And the Crowd Went Wild

I shouldn’t be bringing this up yet, but fall is just around the corner.  We’ve got a lot of nice days coming, don’t worry.  But as school begins and as the leaves start to turn (for some of us) and as the average temperatures start dropping, another thing happens.

Football.

I’m admitting that I’m not someone who spends every Sunday watching, cheering and vicariously living “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” (Jim McKay) but I do on occasion peek at the standings and listen to others discuss these very things.

A few years ago, one of the things on the tongue of every football fan (and perhaps still remains an emotional discourse) was THE day of Blair Walsh.

From Sports Illustrated:

I'm not THAT person!

Of course not!

I know who I am – deep down in the center of my being.

I’ve been taught how to behave, how to treat people and how to live honestly.

OK. Sure, I’ll admit that I’m not perfect. But heck – I do a pretty good job!

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.  Isaiah 30:21

Do I always listen to the voice in my head that says, “Don’t do this, you know it isn’t right!”

Do I prayerfully examine decisions that may seem small and insignificant in order to insure that the choice is in keeping with my true center?

Or, perhaps, I rationalize.  Do I justify taking the wrong path since these are ‘small and insignificant’ decisions?

Maybe it’s expedient.  Maybe it won’t matter in the long run.  Maybe nobody will ever know. Maybe it’s just plain for my benefit.

Listen

I found myself in a retail establishment the other day.  A great parking spot had opened up directly in front of the door. Leaving windows and sunroof open (still trying to get used to the heat and humidity in this ‘home away from home’ called Cincinnati) I hurried inside as the cloud cover looked a bit ominous.  In fairness, it had been that way all day.

After shopping for only a few minutes, I noticed a man intently scanning the sky.  His palm was raised as he tested the atmosphere for the nearly imperceptible mist that had begun to swirl from grey and dismal heavens.

Crowd follower that I can be, I joined a number of patrons deciding it would be in our best interest to investigate as well.

The first guy decided to go back inside.  Nothing too threatening was his apparent decision.  Four more people followed him inside with similar opinions.

I’m a chicken.

Opportunities for Eggs

 “It’s MY job!  It’s my job to keep standing there with my arms wide open - waiting for you to maybe, someday, fall inside - if you needed it.  And if you do, I’ll love you.  And if you don’t, I’ll love you too!  Because that’s what it means to be a parent. You’ll see, someday” (This is Us:  Number Two) 

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?  Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?  If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father in heaven, give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”  Luke 11: 11-13.