Georgia High School Association State Finals

Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta

 

Monday, Dec. 16

4 p.m., Class A, Division II:

Bowdon vs. Brooks County

 

7 p.m., Class AAAA:

Marist vs. North Oconee

 

 

Tuesday, Dec. 17

1 p.m., Class A, Division I:

 Northeast vs. Toombs County

 

4 p.m., Class AA:

Burke County vs. Carver, Columbus

 

7 p.m., Class 5A:

Hughes vs. Milton

 

 

Wednesday, Dec. 18

1 p.m., Class 3A-A Private:

Hebron Christian vs. Prince Avenue Christian

 

4 p.m., Class AAA:

Jefferson vs. Calhoun

 

7 p.m., Class 6A:

Grayson vs. Carrollton

All is well between the white lines for Georgia football

The Clemson-Georgia game was advertised as a matchup of college football heavyweights.

Only one heavyweight actually showed up as Georgia humiliated the Tigers 34-3.

The game was not without some level of angst for the Georgia faithful, as they endured a lackluster first half devoid of touchdowns. But the final 30 minutes demonstrated that Kirby Smart’s team remains elite in the sport. With an expanded 12-team playoff awaiting at the end of the season, it does appear that Bulldog fans should begin soon with a savings plan to underwrite numerous post-season trips.

The outcome, however, demonstrates the precarious nature of college football. Even young children can remember a time when Clemson was the one looking down at Georgia, and everybody else. Dabo Swinney has a crick in his neck now, looking up at the powers that be.

After Saturday’s game, he was searching for ways to describe the beatdown, resorting to three different synonyms to describe how they got their derrieres kicked. If you must know, they rhymed with fails, huts and passes.

When Georgia was ascendant under Vince Dooley, so was Clemson under Danny Ford. The Bulldogs won the 1980 national title. Clemson took the 1981 title. And then neither program won another one. They didn’t exactly drop off the map, but they lost their pass key to the gated neighborhood labeled National Title Contender.

Swinney was out in front on the revival plan, winning national titles in 2016 and 2018. They were in the college football playoffs every year from 2015 to 2020. Clemson was the definition of college football royalty.

Not so much lately. Even if a 12-team playoff had started in 2021, they would have been on the outside looking in.

The popular theory is that Swinney has been slow to adjust to the new realities of NIL and transfers, particularly the latter. He does not recruit the transfer portal as other schools do. Half of the touchdowns Georgia scored against Clemson were by players that Smart plucked from the portal: Colbie Young from Miami and London Humphreys from Vanderbilt.

Clemson has recruited at a high level, though south of the heavenly reaches of Georgia. But it has fallen off in two areas of talent: quarterback and receivers.

Both its national titles came with generational quarterbacks (from Georgia), Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence. They had elite receivers to throw to. Georgia, by contrast, famously won its national titles with a former walk-on, Stetson Bennett. And if there is a hole in the recruiting pipeline at Georgia, it is wide receiver. For some reason, the crème de la crème of wideouts seldom choose Georgia.

Clemson’s woes seem like third-world problems to Georgia, which won its 40th straight regular-season game Saturday. Even while losing a regular stream of outstanding players to the NFL year after year, the Bulldogs seem to have plug-and-play options waiting in the wings. Their ranking as the No. 1 team in the land reflects their perceived status.

After the win over Clemson, Smart said his team out-physicaled, out-hustled and out-disciplined the Tigers. He gets no points for grammar, but he was not wrong.

But no team or program is invincible. That includes Georgia. For all its success on the field, off-the-field woes have plagued Smart. Namely, a stream of arrests, mostly for speeding, and a woeful graduation rate.

Young people drive too fast. That is no secret. Insurance actuaries will tell you that. But the problem here is exacerbated by two fatalities after the 2022 national title celebration. You would think that such an incident would dampen enthusiasm for driving fast. (See earlier statement: Young people drive fast.)

Apparently, one running back, portal-get Trevor Etienne, watched from the sidelines, suspended for his own driving indiscretions. Television announcers were convinced that Etienne was held out. But when intrepid AJC sports reporter Chips Towers asked Smart in the post-game press conference, if Etienne was indeed held out for suspension, Smart replied, “Nice try, Chip. We are not going to talk about that.”

It is a sore subject with Smart, who is certainly exasperated that reckless driving and speeding continues to be a problem. There is no reason to doubt him that safe driving is a point of emphasis. But for some reason, he chooses to keep his disciplinary policies to himself.

The problem with private punishment is that Smart looks soft on crime, so to speak. The spate of arrests, if not the severity, has rivaled outlaw programs of the past, such as Miami or Florida, and tarnished Georgia’s reputation.

Smart maintained in his post-game comments that the team dynamics are, in a word, “awesome.”

“I wish you could talk to our players and see them day to day,” he said. “Two of them are sitting right here,” he said, motioning toward quarterback Carson Beck and linebacker Jalon Walker. “Ask them, and they will tell you. What you know of inside the program is a lot more than what you see on the outside. People use that in negative recruiting, and it comes back to bite them.”

Then the graduation rate for football is embarrassing. Georgia’s graduation success rate for the most recent reporting period is 41 percent. LSU is the next lowest in the SEC at 69 percent. Not surprisingly Vanderbilt is first at 95 percent.  Second? Alabama at 93 percent. Apparently, there are some aspects of the Saban process that Smart did not learn.

Winning covers a multitude of woes. And it will continue this week with pay-for-play opponent Tennessee Tech.

It graduates three-fourths of its football players, by the way.

 The dramatic beauty of baseball

June 3, 2024 

The beauty of baseball was on full display at Foley Field Sunday evening.

Georgia rallied for an 8-6 10-inning win over rival Georgia Tech to win the Athens Regional. The Bulldogs will host a super regional next weekend against North Carolina State.

The nature of competition in any sport results in moments of drama that bring spectators back. But with the one-on-one matchup of pitcher and batter in baseball, its ability to manufacture drama is enhanced.

Before Sunday’s game, I remarked to my bride, Jan, “How about a nine-inning party?” Let’s score early and enjoy the day.

By the end, I had changed my tone. “I’ll settle for a ninth-inning party,” I said.

The first exhilarating moment of the ninth inning came when Georgia shortstop Kolby Branch hit a solo homer to tie the game.

Even though Branch is the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, it was not totally unexpected that he would hit a homer. He’s hit 17 of them, a total surpassed only by two teammates (more about them later).

Seventy years from now when Kolby Branch is buried, they should put on his tombstone, “Mr. Grand Slam.” He’s hit four of them this year, including one in Saturday’s win over UNC-Wilmington.

Given that he led off the ninth inning, we will forgive him for hitting only a solo shot, particularly since it made the rest of the night’s dramatics possible.

