Bringing Deacon Home
10 years ago
Don't pack it away
We've wrapped up another Christmas holiday and are preparing to ring in another new year. Don't pack your Christmas spirit away with your decorations. What would this world look like if everyone maintained the same spirit and attitude we display at Christmas time throughout the year?
God's carefully woven plan left me with $2 and blessed beyond measure
In November my aunt's mother passed away. She asked me to make a video slide show for the memorial service. I did the work without expectations of payment, but my aunt paid me anyway. I thought I'd use the extra money to buy a coat for a children's coat drive we were having at church. I had planned on taking the check to the bank on Tuesday and then going to Walmart afterwards to buy the coat. The Sunday before, I received the Walmart Black Friday circular via email and saw they were going to have the same coat on sale for just $8 on Black Friday. So I decided to wait and buy two coats instead of one.
I went to work that Monday excited about the upcoming holiday and shopping for those coats. After work I had to run to the feed store for some dog food and on the way home the water pump on my car went out. I had $24 and some change in my checking account; not enough for a water pump. First I tried the salvage yard, but they don't sell water pumps. So I checked around and found the cheapest one at Autozone. Tuesday afternoon I took the check my aunt had written me to the bank, which brought the total amount of cash in my checking account to $54. On the way home we stopped by Autozone to get a water pump. My parents were going to help pay for it since I didn't have much money. As the guy rang up the part I wondered how much my parents would have to contribute and was surprised to hear the man behind the counter tell me the total came to $52.
I couldn't believe it! God knew I was going to need that money from my aunt to fix my car, so he orchestrated the black Friday sale on children's coats just to keep me from spending the money before I needed it. He then made sure the amount in my checking account was just enough to cover the cost of the water pump.
While I was happy that I could pay for the water pump myself, I was still quite disappointed that I wasn't going to get to buy any coats for the kids. I thanked God for His provision and asked Him to give the coat drive a double blessing so the fact that I couldn't donate a coat wouldn't mean some kid didn't get a coat. He did just that! Our original goal was to donate 50 coats. After the final count, we had collected 100 coats to donate!
I thought I'd share this story to remind you that God doesn't just answer prayers; He provides for us before we even know there is a need. On top of all of the above mentioned God works, He has also given me several full days of work. I've had the opportunity to work many more days than I normally get this time of year.
This is just one interwoven story of how BIG and MIGHTY my God is and how He has displayed His power to us in recent weeks. God answers prayers; from the unknown to the big to the seemingly insignificant ones. He cares for all of our needs.
Merry Christmas and Happy Miracle Season!
I went to work that Monday excited about the upcoming holiday and shopping for those coats. After work I had to run to the feed store for some dog food and on the way home the water pump on my car went out. I had $24 and some change in my checking account; not enough for a water pump. First I tried the salvage yard, but they don't sell water pumps. So I checked around and found the cheapest one at Autozone. Tuesday afternoon I took the check my aunt had written me to the bank, which brought the total amount of cash in my checking account to $54. On the way home we stopped by Autozone to get a water pump. My parents were going to help pay for it since I didn't have much money. As the guy rang up the part I wondered how much my parents would have to contribute and was surprised to hear the man behind the counter tell me the total came to $52.
I couldn't believe it! God knew I was going to need that money from my aunt to fix my car, so he orchestrated the black Friday sale on children's coats just to keep me from spending the money before I needed it. He then made sure the amount in my checking account was just enough to cover the cost of the water pump.
While I was happy that I could pay for the water pump myself, I was still quite disappointed that I wasn't going to get to buy any coats for the kids. I thanked God for His provision and asked Him to give the coat drive a double blessing so the fact that I couldn't donate a coat wouldn't mean some kid didn't get a coat. He did just that! Our original goal was to donate 50 coats. After the final count, we had collected 100 coats to donate!
I thought I'd share this story to remind you that God doesn't just answer prayers; He provides for us before we even know there is a need. On top of all of the above mentioned God works, He has also given me several full days of work. I've had the opportunity to work many more days than I normally get this time of year.
This is just one interwoven story of how BIG and MIGHTY my God is and how He has displayed His power to us in recent weeks. God answers prayers; from the unknown to the big to the seemingly insignificant ones. He cares for all of our needs.
Merry Christmas and Happy Miracle Season!
