Safe Haven

A few suggestions, if I may, for the troubled but proud Kansas City Royals baseball team: 1. Trade Mike Sweeney. This in no way impugns Sweeney, but he makes too much for this team. Even if the trade value is low due to his injuries and age, the money saved will be worth it. 2. Re-acquire Jeff Suppan. He's the kind of pitcher the Royals need: always keeps his team in the game. And since his stats aren't that impressive, he won't break the bank. 3. Hire a great pitching coach. Dave Ricketts or Leo Mazzone (masterminded all those Braves division titles) can't be that attached to their new jobs. 4. Keep Reggie Sanders. The guy wins wherever he goes. It's clubhouse chemistry. That is the beginning of winning: a clubhouse full of guys who like each other. 5. Don't trade any minor-league prospects, ever. Even if St. Louis offers Pujols, don't do it. Most especially not pitchers, ever. 6. Stop making excuses. Oakland and Minnesota are consistently good with similar...

Does anyone read this? Does it matter to me? Why or why not? Do ladies read this, like eligible, attractive ones? Is my secret crush reading this right now? Does she know of her status? Does she care? Do I care? I don't know. Should I set it aside to "focus on God"? How do you tell if someone is attracted to you? Do ladies cover it up in spiritual encouragement like guys sometimes do? In a way, I hope so. It makes me feel not as alone in my stupidity (idolatry, ahem). What does 'tradition' mean in the letters to the Thessalonians from Paul? Did Paul have a last name? Did he write 'apostle' on everything next to his name? Was he a bishop? Was he a presbyter? Was he a brother who led the congregation in singing once a month? Or a pulpit minister? (That one's for you, misguided congregationalists.) Was there anything remotely close to Coca-Cola in first-century Judea? Did they advertize? What did Judas Iscariot do for fun? Did he drink the first-century C...

If you ever find yourself in Columbia, Missouri, there's more than a few things you ought to do. For instance, your trip would be more complete if you stopped at CJ's on 7th and Broadway for some chicken wings. Or a morning of worship at Christ Our King Presbyterian could change your world on a quiet Sunday. But I want to tell you about a man named Robert Collins. He's a history professor at our quaint University, and he's bleeping incredible. As a friend noted, he actually defends his positions during lecture. The stereotype of a professor filling young minds with his unsubstantiated (usually un-American) opinions doesn't apply to Collins. When I took his History of the 1960s, sure we dealt with the dominant liberalism of the time, giving it a fair airing. Then we critiqued it! Our class had to read Radical Son right alongside The Things They Carried. He even said some nice things about Nixon (which, even from my right-wing perch, takes some doing.) Collins will n...