Olympic Fever

Posted on August 7, 2012 by Lynn

I don’t know why it is, but whenever the Olympics roll around, I am absolutely glued to the television.  Sports events I would never ever consider watching at any other time, I suddenly show rapt fascination with.  For instance, I spent nearly two hours watching the dressage component of the equestrian events…I don’t even like horses!

Of course my loudest cheers are for my fellow Canadian countrymen (and women).  Yes, it’s true, Canadians are equally proud of bronze medal winners than Gold Medal winners…I suppose since we’ve won way more of those than Gold.  But, my oh my, when we step on the Gold or Silver podiums, we Canadians go nuts!  Have to admit, national pride is at its pinnacle during the Olympic Games.

What has captivated my attention just as much during these Olympic Games in London is the coverage too of those Olympians who did not stand a chance of getting on the medal podium but made their mark in the Olympic events.  Saudi Arabia’s Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani lost her Judo match but made history just showing up to compete.   Never before has there been a woman competing for that nation, since athletics are not open to women in that country.  I applaud her efforts!

I was also moved to tears to see our Canadian Paula Findlay as she crossed last in the triathlon.  The weight of Canada’s expectations on her shoulders too much for her as she battled an injury that would have sidelined any other athlete, but she fought through the pain to finish.  In my opinion, Paula did not need to apologize, she did Canada proud just showing up!

One cannot but see the Olympics as a perfect example of what the Christian life is all about.  It’s not about winning the Gold but running the race with endurance and tenacity.  When everything around you is falling apart, when the finish line is so very far away, when the daily struggle seems almost too much to cope with, the Christian is exhorted to continue to run the race to attain something much more valuable than a medal.  We strive for the crown that is handed out at the very end of our life race; sometimes when everyone else has crossed the finish line ahead of you and you feel like giving up, but you press on anyway, knowing that it’s about finishing well, NOT finishing first.

The Christian life in Scripture is likened to a race. The author writes, “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”  Hebrews 12:1-4

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:24 “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may win.”  Is Paul talking about running so you cross the finish line first?  Not at all!  We strive to run the race set before us, the best way we know how, and to our very best ability.  We applaud every effort, whether we have finished first or finished last because at the end of the race we are hopeful we have persevered to earn the crown and congratulatory remarks from our heavenly Father that indicates a life well-lived.  Our race is well run when He pats us on our backs and says: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”   Matt. 25:23

 

Posted in Inspiration & Devotion, Proverbs 16:9 - Journey Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Reader Appreciation Award

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Lynn

I am honoured & humbled that Carol Beck Round, author of A Matter of Faith, Inspirational Thoughts for Daily Living, (http://carolaround.com/)  nominated me to receive The Reader Appreciation Award. In addition to writing a weekly faith-based column, “A Matter of Faith,” Carol is the part-time executive director of a local literacy council. Her goal in life is to use her gift with words to inspire others.  Carol says, “After my column started appearing in newspapers across the state in late 2005, I began to receive invitations to speak before women’s groups. The only “C” I made in college was in speech because I was so nervous I clung to the podium to keep from fainting. Go figure. God does have a sense of humor!”

Thank you, Carol, for nominating “Journey Thoughts” for this award!

There are a few guidelines for accepting this award: 1. Acknowledge the giver of the award and provide a link to his or her blog site. 2. Copy and paste the award to your blog. 3. Pass the award to up to ten bloggers. 4. Notify your selected bloggers that you have nominated them.

Accordingly, I am nominating the following bloggers for The Reader Appreciation Award:

1.  Lynn Mosher, author of “Heading Home – Following God’s Compass As It Points to the Right Path Home”

2.  Laura J. Davis, author of “Learning from the Master – Encouragement for you soul on your journey through life”

3.  Daniel Blackaby, author of “Imagination’s Underground Railroad”

4.  Amy Schaffner, author of “Pieces of Amy”

5.  Margaret McSweeney, founder of Pearl Girls –  (Pearl Girls Blog)

6.  Kathy Howard, author of – Unshakeable Faith for Life

7.  Marcia Lee Laycock, author of  – The Spur – Devotionals

8.  Suzanne Woods Fisher blog

9.  Sandra McLeod Humphrey, author of – Dare to Dream Big!

10.  Jon Acuff – Stuff Christians Like

(Please note that some of these blogs are “old” and the link may not work…Google the author’s name and you will be directed to their new site. – Lynn)

Posted in Inspiration & Devotion, Proverbs 16:9 - Journey Thoughts, Top Ten Lists, Write On! | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Epic Fail

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Lynn

A youth asked this question on an online  discussion board recently, “Why do I laugh at other people’s misfortunes?”  The best answer: “Because you’re glad it’s not happened to you.”

