Doing Life Together

I took a road trip last week over to see my parents.  It was a trip down memory lane.  You ever find yourself in a place where the memories start flooding back?

I stopped at the Hardees on Monteagle Mountain (some say Monteagle is the original “Rocky Top Tennessee”) for a biscuit, and I had that déjà vu feeling.

I’ve been eating at that particular Hardees for 25 years or so.  It’s a good stopping point between Cleveland and Nashville, so from my Belmont days until now, I’ve pulled in for some nourishment.  While eating a sausage and egg biscuit, I began to recall the first staff retreat that I was a part of at Long Hollow.

About 9 ½ years ago, David Moffitt, Ralph Burrage, and I (our total staff at the time) went to a cabin on Monteagle for reflection and strategic planning.  The cabin, Monteagle, and fellowship were all great, but the highlight of our retreat was when we turned on the Grundy County Community access channel and watched live wrestling from Grundy County High School.

The announcers were two preachers from the local Baptist and Pentecostal churches.  The crowd consisted of about 15 folks who decided not to go down to the Grundy County Auction.

The headliner for the night was little Jimmy Donegan, a.k.a., “The Rocky Top Ridge Runner,” vs. big Kurt von Klincktenstein, a.k.a., “The Teutonic Knight.”  The Teutonic Knight was enormous – especially at his mid-section – and he wore a German army helmet and carried a big flag with an Iron Cross on it.  He was big and mean and ugly with a capital U!!  The fans loved to hate him.

Little Jimmy was the crowd favorite.  He was slight of build and had the muscle definition of my 5^th grader.  But looks are deceptive – Little Jimmy was wiry strong and highly skilled.  The crowd went wild (all 15 of them who didn’t go down to the Grundy County auction) when he was introduced!! 

It was an epic struggle against good and evil.  Moffitt was pulling for little Jimmy, and I was strangely drawn to “The Teutonic Knight.”  Ralph, who was quite a bit older than Moffitt and me, was sound asleep.

The match went back and forth.  Little Jimmy (a.k.a., “The Rocky Top Ridge Runner”), defying the odds and giving up about 200 lbs, had Klinktenstein (a.k.a. “The Teutonic Knight”) beat – or so it seemed.  He was throwing Klinkenstein around the ring like a rag doll.  Several times the “Black Knight” begged for mercy.  Little Jimmy packed a powerful punch in those thin arms!!  It was amazing!  No doubt it would be over soon.

The announcers spotted it first. The “Teutonic Knight” had something tucked into the back of his tights!  I missed it at first – the Knight was the master of trickeration – but when the preacher/announcers pointed the object out, I saw it.  He definitely had a foreign object in the ring!

Just when Little Jimmy had him down for the count, the Knight whipped out the object – what appeared to be a piece of steel pipe – and busted little Jimmy several times in the head. Down went Jimmy!  Surely he would have brain damage from the blows!  “The Rocky Top Ridge Runner” was truly a genetic marvel, because even though he received several horrifying shots to the head that left him senseless, never once did he bleed!!

With Little Jimmy unconscious on the mat, “The Teutonic Knight” easily pinned him.  While the ref (who really served no purpose whatsoever until now) raised his hand in victory, the crowd booed and threw Mountain Dew cans and pork rinds and spit cups full of tobacco juice at him.

Moffitt looked at me in disbelief.  “What will happen to little Jimmy?” he asked.  Though I had pulled for the “Knight” and somehow was happy he had won, I now felt sick and disgusted with myself for rejoicing in evil.  I hid my feelings and told Moffitt that Little Jimmy would be ok, that surely a rematch was somewhere in his future, and that Little Jimmy would make the dastardly Knight pay for his treachery.  This seemed to comfort David.  In my heart I didn’t believe it, but I felt I needed to be strong for Moffitt.

With that, we went to bed.

At least, that’s the way I remember it.

