Are You More Than Who You Appear To Be?

This American Bison, otherwise known as a buffalo, weighs over 1300 pounds. He doesn't look like he can run as fast as a speeding bullet, but he can. Buffalo can actually reach a speed of 40 mph. I got to witness this speed first hand at the zoo last week as 2 of these big guys hoofed their way around 2 pens. They were moving so fast you could actually hear their hoofs pattering upon the ground with a thunderous sound. At first glance you would never suspect these guys to move so quickly.

I sometimes have the tendency to call my younger sister "my baby sister" only because she is small in size compared to my brothers and I. At first glance you would never suspect this 30-something gal as being someone who is strong. But looks are deceiving.

About 12 years ago my baby sister's husband left her with 2 little kids just before Christmas time. It was pretty much a huge shock to everyone as the 2 of them grew up in the same church and there were no visible signs of anything wrong. But it happened. Needless to say my parents were outraged at what he had done to their daughter, but they did what any loving parent would and should do, made the sacrifices that were needed and let her move back home with the 2 young one's. My sister was able to find a full time job during the day and my parents would watch the kids. Each of us siblings pitched in to do our part as well to help encourage her. And of course, there was a whole lot of praying.That was probably the most I ever prayed for one person up until now.

The next couple of years I watched my sister literally grow up. She tackled the challenge head on as her faith in herself and in God grew stronger. My sister eventually got an apartment close to my parents and things began to work in her favor in all areas of her life. A couple years after that she would meet her future husband, a good hard working guy who loves kids. She is now happily married with 3 kids. Yes, prayer works!

I can no longer call her my baby sister for it is I who looks up to her.



Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
For our light affliction , which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.
For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
(2Cor.4:16-18)
It's those challenges in life that sharpens our faith, and helps us grow into mature individuals.
But it is up to us to find that courage within us to slay those giants in our life.

These Things I Observed....

These things I observed while attending the Chicago Bears game this past Sunday...

1. God is a Good God

My brother and I were totally surprised when we find out we were going to the game that would be commemorating Walter Payton, Chicago's favorite Bear. Plus, God gave us incredible weather along with a victory.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

The Lord will give grace and glory;

No good thing will He withhold

From those who walk uprightly. (Ps.84:11)

God loves to give good gifts to those who follow.

2.Loyalty

On our 2 mile trek from the train station to the stadium along with many other fans, we were followed by a fan of the opposing team, the Cleveland Browns. Two things you should know about these Browns: one, they have been a losing team for a very long time, and two, they fit in the same category as the Bears, a historic team from long ago.

A Bears fan non-chalantly asked the Cleveland fan, who was with his girlfriend in a Bears jersey,

"So, you're a Browns fan? Are you from Cleveland?"

"Yes. I moved to Chicago in 2000."

"And we haven't converted you yet? That's real loyalty!"

I love seeing loyalty with our favorite sports teams. It says alot about who we are as a person.

3. Camaraderie

On our trek back to the train station after the game (did the walking since it was nice outside)

we found ourselves following a group of about ten women and young ladies dressed in their Bears attire. Obviously coming from the game as all their accessories had Bears' logos. Yes, the demographics have changed!

I noticed this at a Bears game about three years ago, 30-35 percent who attend are indeed women. So, it was good to see not just groups of guys hanging out at the game, but now women as well.

4. Leaving a Legacy

As I mentioned earlier, throughout the game and at half time they were commemorating the 10 year anniversary of the death of Walter Payton. In case you aren't from Chicago, Walter was the beloved running back of the Bears from the mid-70's to early 80's. He played 13 seasons, all with the same team, and in that span only missed one game. They called him "Sweetness" for his gracefulness both on and off the field. Walter refused to celebrate after scoring a touchdown and disapproved of the growing practice of touchdown celebrations. Imagine what he would say to the players today.

Walter was one of those rare athletic specimen's who could do it all. His highlight reel of football moves would put you in awe. He thrived on giving 120 percent. He was a total team player.

After the game, as my brother and I were talking about the half time celebration for Payton, my brother remarked,

"I think the old guy sitting next to me cried ."

So, here was this big old burly, beer drinking, diehard Bears fan getting misty eyed. That's the effect Payton had on all of Chicago.

Walter Payton died of a rare liver disease at the young age of 45. In his final months before passing he became an advocate for organ donation. After his appeals, donations in Illinois skyrocketed. I became an organ donor the day after he passed away.

Becoming an organ donor doesn't cost you a thing: you don't need your organs after you have passed, and, if you know Christ, you are going to get a new, glorified body in heaven anyways.

Wow! The things you learn just by going to a football game. Amazing!

Unconditional Love

The following excerpt is from a daily devotional that I've been reading, called"40 Days To Your Best Life For Men" :

A respectful, sensitive young boy turns into a rebellious teenager and breaks his parents' hearts. In the middle of the night, he comes home drunk and passes out across his bed. His mother slips out of her own bed and minutes later her husband goes to the kitchen expecting to find her crying alone. Instead he discovers her at the boy's bedside stroking his matted hair. "What are you doing?" her husband asks. She replies,"He won't let me love him when he's awake."

This is a great example of unconditional love.

I am so thankful for that unconditional love during a season in my younger years when I wasn't living the way I should've been. I was brought up in a Christian home, knew right from wrong, but for awhile there I fell asleep to Jesus and was awake to the world and what it had to offer. And even though I slipped away from God for a season, I was still in His grasp and He still loved me. This is grace. This is God's unconditional love for us. A love that has no boundaries.

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ( Rom. 5:8)

Did You Know...

Did you know that swans and geese, even though they are from the same bird family, don't get along with each other. In fact, geese are actually afraid of swans. Go figure! When you think of geese you think of an aggressive, dirty bird. And swans, their behavior represents one of grace, and are also considered a symbol of love. Could this be the reason Tchaikovsky chose the title "Swan Lake" for his classic ballet?

One other interesting tidbit on swans:

In Hinduism, swans are compared to a saintly person whose characteristic is to be in the world without getting attached to it, just as a swan's feather does not get wet although it is in water.

I love the fact that the aggressive behavioral goose is afraid of the graceful, symbol of love swan.

In todays society we see the aggressiveness of man more than we want to: on the road during morning and afternoon rush hour, in the lines at the supermarket, in our workplace, in our schools.

But Jesus taught us that love overpowers all things, and:

The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. (1 Tim. 1:14)

Imagine what we could do if we took that grace, faith, and love that God has given to us and applied it to the aggressive world we live in.

Just like the swan versus the goose, grace wins!

Community Within Tragedy

Some of the good causes that take place within our communities were created unfortunately from tragedy:

John Walsh, the host of Americas Most Wanted, began his crusade after the abduction and murder of his 6 year old son Adam. His show, on television for 22 years now, has helped capture over 1,000 fugitives and criminals, and has brought home more than 50 missing children.

Many of the child safety and protection laws that now exist are because of John Walsh and his family's tragedy.

A friend of mine, also named John, was involved in a one car drunk driving accident back when he was in his early 20's. His jeep flipped over at an intersection well after midnight, thankfully an off-duty state trooper was there to pull him from the huge fireball wreckage. After pulling him from the car to safety, the trooper took pictures of not only the car on fire, but photos of John lying in a hospital bed hooked up to many tubes and machines; the officer hoping John would pull through and use those photos for a good cause. John spent several months in the hospital. My friend was sentenced to 1,000 hours of community service, talking to high school kids about the dangers of drinking and driving. Some 20 years later, John still goes around sharing his pictures and stories at high school assemblies. If you ask him why he does it after already fulfilling his sentence many years ago, his reply is simple:

"God spared my life for a reason, and I am going to make the most of it."

Just this past weekend Jasper Howard, a University of Connecticut football player, who was also an expectant father, was stabbed to death after a homecoming dance on campus. Their coach was one who always stressed to the team that they were all one family and were to look out for one another. One of Jasper's distraught teammates exclaimed,

"As Jasper looks down on us, I can promise him and his family that when that son or daughter is born, they will have 105 uncles."

We don't necessarily need to wait for a tragedy to happen to get involved in our community ( your town, your family, or your church).

In 2 Timothy 4 , Paul urged Timothy:

But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

God has called all Christians to share their faith with others and to lead people to Christ. We do not necessarily have to be called into full time ministry to do this. We are also called upon to do good to others, especially those in need.

When we use the gifts and talents that God has given to us in a positive way,

positive results are sure to follow.

As Winston Churchill once said,

"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."