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One night at UC as I prepared to go down for dinner, I thought of the fun I was having and the relative ease with which I managed social situations. Now, some, like my friend Rusty, might consider my ease a restriction, but for me, a social outcast in the 10th grade, it was ease.

Because of my moral scruples, sheltered life, and fear of God and man, I went from being one of the most popular boys in the 8th grade to walking across a lonely field every day to get lunch in the 10th grade. A combination of both good and bad separated me from my peers, and once friends came to deride me with the nick-name "Sadam". I was a lonely, tortured teenager. A move to another town helped remedy the situation somewhat in that I found a crowed with similar scruples. I was popular with the girls, but that was only until they met me. I was still somewhat of a dud.

I'll save you the intervening steps that are the story of my life, but in my hotel room, I somewhat legitimately thought of myself as cool. I am respected among my colleagues, God has freed me from complete fear of man and him through Christ, and so I have loosened up a bit. For better and worse, Courtney helped open my eyes to culture, so that I am not quite so sheltered. I can be relatively cool.

To an idolatrous man, this is in some ways is the pinnacle of existence. I pondered the situation where my moral scruples would again endanger my coolness. How would I get out of going to a sketchy club that the group went to? How would I remain faithful to my wife if I was pushed into a situation to dance with a young female customer?

The results, I survived. I might possibly have improved my coolness with the story of being spanked at Coyote Ugly, but God saved me from the temptation. My somewhat intentional (or at least I like to think) lack of charm shielded me from available women. I suppose God held true to his word and did not push me beyond that for which he prepared me.

Thanks be to God. And Glory be to him.