Georgia skipper Wes Johnson put Charlie Goldstein on the mound to start the ninth. Slated to be one of “the arms” this year, his season has been riddled with injuries. It has been a month since he had pitched at all.  He lasted all of five pitches in the ninth before he exited, betrayed by his arm again.

Matthew Hoskins, boasting a hideous 24.00 ERA, got two out, but eventually walked the bases loaded.

Enter Chandler Marsh to pitch.

Bases loaded. Two outs. Tie game. That is the definition of do or die.

Hey, why not ratchet up the drama with a full count?

That’s where it stood when Tech shortstop Payton Green hit a high hopper between first and second. First baseman Corey Collins ranged to his right to field it. His only play was for the putout at first, if the pitcher got there in time.

I can’t do justice to Marsh’s athleticism in making the play. Collins did not make the most artful throw, but it was timely. Marsh had to go low to field it. He slid feet first into the bag as he simultaneously stretched to catch the throw.

The pump fist by the umpire: out!

Oh, the glory of it all.

Of course, there was a review. Why would Georgia Tech not review it? The umpires signaled the Georgia players back onto the field. Why? If the call stands, they bat. If it does not, the game is over.

It stood. Glory, glory, again.

In the 10th, Georgia scored three times. The first came when Tech’s third baseman, a defensive replacement, threw high on a sacrifice bunt.

Then Collins doubled on an 0-2 count to drive in two more runs.

Collins is not the quintessential leadoff man. But goodness, does he ever get on base. He’s second on the team in homers with 19. He’s walked 54 times. He may have the most disciplined batter’s eye I’ve ever seen. If there is a stat for lowest chase rate, he is the world leader. He swings at the good ones and watches the bad ones.

There was more drama yet to come.

A three-run lead is nice, but it means that a grand slam can undo it all with one swing.

Well, wouldn’t you know it, Tech loaded the bases, with no outs, in the 10th. At bat, Drew Burress.

Every team has an alpha dog. Georgia is fortunate to have the alpha dog of alpha dog in Charlie Condon, whose metrics compare to Barry Bonds.

No kidding.

The man is a national treasure.

He had two hits against Tech before they gave up and went to walking him intentionally. That has become a familiar strategy. Avoid the pain. Kind of like when football teams use to throw to whichever side of the field cornerback Champ Bailey was not on.

Anyway, Burress is Tech’s version of Charlie Condon. In a pinch, he is the player Yellow Jacket fans most desire at the plate.

Marsh had failed to get an out, and Leighton Finley had relieved him. He had yielded a single that loaded the bases. He fell behind to Burress, two balls and no strikes.

Called strike. Called strike. Swinging strike. Air escapes from Tech’s balloon.

A sacrifice fly and a groundout, and it was over. Count it as perhaps the best relief outing by a Georgia starter since Dave Fleming saved the 1990 College World Series title clincher against Oklahoma State.

The super regional starts this weekend, against North Carolina State. Oddly enough, the last time Georgia advanced to the College World Series, 2008, it was at the expense of North Carolina State, which included among its participants second baseman Russell Wilson. You may recognize his name from NFL exploits.

As I recall, Georgia scored a boatload of runs in the first inning of the decisive super regional game to advance to the College World Series. That was fun too, but not nearly as dramatic.

 

 

 The Election-Day Blues

Written May 31, 2024

 

I’m feeling mighty down.

Don’t ya see my ugly frown?

No use getting out of town.

Trouble is all around.

I’m gonna have to pick a clown.

It’s a national shakedown.

Yeah, I’ve got the election-day blues.

 

I ain’t got no choice.

Can’t really exercise my voice.

Either I can vote for a chump.

Rather have a stomach pump.

But then there is no defense

To elect one who talks nonsense.

Can’t you see why I’ve got the election-day blues?

 

They tell me, man, you gotta pick one.

That’s how it’s always been done.

Instead, I’m feeling mortified.

For this, men fought and died?

There’s got to be a better way.

Maybe head to Paraguay.

Oh, dear, I’m feeling the election-day blues.

 

How’d we get in this mess?

Whole country’s in distress

Chump or clown. That’s your pick.

It’s absolutely prehistoric.

We survived a pandemic.

I’m afraid this is systemic.

I can’t get rid of these election-day blues.

 

I ain’t got no solution.

Don’t want no revolution.

For the sake of humanity,

Let’s end this insanity.

What we need is a hero.

Instead, we got zero.

Trying to shake these election-day blues.

The world’s most unusual rabbit box

 

For about two years, I have been playing tennis two or three times a week with some gentlemen of similar age and opportunity. “Old, retired guys” is another way to say that.

It’s a good group of guys, and they welcomed me like they do all newcomers. At first, I was the guy that you lost with. Now, I win my fair share.

For the most part, it is a first-name clan. You don’t need to know the last name to say, “Good shot, Peter.” Or Bob, or Ross, or Hank, or Steve…I don’t need to list 30-something names, do I?

I knew some of them from another life, like Hank Johnson, my editor at the Athens Banner-Herald. But for most of them, tennis is the common denominator.

When there is an odd number of players, we chat as we wait to play. And maybe get to know each other a bit. Which is how I learned not long ago that Peter Wild was born and raised in England. He was a child there during World War II. Unlike the children of London who were dispatched to the countryside for their own safety, Peter already lived in the country.

He discovered Athens when he came to attend the University of Georgia. He found his bride here too.

“I married an Athens girl,” he clarified.

“Anyone I might know?” I inquired.

“Harriett Rosser,” he said.

My follow-up comment was not exactly an artful segue. And if I were to offer you a million dollars, you could not predict what I said next.

“Have you ever run across a mahogany rabbit box?”

“Well, yes,” he said. “I have one in the barn. I was thinking about putting it in the garden because the rabbits are getting into the okra.”

“My dad made that rabbit box,” I said.

After Daddy bought a farm and moved to Winterville, he had a shop and filled it with a planer, a drill and saws of various types and took to making furniture. I’m at this very moment sitting in front of a J.B. Giles-made coffee table. Elsewhere in my home are other furniture pieces he made. He made cedar hope chests and cradles and tables and cabinets, giving them away.

Daddy did not as a rule work from plans. He could conceptualize it and make it. The one exception might have been the magician’s box with the hidden door that he made on order.

Decades ago, Daddy made the rabbit box, from mahogany, and gave it as a gag to his friend Harry Rosser, Peter’s father-in-law. Harry was a World War II veteran who worked at the University of Georgia Physical Plant before retiring.

I never saw the box. But I knew about it, and I knew it must have been received warmly, probably with a belly laugh.

Back to the tennis court.

“Say, Peter, do you think you could take a picture of that box? I’ve never seen it.”

“Tell you what,” said Peter, “I’ll bring it next time we play so you can see it.”

Sure enough, he transported it to the Athens-Clarke Tennis Center, in the trunk of his white Corvette. A mahogany rabbit box has to travel in style, you know.

