To Live is Christ

Henry David Thoreau once wrote "To be awake is to be alive." One can take this to mean that sleep is related to death, or that one truly doesn't live when one is lethargic, lazy, and just sleeps all the time. Considering this, what does it mean to truly live?

At the college spring retreat this weekend, the topic covered was Philippians chapter 1. The apostle Paul is writing to the Philippians while he is in prison. He is not in a distraught state, but is rather joyful. This is because he knew what it meant to live. Paul wrote "For to me to live is Christ..." Christ had called him higher and deeper and he had answer that call.

There are many Christians and non-Christians alike who still don't realize this because they build so many walls and feel to insecure to tear them down. "I have to work overtime so my boss will finally give me a promotion so I can make more money." Wall. "I must buy this ridiculously expensive piece of clothing because I need to stay with the "in" crowd otherwise I'd die." Wall. "Sports matter more than spending time with the saints, the Bible, the church, etc." Wall. "I can't preach the gospel because I'm not good at it." Wall. Even when we finally begin to take one wall down, three more spring up in it's place. It took 28 years for the Berlin Wall to be torn down. Twenty-eight years! Look at it this way. To live is Christ, which is something so wonderful it is beyond compare. But because of the walls we put up, we cannot have this wonderful thing. That's like missing some of the greatest moments of your life because there's a wall in the way.

To be called by Christ is a gift. To answer the call is you chipping away at that wall. To go higher and deeper into that call is to tear those walls down and to live. To live is Christ.

For the Love of the Game

Before 2014 graced us with its presence, I recall telling many people how excited I was for this year in sports. Whoa! Hold on a minute. Don't quit reading now for those of you who can't stand or read sports talk. Trust me you'll enjoy this and it isn't like anything ESPN bombards you with.

I am excited for this year because along with baseball being back in season soon, 2014 is special because the winter Olympics return tomorrow (events before the opening ceremony. Weird right?) and the World Cup returns this summer. So any average sports fan would be even mildly enthused right? Well some of you who may not like to watch sports or even soccer for that matter, will tune in for the Olympics and maybe the world cup. Why? Because for the Olympics, it's that pride and patriotism you have in your country that compels you to join the world in watching as athletes compete on the national stage. Most of the events at these games are ones that aren't as heavily followed or broadcast as football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. Yet they are games you participated in through high school, you gave up your Friday nights, Saturday afternoons, and even the occasional Sunday to compete. Why? For the love of the game. Watching sports on TV may bore you, but the feel of that Frisbee as it leaves your hand, or the sound of the ref signaling you have pinned your opponent, or even resounding smack of that volley ball nailing the gym floor for the match point all are factors that drive us to play the game.

Where did all this inspiration come from? I recently read a short story about a father who would one day tell his son why sports mean so much to him. He put it like this: "It's about eye-black, stickum, and pine tar. It's fourth and goal, first and long, and John 3:16...It's about divots, brush-burns, the Miracle on Ice, and Lions, and Tigers, and Bears (Oh My!)...ballpark franks, checkered flags, and if you ain't rubbin' you aint racin'. It's about sudden death, extra innings, and being behind the eight ball; the Green Monster, Wrigley Ivy, and Yankee pinstripes; goal line stands, the terrible towel, and the Dog Pound...It's about playing umpteen games of P-I-G and around the world in your driveway until you finally beat your older brother. It's the smell of your first baseball glove, the feel of your first lucky bat, and the sound of your mother cheering at your first football game. In short it's about the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, and everything in between." (shortened version) ~William Wilczewski

I could add so much more to this list, especially Todd Hamilton calling 42 year-old Jason Giambi's two out walk off home run to keep the Indians wild card hopes alive. But I think you already got the point.

An example of my beginning statements is this. As I mentioned, the World Cup is happening this summer. I will be honest. I don't watch professional soccer, I don't follow professional soccer, and most of the time don't care about professional soccer. But if you came up to me and asked me to play a game myself, I'd strap on a pair of cleats and say when and where? So why so much interest in the world cup? Because soccer is the world's game. It's the one time every four years that your country gets to prove that they are the best in front of the world. It's about pride, honor, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

So tomorrow when the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia officially begin, I will be keeping a close eye on the action with the rest of the world and cheering the good ole USA onto victory no matter what sport; whether it be hockey or curling. All for the love of the game. GO USA!