Beyond Mediocrity Blog

(Image  courtesy of http://static.wixstatic.com.) Christmas is just around the corner, sometimes more literally than just on the calendar.  As I drove home for Christmas vacation yesterday, nativity scenes were everywhere.  Shepherds wearing their cloaks surround Mary and Joseph and the manger inside a wood and straw hut.  And more often than not, the Magi are depicted (although historically inaccurate) bringing their gifts to baby Jesus.  Still, what a well-known and powerful scene of Christmas.

(Image courtesy of http://heraldsgospelsinengland.blogspot.com.) A Christmas Poem I love flannel shirts. They keep me warm, yet make me feel "cool" at the same time. I think they're stylish. But even if I had all the flannels in the world, I wouldn't have complete warmth.

(Image courtesy of http://libertychat.com.) After spending a good Thanksgiving in Wisconsin with my family this year, I had to abruptly turn around and drive ten hours south to Tennessee.  On my lonely driving trips, I usually go through a few phases.

(Image courtesy of http://www.wikimedia.org.) Butterflies do not start out as butterflies.  This we all know.  They start out as a small caterpillar, devouring leaves, trying not to get stepped on or eaten.  After a while, change is called for, and the caterpillar transforms into a chrysalis (or cocoon).  Inside the chrysalis, the caterpillar goes through yet another

(Image courtesy of Gladiator , 2000.) "Where are all these people going?"  "What are their families like?"  "Why is that person walking down the sidewalk right now?"  If you have been around me long enough, you will know that I ask these types of questions from time to time.  I think it's because I enjoy watching people.  I honestly enjoy hearing peoples stories, or at least

(Image courtesy of http://pixgood.com.) For some reason, over the last few years, I have been searching for the answer to why we feel shame and guilt when we do what is evil. The obvious church answer is that we are apart from Jesus. This is true. But I wanted to

(Image courtesy of http://salembaptistcinci.com.) Yesterday, I wrote about living life totally abandoned to Jesus and the power that can come from a unified relationship with God.  After I finished writing, I felt that I had forgotten to answer a very important question in regards to life with Jesus, and that is the question of why?

(Image courtesy of http://phys.org.) I've been thinking lately about the miracles done in Bible times and why we struggle to see those things happen today, even after Jesus says that we (Christians) will be able to do even more spectacular things than Him (John 14:12). As I was reading and studying the Bible last week, I came across the story of

(Image courtesy of http://cafepress.com.) " When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.' 'O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and   the power of sin is the law.    But thanks be to God,   who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (I  Corinthians  15:54-57).

(Image courtesy of https://wesleymemorial.wordpress.com.) Football season is now over.  And with daylight savings time, I now come home in plenty of time to enjoy the darkness. Football was

(Image courtesy of http://eteamz.com.) So much has happened, yet so little has changed.  I am realizing that I am at a point in my life where I have basically reached my prime.  The formative years when I was a kid up until I graduated college were full of fun, excitement, freedom, and many, many lessons learned.  But now that I'm an adult (ha!) I am caught in the fast-paced world of work.  What a drag....

(Image courtesy of http://tiger.towson.edu.) "Football is the best sport.  You know why?  Cause you can hit people and not go to jail for it." Said by my defensive line coach at Greenville College, Coach Stew is exactly right.  There is something about football that makes it

(Image courtesy of http://www.dougblackie.com.) I often ask my students at school (especially on Journal Day) how they want to be remembered.  I want them to think about the daily choices they have made, are making, and will make in their lives.  After all, life is all about choices.  When we add up all our choices at the end of our lives, what we have is our legacy; how we will be remembered.

(Image courtesy of http://www.scotiana.com.) Will you descend with me into my soul?  But beware! for it is not pretty, yet it is my home.  In my heart lies a world of darkness shrouded in nauseating mist.  Follow me closely, lest you fall off a cliff.

(Image courtesy of http://www.purenaturaldiva.com.) "Thank you for the ways you bless your people, Lord." How many times I find myself saying, "Wow!  Thank you God for blessing me with such and such."  But are God's blessings simply unnecessary material things that God chooses to give us out of His great love for us?  Or are they something entirely different? Today, I literally just finished hooking up my "new" Kenmore washer and dryer

(Image courtesy of http://www.robintilly.com.) This year is the first year I have really lived on my own.  Loneliness sometimes creeps in, but part of growing up and becoming a responsible adult is to pay your own way in life.  So, I've had to pay my own rent, electricity, water, garbage pick-up, food, and any other expenses that come with living in America.  Oh, and taxes.  I never understood taxes; if the United States was started partly on the basis of not wanting to pay taxes to the King of England, then why do we still pay taxes now that we have our own country? Living life on my own has brought many firsts with it.  Besides getting a full-time job as a teacher and paying the bills as I mentioned earlier, I now am responsible for

(Image courtesy of http://kia-buzz.com.) My red, Chevy Cobalt was looking rather dirty yesterday.  For one, my cat thinks it's her job to leave her footprints all over the hood, windshield, and top.  Next, the birds think it's their duty to leave me presents from the sky as they fly overhead.  Lastly, dust, dirt, and

(Image courtesy of https://ohmy.disney.com.) I love to hate myself. It's a paradox that I've somehow been able to master. When I was younger,

(Image courtesy of http://narcosphere.narconews.com.) Last summer, I prayed often for boldness and courage, two qualities I was lacking in my manhood.  Six months later and a state later, the Lord has most certainly answered my prayers.  (If only I could remember all the things I have asked God, I could write an entire novel worth of answered prayers!)

(Image courtesy of http://invisiblepeople.tv.) This update has been a long time in coming, so I'll just get right into it. Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to feed the homeless in Memphis.  We left my church Saturday morning, our bus filled with clothing, water, and hot dog buns.  The small group of us were on our way to

(Image courtesy of https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com.) Have you ever felt like your failures are too much for God to forgive?  Maybe your sin is too great for Him to look past, or you've let God down too many times, so many times that He won't listen to you anymore.  Or maybe you try to talk to God, but shame suddenly surpasses all other feelings and you stop short, utterly rejected.  Why even try any longer?  You have failed and all you will ever amount to is a heap of failures and shortcomings. You are not alone in feeling this way.  I felt defeated lately; everything I did seemed to end up in shame and guilt, and no matter how bad I wanted to cry out to God for help, I didn't feel worthy. Then God shook my world.

Mark 1:16-20 16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”  18 At once they left their nets and followed him. 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets.  20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. (Image courtesy of http://zackdonaldson.files.wordpress.com.)

(Image courtesy of https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com.) Two nights ago, right before I prepared to go to bed, I let my cat outside.  I opened the door to the garage and walked out, coaxing my cat with food to follow me. It was dark under the cloudy sky, and the cool night air was sneaking under the garage door that I had propped open about six inches with a couple of bricks.  Suddenly, my cat

(Image courtesy of https://www.greenfieldpuppies.com.) Dogs are great.  It is no wonder they are called man's best friend.  I never thought about this until now, but I wonder what it was like trying to domesticate the first wolf?  Can you imagine how many bites and scratches Adam must have had all over his body?  Rough.

(Image courtesy of http://disabilitiesunlimited.org.) My first year of football coaching has produced some memorable moments.  Once, at practice, a sophomore running back named Travis had his undershirt