Because Everyday's A Medal Ceremony

Every four years the Olympics transfix me.
And by transfixed, I mean I watch sports that I soon will forget are played - for another 4 years.

Seriously...

Badminton?

Did I miss the strenuous tetherball pool play?
Is Duck, Duck, Goose a summer or winter sport?

I miraculously now have an opinion on whether that landing was 'stuck' or if that person was just short of 'pike position', like I'd know the difference.

But I think what draws me in the most is the elements of pure human drama

Sacrifice
Commitment
Pain
Triumph
Tears - of both disappointment and joy

Parents in the stands cheering on their children
Contorting their own bodies in a symbiotic tango of a shared moment...from a distance
Because in the end this is the athletes competition
Their fight
Their decision
Their disappointment
Their victory
Their effort
                                                         
Their moment

Mom and Dad can drive to practice
Buy the gear
Cheer
Coach - sometimes were even qualified
Celebrate and Commiserate

But when all is said and done...

They will enter the stadium alone...

While we sit in the stands

Because we are participants in another event: parenting
We prepare our children to enter the arena of the game of life
We teach them how to win, lose, laugh, learn, and love

We can instill in them that the sky is the limit on their potential

or

That they'll never amount to much of anything

Our window of competing in this game of parenting is relatively short.
There are no off days.
No phoning it in

We are to be the ones to tell them there is a God who loves them ferociously
And that same God has amazing plans for them
We are the ones to tell them they are beautiful, smart, creative, and full of awesomeness
And we are the ones who are to correct their form when they're a little off their game

So we always need to be willing to check our form as well

I have been blessed with 3 amazingly awesome daughters
Who deserve nothing less than a gold medal caliber daddy

This is the most important thing that I'll ever do

Because everyday's a medal ceremony

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Dt 6:5-9

Today, I'm struck with...

First day of school

New outfits, book bags, hairstyles, and surprisingly, little fussing

New apprehensions...

...and opportunities

The picture is framed against the same old garage.  My 3 girls lines up in order.

And I'm struck with...

How beautiful they are (they look like their Mom)
How much they've grown
How fast the time has gone by


Then my nephew emerges from across the way.
Walking to his first day of high school with his best friend - his steps powered by a transplanted heart that he received when he was a baby, his smile straight from his dad, and a goofiness that makes my day (every day).  And I am struck with just how much of a blessing it is to see him walk to school.

I pray they know the fullness of the God who loves them.
Who gives them big dreams.
Who wraps His arms of grace around them...

I pray that He might slow them down a little bit in their growing up...
And I pray they grow up to be all that God would have them be...

I know that inevitably I will be distracted by world events, politics, drama at church from folks who should know better, and my own stupidity and selfishness...

But today, I'm struck with the fact...

God is good


Peace,
Jon