Concussions and why I'm thankful
All the leftovers are just about gone and Thanksgiving is quickly fading into memory as Christmas approaches. This entry isn't about either of those holidays except that it looks back to a moment in my life that I'm still learning how thankful I am that it happened.
I've been watching and reading about the concern over concussions in sports recently. It seems like the sporting world including professional, collegiate, and youth sports have just now become aware of the dangers of concussions. In recent years a handful of athletes have either died or suffered life altering brain damage due to a concussion. Even Hollywood lost a star when Natasha Richardson died after ignoring the signs of a concussion.
All of the recent attention given to concussions and making sure a player really is ready to return to the field has made me think back to a day 11 years ago. I had suffered my third concussion in three years, all during the course of a soccer game, and was in the doctor's office for a check-up just one week post injury. I was still suffering from headaches and bouts of dizziness so my doc said I had to sit out another week. Another week went by and I was still suffering those side effects. My parents had already mentioned they weren't sure I should play anymore, but I wasn't ready to listen. After my two week post injury check-up didn't result in a clearance to return to the field; my doctor told me that "at some point you have to decide if a game is more important that your life." I asked what he meant by that and he told me that he could not guarantee that I would survive another blow to the head and if I did I would most likely suffer significant brain damage. I sat there and took in what he had just said to me. When I told him my parents wanted me to quit playing. He said he thought that was a good idea. That was a Friday and on Monday I had to tell my coach and teammates that not only was I not going to be returning for the rest of the season, but I was done forever.
It took me a long time to accept that I could no longer play this game that had been such a big part of my life.
Now, after hearing about all the concern and all the debilitating injuries and deaths due to concussions, I have an even greater appreciation for my parents and my doctor who thought about my future when I was only thinking about the next game. Even though I hated it then, I am so thankful they made that decision for me. I am so thankful that they weren't willing to give in to my desire for immediate happiness in exchange for my long term happiness. I'm thankful that my parents and doctor where aware of the consequences of head injuries 11 years ago. The knowledge of concussions and their side effects is not knew, it has simply been ignored and those involved in athletics have been under educated about the dangers of concussions.
So really the point of this story is for the parents and loved ones of athletes. Don't ignore the symptoms of concussion after a head injury. Always be over cautious when it comes to head injuries. Moms, don't ignore your instincts. Take your kid to the doc and don't let your kid talk you into letting him/her play until the doctor says it's okay. Don't be afraid to pull them off the field if they start to have a headache or if they just don't feel right. Don't be afraid to actually be a parent. That's your job. They'll get over it and it might take a while, but eventually they'll be thankful that you did. It's been 11 years since my parents said I couldn't play anymore and while I've known for most of that time that they were right and it was the best decision to make; I've only recently become thankful for that decision.
Play, have fun, and be safe.
Merry Christmas,
~RLJ
I've been watching and reading about the concern over concussions in sports recently. It seems like the sporting world including professional, collegiate, and youth sports have just now become aware of the dangers of concussions. In recent years a handful of athletes have either died or suffered life altering brain damage due to a concussion. Even Hollywood lost a star when Natasha Richardson died after ignoring the signs of a concussion.
All of the recent attention given to concussions and making sure a player really is ready to return to the field has made me think back to a day 11 years ago. I had suffered my third concussion in three years, all during the course of a soccer game, and was in the doctor's office for a check-up just one week post injury. I was still suffering from headaches and bouts of dizziness so my doc said I had to sit out another week. Another week went by and I was still suffering those side effects. My parents had already mentioned they weren't sure I should play anymore, but I wasn't ready to listen. After my two week post injury check-up didn't result in a clearance to return to the field; my doctor told me that "at some point you have to decide if a game is more important that your life." I asked what he meant by that and he told me that he could not guarantee that I would survive another blow to the head and if I did I would most likely suffer significant brain damage. I sat there and took in what he had just said to me. When I told him my parents wanted me to quit playing. He said he thought that was a good idea. That was a Friday and on Monday I had to tell my coach and teammates that not only was I not going to be returning for the rest of the season, but I was done forever.
It took me a long time to accept that I could no longer play this game that had been such a big part of my life.
