Fours months from today

At 1:00 pm this afternoon, it will be exactly 4 months from my wedding date (Laura insists it's her wedding, and that's ok because I'll be there, too!). I'm really exited to think about it. Things are really coming along smoothly for the schedule we're on. She's going to look at wedding dresses today! She told me again last night that I'm more excited than she is, which to this point seems to be holding true. There's still plenty to do but I have confidence that all will get done. I was thinking for a minute this morning about what kind of time is involved in 4 months. It's 1 semester of school. It's 4 car, insurance, electric, phone, etc. bills. Several of the big Pro Tour races will have been completed by then (we'll be in the middle to end of the Giro for you Grand Tour freaks out there). February only has 28 days this year, so it's 110 days away. It's a little less than 16 weeks, which means 13 or 14 Sunday pm lessons to prep for (because we won't have one on the evening of the SCAMPS concert and leaving room for weather and other events). Putting everything in this light, there's not much time until May 21, but there's no doubt in my mind that I'll be ready when the day comes.

Proverbs 21:7 says, "The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right". Have you ever seen The Untouchables? It's a great movie about Elliot Ness and his task force trying to rid the streets of Al Capone and his mob during the Prohibition years. Capone is ruthless in the movie. Only concerned about keeping himself in business, he kills and orders the deaths of several, while providing people with his illegal liquor. He has hundreds on his payroll, even in the police, who cower at the thought of crossing him. But Ness eventually brings him to justice. He is tried and convicted for his crimes. In his last scene, Capone has to be dragged out of the courtroom by force because he's so irrate. That's the picture I get in my mind as I read this verse. Capone was a violent and evil man. He knew that he was outside the law because Prohibition was such a huge issue in those days. Still, he kept up his illegal practices and did so at the cost of many lives. But in the end, his wickedness caught up to him and he was quite literally dragged away. Don't let this happen to you. No, I'm not talking about you forming a mob and selling banned substances (like lawn darts, for instance) underground. What I am saying is what I've said before: wickedness will eventually catch up to us. It hurts us and those around us. So at least for my sake, if you're going to follow in Capone's footsteps, stay away from me, thank you very much! Lessen the evil that will find you by seeking good. Elliot Ness was a cooler character anyway.

Sunday Jan 30 is Youth Sunday.
Sunday Feb. 6 is an all youth group Super Bowl party @ the Wilson's (Pete said it was ok, Jackie). More info to come.
Be on the lookout for info about Acquire the Fire, JBC Spring Retreat, Jr. High Retreat @ Camp Illiana, and Junior Faculty training at camp coming soon.

Later.