Frontenacs

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The Biggest Crowd This Year Didn’t Miss A Thing

It was probably the biggest crowd of the year and we got our money’s worth.

the biggest crowd this year didn't miss a thing

The other night I went to watch our city’s OHL team, the Kingston Frontenacs. This has been an interesting year because they have played to no fans, 500 fans, 2500 fans, and now to full capacity. 

I’m sure the players like having all the people back to watch and cheer them on. It worked last night. Not only did they win, but there were a couple of fights and lots of goals.

Not only have these guys had to play before a fluctuating number of occupied seats, they have also only been able to play some teams in their division. 

In the OHL there are a total of 20 teams, divided into two conferences. But this year they only played against the teams in their own conference, with most of their games played against the 5 teams in their division. It seems like they have been playing one of the same 4 teams every other game. 

It would be like going back to the NHL when they only had 6 teams. You get really familiar with the other players. And because hockey is a fairly physical game, this familiarity also results in more fights on the ice.

There were two fights last night and several skirmishes with pushing and shoving. 

This all got the fans on their feet, cheering louder. At one point it was standing room only in the penalty box!

There is always a league official in the box with the players, so I pity that guy the other night. A couple of the players were in there for over 10 minutes. 

On the ice there was some question of who was in control. The  Fronts started the scoring, then got behind 2 to 1. They then tied the game with under 4 seconds left in the period. 

The next two frames were all Kingston, scoring 5 straight goals.

Everyone left happy … until they got outside and saw all the snow on the ground.

The sidewalks were so slippery I practically skated back to the car. It was kind of like I watched three periods of hockey and then I skated for another period in my shoes. 

Lil was wearing boots and had good traction; it was me who almost went down about 4 times. I looked like one of those cartoon characters who slips on a banana peel and their legs start spinning around trying to stay under control. 

I did that a few times, but I won my game as well. I was 4 and O against the snow and sidewalk. 

I never went down once … but the only fans watching me were the people in their cars trying to maneuver through the traffic. I’m sure I put on a good show for them.

When there is potential mayhem about to take place, it draws people’s attention. Everyone turns to it to see what the outcome will be. Will the player on our team win the fight? Will the guy on the sidewalk fall on his rear end?

Here’s the thing: When a Christian leader fails, when something comes to light, people take notice. But remember, the failure on the part of a Christian is a reflection on his own imperfect desires and actions; it is not a reflection on our perfect God. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What needs to be corrected or set in right order in your life? Leave your comments and questions below.

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An Amazing, Quick Turnaround

It is amazing how quick things can turn around. It doesn’t take much to get the mind going in a completely different direction.

Amazing, Quick Turnaround

Just over a week ago, the team that I chaplain in the OHL was riding an eleven game losing streak. 

I could see the frustration in the players’ eyes, hear it in their voices, and could tell they were losing confidence. They were wondering if there would ever be an end to the streak they were on. 

When you can’t buy a win, you begin to doubt yourself, your teammates and even your coaches. 

It’s like being on that teacup ride at Disney World where you are spinning at a dizzying pace. You just want off. You can’t control the spin of the cup you are in, and you want the operator to shut the ride down. In the meantime you keep spiralling downward, feeling sick as your stomach moves closer to your mouth.

I’m sure the team felt much like that. You lose hope that there is anything that will change your circumstances. 

I remember being on a team that went a whole season with only two wins. It was brutal. By the end of the season we were not even thinking of winning. All I could hope for was to maybe score a goal so I had something to feel good about.

But when you have been down for an extended time, you find you don’t have the hope inside you to even wish for a little thing that would be good.

If something small changes, however – even the slightest encouragement – it brings hope back like the tide coming in from the ocean. 

It’s like winter that can drag on and on, pushing you down and down. But when you see that first little bud on a tree, even though it’s still brown and shrivelled, or one blade of grass that is green, your hope of spring comes rushing back to you.

What was amazing about my team was that, just over a week later, they won four straight games and have had points in five consecutive outings.

They are riding on a huge wave of hope right now. They’ve even climbed out of the basement in their division. 

It started with a loss in overtime. They still got a point and could have easily won. That’s when their hope emerged. 

That hope gave them something to believe in the next night and they won that game. 

Their hope was alive, and it was like it had never left them. Their hope was new and fresh; it was bold. You could see it on their faces; you could hear it in their voices. 

And they kept riding that hope to another and another victory – four straight wins.

Hope – just a little of it – can spark something in us that keeps us going until something else comes along to increase our hope. 

It is amazing.

Here’s the thing: Wherever you are at in life right now – riding a crest of hope or scratching to find any semblance of hope – understand that true hope is not found in you or anything you can do, not even a fortunate happenstance. Hope is with you; hope is always with you. Real hope is found in Jesus Christ. And if you will seek Him, spend time with Him, speak to Him, He will show you the hope that you can have in any situation. Your mind can be changed in a moment. That’s truly amazing.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you need hope for right now? Leave your comments and questions below.

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It Really Was A Bittersweet Night

Last night I experienced the bittersweet feeling of winning and losing at the same game.

My wife, Lily, and I have a weekly standing date of attending the OHL Kingston Frontenacs’ home games.

Friday, as usual, we shared some popcorn and watched the action on the ice.

But it was a little different because, while our boys were playing in Kingston, the Canadian Junior hockey team was playing in Buffalo for a gold medal in the annual World Juniors tournament.

We got to see some great hockey in front of us, but in the back of my mind I was wondering how our national team was doing.

Part way through the game it was announced over the PA system that Canada was up 1-0.

That was some comfort, but the battle on the ice in front of us was intense.

Our boys were really playing well and dominating in many respects, but it was just a one goal game at the end of the first period.

In the second period, our guys were flying and scored two goals to put our team ahead 3-1 by the end of the period.

Back in the gold medal game, there was no more news … but when your team is ahead, no news is also good news.

Team Sweden was considered the team to beat. They had run the table in the regular round; in fact, they hadn’t lost in the regular round in 11 years.

Team Canada had one shootout loss to the United States in a snowy, outdoor affair that left all the Canadian fans chilled.

Now we were battling for the gold medal and we were ahead in the scoring.

Lily and I took a stroll around the arena at the end of the second period of the Frontenacs’ game. There was a calm, happy, “we have this game in the bag” kind of feeling in the air.

There was no hint of any trouble ahead until the start of the third period. The Fronts seemed a little flat – no energy, not skating well … and in the span of about five minutes, the Spitfires scored three goals and were up 4-3.

It happened so quickly; it was a shocker.

The rest of the period our boys threw a lot of rubber towards the Windsor net, but we couldn’t buy a goal and lost the match.

Just a five minute let down was all it took.

After the bitter loss we witnessed on ice, the arena switched to the World Junior game on the big screen.

We watched until the end of the second period where, with five minutes left, Sweden scored to tie it up.

All I could think was, “not another let down!”

Since I’m the Fronts’ team chaplain, we then left the stands to go chat with our boys. By the time we were done, there was just ten minutes left in the gold medal game so we headed back into the stands to watch.

With just under two minutes to play, Team Canada scored.

There was a celebration, not on the ice but on the big screen. We pocketed an empty-netter to seal the deal, and Canada won the gold medal.

At the same arena we watched our hometown team lose and then our Canadian team win gold. It was truly a bittersweet night. But it ended with the sweet!

Here’s the thing: There is a verse in the Bible that says you can win the whole world but forfeit your soul. That’s life’s bittersweet reality. Make sure your soul is secure so that in the end, when life is all over, you experience the sweet of Heaven.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What would be bittersweet for you? Leave your comments below.