Why Is That?

In case you don’t know, I want to let you in on a wonderful secret. Now, we may as well admit it, we don’t always like the same things; God made us different on so many levels. My wife and I have been married for over thirty years, and still don’t know everything there is to know about each other. We keep learning, though. What follows is a lighter look at marriage in our house.

RESTAURANTS: We are so very different in this area. BTW, did you notice the first area mentioned has something to do with food? You did? Anyway, my favorite place to eat is “Golden Corral”, which is a family buffet. There’s plenty of variety, great salads, fried chicken and freshly made mashed potatoes., There’s lots of desserts to choose from and you can go back for seconds, if you want. Did I mention fried chicken and freshly made mashed potatoes?

My wife would rather not eat there. She says the idea of eating after other people have put their hands in the food just isn’t appealing. She also likes food that hasn’t been left out all day (as if that would happen). [Did I mention fried chicken and freshly made mashed potatoes?] Now, why is that?

SPORTS: Admittedly, we enjoy watching the Olympics together, both summer and winter. We even like the same sports, and cheer just as loud for our favorites. The recent Beijing 2008 Olympic Games were incredible to watch, and we got to see some of the best athletes in the world. Amazing.

What we don’t agree on is football. How could my wife not enjoy watching football on Saturdays, especially the Florida Gators? I mean, at least she could watch all the SEC games with me. This wonderful woman I’ve been married to all these years doesn’t even like to watch Gators basketball. Now, why is that? I’m at a loss for words!

TRAVEL: I’ve noticed this about my wife, and women, generally speaking. If I say the letter “g”, she’ll add the letter “o”, which spells GO. She enjoys just hitting the road and going somewhere. I am perfectly content staying at the house. She likes going to the beach or to the beach, and has been known to enjoy going to the beach.

Recently, I had to meet with about twenty other pastors for a working retreat at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort, Clearwater Beach, Florida. I know what you’re thinking, but we really did spend lots of hours in sessions, working well into the night. We knew in advance there would be a few hours of free time on the second day, and had the opportunity to make the best use of that time, if we wanted.

As soon as I said, “we have been given permission to let our wives” I didn’t even get the sentence out of my mouth before she said “count me in.” Most of the other wives, went, too. Now, why is that, do you suppose?

Gators Beat Miami – Finally

No. 5 Florida 26, Miami 3

The Gators come out on top for the first time since 1985. I must admit, though, it wasn’t pretty. Not one to hold back praise for those who deserve it, I must give Miami a lot of credit for playing lots of heart and determination.

I wondered if the real Gators were even on the field in the first half, but they certainly showed up in the second half. Coach Meyer has so many weapons to choose from, and they came through in a big way tonight. Coach probably fired them up during the break, and they needed something to get them focused on the job at hand.

According to ESPN, a record attendance was set for this in-state match up between two powerhouse teams – 90,833. Looking at the sheer mass of humanity filling the seats, I don’t see how another fan could have been squeezed into that great stadium. It was quite a site to see on my TV.

We won, but should have done so much better against a young, inexperienced team. Hats off to Miami, though.

Are there any Gator fans around?

Florida Gators – Another Championship?

You probably couldn’t tell by the title, but I just want to let you in on a big secret. It’s perfectly okay to have a favorite team, and mine just happens to be the University of Florida Gators. Is it obvious? Go, Gators!

I have been a Gator fan for a long time, and have seen plenty of shining moments over the years. There have been times the team has amazed me with their superior play, and other times when I wondered if they had even practiced together. All teams go through droughts; some are accustomed to low expectations, while others are rarely faced with a losing season.

We started our season off with a pretty good win against a team that won twelve games last year. Admittedly, Hawaii lost quite a number of their starters, and there is a stark difference between this year’s team and last year’s. Still, we looked good in the second and third quarters, and could have easily run the score through the roof.

No article about the Gators would be complete without the inclusion of Tim Tebow. This is not only a remarkably gifted young man, he also lives out his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is not ashamed of his relationship with his family or the God he lovingly serves. There are videos all over the internet showing Tim and family helping people through his father’s ministry. Here’s an interesting story.

The last time the Gators beat the Hurricanes was way back in 1985, which equates to a six-game losing streak. Several things are different this time around. Let’s see, we have a list of healthy players who really want to win this game. We have a superb coach in Urban Meyer, a much improved defense that should be healthy for the game, good special teams, and, there’s this guy who has played before. What’s his name? Oh, it’s Tim Tebow. All of this makes for a pretty good team who is quite hungry to beat the ‘Canes.

The Swamp

One more little detail we need to include is the fact the game is scheduled for this Saturday night at The Swamp. Aren’t the Gators 20-1 at The Swamp in three seasons under Coach Meyer? That’s a pretty impressive record.

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a very tough collection of outstanding universities. On any given game day in the SEC, lightening could strike and a top team could go down in defeat. Some say it is the toughest conference in the nation, and I would have to agree. I believe all the teams in the conference are pretty good, and some are quite remarkable.

Are there any other Gator fans out there?