It's Here!

Our fantasy football draft is tonight. Finally there is some real NFL news coming through regularly. Don't get me wrong, the Brett Favre "I'm retired, no wait, I'm not retired" saga was fascinating...

Ok, to me it really wasn't. But at least it gave us a small taste of pigskin action during the baseball only time of the year.

But that's over now - Brett's a Jet and no, I don't plan on drafting him.

This is only my third year to participate in fantasy football. The past two years I've co-managed a team with my friend Tate Tefertiller. It was a good run. We won it outright in year 1 and split the pot with most points last year. So far, in two years I've invested $20 and won $300. We needed an extra team to fill the league this year so Tate and I parted ways. I figure why not, I'm playing with house, or actually my friend's money, for the next 10 years at least.

I'm definitely a Cowboy fan but I really enjoy the game itself. The nice thing about a fantasy team is that you've got guys in lots of games on any given Sunday. Now the enjoyment of watching other games is increased since you've actually got a vested interest in many of them as well.

So we'll see how it goes. I'm also turning a college football Top 20 poll each week to be posted on Allan's site. Go to www.allanstanglin.com and hit the link for KK&C Top 20. If anyone (other than those participating) has input about the weekly top 20 for consideration just post a comment here. I'm definitely not a huge follower of college ball so any tips would be appreciated.

School is in full swing and the kids are doing great. Except for the fact that Dillon picked up a stomach bug and has been home the past two days. What a schedule - all summer off, go to school for three days, stay home sick for two and then get a three day weekend.

I'm hunting with the boys Monday. Pictures to follow next week.

Everyone have a great Labor Day:

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September. The holiday originated in 1882 as the Central Labor Union (of New York City) sought to create "a day off for the working citizens".
Congress made Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894.[1] All fifty states have made Labor Day a state holiday.

So if the original intent was to create "a day off for the working citizens" why don't we call it Non-Labor Day?

Just curious. Enjoy it anyway.

Welcome Hadleigh!

Today, at the ripe old age of 36, I became a great-uncle. Now to clarify. I already considered myself to be quite an uncle. You could certainly say great. But today I became a great-uncle in the technical, genealogical, family tree kind of way. At about 8am this morning Hadleigh Ann Agnew came into this world. all 7 pounds 8 ounces of her, the daughter of my oldest niece.

We rolled into Oklahoma City (to our traditional OKC accomodations - Ron and Su's) about 12:30am. Got everyone settled in their designated sleeping areas and got the Suburban unloaded. Corlie was going in for her c-section at 7. Laid down on the newly purchased Coleman air-bed around 1:15 and set the alarm for 5:30. Keep in mind that it is the thought that counts.

The next thing I can clearly remember is Shanna waking me in a panic and saying it was 7. Somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind it seems I may possibly recall an alarm going off. The memory is faint and I cannot say for sure the event even occurred. At least that's what I told her since the job of waking us up was clearly on my shoulders. Fortunately she was much too focused on getting ready in the least amount of time to actually come down on me the way she probably should have.

And as is always the case, God was looking out for me. The procedure was delayed by an hour. We arrived at the hospital, had time for hugs and greetings with the rest of the family and then heard the announcement from the nurse that Corlie and Hadleigh would be out in about 5 minutes.

And they were. And we were there to greet them with everybody else.

August 22, 2008 - Hadleigh Ann Agnew is born and my new title makes me feel old.

But as many of you know August 22 was significant to our family for another reason. August 22, 2000 was the day that dad left this earth and claimed his much deserved place in heaven. Every year since, on this day, I've talked to mom. I've spoken with dad's sister, Aunt Pat. Every year since, on this day, Bill Podsednik, one of dad's best friends, calls mom. It's just tradition. Some sort of unwritten rule that we're going to check in on each other on this day.

We will always remember August 22 in this way. Today it's nice to have something else to remember. Naturally with all these thoughts I couldn't help but think of the following:

1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Hawaiian Falls

The band had the opportunity to play at Hawaiian Falls water park several times this summer. Naturally the band gets in for free but the sweetest part of the deal was that me and the kids got in free for every show as well. I must admit it's much easier keeping them happy for two hours at this venue than at a restaurant. Here's some shots of the band performing. It was a very nice setup. Instead of pulling up a chair or stool for the performance you could just grab a tube and have a leisurely float. I estimated a crowd of about 400 one day. We're looking forward to next summer.

I'm not sure who Shanna kept tipping her hat to. I'm pretty sure it was not her husband who was working tirelessly making sure no one was drowning.

Had to get at least one picture of Kevin - the oft forgotten drummer.

More Wedding Pics

No commentary with this post. Just getting some more pictures on from Halie's wedding.

