I’ve got some pretty cool kids

Great week at our house.  Our oldest, Paul, graduated from Anna-Jonesboro Community High School on May 17th.  He had a GPA of 4.1 out of 4 (that’s not a typo!).  He plans to participate in two different mission trips with Anna First Baptist Church this summer.  Then he will begin studies at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale this fall majoring in computer and electrical engineering.  He received three significant scholarships.  Way to go, Diddy-boy! (I call him P-Diddy).

Hannah, our youngest, graduated from Anna Junior High School on May 22nd.  She received recognition as a “high honors” scholar and President’s Achievement scholar, parpticipation in band, and a special certificate for vocal performance from our local Kiwanis Club.  Hannah intends to participate in volleyball and basketball during her freshman year of high school.  We’re proud of Hannah.

Alex will be a junior at AJCHS.  He learned this week that he will be one of two drum majors leading the marching band onto the field, in competitions, and in parades.  Alex is vying for class valedictorian.  He turns 16 in July.  You ‘da man….Sage Squish.

It was an awesome week to be dad to these great kids!

A layman’s solution to rising gas prices in the US

I ain’t no economics expert.  But read the following and tell me why this won’t work.

MSNBC reported recently that we haven’t built any new oil refineries in this country since 1976.  Which means that the ones destroyed in the gulf recenlty haven’t been replaced.  And the ones that remain are likely very antiquated.  The solution?  Build two new petroleum refineries here at home.  One of them somewhere around southern Ohio (to make refined oil reasonably accessible for the eastern half of the midwest and the east coast) and one in western Colorado (similarly for the western half of the midwest and the west coast).  Put these in very remote areas and watch the housing markets boom, see businesses birthed, and ease the jobless rates with several higher paying jobs.

Then start drilling right here at home.  Experts tell us that we have “oil to burn” (no pun intended) in Alaska.  I love wildlife as much as the next guy.  But there’s no sound scientific data that would indicate a “significant” detrimental effect on native species in Alaska.  Have you ever been there?  It’s big.

Once we begin showing the world that we can drill and refine our own oil, foreign OPEC “partners” will be begging us to take their surplus off their hands.

And if we’re being told today that the reasons for prices going up on everything from groceries to clothing to…you name it….are being driven by soaring fuel prices, doesn’t it follow logically that if we are proactive in doing something about bringing fuel prices DOWN that the prices of most other things will follow?

Again, I’m no expert.  I’m just sayin’….

Would someone who IS an expert please reply and help me understand:

1.  Why this wouldn’t work?

2.  If it would work, why we aren’t doing it?

An open letter to the St. Louis Cardinals…..

It’s the morning after the Cards lost 8-4 in extras to the Pirates at home.

Dear St. Louis Cardinals (especially any players / coaches invovled in the use of a baseball bat or the instruction of the use of said bat),

We, the undersigned, would respectfully request that you learn to

TAKE A PITCH…..FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!!!!!!!

Sincerely, Tony Foeller

When the game is tied in the 9th, the bases are loaded, and a young pitcher is struggling with control, why does Ryan Ludwick swing at the first pitch to fly out weakly to center?  Huh?

Integrity in Church Membership

I like the sound of that…don’t you?  Please read the entire article and the proposed resolution that will be brought to the floor of the Southern Baptist Convention this June.  It can be found here.

Simply stated, if you call yourself a “member” of a local church and you are physically able to participate in the life and ministry of that church you need to be present and you need to be serving.  If you are physically able to be there and you choose to not be involved by your presence and your presents (spiritual gifts and financial support), then you shouldn’t be allowed to call yourself a church member.  Membership is a privilege..it’s NOT a right!

As the senior pastor of a church that has nearly 1400 “members” and only about 300 in average weekly attendance, I can completely identify with the need for local churches to call their members to accountable membership and integrity.

What do you think?

NFL draft 2008….recap

Sorry it’s taken me so long to post on this subject.  I just regained the ability to talk after my beloved Chiefs stole the show in this year’s draft!

I always hold out great hope after the draft for the Chiefs.  But this year’s hope is legit!

How did your team do?  Did they draft for immediate need or for the future?

What holes remain in your fave team’s starting line-ups?

MLB report cards 20% into the season

We are officially 1/5 of the way through the 2009 MLB regular season.

What are the biggest surprises to you thus far?

Are there any coaches on the hot seat?

Any early predictions on MVP, ROY, or coach of the year?

When the season actually ends, how different will the standings be from what they are today?

The 2nd worst umpired MLB game in my recollection

….was between the Cardinals and Rockies last night.  The strike zone was all over the place.  And the two calls at home plate….wow.

Yadi beat the catcher’s motion to tag by a mile!  It wasn’t even close.  Then after they slowed down the replay again, and again, and again, and again, you notice that there wasn’t even a tag applied.  Which means he was safe twice and we didn’t get credit for even one run!

Then Pujols scores from 2nd on a fielder’s choice.  Yup….that’s what I said.  Crazy play.  And he appeared out at home.  Oh well….in the end the Cardinals got the run they should have gotten.

The worst umpired MLB game in my recollection?  Why, game 6 of the ‘85 world series, of course.  That was the year that the Royals received the Cardinals’ World Series rings.  Am I bitter, you ask?  OH YEAH!!!!!!!

Denkinger!  DOH!!!

Thoughts on first series between Cards and Cubs

Cardinals take 2 of 3.  But for one lousy inning in game 2 on Saturday, I thought the Redbirds looked dominant.

What stood out to you?

Cards vs. Cubs round 1

Cards….Cubs…..division rivals…….2 of the best records in the NL…….for early season division supremacy.

Predict the difference makers (players, positions, manager decisions)

‘Nuff said.

Go.

Is America a Christian Nation?

On this day of celebrating the National Day of Prayer, I wanted to begin a new (respectful!) thread on the subject of whether or not America is / was intended to be a Christian nation.

For the sake of context, I am an evangelical Christian.  But I believe that many times when “proof” is offered that the founding fathers were Christian (in the same we want to understand the term), their respective quotes are taken out of context.

So I’ll start the discussion with this statement.  While I’m not so sure that many of the founding fathers were “Christian” in the same way I might parse that term, I clearly believe that they intended this country to be founded upon Christian principle and reliance upon God (Jehovah).  And I think we have grounds to believe that religious liberty was at the top of their list of priorities in making a break from mother England.

Your turn.