In the Air

It's Here!

If you are one of my local readers, then you've probably joined me over the past two days in savoring one of the best experiences of the year: The 2 weeks of Fall on the Gulf Coast. This morning I left the house early, with the slightest nip in the air, low humidity, and bright sunshine for the remainder of the day. Enjoy it folks, because it will be gone before you know it.

During our sojourn in central Alabama, we grew to enjoy Fall even more, since we got to experience it for more than a fortnight. One of the highlights every year was watching the leaves change color. For Suzanne and I, this was a new experience. Growing up in a pecan orchard, I was used to leaves that just turned brown and died. Not so in Wetumpka. Every year, we watched with delight as the trees around town provided a pleasant display. We would take the kids to the pumpkin patch, take lots of pictures, and grab a pumpkin for jack-o-lantern carving.

Last year, our interest in Fall rose to new levels as Suzanne and I took an anniversary trip to New England. We were there for Columbus Day weekend, and drove through Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. For a kid from Bayou La Batre, Alabama, it was a little overwhelming. As we drove through the Berkshires, Adirondacks, Green, and White Mountains, it looked like the world was on fire. We visited farmers' markets, apple orchards, and a bed and breakfast. It was all very Newhart. It changed my perspective on Fall and was a trip that Suzanne and I will never forget and would love to repeat.

I was amazed by the reaction of some of the people we met along the way, to our leaf-peeping adventure. "Why would you want to come here"? "They're just leaves". "They have a means of conveyance in Alabama that will bring you here"? "They let you in"? The marvel we observed with fresh eyes had become commonplace to the people who were most familiar with it. We had the experience of a lifetime; they were just experiencing life.

And so it is in my walk with Christ. How often do I treat the grace of God as a base thing? Have I lost my sense of wonder at the mystery of the faith? When I consider the returning King, am I filled with awe at His majesty?

That's what I'm wondering, here on N. Wintzell.

Not Too Far from the Tree

Like Father, Like Son...

As most of you are probably aware, the picture above features myself and my son Joseph. Sons are a blessing. If you don't have one, I highly recommend them. In the aforementioned picture, we're inside "Donald's Boat" in Mickey's Toontown Fair in Walt Disney World. By the looks on our faces, we're probably wondering exactly why we spent 10 minutes of precious vacation time walking around inside of a plastic boat with nothing inside of it. Or maybe that was just me.

As I write this post, Joseph and I are sitting up together. The women around here go to bed early, but Joseph and I like to stay up for a bit. Actually, it's more like we do everything we can to fight sleep. Right now, I'm typing on one couch while Joseph lies sprawled across the other one. As an aside, I'm on the short couch and he's got the long one to himself. I'm afraid I see a pattern developing here. Over the past 45 minutes, he's been in and out of his bed 5 times, he's readjusted to 37 different positions to find the optimal sleeping position on the couch, he's taken blankets on and off, and he's still not particularly close to being asleep. That's my boy.

Thursday is the only day during the week where I pick Joseph up from school. So, I thought we'd have a quick after school adventure. We made the trip down N. Wintzell to Landry Boatworks to see Pop after work. This is always a fun trip. Pop's got boats, you know. Today was a special treat, as we got to take a ride down the Bayou in one of Pop's boats. Joseph had a blast. It made my day. I think Pop had a pretty good time as well. As our three generations enjoyed our brief cruise, I reflected on the blessings I enjoy, as both a father and a son.

So, as I sit here and type, and Joseph swaps ends of the couch again, I'd like to say thank you, Lord for fathers and sons, and the joy of being both and having both. God, help me to guide him towards You. Let my example point him in the way of godliness.

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
Proverbs 23:24

My View from N. Wintzell 9/21/10

Here fishy, fishy...

One of the joys of coming home has been the opportunity to spend more time with family. The past two Saturdays, I've been able to do that by fishing with my dad. There's nothing quite like being out in time to watch the sun rise over the Mississippi Sound. The weather's been nice. It's not too hot out in the early morning hours, the fish are biting, and we don't run out of things to talk about on the boat. Following this Saturday's trip, I've come to an unfortunate conclusion: we're not very good fishermen. Reasons follow below:

1) I'm a wave magnet. If you're ever looking for choppy conditions, take me fishing. We set out Saturday morning under absolutely beautiful skies. At the mouth of the Bayou, everything was as slick as glass. We ran towards the West end with nothing but smooth seas ahead of us. We made it to our fishing spot just in time for the wind to pick up and attempt to beat us to death. The fish weren't biting, so we moved on.

