Monday, April 30, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
thoughts from anna.
"ask a lot of questions. have a lot of doubts. that's how you learn."
words from my high school youth pastor's wife.
words from my high school youth pastor's wife.
Divya.
Freedom soccer was the game.
Our team had one kid and ten counselors.
The other team the same. We were
down, pretty bad. But, no one
cared. We had one objective in mind – to
get Divya to score. She stood in front
of the goal waiting. Each time a
counselor got a soccer ball, I heard shouts of “Divya! Divya!”
The ten college aged counselors on our team wanted this one eight year
old to score. The counselors on the
other team would even go a bit easier so she could get the ball and have an
open shot at the goal. Finally, I mean
finally, we were playing for a good long while…she scored! Yeaaaaaahhhhh! I went crazy!
Yelling at the top of my lungs.
Double high fives. Jumping up and
down. But, it was worth it. Divya scored!
Even if we lost the game.
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That’s just a taste: healthy competition; redeemed
sport.
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Sport:
professional leagues, youth and recreational levels, individual competition,
pick-up games, simple play, and anything in between. Redeem: to change for the better; repair; restore;
to buy back; to free from what distresses or harms; to make good. What if sport were redeemed? No seriously, what if? Is that even possible? I believe God is a redeeming God (Revelation
21:5, Romans 8:18-30, Genesis 50:20, Colossians 1:21). And, I believe he wants us to join him in
that redemption, in all areas of our lives, including sport.
So, what’s my point?
I ask that we, parents, coaches, and players, could work together to
redeem our playing fields into something greater than just freshly cut grass or
a newly finished gym floor. What if we see
sports fields of the world become cathedrals to the glory of God? Instead of cathedrals to pride, self, glory,
egos, and fame? No seriously, what
if? Parents, could it be encouraging
from the sidelines, eating ice-cream after a great game, or asking your child
why he blew up in frustration at the referee?
Coaches (this includes me), what about caring for more than just the
athletic performance of our players – coaching their whole heart, mind, soul,
and body? And, players, chances are you
aren’t reading this blog entry. You get
off easy this time…
Redeemed sport. What could it look like?
written for the caa blog. check it out here: http://www.allamericanrecreation.org/camp/blog/
Monday, April 23, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
competition as relationship.
I found this article today, while researching for my caa blog post on redeeming sport. I like it. As I love to compete and play, and love the relationships created, strengthened, or deepened due to competition.
Enjoy: (http://www.veritesport.co.uk/?page=Competition%20as%20relationship)
"It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him" Genesis 2:18
One of the arguments against competition is that it hurts relationships. However, I was fascinated to find an article entitled, Competition and friendship, by a philosopher of sport, Drew Hyland, in which he argues, not writing from a specifically Christian perspective, that competitive sport has the potential to lead either to conflict and alienation or to friendship. He notes that we are often "at our most competitive while playing against a close friend" and that "this greater intensity enhances rather than diminishes the positive strength of the relationship."
The context in Genesis 2 is the marriage of a man to a woman, the most fundamental of loving relationships. However, the principle of our needing helpful and healthy relationships extends to all other human scenarios, from those amongst families and friends and extending to those on the sports field. We are to demonstrate and proclaim God's image and presence in all we do and, for us as sports people that must include our sport.
As Christian players recognize that their ability to play sport is a gift from God, they will more and more want to use those talents to please him - simply because of who he is, the creator and Lord of the universe and the God who loves them so much. To offer one's talents and abilities in this context is an act of worship. Christians should never be ashamed of being competitive and wanting to do their best provided that their motivation is to please and honour God rather than for their own ego and provided their attitude to the opponent is loving.
Hyland argues that competition helps each participant achieve a level of excellence that could not have been achieved without the competition. He argues for friendship as a relationship where friends, rather than in his words "not hassling each other" are always pushing each other to be the best they can be. Thus he concludes that "the highest version of competition is as friendship".
As Christians we can take this to an even higher level as we seek to love our opponent as our self and push them to the highest level they are capable of.
One of the arguments against competition is that it hurts relationships. However, I was fascinated to find an article entitled, Competition and friendship, by a philosopher of sport, Drew Hyland, in which he argues, not writing from a specifically Christian perspective, that competitive sport has the potential to lead either to conflict and alienation or to friendship. He notes that we are often "at our most competitive while playing against a close friend" and that "this greater intensity enhances rather than diminishes the positive strength of the relationship."
The context in Genesis 2 is the marriage of a man to a woman, the most fundamental of loving relationships. However, the principle of our needing helpful and healthy relationships extends to all other human scenarios, from those amongst families and friends and extending to those on the sports field. We are to demonstrate and proclaim God's image and presence in all we do and, for us as sports people that must include our sport.
As Christian players recognize that their ability to play sport is a gift from God, they will more and more want to use those talents to please him - simply because of who he is, the creator and Lord of the universe and the God who loves them so much. To offer one's talents and abilities in this context is an act of worship. Christians should never be ashamed of being competitive and wanting to do their best provided that their motivation is to please and honour God rather than for their own ego and provided their attitude to the opponent is loving.
Hyland argues that competition helps each participant achieve a level of excellence that could not have been achieved without the competition. He argues for friendship as a relationship where friends, rather than in his words "not hassling each other" are always pushing each other to be the best they can be. Thus he concludes that "the highest version of competition is as friendship".
As Christians we can take this to an even higher level as we seek to love our opponent as our self and push them to the highest level they are capable of.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
life upside down.
our theme for caa 2012. the more time that i sit in these verses, the more i am a fan. 1 corinthians 1:18-31.
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise;God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God,righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
two thoughts for today.
"Oftentimes, our greatest pain and hurt becomes our greatest strength.”
- John Y., South Africa
“The place where God calls you is where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep hunger.”
- Frederick Buechner