• I finally got a taste of fried turkey, and I’m hooked!!  Billy Barnfield brought me one back from Clinton, TN.  Thanks Billy – it was dee-licious!  Incidentally, I remember losing to Clinton in 1979 in the freshman regional basketball tournament.
• My Christmas lights are up!  I actually had to remove some to appease Jennifer – me and the boys got a little carried away.  It’s another “Landrith Honky-Tonk Christmas!” 
• I’ve always been a last minute shopper, so I haven’t even thought about it yet.  I hear some people are already finished. 
•  I’m not sure anyone will beat the New England Patriots this year.  Isn’t amazing that as good as they are, they felt they needed to cheat?
• You got to love Brett Favre – he’s a warrior!  However, did you know he has never won a game at Texas Stadium?
• I’m fired up about the revival of the Boston Celtics.  I’ve been a fan long before the Larry Bird era.  I remember watching John Havlicek play his last game on the NBA Game of the Week.
• Keep your eye on the Belmont Bruins.  They have wins over Alabama and Cincinnati.  Coach Rick Byrd is one of only 15 active coaches with 500 or more wins.  A man of true humility, he runs a program where the players go to class and graduate on time.  Look for him to have the Bruins back in the NCAA Tournament for the 3^rd straight year. 
• Is there anything better on a cold, rainy day than a sack full of Krystals and a good ball game on TV? 
• In my opinion, the best catfish in Nashville is found at “The Cock of the Walk.” 
• How many times will “Christmas Shoes” play on the radio between now and Christmas day?!?

Following up on Thursday’s blog on getting Christmas right, I wanted to offer another suggestion. Thom Ranier and Eric Geiger have written a wonderful book called Simple Church. I highly recommend reading this book. I think it is “dead on” about how the church needs to approach ministry in the 21^st century. Simple Church basically challenges the notion that more is better. It encourages churches to streamline and do a few things well, as well as be intentional about what we do.

I think we should consider “simple Christmas” as a strategy for getting the most out of the season. The most common error we make is we try to do too much. This holiday season, try saying no to some things.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Watch what you eat so you can splurge strategically.
• Be careful how much you spend so January doesn’t become a nightmare.
• Carefully consider your social calendar so you will have time and emotional energy for the one’s closest to you.

Do try and plan some spiritual moments such as attending a Christmas musical, play or special services such as Christmas Eve.

It’s possible that you will find more satisfaction this Christmas by avoiding the tendency to overdo it and strategically focusing on a few things that will allow you to get to the other side of the holidays with a deep sense of fulfillment.

I may be the only one who feels this way, but sometimes when Christmas is all said and done, I feel a huge physical, emotional, and even spiritual letdown.  I overeat, overspend, and over-socialize, and I end up thinking I somehow missed the point of it all.

Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church did a sermon series back in 2000 about how to get Christmas right. That series stimulated my thinking about trying to keep the whole thing in perspective.  At Long Hollow, we adapted some of the concepts into a sermon series called “Finding the Christmas You’ve Always Wanted.”  Here are few thoughts from one of the messages about taking the trappings of Christmas and using them as reminders of spiritual truth.  Maybe you will find them helpful.

When you see a:

Nativity Scene – Remember that the ways of God are different from the ways of man, and I will not lose the “awe factor” this Christmas season.  Isaiah 55:8

Christmas Music – Remember that Christmas is not about me, it’s about God, and I will keep my focus on Him.  Luke 1:46-47;  Luke 2:13-14

Christmas Trees – Remember that beyond the manger is a cross, and I will not take for granted the cost of my salvation.  1 Corinthians 6:20

Gifts – Remember that God gave the greatest gift ever given, and I will live my life as a “thank you note” to God.  Colossians 3:17

Holiday Food – Remember that ultimate satisfaction is found in Jesus.  John 10:10

Christmas is a wonderful season, especially if we keep it all in perspective!

• Long Hollow Christmas was amazing!  David Moffitt (The Maestro) and his crew brought their “A” game for the glory of God last night.  I don’t know about you, but I could have stayed another couple of hours!
• Long Hollow Gallatin had their own Long Hollow Christmas last night as well!  It was standing room only and an awesome night of praise and worship.
• I’m bummed that Tennessee couldn’t close the deal Saturday in the SEC Championship game.  Hard loss – but Outback Bowl, here we come.
• Only 22 more shopping days until Christmas!
• George C. Scott plays the best Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1984 version of a version of A Christmas Carol.
• Best Christmas episode for a sitcom goes to (drumroll, please) The Andy Griffith Show.
• Does anyone remember An American Christmas Carol starring Henry Winkler?  Set in the depression, it is an interesting take on the Dicken’s classic.  I used to have a copy of it.  I’ve not heard of it airing in recent years.
• What about the house up near Stop 30 Road in Hendersonville that has the synchronized Christmas light and music show?  You tune in on your radio.  It’s hilarious.
• Ted’s Montana Grill has become one of my favorite restaurants.  Great Bison Cheeseburgers!  Crushed ice also!
• Why can’t they make airplanes out of the same material as the indestructible black box that holds the cockpit voice and data recording?
• They are saying that we are probably not going to see any snow this year.  Based on past track records for the weather prognosticators – we better get the snowplows ready!!