Now, after hearing about all the concern and all the debilitating injuries and deaths due to concussions, I have an even greater appreciation for my parents and my doctor who thought about my future when I was only thinking about the next game. Even though I hated it then, I am so thankful they made that decision for me. I am so thankful that they weren't willing to give in to my desire for immediate happiness in exchange for my long term happiness. I'm thankful that my parents and doctor where aware of the consequences of head injuries 11 years ago. The knowledge of concussions and their side effects is not knew, it has simply been ignored and those involved in athletics have been under educated about the dangers of concussions.
So really the point of this story is for the parents and loved ones of athletes. Don't ignore the symptoms of concussion after a head injury. Always be over cautious when it comes to head injuries. Moms, don't ignore your instincts. Take your kid to the doc and don't let your kid talk you into letting him/her play until the doctor says it's okay. Don't be afraid to pull them off the field if they start to have a headache or if they just don't feel right. Don't be afraid to actually be a parent. That's your job. They'll get over it and it might take a while, but eventually they'll be thankful that you did. It's been 11 years since my parents said I couldn't play anymore and while I've known for most of that time that they were right and it was the best decision to make; I've only recently become thankful for that decision.
Play, have fun, and be safe.
Merry Christmas,
~RLJ
A certain kind of crazy
I read an editorial column in one of the local papers today that talked about living in and loving our state. The author, Dustin Hughes, discusses the fact that the state of Oklahoma (the land, not the government) doesn't want us here. He brings up how Oklahoma continuously throws tornados, poison ivy, copperheads, 104-degree summers (106 by my thermometer) and some questionable politicians at us. Mr. Hughes also mentions how Oklahoma "nearly succeeded in kicking us all out in the 30s as the Dust Bowl, combined with the Great Depression, drove many families to California" He says it takes a certain amount of crazy to love this place, and he's right.
Growing up I heard several friends talk of how they couldn't wait to get out of Oklahoma. Through the wonder of Facebook I have managed to "catch up" with many of them and for the most part the majority of them are still here in Oklahoma. Many have never left. I was one of the few that did get out of Oklahoma, however, when I left I always knew I would be coming back. When asked why I would want to go back to Oklahoma I could only answer one thing, "because it's a part of me and you can't just leave a piece of yourself lying around somewhere while you venture off to other places." That answer is still true, but there's more to it now.
As I've aged and matured over the years and as things and people have changed around me, I've come to recognize a couple of things. The 1st being that I am a city girl and I would do just fine in a large metropolis. The 2nd is that inspite of number 1, I still LOVE living in Oklahoma. I love that the Arkansas River is wide and lazy as it meanders through this part of the country. At times it even seems to stand still. It is a perfect illustration of why I love Oklahoma. You see, here in Oklahoma, life moves a little bit slower than it does other places, especially in a large city. It's not because we're slow people or country bumpkins. It's because, on some level just a little bit more than others, we know how to enjoy life without all the bells and whistles of the city. We enjoy those things, but we also know how to slow life down and sit in one place all day long waiting to catch a fish and if no fish are caught, it is usually still considered a good day.
Occasionally we do get a little more starstruck with celebrities, we might not always understand what the city folk are talking about, it takes us a year or more to catch up on the latest fashion trends, and yes, sometimes we add an extra syllable (or two) to our words. But you know what, that extra syllable stretches out the word and slows us down. It helps us stop to enjoy the sunset, it's how we can smell when it's going to rain, it's why we go outside to see if the weather man's right when he says a tornado's coming, and it's why we can spot the big dipper and then debate whether or not it's actually the little dipper while driving down an old, quiet highway.
Yes I'm a city girl, but you can keep your bustling, never sleeps cities. I'll come visit every now and then, but I love the slow pace of Oklahoma and if that makes me a little insane, well then, I guess I am a certain kind of crazy.
Growing up I heard several friends talk of how they couldn't wait to get out of Oklahoma. Through the wonder of Facebook I have managed to "catch up" with many of them and for the most part the majority of them are still here in Oklahoma. Many have never left. I was one of the few that did get out of Oklahoma, however, when I left I always knew I would be coming back. When asked why I would want to go back to Oklahoma I could only answer one thing, "because it's a part of me and you can't just leave a piece of yourself lying around somewhere while you venture off to other places." That answer is still true, but there's more to it now.