Matthew 3:17

"This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

This is what Shanna and I were saying Sunday morning. Of course we say that often when speaking of our children (we do put 'daughter' in there when appropriate). But Sunday was different. Sunday was the culmination of the prayers of a mother and father, the discussions with their oldest child, and a three day class at Legacy titled 'Faith Builders.' (Again, a very special thank you goes out to Allan, Lance and Kipi).

Sunday was big news. A new assembly with the Legacy family meeting together in one service. A new worship center. And in that new worship center a new baptistry. And boy did it get a workout Sunday. There were seven baptisms Sunday - seven. Allan's summary still gives me goose bumps:

"God was saving souls and robbing hell." Indeed He was.

For us, the news was especially big as Dillon decided he was ready to devote his life to the Lord and put on Christ in baptism. I was given the honor of baptizing him. I've told God that I'm not sure how many times he will allow me to personally participate in such a joyous occasion. I've told him that I really don't care what that actual number is - as long as it's at least four. Today that number is down to three. More would certainly be welcomed but three is now the target. We will continue to pray for those three as we did for this one:

I had rehearsed for three days:

1. Talk about wanting to do this four times.

2. Talk about our discussions with Dillon and the Faith Builders Class and how he came to this decision.

3. Make the comparison to the Brandon Heath song "I am not who I was."

4. Take his confession and get it done.

But as we entered the water - I froze. And so did Dillon.

Literally.

You may have read in the previous post that members of Legacy were reading through the entire bible in the days that led up to our first assembly in the new building. Apparently the hot water pump was making too much noise and it was being picked up on the audio recording. Sometime Friday or Saturday the heater was turned off and in all the activity turning it back on got overlooked.

I had decided to skip the waders and just put on some shorts and get wet along with Dillon. As our feet hit the water the 'cold reality' set in. I looked out at the audience - many of whom were crowded around us within reach (a nice new capability):

I made it through the part about how we had discussed this with Dillon and how the impact of the Faith Builders class had helped bring him to this point. Then I looked down at Dillon and there were literally ripples running away from him as the shivered in the water. I'm not sure if he was trying to smile or keep his teeth from shattering - or both. I went into overdrive for fear that hypothermia may be setting in. I quickly spoke about the song "I'm not who I was" and said that when he came up out of that watery grave he would be a new person - different from who he was. I covered his mouth and basically said "I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit" as I laid him back under the water.

He confessed to us at home for those of you keeping score.

He came up a new child of God and had the entire Legacy family read Colossians 3:1-4 to him:

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Did it go as I planned? No. But as always it went exactly as God intended. It didn't matter where we were or what was said. It didn't matter that the water could have been used to chill the Dr. Peppers for the waiting chicken dinner. The only thing that mattered was that one, actually seven, more souls were added to the kingdom of heaven Sunday.

I told you it was big news.

Crazy Summer 2 (plus BIG NEWS)

The last six weeks have basically been the first paragraph from the last post all over again. Crazy summer - or at least what's left of it now. This will be a current post with updates of everything from the summer as I can get to them. I'm shooting to have summer 08 complete before summer 09. I know I made promises - sue me.

Legacy's new worship center is complete. The finishing touch was added yesterday and it was a big one.:

A 40 foot cross was put in place yesterday on the front wall of the building. It faces Mid-Cities Boulevard for literally thousands of people to see everyday. I hope it will serve not as an object of worship to them but as an object of why we worship. The cross represents the most important sacrifice that anyone could, or ever will make for us.

Many from the church met at the building yesterday morning at 6:45 for a brief devotional as we watched the cross being lifted into place. Seeing it hoisted up by a crane I asked Allan if he thought this was an historical recreation of the scene at Golgotha. Then a very uneasy feeling came over me. As I watched it being lifted up I couldn't help but feel as if I were there on that hill. The building was gone. The crane was gone. The huge cables and ropes fixed to the cross were gone. There was only the cross. For a moment I was not part of the crowd in a parking lot but I was part of a crowd watching helplessly as the son of God was lifted into place along with that cross.

I know there are some who object to the display of crosses in fear that they become the focus of our attention. I respect that and admit we must always guard ourselves against putting any idol or symbol between us and God. But yesterday, I wish everyone could have experienced what I did. It was a powerful reaffirmation that the cross is real, the man is real and the sacrifice is real.

Immediately after the service Legacy started reading the bible. Ok let me clarify - it's not like we've never read it before. But yesterday at 7am we started reading the bible - straight through, 24 hours a day. I had the 4:30am shift this morning. For fifteen minutes I read about Solomon in 1 Kings 2-4. Once my shift was up the next reader slid into place and picked up where I left off. No pauses, no introductions. Sunday morning as we meet together the entire congregation will finish the reading. The last few verses of Revelation, as a body, together in unison.

It will be a big day. One service, a new building and Babe's fried chicken for lunch. But that's not the BIG NEWS. It WILL be here Monday. I promise.

Stay tuned.....