Two words

I stood on the tiny concrete-pad-and-canvas-awning porch that makes up the front of M&M Barbecue here in Knoxville, Tennessee. At M&M you don't sit down and eat. In fact, you don't even stand up and eat. The place is so small that you're forced to make your choices at an order window and take your stuff home. But, oh, it's worth it. That's why every time I stop by the place I stand in a line of at least seven to ten people.

"I've seen you here before, buddy." said the tall grinning man next to me. "You and your son were here, gettin' a big order. You really tear into this stuff, don't you?"

"Sure do," I agreed. "This is fantastic barbecue."

"Reminds me of the place over near Walker Springs exit," the man said, looking at the awning as if trying to visualize a road map. "Good pork, and the hush puppies are crisp." He glanced at me. "But ol' Pressy here, she has a way of smokin' the chicken that tops anything in town. Lookit all those smokers, son."

He stepped back. "Here, buddy, you go ahead of me. I'm in no hurry."

I gave a weak protest - I was dying for some ribs - but he insisted that I move ahead of him. I thankfully moved ahead but we still chatted.

And that gives you Knoxville, Tennessee in a nutshell. Two words, really.

Food. Friends.

Now, I'm not trying to over-simplify. Knoxville is nationally known for its college sports programs at the University of Tennessee. Appalachian music and bluegrass talent seems to grow from trees. Oak Ridge nuclear technology is right down the road. The city has a lot of quirks, qualities, bells and whistles enough to intrigue anyone who visits. Just a quick look at the Civil War history books gives an idea of the heritage this city owns.

But the two building blocks I find here are exceptional meals and folks who won't take you for a stranger. Those two are virtually intertwined, too. Who hasn't been invited to a Knoxville gathering where there wasn't a table groaning with pies, cakes, salads, and enough meat to drive anyone's cholesterol to the Space Station? Ever here of the after-church suppers and socials? Heck, we practically invented 'em. Folks and food, going together hand-in-ha ...er, fork. And yes, more than one restaurant in town serves fried-green tomatoes.

It's a stereotype we can live with. Go ahead, you can tease. Just pass me a plate of slaw to go with my pulled pork.

And another plate here for my friend. Here you go, buddy - slaw and pork. And what did you say your name was...?

New week, big assignments

Big week this week in the office. Some major work being done in preparation for the sports leagues starting up in the fall, and time moves quickly. I'm working with Marty on the West Coast as we ready some teams for the work to be done. A couple of tours to assemble, and some columns to write today. Lots of time at the keyboard and on the phone. And all while still celebrating my hometown Penguins' Stanley Cup championship. Yeah, the playoffs were great. I have a 1980s era Pens jersey on the wall of our Man Room.

Through the years I've read numerous Christian authors. Some are simple and effective in their message. Others are fairly confusing - at least to me - with numerous high-handed statements and lofty phrases. Still others try for a broad audience and try so hard to make a watered-down version of the Gospel that their weak narrative is downright embarrassing.

Time and time again I keep coming back to C.S. Lewis. As I have said before, I am not a real fan of his fiction (nothing wrong with it, just personal taste) but his apologetics are powerful. I enjoy a writer who is no-nonsense and yet careful to let the reader think. Lewis does not put words in your mouth, so to speak. He gives you a proposal and lets you study. I've always liked that kind of teaching. It might be because I grew up with no father figure who instructed me, so I enjoy a good sit-down instruction that's clear-cut and direct.

Here's a sample from Mere Christianity:

Enemy-occupied territory-that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. When you go to church you are really 'listening-in' to the secretwireless from our friends: that is why the enemy is so anxious to prevent us from going. He does it by playing on our conceit and laziness and intellectual snobbery. I know someone will ask me, "Do you really mean, at this time of day, to reintroduce our old friend the devil-hoofs and horns and all?"
Well, what the time of day has to do with it I do not know. And I am not particular about the hoofs and horns. But in other respects my answer is "Yes, I do."
I do not claim to know anything about his personal appearance. If anybody really wants to know him better I would say to that person, "Don't worry. If you really want to, you will. Whether you'll like it when you do is another question."

Proverbs 28:6

"It is better to be poor and honest than rich and crooked."

Nicholas and Alexis stopped by for a visit this weekend. Peter is establishing a small online business, and we'll see the first steps this week. Jill may have caught another round of poison ivy, believe it or not. Julliane is getting over a small cold. My writing career is now stable and I thank the Lord for the many literary opportunities He has sent my way. I stay pretty busy in my office six days a week.

It wasn't too long ago that I was approached by a business that wanted me to do some unethical work. They would pay well, and they were offering me some hefty bonuses and perks for both me and those within my network. Only this was, the work they wanted to do was sleazy.

It wasn't hard to cut them off. No way my people are going to dishonor the Lord, who has given us so much. God has been fantastic - as He always is - and my policy is that neither my network nor I will work with anything that I am asked to do that would be a slight to the Lord. Furthermore, I will cease working for anyone who would question the honeswty and integrity of the work we do.

It reminds me of the time when I was a high school artist - not especially talented, but fairly competent in drawing cartoons - and was picking up odd jobs of illustrating various bits of work for teachers and students. One spring I was approached by an assistant football coach who wanted me to draw an obscene sketch for a poster. I was stuck. I had been raised to show respect for authority figures and obey them while showing honor for their position in life. So I was stuck. It may seem humorous to you because the answer seems so obvious but the teaching of respect for authority was deeply ingrained in me.

The coach argued with me. He promised to leave my name off of it. He tried to bargain with me. But eventually he wore down after I got a backbone and let him know that I could not do those kind of drawings. The sad thing was that I did not let him know that my convictions were based on my life with Christ. The good thing, though, was that I was able to see Jesus walk me through a very difficult situation.

It's the same approach I take now; that God will be honored in all the work I do. I strive for that each day.

Scripture quotation from New Living Translation.

Prov.31:10

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies."

Here I am with Jill at my 50th birthday party. Of all of the wonderful gifts God has given me, Jill is at the top of my list. She has been my support and encourager through the hardest times of my adult life, and she has been a support whenever I tackled a project that was daunting yet attainable. Most of all, she has been a spiritual influence in our household, an example of one who desires to please God each and every day.

In case you were wondering, we're sitting on a giant inflatable slide that was in our back yard. Yeah, my birthday was pretty off the wall.