I recognized Daddy’s handiwork and style. Peter demonstrated how it worked, just like a rabbit box should.

“Peter, let me get a photo,” I said.

“Would you like to take it home?” he asked.

It would be poetic to write that my heart skipped a beat. I had not expected so gracious an offer.

“If you’re serious, I would love to,” I said. “It will be a treasured heirloom in our family.”

And so, I packed it in the trunk of my BMW Z3. Still traveling in style.

Peter once worked for Clarke County and knew my dad, but I don’t believe he knew that he was the creator of the world’s most unusual rabbit box.

Peter said he looked for some marks to indicate the maker, but he never found them. My wife did, on the base, a simple stencil reading JBG.

For now, the rabbit box occupies a spot on the hearth, and its story has been enriched by an act of kindness that is every bit as grand as the original handiwork.

How 1980 is like 2017, and how it is not

The 1980 season and the 2017 college football seasons end with Georgia playing for the national championship.

But in 1980, the Bulldogs had to wait a few hours to be voted national champions by various polls. No such wait will be necessary in 2017.

Both the 1980 and 2017 Georgia teams had a Woerner playing for them.

In 1980, it was All-American Scott Woerner, whose interception in the fourth quarter stymied the final Notre Dame drive. In 2017, it is Charlie Woerner, nephew to the aforementioned Scott, who made key catches early in the Rose Bowl win over Oklahoma.

The 1980 and 2017 Georgia teams are alike in that the punishing running of a Georgia-born tailback was key.

But in 1980, freshman superstar Herschel Walker of Wrightsville pretty much carried the load by himself, whereas in 2017, Nick Chubb of Cedartown has had plenty of help from Sony Michel and Co.

The 1980 team was quarterbacked by highly-recruited Buck Belue of Valdosta, and the 2017 team is quarterbacked by highly-recruited Jake Fromm of Warner Robins, two homegrown, hometown legends who excelled in baseball too.

Belue’s best baseball, however, came as a slugging outfielder for the Bulldogs, whereas Fromm’s baseball exploits seem behind him, as a star for Warner Robins’ Little League World Series champions.

2017 is like 1980 in that the top two rushers combined for close to 2,000 yards at the end of the regular season.

The seasons are dissimilar in that in 1980, Walker accounted for 1,616 of the 1,969 yards he and Carnie Norris gained. In 2017, Chubb and Michel were much closer to even on the 2,001 yards they gained before the regular season was over. Adding two post-season games, they have combined for 2,449 yards, with Chubb getting 54 percent and Michel 46 percent.

The 2017 Bulldogs are like the 1980 Bulldogs in that the offensive line has been a stable strength all season.

The only real difference between the lines is that in 2017, a freshman started, Andrew Thomas, whereas the 1980 team was loaded with upperclassmen.

The 1980 season and the 2017 season are alike in that the Bulldogs won their first road game by one point at night. In both wins, a freshman back played a critical role in the win.

In 1980, Georgia opened the season at Knoxville with a 16-15 comeback win over Tennessee. Freshman Herschel Walker came off the bench to rally the Bulldogs, scoring two touchdowns.

In 2017, of course, Georgia’s second game of the year was a 20-19 win at Notre Dame where Jake Fromm started and threw a touchdown pass.

The 1980 and 2017 Georgia teams are alike in that they beat everyone on their schedule.

But while the 1980 team was undefeated, the 2017 team beat Auburn the second time around in the SEC championship.

In both 1980 and 2017, Georgia won games because of a big-time reception by a receiver.

But in 1980, it was Lindsay Scott’s 93-yard catch that rallied the Bulldogs to a late win over Florida in the Gator Bowl. In 2017, it was Terry Godwin who caught Fromm’s early TD pass against Notre Dame. The catch was ultimately declared by ESPN the college football play of the year.

Both the 1980 and 2017 teams featured a consensus All-America football player.

For the 1980 team, it was freshman tailback Herschel Walker, who finished runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. In 2017, linebacker Roquan Smith was a unanimous All-American and winner of the Butkus Award.

Both the 1980 and 2017 teams depended on a veteran, senior kicker.

In 1980, it was senior placekicker Rex Robinson, whereas in 2017 punter Cameron Nizialek has transformed Georgia’s punting game in his one season after transferring from Columbia.

In the preseason rankings in 1980 and 2017, Georgia opened the season ranked in the mid-teens.

The 1980 Bulldogs were ranked No. 16 in the first AP poll. They were not ranked No. 1 until after the comeback win against Florida, coupled with Notre Dame’s 3-3 tie against Georgia Tech, which was winless in 1980. The 2017 AP preseason poll ranked Georgia No. 15. The Bulldogs have yet to be ranked No. 1 by AP this year, rising as high as No. 2. Georgia was ranked No. 1 for two weeks in the College Football Playoff Rankings.

In both the 1980 and 2017 seasons, the Bulldogs enjoyed a dramatic New Year’s Day bowl win over an iconic college football superpower that it had previously never played.

In 1980, it was a 17-10 win over Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, clinching a 12-0 season and the national title. In 2017, it was Oklahoma, a 54-48 victim in the Rose Bowl, earning a CFP semifinal win.

The head coaches of both the 1980 and 2017 Georgia teams left assistant coaching positions at an Alabama university to coach the Bulldogs.

In 1980, Vince Dooley was in his 17th season, having left his alma mater, Auburn, to come to Georgia. In 2017, Kirby Smart is in his second year coaching at his alma mater, having left Nick Saban’s Alabama staff. (After the 1980 regular season finished, Dooley was courted by Auburn to return as the head coach, but he stayed to coach for and win the national title,)

Both the 1980 and 2017 Georgia teams featured starting cornerbacks who began their career as walk-ons.

In 1980, it was Mike Fisher who had walked on after transferring from Furman. He had an interception in the Sugar Bowl. In 2017, Aaron Davis has been a mainstay secondary starter since he walked on after knee injuries shortened his high school career. Also, Davis in 2017 broke a school record for most games started by a former walk-on, bettering the mark set by linebacker Nate “Ty Ty” Taylor, starting linebacker for the 1980 Bulldogs.

In 1980 and 2017, Georgia rallied and won in last-minute fashion because of dramatic heroics.

In 1980, it was Belue to Scott for 93 yards against Florida. In 2017, it was Michel scoring as the second overtime ended to beat Oklahoma in the semis, this after Lorenzo Carter blocked a field goal in overtime, that after Nick Chubb had scored the tying touchdown with 55 seconds to play in regulation, and that after Fromm directed a great closing drive.

Both the 1980 and 2017 teams featured great senior leadership.