As I've aged and matured over the years and as things and people have changed around me, I've come to recognize a couple of things. The 1st being that I am a city girl and I would do just fine in a large metropolis. The 2nd is that inspite of number 1, I still LOVE living in Oklahoma. I love that the Arkansas River is wide and lazy as it meanders through this part of the country. At times it even seems to stand still. It is a perfect illustration of why I love Oklahoma. You see, here in Oklahoma, life moves a little bit slower than it does other places, especially in a large city. It's not because we're slow people or country bumpkins. It's because, on some level just a little bit more than others, we know how to enjoy life without all the bells and whistles of the city. We enjoy those things, but we also know how to slow life down and sit in one place all day long waiting to catch a fish and if no fish are caught, it is usually still considered a good day.
Occasionally we do get a little more starstruck with celebrities, we might not always understand what the city folk are talking about, it takes us a year or more to catch up on the latest fashion trends, and yes, sometimes we add an extra syllable (or two) to our words. But you know what, that extra syllable stretches out the word and slows us down. It helps us stop to enjoy the sunset, it's how we can smell when it's going to rain, it's why we go outside to see if the weather man's right when he says a tornado's coming, and it's why we can spot the big dipper and then debate whether or not it's actually the little dipper while driving down an old, quiet highway.
Yes I'm a city girl, but you can keep your bustling, never sleeps cities. I'll come visit every now and then, but I love the slow pace of Oklahoma and if that makes me a little insane, well then, I guess I am a certain kind of crazy.
Life Lessons
Much of my life has revolved around sports and when I try to explain something, sports analogies are what most often come to mind. So, here we go.
Since the World Cup just ended, I'll start there. In soccer, you fill in the space vacated by your teammate so there's someone there. When the original occupier of said space returns, you move back to your original position as well. Basically, you fill in the gap for a temporary time until the person who is supposed to be there can occupy the space.
Similarly, in baseball (since we are headed into the All-Star break), when the star athlete goes on the disabled list with an injury the guy on the bench or down in the minor leagues comes in and fills the vacancy. The benchwarmer/rookie knows that his time there is temporary and that once the full time guy comes back from the DL there is no guarantee that he'll get anymore playing time. So again, you fill in where you're needed until a permanent arangement can be made. Just because a guy did a great job filling in when needed doesn't mean that he's the best guy for the job. Teams will still go out and sign a free agent if that's what they believe is best for the team.
You may be asking yourself, why am I sharing this lesson and what does it mean?
Some friends of mine are struggling with a situation where they were the ones that filled in when a vacancy came up. They did a great job and indeed did put their resume in for the full time position. Now, it looks like they aren't going to get the full time gig. In this particular case it's like a team going after a free agent. Yes, my friend did a great job filling in as an interim guy and the powers that be would love to offer him the position, but they also have to do what is best for the "team". The "Owner" of the team seems to be saying that He has someone else in mind for the job. My friend would classify this as his dream job, but like I've said before, our dreams and God's dreams for us don't always align with each other. He's not being asked to leave the team and he's not being hurt on purpose. It's always been known that the job wasn't guaranteed to be his when it came time to hire a full time guy. Yet it still hurts, he and his wife are still disappointed and probably taking it a little too personally.
Now, I am not an emotionally charged person. I am a logical thinker. So it's easy for me to see and say these things. And I admit that sometime this makes me, albeit unintentionally, seem harsh. The fact is that there are a lot of life lessons that can be learned from sports and this is just one I hope my friends and many others can grasp and understand. The ultimate fact is that it's not about you, me, us or them, it's all about Him, the Lord of all, the Great I am. It comes down to what He wants to happen. It really is that simple. You can't view it as a blow to you. You have to see it as what's best for the Kingdom.
Lord, not my will, but your will be done.
~R
So, Now What?
It's a sad day when you realize the one thing you've been working towards the majority of your life isn't going to happen. Shaky hands = blurry pictures. Since this stupid disease hit me 5 years ago, my hands have not been quite as steady as they once were. However, I've still been able to take good pictures. The shakiness has gradually gotten worse even though it is still really only noticeable when I try to take a picture. I've tried all the tricks I've been taught over the years and they don't help. As long as I am touching the camera, there is shaking. I've spent my whole life working towards a career in photography and at this point in my life, I don't know what else to do. So, now what?
My Week in Review...Sort of.
