Today I am away from the office and want to accomplish Christmas Shopping.  I have had a terrible time getting to this due to personal matters and schedule.  Those personal matters being Dad’s death five weeks ago today.  Yet, the task is before me so I must go forward to accomplish it.

Beginning now you will begin to hear less from me on this blog UNTIL JANUARY 3RD.  I may or may not do a post or two along the way.  Knowing me, I will so you might want to check back.  So many people are away from their computers anyway so it is a good time to hear less from me.  As well, I need a break from writing consistently.  Count on it, January 3rd I will be back in this regular conversation with you.  Again, remember, I may do some posting during the holidays.

Before I sign off I want to give you my Bowl Season Predictions.  By January 5, you will know if I need to keep on preaching or become a broadcaster.  So here goes and I will only spend time on the January Bowls.

• Cotton Bowl: Texas Tech will upset Alabama. Even though the Alabama defense could change all of that, their offense cannot.  It just cannot score enough points to keep up with Texas Tech.
• Outback Bowl: Florida will defeat Iowa. There is just too much speed at Florida for the Iowa team to keep up.
• Gator Bowl: Virginia Tech will overcome the great offense of Louisville. Louisville’s defense will not be able to stop "Vick" and the defense and special teams of Virginia Tech are consistently good.
• Capital One Bowl: Auburn will defeat Wisconsin in Barry Alvarez’s last ball game as a Coach. Wisconsin will want to win for their coach, but they will not defeat Auburn. Auburn may have one of the top five teams right now in the nation if head to head ball games were played.
• Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame will dominate Ohio State. Charlie Weiss planning for a month…Sorry Ohio State, no way, absolutely no way.
• Sugar Bowl: Georgia will send West Virginia home making them glad they are not in the SEC. Coach Richt from Georgia is a great leader of men and is building a power house in Georgia … what a coach!
• Orange Bowl: Penn State will defeat the Florida State Seminoles. I am tempted to call an upset because of my love for Coach Bowden, however, Penn State is really pretty good, in fact very good.
• Rose Bowl:  Texas will send Lienart and Bush to the NFL losing their final college game. This is Mack Brown’s moment and Vince’s moment to remind people why he was at the Heisman Ceremony. Additionally, defense wins big games.  Texas’ defense is outstanding! This could be one of the greatest games of all time. May we all bleed orange that night.

All right all you die hard Razorback fans, of which I am one as well, I have a prediction for you. 

• The University of Arkansas Razorbacks will be in a January Bowl Game in 2007. Make your plans now … for those constant critics and skeptics:  I am not smoking anything! 

With the frivolity out of the way, may God bless you with a great Christmas.  Enjoy your family if you are with them.  Come to one of our Christmas Day Services! Merry Christmas!