to soothe your thirst? Then perhaps you should heed the wisdom of Jesus, "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." If Jesus put so much emphasis on the Word of God, then we should do the same. Get involved in a Bible study. Attend Sunday School. Memorize Scripture. Read the Bible! I am constantly amazed at people who claim to be Christians and don't read the Word. There was even a girl in my seminary class this semester that admitted that she had never read the whole Bible. Astounding indeed! Many of the sermons I hear these days are lacking in Scriptural content, and people wonder why the Body of Christ appears to be sick in our present culture. Ephesians 6:17 tells us that the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. We can do the kingdom of God no good unless we put God's Word into our hearts and put it into action. James tells us to be doers of the Word.

Suggestions for Prayer: 1. Pray that God will give you the desire to study His Word. 2. Pray that God will give you wisdom and understanding when you read His Word. 3. Pray that God will help you deal with temptations and resist Satan. 4. Pray for our pastors and those who preach the Word.

Children of God

"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12

Did you know that when you trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, you rightfully become children of God? That means that God becomes your Father, and there is no better father than God. He takes care of His children. He loves His children. 1 John 3:1 says, "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" Are you a child of God? Have you trusted your life to Christ?

Suggestions for Prayer: 1. Ask God to help you be an obedient child to His will. 2. Pray that God will help you to get along with your brothers and sisters in Christ. 3. Ask God to help you in understanding what true love is.

No Condemnation

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 (NIV)

Read that verse again. It says that now, for us that are in Christ, there is no condemnation. Jesus paid our price. He suffered the penalty. He died for our sins (for the Glory of God). What that means for us now is that when God looks at us, He doesn't see ugly sinner. What He sees is the precious blood of Jesus covering you, making you clean. This verse brings so much joy and peace. If you are in Christ, then you are eternally secure in His hands.

Suggestions for Prayer: 1. Thank Jesus for dying for you and your sins (for the Glory of God). 2. Thank God for His love.