2) At this point we arrived at the Katrina Cut. The good news was that the winds had laid down and we were in smooth seas again. The fish were biting. Unfortunately, we found ourselves amongst bluefish and sand sharks. They hit everything that we threw into the water. Unfortunately, the fish were better prepared than we were. The bluefish enjoyed our bait and cut our lines. The sand sharks made it to the boat to give us a little excitement.

3) We didn't have long to fish, so we headed back to the Bayou. As we passed Coffee Island, you can imagine the conditions we encountered. Smooth seas with fish boiling the top of the water as far as you could see in every direction. Picking locations to fish is apparently not one of my stronger suits.

So, on the negative side of the ledger, I attract bad weather, am improperly prepared, and make bad choices regarding location. On the other hand, the morning was nice, the company was better, and I was fishing. I suppose it all evens out in the end. Here's to next Saturday and my chance at redemption. I'll be better prepared. I'll give greater consideration to where we fish. Regardless, it'll be a good day, and that's my view from here on N. Wintzell!

Football Friday: Homecoming Edition

It's that time again! Friday night's almost upon us and excitement is in the air as the young men and women along N. Wintzell and other points across southern Mobile County prepare for Homecoming Weekend at Alma Bryant High School. Tonight, the class of 2001 will be honored, the Queen will be crowned, and preparations will begin for Saturday night's dance.

If you live in Bayou La Batre, Irvington, or Grand Bay and need a haircut tomorrow, good luck. Teenage girls in search of the perfect 'do will be out in full force, and they'll get started early. Our girls will transform into beautiful young ladies, while our boys will look like big-eared kids with bad haircuts wearing Dad's suit. (Sorry guys, I was there once myself) I don't really know why this works out that way. I think girls must be born with a certain amount of glamour built in. Boys obviously do not. Regardless, our handsome (goofy-looking) young men and attractive young women will have a good time this weekend, while we old timers will hang around the game and remember when.

On with the Preview!

1) Bryant vs. Baker
Looks like a great opportunity for the Canes to jump start their season with a win in the region. Here's hoping our boys are primed to go out and make a good showing.

2)Alabama vs. Duke
I think the Tide will get to test out their young defensive backfield against a team that has had a lot of success throwing the football under Coach Cutcliffe's tutelage. I want to see them pass this test with flying colors, stay healthy, and get ready for a tough road trip to play the Hogs in Arkansas next week.

3)Auburn vs. Clemson
I don't know a lot about Clemson and based on the quality of their first two opponents, it's hard to get a bead on where they stand as of right now. They're going into a hostile environment to play the other Tigers and we should find out a lot about Clemson. Auburn's a bit of a mystery right now as well. If you could combine the defensive performance against Mississippi St. with the offensive output from the Arkansas St. game, you've got a team that could make a lot of noise. Conversely, if you swapped it around, you'd have a whole heap of mediocrity. The truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. Regardless, I believe that the Tigers will win this one.

4)New Orleans vs. San Francisco
Have I mentioned that the Saints won the Super Bowl last year? I'm still flying high after last season, so I don't think I would be that greatly affected by even the worst possible outcome for this year. The Saints travel to San Fran for a Monday Night match-up. I don't know how to handle success. I keep waiting to wake up from this beautiful dream. Will it happen at the hands of the 49ers? I think not!

The Bayou Top 10: #6

How do I love thee red drink? Let me count the ways...

In preparing this Bayou Top 10 list, the item listed above was one of the very first things that came to mind. Some of you may be thinking, "Clint, that's a Strawberry Fanta. You can get one of those anywhere." Bear with me for just a moment. The beauty of this beverage (from this point on to be referred to as "red drink") is in its pairing. I could go to just about any convenience store in the region and have a bottled red drink. But, how many places could I go and enjoy it on tap in a local fast food establishment? So far as I know, only one place: The Bayou.

Take a little trip with me back to the late 90's. As a teenager, one of my favorite meals involved a short jaunt down to Sidney's (check them out here) for a COB (we'll discuss this beauty later on) and a red drink. The COB is excellent by itself, but the addition of a red drink moved the meal into the realm of the sublime. Red drink developed quite a cult following in those days and I was glad to partake.

With that back story, you can imagine my disappointment when I walked into Sidney's for lunch during my move-in for a COB (hot mustard, add cheese) and a red drink, only to find that Sidney's no longer serves red drink. At this point I faced an existential crisis. Was I prepared to live in a Bayou without red drink? My entire sense of gravity vanished in an instant. After an extended internal dialogue (and if you've read my blog very often my internal dialogues are often extended), I decided that I would make the most of the situation and move forward.

A few weeks after moving in, I made an executive decision to have lunch at Subway. During my absence, we added a new restaurant to our dining options, and I have become a regular customer. After paying for my sandwich, I made my way to the drink counter, where I found myself face-to-face with an old friend: red drink.

