June 23, 2013

Good morning all-

Well yesterday was full of basketball.  I got to watch my son play in 3 games and he did great once he got over his attitude.  He also took a major spill and now I'm waiting to see if he needs to have an x-ray on his arm.  It's weird when you see a 6'7" person fall to the ground, it looks like a tree falling, literally.

The first game was interesting.  He had never played with most of the kids on this team and he wasn't sure he would even get the ball.  I watched my son moment by moment become frustrated and lose his passion.  After the game I asked him what was going on.  He said, "I told you I wouldn't get the ball." I asked him what did that matter.  He said, "I get mad and I'm not going for rebounds if I can't shoot."  We talked about it over our dinner and I told him that shouldn't matter and that he needed to play hard no matter what.  I think it's the reason he struggles sometimes.  He gets mad and gives up.  Not a great way to live your life.  So I encouraged him to go out there and play and if he had to yell for the ball, then yell.

Amazingly, I watched as the team transformed.  They began to use all their players and out of it came a win of over 35 points.  He did score and he did rebound.  Basically, he played his part and earned the respect of his fellow basketball players.  They weren't yelling at him anymore they were cheering him.

It's amazing how our attitude directs our coarse.  When we become sour and think what we do doesn't matter, all kinds of things happen.  The worst thing is we begin to reflect what's in our heart and everyone can see it.  It's not hard to look at a person and see what's in their heart.  Spend time with them and you will begin to see a complainer or worse someone that doesn't care about anything.  I know of people like that and I try to encourage them to be better than themselves.  I want to reflect Christ at all times and although I have floundered, if I center myself in Him, I come back putting Him first and not me.

A team can not function with individuals.  Although it is made up of different personalities and different styles a team can only be a team when those things come together for the good.  The same goes for Christians.  If we only have one or two out there and none of us are taking our talents to the streets, what then?  I can tell you what, nothing gets done.  That's why we are a body of believers.  There is no "I" in team, right?

Just like my son learned a valuable lesson yesterday, so must we.  To be on Christ's team means we must pool our resources, our talents and our hearts to be His body, to persuade His people and to be His!  Many stand out and we can name them right now, like Beth Moore and Anne Lott but they aren't just individuals they are women using their talents for the best team ever!

I learned something yesterday too.  Don't give up.  I watched as my son found himself and the confidence he needed to play with an all African-American team.  He was the only white one and believe me he stood out.  He also stood out because he towered over all of them.  But for me, the greatest reason he stood out is because he played not as an individual but as part of the body and the result was two more wins.  I don't know if we will win on everything we do as a body but I do know that when we ban together for the good, great things happen.  Ban with me today and call upon the Holy Spirit.  Fill your minds with the team mentality and let Christ shine through you.  We are one in Him and He is one in us and that makes for a solid team.

Go out today knowing that you are counted amongst the greatest team to ever hit this earth.  We are on the winning team and although it gets tough, through Jesus all things are possible.  May God bless you and keep you today as you find your "I" is now part of the greatest team of all time!

I love you all and I'm praying that your attitude would show the fullness of our Father.  Take each day and ask Him to come into your heart.  We get hit on all sides and it takes Him to right our path.  Just like it did for my son and if you could say a little prayer for Hunter today.  The arm he fell on was the elbow he broke in 1st grade.  I'm praying he didn't break it again.  Take care my friends and know I am praying that God continues to grow us into the greatest team yet to come.

1 Corinthians 12: 14 NIV:

     Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Ephesians 4:12 NIV:

     to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

My prayer today:

O, Lord, thank You for the body.  The older this world gets the more independent it becomes.  Most people try to rely on their own strength, their own power and their own wisdom.  We get down when situations are tough.  Our attitude sours and we become lonely individuals with no passion and no character.  And then You come into our lives and give us a sense of hope for tomorrow.  You feed us Your word and You help us diagnose our hearts and then, we find You.  We must shed the falsehood of individualism and put on the cloak of righteousness.  There is no "I" in team.  You made it that way. You want us to be part of something greater than ourselves and You want us to spread the word.  We ask today that You would watch over our hearts and create an attitude in the world of service for Your glory.  Today, we come before You and praise You for creating us to be not one, but many.  Take our hands, guide our feet and make us souls that love You.  There is no greater honor than to be on Your team.  Thank You for putting our talents, our hearts and our souls into one body that glorifies You.  In Jesus name, AMEN.

Until tomorrow...