But 1980’s senior leaders—Chris Welton, Hugh Nall, Frank Ros, Nat Hudson and Scott Woerner—spent their summer painting the practice-field wall as punishment for stealing a UGA hog for a team barbecue in the spring of 1980. The 2017 senior leaders feature four selfless veterans who could have earned millions in the NFL by turning pro after their junior seasons: Chubb, Michel, Carter and Davin Ballamy.

The 1980 Bulldogs won their last game. 2017? Remains to be seen.

The redemption run continues

On the final, glorious football play of the 2018 Rose Bowl, Sony Michel completed his own redemption journey on this magical mystery tour that is the still-unfolding Bulldog season.

Michel’s jaunt measured a mere 27 yards, but its worth far outweighed its length. It ended a wrenching College Football Playoff semifinal, earning for the University of Georgia a place in the title game, by virtue of a 56-48 comeback win over Oklahoma.

Michel’s touchdown run was entirely in character. This proved to be the penultimate game of a career that adds up to a resume equaled by few and surpassed mathematically only by two of his UGA predecessors.

If you are interested in the raw numbers, he traversed 181 yards over the beautiful Rose Bowl turf on a mere 11 attempts. Counting a pass from his precocious quarterback, Michel reached the Promised Land four times.

But for a while, it appeared that he might go home remembering one disastrous carry.

Midway in the fourth quarter, he had uncharacteristically fumbled the football. Oklahoma defender Steven Parker was fortuitously in the neighborhood and was able to scoot 47 yards with the pilfered pigskin, rallying his Sooners to a 45-38 lead.

In his four years, Michel has been entrusted with the football hundreds of times, enough to cover 3,540 yards. Usually, he has responded with alacrity and dependability. In fact, we learned after his ill-timed fumble, that he had not lost a fumble since his freshman season.

Well, this has been the year of redemption for Georgia, avenging the blemishes of Kirby Smart’s first season. Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Florida, Georgia Tech—victors last year—became the vanquished this year by a combined 168-28 score. Only Ole Miss by virtue of scheduling escaped payback, and perhaps their in-state rival Mississippi State took the punishment instead.

The theme continued in the SEC championship game when the Bulldogs were presented the opportunity to avenge the lone blot on this year’s slate, a 40-17 embarrassment at Auburn. So Georgia won the one that counted, 28-7, earning its placement in this toddler of a playoff system. So we arrive at this point of the season, and only two teams in the nation have beaten everybody on their schedule: Central Florida and Georgia.

As if the buildup to a semifinal game on the hallowed Rose Bowl grounds is not enough drama, a soap opera played out through the week regarding the Sooners’ talented quarterback, Baker Mayfield. He shows promise for those clever Heisman commercials.

Mayfield was afflicted with a mysterious illness. Confession: his history fostered thoughts that perhaps the young man was at first dealing with the effects of a hangover. But there was ample evidence to the contrary that he was dealing with an upper-respiratory ailment. Hoarseness is a challenge in these days of audible calls.

Mayfield showed no signs of illness Monday. He navigated his team to a “name-your-score” 31-17 halftime lead. He even managed to catch a touchdown pass.

That was very nearly the last demonstration of his considerable skill. What looked easy in the first half became difficult in the second half.

Meanwhile, across the field, his opposite, Jake Fromm performed admirably. Yes, he reminded us with a “what-were-you-thinking” backwards pass under pressure that he is a freshman. But honestly, he is not an ordinary freshman. The world is his stage, and if he has found the limits of his comfort zone, they have yet to be seen.

So in the Granddaddy of Them All, with a championship season on the line, Fromm directed a 59-yard scoring drive in seven plays, leaving just 55 seconds for Mayfield to answer.

Curiously, or not, little was asked of either quarterback in the overtimes. Coaches Kirby Smart and Lincoln Riley—sharing three years of head coaching experience between them—opted for a very conservative approach.

The handwriting was on the wall for the Sooners when Lorenzo Carter—who under different circumstances might have been counting his NFL money by now—swiped an Oklahoma field goal try. As it developed, Georgia would have won the game even without the block, but it certainly put a different spin on things when the Bulldog offense took the field.

And so, on the last play, Michel ran from the Wild Dawg formation, a plain announcement of an infantry advance. The aforementioned Fromm blocked like an expert, and Michel strolled unbruised into Bulldog history, into college football history.

There remains yet one more contest, and if you are looking for redemption, just remember that the last time Georgia and Alabama played under a roof in Atlanta, five years ago, a tipped pass in the last five seconds robbed the Bulldogs of a chance to play for a national title.

Well, if you can look on the other side of the bus, you would note that they tore that building down. And Georgia is undefeated in the new place. Against an Alabama school.

It was dry in Washington

So, I understand that you had a little rain hereabouts last week.

While the Oconee area was enveloped by drenching gray clouds, my wife and I were standing at the base of Mt. Rainier in Washington, where barely even a cloud was visible, much less rain.

The irony is that Mt. Rainier is one of the ten wettest locations in the lower 48. So is Forks, Wash., which we merely drove through. We are not big fans of the Twilight sagas. If that is an obscure reference to you, then neither are you a fan of the teenage werewolf stories that have been cinematic sensations. At least at the box office.

Jan and I visited the Pacific Northwest last week. We figured it would be a chance to see a part of the world we had never seen and get a break from the summer heat.

As it turned out, who knew that we would be going to the wet state where it was clear and dry all week. And a little warm, by their standards.

Seattle served as the hub for the escape, but with our Mustang convertible as transportation we traversed the state, practically from top to bottom and east to west. In hindsight, it was a little too much driving, but the scenery was spectacular.

We saw our first sunset over the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach, where it ordinarily rains more than 200 days a year. Not when we were there.

Now, it was on the chilly side, with temps in the upper 60s to low 70s, and windy. This is not a beach for sun bathing.

I was warned ahead of time that Mt. Rainier might not be visible. It is usually shrouded in clouds. Not while we were there. It loomed over us from all sides, a spectacular snow-capped sight, whether seen up close or in the distance. Mt. Baker and Mt. Hood were other snow-capped peaks visible from miles away.

One of our excursions took us to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. A store owner apologized for the 84 degree temperatures. “I am melting,” she said.

Frankly, we had not noticed.

Now, it was hot in Yakima, which is on the desert side of the Cascades. It was 98 in the shade. Happily, we did not spend much time there. It was merely a layover en route to the Columbia River Gorge.

Driving the roads of Washington is akin to driving in extreme north Georgia. Lot of hills and curves. From what I saw, vast amounts of the state are uninhabitable because of the mountains. But it makes for spectacular scenery.

Two major side excursions took us near and into Canada. We ended the trip with a visit to beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, where Butchart Gardens is a must-see destination. Any plant lover will be absolutely enthralled by what they have done over the last century in transforming what used to be a rock quarry.