Since my return, I've had a number of similar encounters. One night at Greer's, I ran in for milk and bread and ran into three of my former classmates from high school. It was like old times. It had been nearly 12 years since I had seen any of them, but we had a few moments of good conversation, catching up on news past and present. So it was with my red drink.

Red drink makers, I salute you!

(For more information on red drink, visit its website here.

Senior Adult Sunday Revisited

Saved By the Bell: The Golden Years


As I mentioned last week, we had the opportunity to celebrate our senior adults in this Sunday morning's service. We had a great time recognizing the committed service that these men and women have offered to the Lord through His church. We recognized a lady who has been a member of our church for 80 years. We recognized several others who have been a part of our church since they were on the "cradle roll" in the 20's and 30's. Seeing their faithfulness gives me hope. I recognize this: the same God who has strengthened their hands for the work of ministry is alive and at work in my life and in yours. If He will use them, then He will use us as well.

As I reflect on the legacy that they've blessed us with, I was reminded of the need to honor these saints. We live in a culture that is increasingly obsessed with youth. We want to do whatever we can to avoid the appearance of age. Even to the point of foolishness, we seek to project an image of youthfulness. The English have a saying for this sort of thing: Mutton dressed as lamb. We fear the coming of old age and fail to respect those who are facing its consequences. In preparation for this week's message, I found this folk tale from the Grimm's collection:

Once there was a little old man. His eyes blinked and his hands trembled; when he ate he clattered the silverware distressingly, missed his mouth with the spoon as often as not, and dribbled a bit of his food on the tablecloth. Now he lived with his married son, having nowhere else to live, and his son's wife didn't like the arrangement. "I can't have this," she said. "It interferes with my right to happiness." So she and her husband took the old man gently but firmly by the arm and led him to the corner of the kitchen. There they set him on a stool and gave him his food in an earthenware bowl. From then on he always ate in the corner, blinking at the table with wistful eyes. One day his hands trembled rather more than usual, and the earthenware bowl fell and broke. "If you are a pig," said the daughter-in-law, "you must eat out of a trough." So they made him a little wooden trough and he got his meals in that. These people had a four-year-old son of whom they were very fond. One evening the young man noticed his boy playing intently with some bits of wood and asked what he was doing. "I'm making a trough," he said, smiling up for approval, "to feed you and Mamma out of when I get big. "The man and his wife looked at each other for a while and didn't say anything. Then they cried a little. They then went to the corner and took the old man by the arm and led him back to the table. They sat him in a comfortable chair and gave him his food on a plate, and from then on nobody ever scolded when he clattered or spilled or broke things.

Let us take great care to treat our elders with love, respect, and honor. Lord willing, I hope to be one of them one day.

That's my view, anyway, from here on N. Wintzell

What I'm Reading

Even though you're probably not all that interested...

I thought I'd give you a quick rundown on some of the things that I've been reading over the past week or two, with some thoughts on each.

For Business:

1) Leading Congregational Change: A Practical Guide for the Transformational Journey
Jim Herrington, Mike Bonem, and James H. Furr


This book is a collection of principles for leadership during times of change in the life of the church, put together by members of the staff of the Union Baptist Association in Houston, Texas. It's a pretty good guide that provides a good model for leading the church to embrace a new vision for its future. I was particularly impressed with the emphasis on preparing the congregation spiritually for change. All around good read and good info.

2) Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God's Agenda
Henry and Richard Blackaby



Another one from the guys who brought you the popular Experiencing God study. This work focuses on the spiritual preparation of the change leader. Sprinkled in are some wise thoughts about the pitfalls of leadership. I was challenged in a few areas about my own leadership style, as well as being encouraged about some things that I may be doing right.

3)A Sense of Urgency
John P. Kotter



Kotter is highly regarded in corporate circles for his work in leadership. In this book, he invites leaders to develop a sense of urgency to move their organization forward. While the book is secular in nature, I found a number of parallels to the life of the church. What situations in our life move us to urgent action? Are we dominated by complacency? How can we move forward?

For Pleasure

1) The Once and Future King
T.H. White



Those of you that know me well know that I'm a sucker for nearly any kind of fantasy literature. Listening to Arthur's story being told from a thoroughly modern narrator is a real joy to me. The wit hits just the right notes, while the characters feel relatively approachable. Further, this book served as an inspiration for one of my favorite movies of all time The Sword in the Stone.

2)Nerds: Who They Are and Why We Need More of Them
Dr. David Anderegg



It's been an interesting read to this point. Anderegg makes the case that nerds are the last great class that we can openly get away with persecuting, particularly through childhood and adolescence. While I think that he may overstate the case just a little bit, I agree with him that our cultural obsession with being "cool" (i.e. not good at math or science) is harming our nation's long term ability to advance in those fields.

