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Three Cheers for My Team!

Sometimes you just have to brag about your team. Sometimes they need to get a little recognition. It doesn’t have to be much, just something to get people to notice.

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When hockey players score a goal, the fans erupt, the players raise their sticks in the air, and they get a few hugs from the boys on the line. When a race car driver wins a race, he does a victory lap to the cheers and waves of the crowd, then finishes off by doing a few donuts in front of the grandstand.

They do it for a few reasons: They’re excited that they did something great. They just want to celebrate. They’re making a statement, “Look what I just did; aren’t I great?”

It’s bragging in an acceptable way. No one likes the guy that tells you what he did and how awesome he is for doing it. But if he does a backflip in the end zone after scoring a touchdown, we do think he’s great.

There are some things, however, that you can’t really high five or get all snuggly-in-a-group-hug over. So what do you do? How do you celebrate those accomplishments that defy any kind of real emotional explosion?

I don’t know the answer to that, so I’m writing a blog about it. My church did something amazing that probably many are unaware of.

It didn’t happen with everyone watching. It wasn’t one heroic act. Rather, it was several little acts that the people in my church did last Sunday that together is a really BIG DEAL!

Last Sunday we had a presentation in church about World Vision. Afterwards, the guy that gave the presentation had a table in the foyer for people to stop by. On the table were photo cards of children who could be sponsored for about $40 per month.

To most people that’s not a lot of money, because they drink coffee. You see, they usually tell you how inexpensive it is to sponsor a child by comparing the cost to a number of coffees at Tim Horton’s.

It works out to be less than one coffee a day to sponsor a child. Since I don’t drink coffee, that’s just forty bucks straight out of my pocket, but for most people its just doing without that third cup of the day.

Any way, my church sponsored 18 children last Sunday morning! What’s more is that the last time this World Vision rep visited our church about 5 years ago, we sponsored 22 kids!

You might think that doesn’t sound like much, but let me tell you, the guy couldn’t believe it. He said for a church our size, it would be a big number if we had sponsored half that many!

The last time he was here, World Vision was so amazed, they called him to make sure he got his numbers right!

All I know is this Sunday in church we should be high-fiving each other, giving out hugs and maybe a few back flips down the center aisle. WAY TO GO, KAC! – you have a huge heart for the disadvantaged in the world!

Think of it like we scored a goal. Just don’t ask me to do the back flip – I’ve got a bad knee.

Here’s the thing: Sometimes we don’t get noticed for doing things that are important. Know this – it never goes unnoticed by God. He sees even the smallest thing you do for your brother or sister.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What would you like to celebrate that doesn’t usually get noticed? Leave your comment below.

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Let’s Drop the Label Already!

This past week I enrolled in a cardiac rehab clinic.  After having a heart attack in February, and wanting to get back to playing hockey this fall, I thought it would be a good idea.  I want to make sure I don’t have another heart attack … well, at least be aware of all the risks and preventions associated with heart attacks and hockey.

As I talk to medical people, however, I get a little discouraged with their language.  They always refer to me as having heart disease.  I have a hard time with that term “disease” because it sounds like it’s something you carry with you in your body.  I would much prefer to think that I had a heart attack and now I am better, thanks very much.  Let’s not dwell on it, let’s not rub it in, or make me feel like I am in some weakened condition.

There was a time long ago when people who were diseased were kept away from others.  In Bible times, if they did happen to get close to people, those with leprosy had to call out “unclean, unclean”.  At least no one’s making me do that.

People don’t even mind me shaking their hands.  From my best guess, I don’t think I’m passing on heart disease when I touch them … although my neighbour had bypass surgery about three weeks after I had my heart attack.  Maybe there’s something on my street that’s catching.

Before my heat attack I used to just check the “no” boxes on medical information forms, driver’s license renewals and insurance forms.  Now I have to check some “yes” boxes, and that’s a little upsetting.  It’s like the disease never lets you forget and move on.

I remember years ago a friend of mine  had an issue with gluten in his diet, and for a while, had to avoid eating anything with gluten in it.  I called him diseased during that time.  I even had a made up name for it, “glu-tone-eous disease.”  I still went to lunch with him, though I did make fun of him having to eat his Big Mac without the bun.  I thought it was pretty funny back then, but now that I have a disease associated with me, I’m feeling a little more sympathetic.

Probably my biggest concern with being associated with heart disease is that some people, specifically those in the medical profession, will always consider me as diseased.  It’s a label I’m going to have to live with the rest of my life.

But do me a favour, don’t spread it around.  I don’t want people crossing to the other side of the street when they see me coming.

Here’s the thing:  We get many labels attached to us in life.  Some of those labels we like, but some we don’t want to be stuck with.  Sometimes we try to fight the labels placed on us and sometimes we try to hide from being associated with them.  I think that being labeled “believer in Christ” can, at times, be difficult, but it is a label we should wear with pride.  Christ is, after all, Creator of this amazing world, Saviour of this sinful world, and the Lord of my life.  It’s a label I don’t want to shake.

Until Next Time!

Pastor Paul

Question: How do you view being labeled a “Christian” or “believer in Christ”?  Leave your comment below.