going with the flow

"Its funny how you act like you go with the flow but I bet you have a list somewhere that says 'go with the flow' on it, and now you can cross it off."

My friend Joy, when I said I was just "going with the flow" on our weekend plans. Sometimes your friends know you all too well. (But, seriously, there isn't a list, per se, and it certainly doesn't have "go with the flow" on it. Other things, maybe. But "go with the flow"? No.)

Good thing God's got this whole thing -- and every other thing -- planned out already.

Omar al-Bashir

You know you're going to a special place when its leader is FAMOUS.

Of course, I'd rather Sudan's Omar al-Bashir were famous for things other than heading a campaign to kill hundreds of thousands of civilians in a jihad.

Lots of people (especially those who aren't fans of my Sudan plans) have directed me to Parade's article about the 10 worst dictators in the world. Bashir tops the list... for the second year in a row.

Super.

I know it seems I'm making light of all this -- and maybe I am -- but there's nothing much else I can do. I mean, God has me going to Sudan. And I'm certainly not trying to make light of the human tragedy in Sudan -- oh, no, no, no, not at all. It's absolute horror. But shouldn't this just increase my urgency to get over there? And while I struggle with bringing it home, making the things that are going on in Sudan real to me, I know (Lord willing) I'll be there in six months, and I won't be able to NOT see the horrible reality of it all.

I can only imagine how I'll struggle, seeing this guy escape condemnation for his horrific acts, in light of how I react in a situation so (relatively) trivial as the one I have here -- a sports editor not being held accountable for the things he does and does not do.

Funny how things can come into perspective.

Here's the article. Enjoy.

Humble beginnings.

I just heard a loud whisper come from my parents' room.

"Go to bed!"

I'm sure I'll hit the hay soon, but I find myself scrambling, preparing for my presentation tomorrow at Trinity United in LaSalle. It's not even that I'm not ready -- I could talk off the cuff about Africa and be fine, because talking from the heart is never hard -- but I always find myself trying to wrap up all the tiny details. Someday, I pray, I'll be able to give those details up to the One who can manage them all.

If you can, pray for my talking with the people at the church. I'm praying for two families to join my team. God's really laid on my heart that all I can do is go in there, tell Him the story He's written in my life and humbly ask for their help as God takes me to Sudan.

So, praise Him for that amount of peace. And praise Him for the opportunity to share with them. Aaaaand, praise Him the football playoffs don't start until long enough after the service that people won't be too distracted and wanting to get out of there. :)

Of course, "people" includes this girl, too. ;)

Thanks for keeping tabs on me. Drop me an email some time -- I'd love to hear from you.

amc
aclinard@gmail.com

And we're off...

Well, I just put up my Web site about my trip to Sudan, and it's got links to this here blog, so I suppose that means I have to get back on the bloggin' wagon.. and not just ramble on and on about the finer points of sports.

It's a little after 6 a.m. right now and I just got home from work -- an early night, sort of! -- so I'm way too tuckered out to really tackle a nice blog about all things Africa.

I will say things are rough right now. Just rough all over. I'm working long hours, sleeping at weird times and trying to cram way too much into each and every day. But God is so good, and He's blessing me even through the trials of support raising (and ohhhh boy are there trials!) and trying to love people at work I really don't like being around. I've felt like I've been at that "something's gotta go" point for weeks now, but -- by God's grace -- I've never quite got there. He's blessed me with discipline and generally good health.

I'm meeting some really cool people as I'm trying to build my support team, so that's sweet. I'm encouraged by what God is doing and what He's showing me. This, and I haven't even left the country yet!

I long for more time in the Word with Him, just being still and letting Him be God. I guess that would be my biggest prayer request.

I'm reading "God is the Gospel" by John Piper -- I heart Piper -- and it's great. In fact, I'm going to get on reading that now.

amc

not a post

if it's not entirely obvious, i'm not really doing this whole blog thing anymore...

the fact that my posts were no longer clever upset me so much i couldn't stand to go on.

things on my mind:

• marcus vick -- what the heck is this guy thinking? who brings a gun to mcdonalds? and, futhermore, who brings a gun to mcdonalds just days after being charged with robbery?
• and, which was worse -- the vick stomping incident (so wrong) or the taylor/pittman spitting fiasco (so gross)? i think both are fine compliments to the game. (sarcasm.)
• the rose bowl -- wow. just wow. did you know the young but-wait-wasn't-his-knee-down touchdown wasn't reviewed because the replay monitors were malfunctioning? take that, pro-replay people -- that was God smiting you. i'm almost sure of it.
• pete rose -- how has his eligibility for the hall run out when he's never been eligible? and sutter in the hall, what a relief. but cubs or cards?
• and how screwed up is voting for the hall anyway? what guy who has covered an AL team for his entire career really has the credentials to decide whether an NL player should make the cut?
• who skis when they're wasted? and, moreover, who admits it on national television? come on, miller. U-S-A. U-S-A.
• in case you've missed the soundbites flying all over talk radio, the NFL is all about commitment. and herm edwards is all about commitment. (and the chiefs, apparently. what contract extention?)
• could someone beat duke soon? jj reddick makes me want to barf.
• also warranting barf: the illini game against iowa. apparently, we brought our high school squad. the other players were still at kam's, celebrating the spectacular win over MSU (which dropped trou' again thursday).
• i no longer chuckle when the pats are refered to as the champs or defending their title or a team going for their third-straight super bowl. i'm not happy about it, but they've managed to win back respect. that was, until the beautiful tom brady played the no-respect card. gag me.
• i didn't know dan patrick was a jerk. i wish jt wouldn't have told me.

alright, i'm done. this wasn't a post. it was more the result of listening to ridiculous amounts of talk radio all week.