The city of Victoria itself is a jewel, its harbor one of the most picturesque you can imagine. Sea planes drop in gently amid the whale-watching boats. Sail boats and cruise ships alike anchor in the harbor.

Speaking of whales, we elected to take a sea kayaking tour early in the trip. We departed from Snug Harbor, led by an able young woman who grew up in Missouri and was educated in Vermont before landing a job in Washington.

We saw bald eagles and I tasted bull kelp, but we saw no signs of whales.

During the trip, our guide, Dakota, asked get-to-know-you questions.

“I’m the editor of a weekly newspaper in Watkinsville,” said I.

From the kayak to our right: “We know where Watkinsville is! Our daughter lives in Bishop!”

Turns out it was the Arnolds, parents of Kim Arenas, the former All-American gymnast who is now teaching young gymnasts at Georgia Elite Gymnastics in Watkinsville.

Fortunately, Jan was on her best behavior, so there are no tales to tell.

Wood for Warriors

Sutton Norris, red cap, and friends meet Michael Boucher, who lost his legs in active duty. He showed them the track-type wheelchair that he owns. 

Until recently, Sutton Norris was another faceless name on the Prince Avenue Christian School football roster. No. 20.

In my role as play-by-play announcer for the Wolverines football team, I had memorized his number. He was not a star on the team that went all the way to the state finals last year.

At 145-pounds, it is unlikely that young Mr. Norris is going to forge his path in football.

But he is a trailblazer. Make no mistake about that.

Norris crossed my path face to face recently at a barbecue. He was passing out business cards.

Wood for Warriors.

It was not a fundraiser for Oconee County High.

Norris has wanted to be in the military since he was 6 years old. He is divided between the Naval Academy and West Point. One grandfather was an intelligence officer in the Army. Another was a Navy aviator who served with John McCain in Vietnam.

Young lads can hear some of the stories of military exploits and come away with stars in their eyes. But Norris has seen the other side too.

That’s what Wood for Warriors is all about.

Norris aims to cut wood to raise money for a track-type wheelchair that veterans can use on hunting expeditions.

Norris saw one and learned of the efforts of two other Oconee County businessmen in raising funds for such vehicles: Tom Little and Terry Fohey.

The latter had Norris and some friends out to his new farm in Greene County last weekend. He put their zeal to the test with a full day of clearing vines and underbrush and small trees in what Fohey hopes will be a retreat and a place for wounded veterans to hunt.

“It is a beautiful piece of land,” said Norris.

Norris talked two classmates, Walker Boswell and Jack Wilfong, into helping him, His dad, Tab, joined in, as did his Young Life leader, Tory Singer. I wonder if cutting wood was in the ministry job description.

Fohey was a little concerned when Boswell showed up for a day of working in the woods wearing short pants.

“You are going to get all cut up,” Fohey warned him.

At the end of the day, he was all cut up, but he hung in there until he had to go do some chores at home. His pals came by later and helped him.

Michael Boucher came by the work site, with a wheelchair.

“It was a surreal experience,” said Norris, “to see that this is real and achievable. But we have a lot of hard work ahead.”

At the end of the day, Fohey cut a check for $1,000 to Wood for Warriors. Norris had passed the test with flying colors. For the second time.

When Fohey first got wind of Norris’s quest, he helped arrange a visit for Norris to a hospital near Washington, D.C., where he could meet some of the men that he was determined to help. Like Samuel Walley, who came back without one arm and one leg.

“It was chilling, seeing that,” said Norris. “It was rough to see these guys who have sacrificed so much for our country. It really fired me up.”

Write this down: (706) 248-4812 or suttonnorris@gmail.com. That is how you can get in touch with Mr. Norris and turn your wood into something for the nation’s warriors.

One thing for sure. Sutton Norris, No. 20 in the program, is an All-American in my book.

This was published in The Oconee Enterprise Thursday, May 16, 2013.

Meeting the man from Mitchell

The press release from Congressman Broun’s office was intriguing: World War II veteran to receive medals.

That was how I met Marion Snider of Mitchell, Ga.

I didn’t get Mr. Snider’s age, but when you are a World War II vet these days, you are pretty much already in the overtime period of life.

My first impression of Mr. Snider was entirely positive. He looked good in a suit and tie, and his bride of 10 years looked good too. Mr. Snider laughed when I joked, “Took you a while to work up the courage to ask her to marry you, huh?”

Of course, she is his second bride, and I never did hear the story of their courtship. The medal ceremony interrupted the story.

I’ve never been to Mitchell, but I’ve been to Gibson. Which is on the way to nowhere.

“Mitchell is a suburb of Gibson,” quipped Mr. Snider.

He told me his story of service in World War II. It was not a story of great heroism. But it was a story of sacrifice, nonetheless.

He was assigned to the mechanized cavalry in the U.S. Army. Trucks. His was a vital job of keeping the lifeline flowing to the men on the front.

He eventually was stationed in the Philippines, on the New Guinea side, so he never crossed paths with another hero, Cobern Kelley, a mate on the USS Narwhal, a submarine that ferried people and supplies from Australia to the Philippines and back. Kelley was later the physical director at the Athens YMCA.

Mr. Snider’s truck company was preparing for the invasion of Japan when he heard about the atomic bomb.

“We knew then that the war was over,” he said.

Soon, he was on a ship to San Francisco, stacked in bunks below decks. He ate one meal a day and relieved himself off the deck. Some times reporters learn too much information.

He arrived back in San Francisco in the dead of night. No cheering crowds. He did get a steak dinner.

“It was good,” he said.

He went into trucking for a while before going to work for the Veterans Affairs. But he had always wanted to be a rural mail carrier, and he made the right connection to deliver mail in Mitchell. It doesn’t get more rural than that.

By the time he retired, he had 42 years of service with Uncle Sam, and he had raised a family. There are now grandchildren and even great grandchildren.

The medal presentation was necessitated because he misplaced the original issues. That was where Congressman Broun stepped in. For the record, Mr. Snider received the Good Conduct Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three Bronze Service Stars, World War II Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon, Honorable Service Lapel Button for WWII and Marksman Badge w/ Rifle Bar. 

But he also received a little moment in the sun. The respect that fellow serviceman Congressman Broun expressed to Mr. Snider for his service was heartfelt.

There is certainly more to the story of Marion Snider, but just to hear a slice of his life was a treat.

Thank you, Mr. Snider.

‘Big Daddy’ was friend to all he met

From time to time it becomes necessary to report on the death of people prominent in a small community like Oconee County. George Hillsman was prominent almost before Oconee County was a community. Unfortunately, I did not have the pleasure of getting to know him before he died recently. So here is the story that appeared in The Oconee Enterprise about a week after his death.

George Hillsman was affectionately known as “Big Daddy.”

The nickname aptly described him. He lived a large life, and he took practically everyone he met under his protective wing.

