“Name them one by one,”\u00a0 the song says. So here goes:<\/p>\n
1. I’m running, not far or fast, but pain-free for the first time in quite a while. I’ve shifted my foot strike from my heel, which is where it’s been since fourth grade, to my forefoot. “Barefooting” as it’s sometimes called. I don’t exactly run barefoot on asphalt (ouch!), but I do use a “minimalist” training shoe, the Nike Free. This is supposed to be more “natural,” the way you were meant to run back in the day when your survival meant eluding a predator such as a saber-toothed tiger or that annoying herd of mastodons that lived over in the next valley. Another name: “Chi running,” as it’s supposed to evoke the balance and peace of Eastern religions. Ohmmmmm…<\/p>\n
2. My two favorite college sports teams, the Crimson Tide in football and Duke in men’s basketball, both won national titles this year. The Tide receded a little this season but can still “make some noise” in Friday’s Iron Bowl versus $cam Newton and his Doo Wap Barner Boys (obligatory anti-Auburn Iron Bowl week taunt). I finally visited “Basketball Mecca”,<\/a> and my Dookies have reloaded and appear poised to dominate yet again. Coach K just keeps right on cookin’ up championship caliber teams.<\/p>\n 3. Speaking of cookin’, we’ve discovered a couple of great places to eat, spiritually speaking that it is: The Christian Scholar Conference<\/a> and the Tokens Show<\/a>. The former I’ve written about here<\/a>, and in 2011 it appears I’ll be heading to Pepperdine University to help convene a friend’s paper session on science and theology.<\/a> As for the latter, it’s a unique blend of old-time radio, music, comedy, satire and theological ruminations, just my cup o’ tea (and I don’t even like tea). This past Sunday night’s show at the storied Ryman Auditorium–the audience sang “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” a capella along with the Nashville Chorus–was a sublime “worship” experience.<\/p>\n 4. Our house is getting a long overdue makeover. How much of one, you ask? Even our exterminator guy got confused and thought he was at the wrong house.<\/p>\n 5. I managed to get out of my “comfort zone” and finally make it to Guatemala this year for a little medical mission work. I dedicated that trip to my deceased parents<\/a>. I think they would have been pleased.<\/p>\n