St Jude's Marathon, Mike Wade, College Football, and Travel

Congrats to Matt for running in the St. Jude's Marathon today in Memphis. He actually ran a Half-Marathon (13 miles), but that is still a great accomplishment. He ran it in less than 2 hours and never walked........both being really good in my book. WE ARE PROUD OF YOU MATT!!! Sorry we weren't able to make it. I am glad Liz was there with you. You were running for a wonderful group of folks at St. Jude's. The work that they are doing with children who have cancer is amazing. Thank you for caring enough to do that! WODEES!

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Speaking of family and Memphis, word on the street is that my younger cousin Mike Wade reads my blog as a lurker and won't comment! :) Cuz, I am honored you read my blog, and would be even MORE honored if you would leave a comment from time to time! Mike is the son of my Uncle Cotton and Aunt Mack. Mike probably doesn't know this but I was ALWAYS jealous of him growing up because he lived the closest to my Paw-Paw of any of us grandchildren. Our Paw-Paw was a very special man, and I just wish my two boys could have known him. I still miss Paw-Paw, and he has been gone for almost 40 years now. Mike, please greet all the folks we love at the Germantown church! Hug your family too! Tell your sweet mom and dad hello also.

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I never posted about Matt and I being at the Bama-Auburn game. We had a BLAST on a gorgeous day for football! The new stadium is unbelieveable, and the crowd was the loudest I have EVER heard it. The statues of the former coaches who have won National Championships at Alabama are something else. We didn't know we were watching the last game in the Mike Shula era at Bama. I have mixed feeling about the firing. I really like him as a person, and he came at a time when there was a LOT of turmoil going on in the Crimson Nation. NCAA Sanctions, coaches leaving, coaches having wild parties and being fired........it was a MESS. So, I appreciate him taking that challenge, and getting the program on solid ground again. I don't think he would have ever been what folks in Alabama want and expect, and I am not sure that person exists. His downfall was the loss to Miss State and the 4 straight losses to that other school in Alabama. If he had won those two games, the discussion never would have come up this year. That's after playing Tennessee, Florida, Arkansas, and LSU ALL on the road. Not too many teams would have signed up for that schedule. The coaching search should get interesting after this weekend. Who do you see coming to coach Bama? I don't envy Mal Moore.

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I didn't comment on the Brian Mashburn essay in my earlier post. I have read it now probably 5 or 6 times, and I see something new I appreciate each time I read it. I am sure it helps that I know Brian personally, and that I have a feel for his heart. I wish all of you knew him too. He is NOT a trouble maker or a martyr, or even looking for any attention. He is a very humble Christ follower. He is a searcher. He also is a very funny and crazy guy who lives life to it's fullest. I do predict this is NOT the last we will hear from him in the upcoming years. And that will be a blessing for us.

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Tomorrow I am hitting the road probably for the last time before Christmas. I fly into San Diego and fly back out of Burbank on Thursday. I look forward to the weather, scenery, and wonderful folks I will see out there.........but yeah, I dread the 405. I have never, repeat NEVER, driven on it without having to come to a complete stop at some point. Maybe this week will be different! :) Right, and maybe the Iraqi people will quit fighting amongst themselves. Why don't we try sending Jesse and Al Sharpton in that they seem to have the solutions to each and every conflict?

Have a great week!