Hillsman, 83, died Wednesday, March 13. He had collapsed the day before at Hot Thomas Restaurant, one of his favorite hangouts.

David Williams said he thought that Hillsman earned the nickname in the late ‘60s when he was supervising a crew of laborers, Williams included, who were working on soil tests in Georgia and nearby states. Williams was with the Southern Piedmont Experiment Station at the time.

“He was a big man,” said Williams, “probably 375 to 400 pounds. And he was always looking out for us young guys. I believe it was Wendell Hardigree who said, ‘George is trying to look after us like a big daddy.’ And the name stuck.

“He took me under his wing,” confirmed Fred Hale, who worked for Hillsman.

“One of his main deals was where would we eat,” Williams said. “Over in Saluda, S.C., he found a boarding house that served country dinners. And not by the plate. You sat down at a table, and they brought you all you could eat.”

Williams said he talked to Robert Sheats at the funeral last Saturday. Sheats had been one of those who worked for Hillsman.

“Robert told me that George was like a father figure to him,” Williams said. “Big Daddy was an appropriate nickname. He was an encourager. He was one of those people that made you feel better anytime you were around him, and he was generous to a fault.”

Hillsman was born and raised in Oconee County and lived most of his life here. He was in the military, and Sidney Bell recalled that Hillsman once worked in Irwinton, Ga., where he lived next door to Bell’s aunt.

Bell was another one who went to work under Hillsman at Southern Piedmont.

“He had a way of taking care of you,” said Bell. “He was Big Daddy to a lot of people.”

Bell was close in age to one of the Hillsman sons, Charles.

“I always loved going over there,” he said. “I’d go help him haul straw. We built barns and picked up dead chickens. Charles and I had children about the same age, and George was like an uncle to my children.”

Steve Maxey said that Hillsman was like a brother to him. They were born 11 days and a mile and a half apart.

“We used to ride tricycles down the road to see each other,” said Maxey. “We stayed at one or the other’s house all the time. We were down at the creek, building dams across the branch or fishing or playing in the woods.”

Maxey became a commercial roofer and worked out of Atlanta for many years. But the two stayed in touch. Maxey would buy beef from Hillsman when he killed a cow. When Maxey retired and returned to the area, their friendship resumed.

Hillsman had a reputation as a good cook, particularly when it came to chicken mull or turtle mull. Hale remembered the times they caught a turtle, fed it and then made turtle mull. “He made sure everybody got something to eat,” Hale said.

Hillsman farmed too, growing chickens and raising cattle.

“The Hillsmans were always willing to try something new,” said Russ Page.  “They put part of their farm in farmland protection 10 or 12 years ago. When the University of Georgia came out with a new kind of alfalfa that could be grazed on, they tried it out.”

Williams recalled a misunderstanding based on Hillsman’s willingness to try new things. Hillsman had purchased a Simmental bull and was going to cross-breed it. One of his friends told someone that Hillsman had bought a “cinnamon tree bull.”

“George was always trying to help someone,” said Williams. “He’d help them with their cows or their hay. He was the tax man too. There is no telling how many income tax returns he did for people. He told me the other

day that he was even doing some this year. It was just something he did for people.”

Charles Osborn said that Hillsman paid for Osborn to go to soil conservation camp when Osborn was 12 years old.

 “He was a friend to everybody,” Williams said. “He wanted to know everybody. And if he saw you in Publix and didn’t know you, he would try to find out who you were.”

Like as not, he would find some connection and even kinship to any new person he met.

Williams said that he suspected that Hillsman had sleep apnea before anyone knew what to call it.

“He would fall asleep at the drop of a hat,” Williams said. “He could go to sleep standing up.”

Bell said that he had not spoken to Hillsman since August when he came to the Antioch Church barbecue. “My job changed the last three years, and I have not spent as much time with him and that is very regrettable.”

Ian arrives on his timetable

When you first meet someone, how long does it take before you decide that the two of you are going to hit it off?

For me and Ian Matthew Rupard, it took less than a minute.

Maybe it was a full minute, but when I was holding my newest grandson in my arms for the first time Monday, time flew by.

But we made a connection, a very definite connection. Our eyes locked for the first of many times. I liked what I saw. And I’ll never forget it.

I don’t know that he’ll remember the moment too well.

But the good thing is that Ian is coming to live at my house for a while, and so we will get a chance to know each other much better in the coming months.

See, Ian’s dad is a soldier, stationed in Germany right now. So his mom, my baby daughter Emily, is staying with us until the next duty station is sorted out.

As it happened, Dad was late for the birth. Something about missing a flight. Really, he thought he was leaving in plenty of time. According to the doctors, Ian’s ETA was Friday. I guess the little guy had his own timetable.

Even without Dad on the premises, his side of the family was well represented. Were there really seven parents, step-parents and sisters on hand? That’s by my unofficial count. Of course, this was their first venture into the wonderful world of grandbabies.

I would not exactly say that I am an old hand at this grandfather business. Ian’s the third grandson. The other two, Jack and Sam, are in Disney World. Can’t wait until they hook up for the first time.

As a matter of fact, they did their dead-level best to talk their Aunt Emmy into making the trip to Florida with them. Jack, the 5-year-old, patiently explained all of the attractions at the wonderful world of Disney, certain that it would persuade his beloved aunt to come along for the thrilling ride.

She had her own thrilling ride Monday. Absent Dad, Mama Jan stood by during the labor and delivery. Me thinks she enjoyed this one a lot more than the other three she had a direct participation in. She played the good reporter for much of the process, sending timely text messages about centimeters and the like.

At 5:44 came this text:  “Fixing to have a baby!”

And then nothing for what seemed like ages. Finally at 6:55 Jan bounced out of the delivery room with pictures and some details. Six pounds, 14 ounces. What time? She didn’t know. Later, we learned it was 6:45.

As far as we can tell, he arrived with all the pieces in their right places. Only one question remains.

Is his hair red, like his Daddy, called Cheeto-Head by one acquaintance? Next time, I’m peeking under that stocking cap.

Online PS: The hair is brown.

This appeared in the March 21 edition of the Oconee Enterprise.

CBS has a new shepherd

Kimm Carr to lead Community Bible Study

The following is a story that I wrote for the Oconee Enterprise about Kimm Carr becoming the new director of CBS. 

Before David was anointed the king of Israel, he was a shepherd boy, far from the palace.

Before Kimm Carr was named the next executive director of Community Bible Study, she was a wife, a mother and a shepherd to a local Bible study.

Carr, a member of Faith Presbyterian Church in Watkinsville, was recently announced as the new executive director of CBS, an international Christian ministry based in Colorado Springs, Colo. In the spring she will succeed Camilla Seabolt, a native Athenian.

Community Bible Study suportsnearly 700 classes across the nation and more in 70 countries around the world. Carr will be only the third executive director in the 38-year history of CBS.