It's been an interesting week. I've got pictures from Monday and Thursday, nothing happened on Tuesday, I just didn't take any pictures on Wednesday, and I was going to take some pictures Friday but ran into two obstacles named Shinka and Wrigley.
Monday: It was a nice day weather wise. I went to work for four hours and got off at 12:15. I went home and relaxed for a couple of hours and then went in search of something to photograph. There was a junior varsity baseball game going on at the high school and I found a hole in the fence where I could squeeze in and take some pictures. Baseball and photography: two of my favorite past times and I got to enjoy both simultaneously. :)
Thursday: Thursday was a great weather day as well. I, again, worked part of the day and then got a little bit of rest before getting out in the world. Thursday afternoon/evening I took a couple of pictures of my niece for part of her Senior Pictures and then gathered with some friends to watch the latest episode of FlashForward, a television show on ABC that we've all been captivated by, and we also watched The Marriage Ref which is hilarious. Before the show I got to spend time with my best friends two boys. The downside of the night was that while watching The Marriage Ref, I laughed so hard that the pain in my throat returned after an almost two-week hiatus.
Monday: It was a nice day weather wise. I went to work for four hours and got off at 12:15. I went home and relaxed for a couple of hours and then went in search of something to photograph. There was a junior varsity baseball game going on at the high school and I found a hole in the fence where I could squeeze in and take some pictures. Baseball and photography: two of my favorite past times and I got to enjoy both simultaneously. :)
Sadly, the Tigers lost both games of a double header.
It's hard to capture a good smile from her. They always looked forced because she doesn't like to show her teeth. In this one, I told her to just relax and really, it's probably the best one.
I love this little guy. Tanner would be the perfect subject for a photo shoot if you could just get him to stay still. A little bit more of his mouth and this would have been a perfect shot.
Tanner's baby brother, Denver. At 5 months old he's really starting to look like his momma.
This isn't exactly working out...
Okay this project 365 isn't going so well. It has made me look at the world while thinking "that would be a good shot", but I just can't get myself to carry a camera everywhere. Anyway, I'll keep trying. Here are a few of the shots I did get over the last week.
Watching TV with Wrigley
A late winter storm hit the area. The day before it was 73 degrees outside.
the Arkansas River
Wrigley out in the snow
Shinka had tons of fun out in the snow
This was just a few days after the snow. Everything is starting to look green again!
Days 1-3
Okay here are two of the first three days from project 365. I don't have anything from Thursday as I slept literally all day. Sometimes my body just needs to recharge.
On Friday, I took full advantage of the weather and my fully recharged body, and I took Wrigley for a walk. We only made it one mile, but it was a much needed bit of excercise for both of us. When we got home I took a cool shower to wash off the heat and sweat. Then I decided to cook dinner. I made Taco stuff and then attempted a new recipe for peach cobbler. My peach Cobbler was GREAT! It's not quite as good as it is when the person that gave me the recipe makes it, but it still makes the mouth water.
It isn't all that pretty, but it tastes amazing!
On Wednesday I spent the entire day at Angus Church. We had a youth workday which was semi-successful. The kids vacuumed and cleaned the sanctuary in the morning and after lunch they tackled staining the playground equipment. We learned that 6th grade girls should not be allowed to paint or stain anything. Even with supervision they couldn't follow instructions and got stain everywhere.
These particular girls were eventually removed from the project and sent to scrub the bathrooms.
On Friday, I took full advantage of the weather and my fully recharged body, and I took Wrigley for a walk. We only made it one mile, but it was a much needed bit of excercise for both of us. When we got home I took a cool shower to wash off the heat and sweat. Then I decided to cook dinner. I made Taco stuff and then attempted a new recipe for peach cobbler. My peach Cobbler was GREAT! It's not quite as good as it is when the person that gave me the recipe makes it, but it still makes the mouth water.
It isn't all that pretty, but it tastes amazing!
One a day for 365....
