12th Man International

So I know all of my aggies know what this is, but for everyone else, the 12th man international is a cafeteria at A&M University, named after the 12th man, which is the student body. Well today we're gonna discuss a different 12th man international. And no this isn't a sermon either. :)

Here in Mexico for the most part everybody here has this in common: they love their soccer team. They're just like the aggies, we support our football team, they support their "futbol" team. Only difference is Mexico is alot bigger than our college campus. It has been interesting watching the 12th man here (there are 11 players on the field at one time in soccer) cheer on their home team. I even find myself getting back into futbol, although I'm chanting U-S-A instead of Me-xi-co. Artemio made some good observations too about these futbol games: the teams represent their country in how they play. For instance you've got the japanese who are very task oriented, the germans who are very presise, the brazilians who are very passionate, etc. It really is the sport of the world, excluding the U.S. Back home we root for the sports in our city, everywhere else they root for the sport in their country. Kinda crazy to think for 2 hours almost all of the country is watching the same thing.

This morning Artemio stopped by our place at 6am to play soccer, but since the ball was flat and we didn't have a pump, they decided not to wake Caleb and me up, for which I am grateful. Speaking of being grateful, man today was a blessing! My birthday was last friday, which was a very good day. But today they gave me a late birthday present, which if I wanted something, this was it: a bilingual Spanish-English Bible! They couldn't have done any better.

Anyways that is about all I can think of right now, I've got two sets of verses that have been on my mind today:

"He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, and he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning." Proverbs 9:7-9

"The ear that hears the rebukes of life will abide among the wise. He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, but he who heeds rebuke gets understanding. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility." Proverbs 15:31-33

From the passages, one way you can tell if a person, including yourself, is wise is by the way he handles rubukes. When corrected do we give attention to the rebuke, or are we quick to defend our cause first? If we are to grow in the wisdom and understanding of the Lord, we must be rebukable. Dios te bendiga!

Chris

p.s. Hey everybody, my parents are in Canada right now on Choir Tour with the High School choir from my church back home. They are able to receive emails, which are passed out on the buses each day. It sure feels good to have your name called on the bus because you've received an email from back home! So if you would do me a favor, sometime this week and the next send an email to sponsors@chapeltour.com, with "Bill and Becky Edwards" as the subject. And no it won't be wierd if you don't know them, just say you know me and wish them a blessed trip in Canada. Thanks!