To balance out the vicious virus that afflicted Mandy and Tori (knock on wood but Trae and I have avoided it) God has blessed the Hill Country with a week of spectacular weather. Cool evenings...warm days. Reminds me of mid-October weather in the Ouachitas. I had wondered if the leaves here would turn but now the Hill Country is beginning to be splashed with red, yellow and orange.
I've always said October was my favorite month of the year. While we are here, I guess I'll have to back it up one month.
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Amazing turn of events in Arkansas High School football. Benton knocked off Watson Chapel last night to earn a share of the 5-A South Conference Title. If Texarkana beats Sheridan tonight, as it should, then Benton will go into the playoffs as the #2 seed from the 5-A South and play the #3 Seed from the 5-A Central.
Guess who the #3 Seed is from the 5-A Central? None other than the Bryant Hornets. Benton versus Bryant in a state playoff game will vastly outdraw the record crowd that couldn't even fit into C.W. Lewis Stadium in 1999. I'm guessing at least 20,000 will try to fit into C.W. Lewis next Friday.
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Congratulations to Don Phillips and the Jessieville Lions. The Lions finished off a 9-1 regular season and undisputed 5-AA Conference Title with a 34-14 win at Magazine last night. The Lions have home-field throughout the playoffs until the state championship game in Little Rock.
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One more thought this morning from Steve Farrar. He writes in the "Braveheart" chapter I shared with you yesterday that people don't follow titles; they follow courage.
Do we pursue titles thinking that by those titles we've inherited some degree power and authority? Even in church circles, do people pursue a title to earn some measure of influence?
"Are you the kind of leader whose life has a positive effect on those around you? Take off the leadership garb for a moment and ask yourself: who am I impacting for Christ from my life, not my position? If it were not my job to reach people for Christ, would I try? Is there any evidence outside of my professional efforts to prove it? Am I leading others by the example of my life?" (Bill Hull)