I've been trying to come up with something to do. Something that would give me a topic to post about once a day for a year. I don't have the energy or cash to pull a Julie & Julia stunt and go through a cookbook. So I was thinking what might I be interested in doing once a day for a year? There's the "read the bible" in a year plan, which I need to do anyway, and then there's Project365. A photo a day that relates to what I did, who I met, and where I went. This could actually be challenging. There are some days that I don't leave the house. So finding something to photograph that describes my day differently than every other day could prove to be quite difficult. Also, I will have to back into the habit of taking a camera with me everywhere I go. I haven't done that since high school. So look for the first photo post tomorrow, March 17, 2010. St. Patrick's Day 2010 will be the beginning of this project. I will post atleast once a week and there will be atleast one photo for each day. I will try to post every day, but there will be times that doesn't happen, so once a week is my promise.
Apathy
Lately I've been feeling quite apathetic. Not really towards my own life but towards others. It sounds like I'm being selfish and self absorbed, but I don't even feel like what's going on in my life is more important than anyone else's life. I'm just in a mood where I don't care. I get this way from time to time. I don't want to hear about your problems. I deal with my own issues 24 hours a day I don't want to add yours to my restless brain. What's worse is that even though I know I'm in this mood, when I see other people being apathetic it drives me nuts. I can't stand it. Now, let be clear. I don't like feeling this way. When I get in this mood I also feel like I'm being a horrible person. Typically, when someone asks me to pray for something, it is very natural and easy to do. When I'm in my apathy shadow I have to force myself to follow through with the prayers after I have started several times only to stop and tell myself I'll do it later. This shade of gray is not me. It's not my personality and it's definitely not who I want to be. I'm sorry if you've fallen victim to this alternate identity I resort to on occasion. It is never my intention to be anything less than interested in other people. Here's hoping a nice strong wind comes through and blows this cloud away soon.
I am a SPORTS fan.
I am a sports fan. I'm not the crazy, insane, rowdy fan you often see with face and body painted. I'm also not just a casual fan of one or two specific teams. I am a SPORTS fan. I'll watch any sport. Yes I have my favorites, soccer and baseball are at the top and I follow my teams as closely as my life allows without it becoming an obsession. I'm the fan that knows the backstory of a team or athlete. I may not have stats memorized, but I know who's had a good year and who hasn't. While I've watched almost every sport out there, I'm still not sure why poker gets air time on ESPN....
My love of sports is something that was passed down to me from my dad. The story is that as a baby, my mom would be out of hands and patience after dealing with three kids and she would plop me down in my dad's lap and say "it's your turn." I would then be perfectly content sitting in the brown leather recliner with my dad as he yelled at the tv. He taught me to love the game, not just a team. However, we do have "our" teams. At some point when I was growing up, my mom and sister banned my dad and I from watching sports together in the same room. We would both get so involved in the game and would be yelling at the TV together. Apparently we got a little loud. So now we watch the same game just in different rooms. This hasn't stopped our yelling and, if anything, it has made it worse. Now we not only yell at the tv, but we yell at each other down the hallway. Not too long ago I stayed several days at a friend's house during a heavy snow storm. My sister later relayed to me that my dad was watching the Razorback basketball game and would yell down the hallway as if I were there. She said at one point he came down the hall and started talking to her about the game like he does with me and although she gave it her best effort, it wasn't the same and she could tell he missed me being there. Sports are the base of my relationship with my dad. While my brother, sister and I were all athletes growing up, the two of them aren't huge sports fans. They'll get into a game every now and then, but for the most part they could care less. My brother and sister also tend to have a bit of a volatile relationship with our dad. Sometimes I wonder if that would be different if they were sports fans. Afterall, sport is what brings the world together.
Perhaps my favorite time of year isn't a "time of year" at all. The Olympic Games only occur every two years, alternating between the Summer and Winter Olympiads. Every two years I spend approximately 12 days in tears. You see, I'm not just a sports fan, I love everything that goes into sports. The unmeasurable elements that drive athletes to push themselves a little bit farther than the day before. Those stories of the underdog overcoming obstacles and rising to the top of his or her field, the kid that gets up for practice every morning because his disabled brother can't, and the stories of redemption when an athlete misses their "best" opportunity due to illness, injury, or a bad day are all the things that find their way into my heart and bring tears to my eyes.
I remember watching a movie with my mom and sister about a group of teenagers whose bus gets caught in a flood on their way home from church camp. In this movie, which was based on a true story, several of the teenagers died in the flood. At the end of the movie both my mom and sister were in tears. I was barely affected at all and my sister claimed I must have a "heart of stone." To this day stories like that rarely affect me, but I cry everytime I watch Miracle, Glory Road, Gracie, We Are Marshall, and several other sports movies. I even cry reading feature stories on ESPN.com that usually turn into their Outside the Lines segments. There's just something about sports that touches the very core of me.