For the last six years she has been the teaching director of a study that has met on Thursday mornings at Athens First United Methodist Church for 13 years. There are 275 adults participating, some in directing the children’s Bible studies that run concurrent. A separate evening class meets Monday evenings at Milledge Avenue Baptist Church in Athens. [I am the teaching director for this study.]

Rather than employ a head hunter, CBS looked internally, asking its regional and area directors to suggest candidates. Carr knew through newsletters and the like only what other teaching directors and volunteers knew about the search for Seabolt’s successor. Not until October did she learn that her name had been submitted for consideration.

Seabolt was not involved in the process of finding her successor, but she knew Carr well.

“We have been good friends for a long time,” Seabolt said. “When Mother died, Kimm was over at the house that day, so we had a good relationship. I have known in my heart that some day she would be in this role, but I actually thought there might be someone else in the middle.”

Carr said that CBS “saved my life.”

She explained, “As a Christian, I was drafting off my pastor or off my girlfriend, what she had learned. My association with God and the Bible was second hand. That can be easily shaken.

“After investing time in reading God’s word myself, what I learned about Jesus and the heart of God, Who He is, that is what saved my life,” Carr said. “Being a wife, a mother, a daughter and a friend, I had a support system that enabled me to see how Jesus would process different situations. I stumble all the time, but I have a plumb line as opposed to a second-hand faith.”

Carr was trained as an audiologist and meant to start a private practice after her son entered school. But her commitment to CBS kept delaying the start to her career.

When her husband Steve was transferred a year ago to the marketing division of Georgia Power in Atlanta, the Carrs looked for a home in between so she could commute to Athens to teach. Their purchase of a home in Covington was canceled at the last minute, which seems providential now.

“We have been living in a 700-square-foot garage apartment in Good Hope,” Kimm Carr laughed.

Her husband’s willingness to give up his executive position with Georgia Power is testament to the fact that they consider the position a call on both of them.

“God has been so clear in this calling,” she said. “Steve is an engineer, and he looks at things black and white. But he puts that underneath what God is telling him. He is walking away from a company that he loves. Steve knows this is a calling on the family.”

The Carrs will be introduced to the ministry during an annual teaching director’s conference in Colorado Springs at the end of the month.

Carr said the vision of CBS is clearly stated in its mission statement: “To make disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ in our communities through caring, in-depth Bible study, available to all.”

“I am one of those whose life has been transformed,” said Carr, “because a group of women in Athens followed that mission statement.

Perfectly Beastly

Perfectly Beastly

 One of the things that I like to do when I go to the coast is surf fish. I have not done it enough to know much about it, but it is still an enjoyable pastime. One of the interesting things is that you never know what is going to be on the end of your line. You will catch all variety of fish from the ocean. One of my more memorable catches was the fish that by the time I got it to the shore was half gone. Literally. It was alive when I started the retrieve. It was not when I landed it. It made me wonder just what I had missed. 

 Revelation 13 introduces us to something else that comes out of the sea. The sea here is a metaphor for the sea of humanity. What emerges is a beast, only not a sea monster. Now certainly its description with the multiple heads and an appearance at once like a leopard and a bear and a lion certainly make it seem to qualify as a monster. But this beast is a man, but not an ordinary man. This man will be the antichrist. One of the first things we understand is that he has a strong family resemblance to his father the devil. The description of the dragon in Revelation 12 and the beast in Revelation 13 leave little doubt that this beast is Satanic to the fullest extent. 

 The news about the beast in this chapter is not good. The news is that the beast is going to rise to world power and exercise authority to persecute and blaspheme for 42 months. That is three and a half years. And during his reign, he will exert his power in the most profane way. V. 10 is one of the most frightening verses in all of scripture: “If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.” If you remember last week, I used the illustration of the British squad that found themselves behind enemy lines with no air support. That is essentially the message here. There will be no air support for Christians during this last 42 months. But here is the great news. While the antichrist may rule for 42 months, Jesus Christ will reign forever.

The identity of the beast, Rev. 13:1-2

Who is this guy? The beast is not given a name here, nor is his nationality identified. But we learn enough about him here to give us some strong clues. He is a world leader of a confederation of 10 nations. Most commentators associate it with Europe. The seven horns can mean seven mountains, and Rome was the city built on seven hills. That could be true. He has risen to prominence through powers of persuasion, brokering a deal to settle the Arab-Israeli problem by making a covenant with the Jews to protect them for seven years. We learn this from Daniel 9:27. That enables the Jews to rebuild the temple and to reinstitute religious rituals. But here in the middle of that seven-year time, he is going to break the treaty and set up himself as god in the temple. Again, see Daniel 9 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. The symbolic description of this beast reveals something about his origin and his character. In Genesis, men are described as being made in the image of God. Here this man is made in the image of a wild animal under the control of Satan. He is certainly a man, but he is energized from hell. Jesus Christ was God in the flesh, and this man will be Satan in a human body. In Daniel 7, Daniel looked forward into the future and saw four beasts: a lion, which stood for Babylon; a bear, which stood for Media-Persia; a leopard, which stood for Greece; and finally a terrible beast. John saw them in reverse order because he was looking back, and he saw them all united as one. The final world empire will be rooted in all the previous empires and unite in one in their evil and power.

Today, Europe essentially has one currency. Seven national currencies were replaced in 2002 with the Euro. The history of the European Union traces back to the 1950s. The first six countries to join that union were Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. At latest count there are 27 member states. There may certainly be more freedom of travel and trade in Europe now, but there are still disparities. Consider the financial peril of countries like Greece. Bible scholars have watched the EU with interest because of the 10 heads, or 10 countries. Is it possible that the antichrist will emerge from an European confederation? It has long been thought so by Bible scholars, and now it seems more likely.

But beware. John Lennon wrote the anthem, Give Peace a Chance. The familiar chorus is: “All we are saying is give peace a chance.” It is certainly an appealing, alluring dream. A world without war. Revelation promises that there will arise a world leader who will promise a world of peace, and actually deliver for a short time. But the last 42 months of his reign will reveal him for the sham he is. Praise God it is only 42 months. The reign of Christ is forever. 

The influence of the beast, Rev. 13:3-8:

The wonder of the beast

One of the keys to his worldwide power will be the wonder of the world. They will be fascinated at his rise to power, but also at his recovery from a fatal head wound. This wound is mentioned three times in this chapter, so it must be important. Commentators differ as to whether the wound is really fatal or only appears to be so. Given the seemingly miraculous surgeries that we have read about, coupled with numerous stories of people coming back from the dead, it is plausible that this antichrist can come back from the dead. Or it could be another great deception by the great deceiver. Either way, it is just another attempt of the great imitator to mimic Christ.

