The Journey

Oh, how abundant is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You and worked for those who take refuge in You, in the sight of the children of mankind!
Psalm 31:19

A week or so ago the Associated Press carried a story about Social Security. You may have heard the story or one similar to it. Simply stated, Social Security is paying out more money than it is taking in.

And, from congressional projections, Social Security is going to keep paying out more until the funds are gone — somewhere around 2037.

Now, if you’re like me, you’ve probably done the mental calculations. I’m x years old now and Social Security is going to go for another 26 years, which means I’m going to be x+26 years when Social Security disappears.

Of course, there are many voices trying to balance the gloom and doom by saying, “Congress won’t ever let Social Security go away.” And although I’m not a prophet or a congressional prognosticator, I think they’re probably right. But that’s just a guess.

What I do know is this: God is going to be there. That’s what the Psalmist was trying to say when he told us how abundant God’s goodness is. Now you and I probably do some good things and think some good thoughts, but God is different. He has goodness in abundance.

That fact was shown to us most clearly in the life, suffering, death and rising of the Savior. If God loves us enough to sacrifice His Son for our salvation, then there can be no question about it: He has an abundance of goodness.

Even more, unlike Social Security, which is predicted to go broke, the Psalmist says God has stored up goodness for those who trust and take refuge in Him.

What that means is this: no matter what happens in Washington, no matter what our futures might hold, God’s goodness is going to be there. In good times and bad, in happy times and sad, you can count on God’s limitless goodness.

And this, when you think about it, is a good idea … a very good idea, indeed.

Heavenly Father, I am thankful that no matter how unclear some of my future may be, I can rely on Your greatness, Your grace and Your goodness. In the Name of my Savior I give thanks. Amen.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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Okay guys, I have a little test to apply to the latest NCAA non-action – don’t turn me off just yet – follow through with each step and see what you come up with. Create a spreadsheet which has all these columns and rows. It should include something like this:

Name:  Sport:  Eligibility to play:  Afro-Studies Class Taken: Grade received:  
Work done by whom: Each Games Played After Class:

Let me explain a little more:

1. NAME: place the name of the student athlete taking the Afro-Studies class designed to give high grades to student athletes. These names should be part of the freedom of information act from UNC Registrar.
2. SPORT: Here add the sport this student is playing at UNC. That too should be part of the FOIA from the school.
3. AFRO-STUDIES CLASS TAKEN. Here add the year(s) this student athlete took the class
4. GRADE RECEIVED: The school should be able to tell you what grade was given these student athletes. If not, the leader of the sport they are playing should know. And, did that high-grade make them eligible to play that sport or continue to be eligible to play that sport?
5. WHO DID THE WORK REQUIRED IN THE CLASS?: This may take a little more work, but still th freedom of information act should apply. 
6. ALL GAMES THIS ATHLETE PLAYED IN AFTER THIS CLASS ISSUED ITS GRADE. The head of that sport should have a list of all persons played in every game back to the time when pencils were discovered.

We (you and I) could do this, and so could have the NCAA. It is so simple it is laughable:

1. IF A ATHLETE RECEIVED A GRADE FROM A CLASS WHERE SOMEONE ON UNC STAFF DID THE REQUIRED WORK AND NOT THIS ATHLETE,
2. AND THAT GRADE KEPT THAT STUDENT ELIGIBLE TO PLAY IN THAT SPORT AT UNC,
3. AND THAT ATHLETE PLAYED IN ANY GAME – THAT GAME IS DECLARED A LOSS.
4. IF THAT WIN MADE THE UNC SPORTS TEAM ELIGIBILITY TO CONTINUE IN A TOURNAMENT – THAT GAME IS DECLARED A LOSS.
5. AND IF THAT WIN GAVE UNC A CHAMPIONSHIP – THAT CHAMPIONSHIP IS DECLARED VACATED.

If you think that in 18 years of this class – designed, sanctioned and carried through by the leadership of UNC – did not have any student athletes directed toward and take these courses, and thereby regain eligibility to play that sport – then I have some beachfront property in Arizona I want to talk with you about.

I challenge any UNC fan, student and alum to do the investigation I have suggested above and come up with the HONEST ANSWER (NOT LAWYER ANSWER)… and publish a full and complete spreadsheet of ALL student athletes taking these 18 years of courses which proves that no athlete benefited from these fake classes, remained eligible to play because of this fake grade, no athlete played in any game after this bogus grade, no game they played in went into the win column, and no championship banners were gained from in a tournament in which oe of these athletes played.

If you can do that HONESTLY (cite your work), I will be quiet about taking down your fake banners… but I will still call UNC leaders to apologize to the students, fans and taxpayers of NC who more than likely paid not only for the Dome but for this multi-million dollar dream-team UNC lawyer against the NCAA.

BTW: Apply this to all other schools who have been sanctioned by the NCAA for a LOT less.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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