Over the next two weeks, my television will be tuned into NBC a majority of the time. I've already watched men's and women's moguls, cross country alpine skiing, speed skating long and short track, pairs figure skating, men's singles luge, and women's hockey. Add to that the Opening Ceremony and it's pretty much been all olympics all the time here at my house. I once asked my mom if she knew when she married my dad that she would become a weekend widow due to sports. She said she knew my dad would spend much of his weekends watching one sporting event after another, but she never thought she'd lose a daughter to the same affliction.
While I haven't yet met the man God has intended for me to marry, I hope and pray that he is able to understand what happens to me when the Cubs game is on tv during the summer and on Saturdays during college football season, and during these two weeks every two years when the world comes together to compete in the Olympic Games. Hopefully he'll understand that I am a sports fan.
My love of sports is something that was passed down to me from my dad. The story is that as a baby, my mom would be out of hands and patience after dealing with three kids and she would plop me down in my dad's lap and say "it's your turn." I would then be perfectly content sitting in the brown leather recliner with my dad as he yelled at the tv. He taught me to love the game, not just a team. However, we do have "our" teams. At some point when I was growing up, my mom and sister banned my dad and I from watching sports together in the same room. We would both get so involved in the game and would be yelling at the TV together. Apparently we got a little loud. So now we watch the same game just in different rooms. This hasn't stopped our yelling and, if anything, it has made it worse. Now we not only yell at the tv, but we yell at each other down the hallway. Not too long ago I stayed several days at a friend's house during a heavy snow storm. My sister later relayed to me that my dad was watching the Razorback basketball game and would yell down the hallway as if I were there. She said at one point he came down the hall and started talking to her about the game like he does with me and although she gave it her best effort, it wasn't the same and she could tell he missed me being there. Sports are the base of my relationship with my dad. While my brother, sister and I were all athletes growing up, the two of them aren't huge sports fans. They'll get into a game every now and then, but for the most part they could care less. My brother and sister also tend to have a bit of a volatile relationship with our dad. Sometimes I wonder if that would be different if they were sports fans. Afterall, sport is what brings the world together.
Perhaps my favorite time of year isn't a "time of year" at all. The Olympic Games only occur every two years, alternating between the Summer and Winter Olympiads. Every two years I spend approximately 12 days in tears. You see, I'm not just a sports fan, I love everything that goes into sports. The unmeasurable elements that drive athletes to push themselves a little bit farther than the day before. Those stories of the underdog overcoming obstacles and rising to the top of his or her field, the kid that gets up for practice every morning because his disabled brother can't, and the stories of redemption when an athlete misses their "best" opportunity due to illness, injury, or a bad day are all the things that find their way into my heart and bring tears to my eyes.
I remember watching a movie with my mom and sister about a group of teenagers whose bus gets caught in a flood on their way home from church camp. In this movie, which was based on a true story, several of the teenagers died in the flood. At the end of the movie both my mom and sister were in tears. I was barely affected at all and my sister claimed I must have a "heart of stone." To this day stories like that rarely affect me, but I cry everytime I watch Miracle, Glory Road, Gracie, We Are Marshall, and several other sports movies. I even cry reading feature stories on ESPN.com that usually turn into their Outside the Lines segments. There's just something about sports that touches the very core of me.
Over the next two weeks, my television will be tuned into NBC a majority of the time. I've already watched men's and women's moguls, cross country alpine skiing, speed skating long and short track, pairs figure skating, men's singles luge, and women's hockey. Add to that the Opening Ceremony and it's pretty much been all olympics all the time here at my house. I once asked my mom if she knew when she married my dad that she would become a weekend widow due to sports. She said she knew my dad would spend much of his weekends watching one sporting event after another, but she never thought she'd lose a daughter to the same affliction.
While I haven't yet met the man God has intended for me to marry, I hope and pray that he is able to understand what happens to me when the Cubs game is on tv during the summer and on Saturdays during college football season, and during these two weeks every two years when the world comes together to compete in the Olympic Games. Hopefully he'll understand that I am a sports fan.
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