I noticed the other day some of the fastest growing blogs and websites are the ones that focus on “epic fails”.  For those of you not familiar with that vernacular, it basically alludes to someone (or something) who has attempted something (rather simple) and it has gone horribly, horribly wrong.  Things like learning how to ski for the first time and face-planting in the snow, or jumping on a bed and hitting your head on the ceiling.  What about the viral video of a little boy putting his finger into his baby brother’s mouth, only to have his face contort in pain when baby brother chomps down hard?  “Owwww, Charlie, that hurts!”  Hysterical!  Another prime example is years ago when President Ford unexpectedly tumbled  down the steps of Air Force One.  When it comes to “fails” it would appear no one, not even a president, is immune to these types of humourous, yet slightly embarrassing pratfalls,.. and we laugh because we’re just happy it hasn’t happened to us….yet.

“Epic” is also when someone purposely decides to skateboard down a flight of stairs, or snowboards off a cliff, or tries to wrestle an alligator, knowing that failure may take them out of the gene pool, but success will instantly elevate them to epic “stardom”.  I call it “people doing incredibly stupid things, with usually expected painful consequences”.  I am constantly amazed by people who actually want to be filmed in the act of doing something that is sure to end badly.  Their pain becomes our gain as we watch their escapades with such perverse pleasure, that we laugh ourselves silly at their misguided misfortune.

My children often make fun of my pratfalls, mostly done quite inadvertently I might add.  I seem to be an endless source of amusement to my kids.  It’s not that they delight in my pain, but they can’t help but laugh if I should trip over the dog, or walk into a door or nose-dive on the ice.  Usually I laugh along with them because all I bruise is my ego.  However, there is a distinct difference in laughing with someone than laughing at someone.

I remember one soccer match in high school where I was carried from the field, not once, but twice because I foolishly tried to impede the progress of a girl on the opposing team who was two times my height and weight.  The laws of physics were stacked against me.  I don’t remember the impact(s) so much as the derisive laughter afterwards…especially from the opposing team!

Why is it that we have such a strange obsession watching others hurt themselves?  The Germans even coined a word for it: Schadenfreude – which translates literally as “joy from adversity”.  The popularity of shows like America’s Funniest Home Videos, Wipeout, as well as Bloopers and some Reality T.V. indicate that people love to see other people trip, nose dive, face plant, fall down, tumble, splat, crash, splatter, etc. etc.   It is considered ‘slapstick humour’ but now we call it “epic fails”.

A recent video I watched showed a thief caught in the act of trying to throw a brick through a window in order to rob a store.  Unfortunately the brick bounced off the glass and knocked the thief senseless until the police came and carted him away.  I must admit, it’s funny to watch a “bad guy” get his comeuppance!

It’s easy to laugh at other people’s misfortune when we consider the person a “bad guy” or if we don’t know the person.  It’s not as funny when we’re the one being laughed at.  When bad things happen to us either inadvertently or by our own foolishness, it’s not funny.

Epic Fails are not limited to physical pain either.  It would appear we take as much or more delight in watching someone else fail in a relationship, or fail in moral character or destroy their good reputation because of sin.  We are rather heartless here.  As an audience, we may point and laugh at the fallen, all the while thinking: “Glad that’s never happened to me”….yet.

Scripture says: “Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, for the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.”  Proverbs 24: 17-18

The next time you watch an epic fail video, or laugh at someone elses misfortune, do so with this in mind: “there but for the grace of God, go I”.

Epic Fails come when we least expect them!

Posted in Hope through Humour, Proverbs 16:9 - Journey Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments