Ok...it might be official. I am off my rocker. I admit it. I am not ashamed to say...I am completely nuts. Crazy!! Crazy for Christ that is. I spent the majority of the day helping with a field trip that my children's school went on. The 4th and 5th grades went to the Football Hall of Fame. This "iconic epicenter of all that is sacred on Sunday afternoons" happens to be about 25 minutes from the kids school so the trip itself was not that momentous of an occasion. Never the less, it was a field trip and these kids are 9, 10 and 11 years old. They could be going to dig a sewer line but if you said "field trip" to dig a sewer line they would be excited. Know what I mean? But, I am rabbit trailing again....I am crazy cause all I could think of as I walked through the "museum" was Jesus. See! Told ya! I am off my rocker. Here is what was going through my head. (read on at own risk!)
I had never been to the Football Hall of Fame and quite frankly, never intended on going...ever but I get to be a stay-at-home mom, they needed volunteers, so I volunteered to go. As we entered the parking lot, I started thinking about this three hour tour of our All-American Sport of FOOTBALL. I pondered how I actually felt about football. I grew up in the Cowboy vs. Steelers era as well as the 49ers era. My father was all about football on Sunday afternoons. The sounds of Monday night football are positive ones for me. The Super Bowl was an exciting time. The truth is, football conger's up warm-fuzzies for me. I enjoy a cozy, cold weekend when there is nothing to do but eat munchies and watch a good ball game. Now, I can't say I watch every play or even know what is going on at times but I can certainly enjoy the sport. I can appreciate the hard work and dedication it takes to play.
As I walked through the Hall of Fame I was in awe! It is a beautiful building. Everything is top of the line. Everything is so pristine!! The man who took all the parents around to give them the lay of the land as the kids were getting the 411 in another room actually used the word "artifacts" to describe sweat socks and old jerseys. ARTIFACTS! Sadly, one of the other mom's happened to be an art history major and this about shut her down. I think someone had to give her a paper bag to breathe in! Seriously. The general theme of the architect of the building was kind of a spiral. Possibly a pun on the "perfect pass". Don't know. There were very few angles in this place. It all just f l o w e d from one amazing display to another. The lighting was perfect, the acoustics were orchestra-esk, every inch was pristine. Not one drop of dust...anywhere. Much of the lighting was motion activated so when someone stepped up to a display, the lights came on. There were touch screen computer displays that gave information upon information. The coolest item...an entire "room" ( I use quotes cause it was not actually a square room as we think of rooms..it was kind of circular in shape ) that housed the Super Bowl trophy for this 2009/10 year. Kind of cool. The strangest item...well, I would have to say it was a toss up between the actual shoe of a famous kicker and a sweat stained, holey sock. Now, when I say shoe of a kicker, I should mention that it was actually 1/2 a shoe as this kicker was born with only 1/2 a right foot. Yes. I am serious. (please don't miss my satire here. I am in NO way trying to be disrespectful of this gentleman. I really do think it is rather amazing that he was able to pursue his dream in spite of his physical limitations). One of the last things we did was sit through a 24 minute long playback of the previous years Super Bowl game. At least I think it was the most recent one? Not sure. Any who, the sound system was intense, the screen was theatre size...the seating even moved during the showing. As I sat there, I was in awe by the players on screen. The passion, the motivation, the drive....remarkable. Not only from the players but the coaches, the announcers, the fans at the game. Even the other people watching what I was watching! Amazing! Truly astonishing. There were lots of other people at the Hall of Fame too. Mostly men. Most of them wearing their favorite teams jersey and carrying a camera and/or video camera. Some interesting facts that I was given while there...90 million people from the US alone, watched the 2008 Super Bowl game. They estimate that close to 1 billion world wide watched at least some of the game. That was billion with a "b"! Again, amazing.
Now, just think of all the energy, power, money, prestige, time, talent, blood, sweat and tears that go not only into each game but into each practice as well. Shoot, into the Hall of Fame itself. Almost uncountable!! I think it is safe to say that these men (along with some of the women in their lives) give all their strength and power to this game. They love every second of it. They give their ALL! Why? For the love of the game.
Now, what if we did that for our Creator? What if we did that for the one and only person who has the power to give us eternity with Him or eternity without Him full of pain and suffering. What would this fallen world look like?
I will leave you with this task, given to us by our Lord.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Deuteronomy 6:5
Just something to think about. Blessings.