Beware: Our children gave us tickets to the Cirque du Soleil in Atlanta right after Christmas. It is an amazing show, full of acrobatic daredevilry. One after another the performers stunned us with the things they did. Of course, that did not make us want to follow these people into battle. But the antichrist will hold sway over people. He will be a charismatic leader. Remember, by the time this chapter takes place he will already have negotiated a treaty between Israel and its enemies. People will wonder at the antichrist. But his wonderment is limited to 42 months. The wonder of Christ will reach into eternity.

The worship of the beast

 The one thing that Satan has wanted above all other things is to be worshiped, in the place of God. And because of the beast, the dragon will be worshiped. And so will the beast. What we will see in the end of the chapter is that the beast will have a second beast who will organize a world religion to worship the antichrist.  He will be so impressive that people will ask what they assume is a rhetorical question: “Who is like the beast and who can fight against it?” That is the wrong question. But the correct answer is that Christ is greater than the beast and not only can He fight against it, He will defeat the beast. 

Beware: When there is trouble, people are looking for a savior. They are looking for someone who has an answer for hopelessness, despair and chaos. The beast will be such a character. But remember, those last 42 months will show his real colors. It’s just 42 months. Jesus is forever.

The words of the beast

Words: V. 5 tells us that the beast was given a mouth to utter “haughty and blasphemous words.” The antichrist will blaspheme God, blaspheme His name and blaspheme His dwelling.

It seems that almost all dictators rise to power on the strength of great oratory. They have the power to control people with their words. Adolf Hitler was able to mesmerize the Germans with his speeches. From our position 70 years in the future, we are prone to smugly look back at the power that Hitler exerted over the German people and insist that we are beyond that. How could he get the German people to annihilate their neighbors? People who have studied his methods say that he adopted a five-step strategy to convince people to murder the Jews. That strategy could be repeated again.
Emphasize different stereotypes: Hitler was successful in creating an “in” group and an “out” group. This propaganda does nothing but demonize a class of people with lies and rumors. 
Blame all problems on the “out” group: Hitler was able to place the blame on the Jews somehow. He was able to convince a nation that if the world were rid of the Jews, the problems would disappear.
Deny the humanity of the “out” group: They were described in terms that made them seem subhuman, irrational, unthinking. The American nation was guilty of this, both in its enslavement of Africans and in its conquest of native Americans in the West. Read old literature and see how often these people were referred to as inferior, as hardly even human.
Segregate the “ins” and “outs”: The concentration camp was meant to alienate the Jews from the “Aryans.” The less interaction, the more likelihood that the stereotypes can be believed. Of course, the South is still dealing with the wrongheadedness of this strategy.
Get the “ins” to murder the “outs” as necessary for the common good: The final step was the execution of millions of Jews and Jewish sympathizers. Because Hitler had succeeded in each step along the way, he was able to get otherwise moral people to make the leap to be a party to the extermination of a class of people.

Beware: Can you foresee how these strategies could be used against Christians? Stereotyping believers: “Bible thumpers, child beaters, government haters who would rather their women die in childbirth than abort a baby.” Blame: John Lennon’s song, “Imagine” has become an anthem for people who believe that a world without religion would be a superior world. Deny the humanity. Believers are called ignorant, superstitious fools who just need some sort of crutch to get by. Segregation. There is more and more emphasis to eliminate Christianity from the public arena. So far, we have not reached the point where non-believers are murdering Christians. For 42 months, it will happen all over the world. But only for 42 months.

There will be war

 V. 7 says that the beast will be allowed to “make war on the saints and to conquer them.” This is not one of the most encouraging verses in the Bible. This is not a promise that your children are memorizing in Vacation Bible School. That v. 10 reinforces that when they come to capture you, you will be captured. And when they decide to cut off your head, off it will come. The verse ends this way: “Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.”

 During China’s Boxer Rebellion of 1900, insurgents captured a mission station, locked all the gates but one, and in front of that one gate placed a cross flat on the ground.  Then the word was passed to those inside that any who trampled the cross underfoot would be permitted their freedom and life, but that any refusing would be shot.  Terribly frightened, the first seven students trampled the cross under their feet and were allowed to go free.  But the eighth student, a young girl, refused to commit the sacrilegious act.  Kneeling beside the cross in prayer for strength, she arose and moved carefully around the cross, and went out to face the firing squad.  Strengthened by her example, every one of the remaining 92 students followed her to the firing squad.

Choose sides carefully: V. 8 divides the world into two groups: earth dwellers and those whose name is written in the book of life. You are one or the other. If you are the latter, as I interpret scripture, you will be spared these days because you will be raptured. But if you are alive in the end times, if you come to know Christ then, you may pay with your life. But better to endure 42 months of hell than an eternity of hell.

The instruction to the saints

Listen: There is a phrase in v. 9 that we have heard before in Revelation: “If anyone has an ear, let him hear!” When John was writing to the seven churches in chapters two and three, he ended each of the letters with this phrase. It is his way of grabbing us by our shoulders, looking us dead in the eyes, and saying, this is important. And then he lays out the Christian response to the antichrist. It is not to retreat to the mountains behind an armed camp. It is not to build a retreat in Waco, Texas. It is not to rise up with political pressure. It is this: to understand that your capture, your death, is in the will of God. V. 10 concludes, “This will call for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.”
Be steadfast: Our natural tendency during a crisis is to “fix it.” The concept of trusting God or patiently enduring seems so foreign. But that is exactly the instruction here. I have been reading a book by J.D. Greear and he has something called the gospel prayer, and the second part of it is this: “God, Your presence and approval are all I need for everlasting joy.” It is a reminder that we will not base our contentment on the circumstances around us. For these 42 months, God in His providence is allowing the antichrist to have his wicked way, but He is still with believers. 

Listen to Isaiah 41:10: 
fear not, for I am with you; 
    be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

Or Psalm 27:1: 
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid? That is a promise for 42 months, and for eternity.

 In the summer of 1940, Winston Churchill said, “This is a war of the unknown warriors. The whole of the warring nations are engaged, not only soldiers, but the entire population, men, women and children.  The fronts are everywhere.  The trenches are dug in the towns and streets.  Every village is fortified.  Every road is barred.  The front lines run through the factories.  The workmen are soldiers with different weapons but the same courage.”

 Churchill was talking about World War II. But he might as well have been talking about the terrible reign of the antichrist. In today’s world of improvised explosive devices and jet planes as suicide bombs and mad gunmen in schools, summer camps and movie theaters, we are all too familiar with living on the front lines. In such a world, is there hope? In the world to come with the devil personified ruling, is there hope? Gloriously, the answer is yes. “My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ the solid Rock, I stand, All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.”

The devil will have his way through the beast for 42 months. For 42 horrible, seemingly never-ending 42 months. But just 42 months. And in comparison to eternity, it is but a breath in the wind. Just make sure that you are standing on Christ, the solid rock.