So, that's a quick overview of what I've been reading, here on N. Wintzell

Senior Adult Sunday

It's been a good week so far, here on N. Wintzell. The Labor Day holiday was beautiful. I had the opportunity to spend a little bit of time with Dad out on the water and it couldn't have been a better day for it. The lunch menu included shrimp and bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin. Shrimp, bacon, and pork tenderloin all make the list of foods that are hard to mess up.

Going into the weekend, I was concerned about our attendance, given the holiday weekend and the beautiful weather. We launched a new young adult Sunday School class, and I was hoping for a big day. Imagine my surprise when I saw that hope realized! I'm blessed by people who are faithful to the church and take the opportunity to be involved in it. On Labor Day weekend, we had our highest Sunday School attendance to date in my short tenure at FBC. I'm excited about what God is doing in our midst and hope to see God continue to grow the ministry of His church.

I'm excited about this Sunday because it will see us recognize a group of folks that may often go overlooked in the life of the church: Senior Adults. Every time I talk to people that are "in the know" about church growth, we inevitably talk about the challenges of involving young families and young adults in the church. How can we engage them? What are their needs and interests? What can we do to minister to them? I believe that these are important questions and that we should be asking them. I recognize, however, that none of us is asking those kinds of questions about our senior adults. For many congregations (ours included) those seniors have been the backbone for years and continue in that role today. They are faithful to pray, give, and participate in the ministries of the church. Unfortunately, their faithfulness leads us to take their contributions for granted. When someone has served in the church for 40, 50, or 60 years we may not see the value of their service.

With that in mind, Senior Adult Sunday provides us with an opportunity to recognize these men and women and to thank them for the many ways that they contribute to the work of the Kingdom, both in days past and in days to come. My life has been enriched by many seniors. I'm continually blessed by their prayers, love, and encouragement. I'm thankful for the legacy of faithfulness that these men and women have prepared for myself and other leaders to inherit.

This week, when you see a Senior Adult, take the opportunity to hug their necks. Engage them in conversation. Spend time with them. Let them know that you care about them, and thank them for the love that they have offered you. Hopefully I'll make it to Senior Adult status one day (discounts at the Golden Corral!)and I hope that when I do I will carry with me the same kind of legacy that I've seen in the lives of so many men and women I've known in my life. That's my view, anyway, from here on N. Wintzell

The Weekend Ahead

Since football has officially arrived with the kickoff of the college football season last night, I thought I'd give y'all a quick overview of my thoughts going into the weekend! Disclaimer: I don't plan on giving any predictions on scores etc. Because I really have no idea what I'm talking about, but perhaps I'll be able to provide a little bit of out of the box insight.

Friday Night: September 3rd

Alma Bryant vs. Mattie T. Blount

I'll be on the sidelines for this one, and I'm hoping for a good showing by the alma mater. Both teams are coming off of tough losses. Bryant fell to Daphne last week, while Blount took it on the chin in Prattville. This is a region game, and a win would go a long way towards Bryant's aspirations to return to the playoffs in 2010. Whenever I think of Blount, I will always remember their 1998 squad, which featured DeMarco McNeal and Deandre Green, two of the most physically imposing high school football players I've ever seen. As a senior, we watched game film of them in preparation for our matchup with Vigor, and I remember thinking "I'm glad they're in 5A".

Saturday: September 4th

Penn State vs. Youngstown St.

I don't really have any doubt about the outcome of this one, but I will be interested to get a preview of Penn St. prior to next week's clash at Bryant-Denny.

Alabama/Auburn vs. Directional Institution of Your Choice

Not a lot to be excited about in either of these matchups, but it's honest to goodness football featuring our state teams. If these games aren't blowouts, there will be an awful lot of teeth-gnashing around the state. Stay safe boys and get ready for next week! Also, this puts another week closer to the return of Marcel Dareus and Mark Ingram.

North Carolina vs. LSU

Will there be any Tar Heels left to play in this game? Apparently Les Miles is living right, because a win here will only be remembered as a win vs. UNC, a favorite to win the ACC, not as a win against UNC, a team that may not be able to field a complete defense because of Agentgate. A big win here also may help cool Miles' seat a little bit. All fans of the SEC West ought to be cheering for LSU (regional pride, etc.) because, otherwise, they might fire Miles and hire a competent head coach.

Monday: September 6th

Boise State vs. Virginia Tech

In the most exciting matchup of the weekend, I hope to see Virginia Tech smash Boise. I don't like Boise. Not there blue turf, not their dipsy-doo trickeroo plays, their weak schedule, or their chest-thumping about the greatness of their great win over Oklahoma a few years back. Tech, strike a blow for the big boys and end the Cinderella talk now.