OK, disclaimer on this blog. I’ll be going around the world on this one, and you may wonder where we’re coming out, but hang in there, I really do have a method to my madness.
Hopefully.
First, let me just say, because it was an incredibly cool thing, that my family and I (my dad included, coming down from
SOTH member Mara Cleveland used to own and operate a hair salon in Buckhead, and her clientele included Braves’ General Manager John Scheurholz.
Wow.
Bigger wow: After she wrote him a note, he was willing to invite us all to a game, to meet us at the dugout during batting practice, and to introduce us to future Hall of Fame manager, Bobby Cox.
We got to make that trip this past week, and I was more excited than a kid at Christmas, to say the least. Not only did we get to meet these two Braves’ icons, Will also got to meet centerfielder Andruw Jones, and get his autograph. Everyone was incredibly gracious to us, and their hospitality was wonderful. The experience was incredible, and needless to say, a great time was had by all.
It’s always an amazing, and somehow disconcerting experience to meet famous people, especially those you’ve so often seen doing their thing on the tv set in your living room.
In those moments, the “pressure” is on. You don’t want to say or do the wrong thing, you don’t know when or if this opportunity might ever come your way again, and you want to make every second count.
For instance, just think how excited you would be to meet Tim Howard.
You’re excited, right?
Tim Howard….anybody….anybody?
Tim Howard. He’s a goalkeeper for Mancheseter United. Does that help? Probably not. Think
Tim doesn’t just play for
We’re in
But that’s not the case in pretty much the rest of the world. I really enjoyed a segment on
National Public Radio this morning by Frank DeFord, the famous sportswriter. He pointed out that the U.S. World Cup team is ranked 5th this year.
That means the unthinkable could possibly become reality. The
That, says DeFord, gives us a pretty big competitive edge. “A player from any other country,” he says, “making a mistake in the World Cup, may be ruined for the rest of his career.”
Our players can play with no pressure, free and easy, because nobody back home is paying attention. (You can imagine how this endears us to the rest of the soccer-loving world).
See, if I met Tim Howard at the local coffee shop, I don’t think I’d worry that each second of the conversation really needed to count, always and forever more. It’s that very fact that could lead to a good conversation. Good things in life happen when everybody takes a breath, calms down, and turns loose of some of the pressure.
Now, time for some confession. Turning loose of pressure is not my spiritual gift. I tend to wrap pressure around myself like a nice, cozy blanket. Where pressure does not exist, I tend to find ways to create it. I like to think of it as “intensity,” and “purpose,” and “drive,” but let’s get real. High Pressure, whether it’s in life, or the circulatory system, just isn’t what Jesus is looking for in his disciples.
I had a great conversation with a friend this week, and we found ourselves anxious, thinking through all the possibilities and unknowns of life and ministry.
Then, we remembered something Jesus once said:
“Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
What would happen if those who believe in Jesus decided to believe that statement? What if we played “free and easy,” because our Father who loves us has promised to pop the pressure bubble forever?
I think we could be a pretty tough team to beat. That’s the church. The coalition of the unworried.
That’s just cool. Almost as cool as meeting Bobby Cox.
OK, it’s even better. Walk in faith. Believe, and be confident. I can promise --- whatever it is, it’s going to be alright.
Grace & Peace,
Adam
LIFE AT SOTH:
Please continue to remember SOTH in prayer as we make decisions regarding the future use of our property and our potential re-location in the community. Remember that there will be an informational session for the congregation this Sunday, June 11th, following our 10:00 a.m. worship service.
Church Conference is set for June 25th, with one worship service only -- 10:00 a.m. that Sunday.
1 comment:
Note to self from the soccer-ignorant American: Kasey Keller was the starting keeper, not Tim Howard. And, our guys went home today. Props to the Ghanaian team, I'm happy for them.
Adam
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