Football and Jesus/Intention not resolution

Ever been to a football game or watched one on TV? The fans are…passionate!...crazy!...wild!...zealous! …fanatical!...enthusiastic!...fervent!...adoring!...or all of the above?! I tell ya’, I’ve seen some fans that borderline malicious, angry, depressed, cruel, wicked, malevolent…down right hateful and ugly! Yet, ne thing is for sure~football fans LOVE the game! Quite frankly I don’t understand a thing about the game…even though I was a high school and college cheerleader…and even though my soon-to-be-son-in-law (woot! woot!) was just named “AFCA NAIA All-American” ...and even though I am a Tennessee Titans fan from the comfort of my cozy den around a roaring fire…I’m not passionate about the sport.

I read an article that talks about a couple of teams’ unruly fans. Oddly enough they said both teams were orange, and later mentioned that Tennessee is, too, and yet Tennessee fans don’t have that reputation. Well, guess what! Sometimes they do! I know! I live in Tennessee! And I’ve heard over and over again how hateful, mean, strongly passionate in a not so positive tone at times some diehard UT fans can be! Just sayin’…

What I find most interesting is that most fans do not personally know the players. They just love the sport, and the competition….perhaps the coach…maybe a player or 2. And they will sacrifice an entire Saturday or Sunday…or Monday night…to watch them duke it out on TV. Let the passion begin! Better not anybody talk during the game (unless you are hollering along with ‘em!), don’t turn the channel, heaven forbid trying to carry on a conversation about anything other than football…extreme PASSION, FERVENCY, ADORATION, ZEALOUSNESS…all for the love of the sport!

Why, then, do those same people…AND those of us who are not sports savvy…not get just as passionate, crazy, wild, zealous, fanatical, enthusiastic, fervent and adoring of Jesus, who we DO know, and who knows us? Why don’t we sacrifice as much time in praying, in studying the Word, in fellowship as we do watching one game after another? Why can’t we be cheerleaders for Team Jesus? The answer? We can….and we should…and maybe some of us, some of the time, DO! We need to rev it up, get involved at a deeper and more passionate level in the game of life, and realize what is at stake here: not a Super Bowl Ring (though there is nothing wrong with Super Bowl Rings), not a Heisman Trophy (nothing wrong with it, either), not a gazillion dollar contract (though having money is not a sin)…what is at stake are lives that need to be won for God’s Kingdom, so that none should perish!

Football—perishable!
Saved souls---imperishable!

So, it’s a new year, and time for those profound RESOLUTIONS! Yeah, you know the ones:
“I’m going to lose 50 pounds!”;
“I’m going to start exercising 4 days a week!;
“I’m going to get out of debt!”;
“I’m going to find the man/woman of my dreams and get married!”;
“I’m going to….blah! blah! Blah!”

I gave up long ago on New Year’s Resolutions! A resolution is defined as a promise, pledge or oath. I do not like breaking promises…or pledges…or oaths.

Intentions, on the other hand, are aims, intents, goals, objectives, plans…now those I think I might be able to do. If I fall or fail, I have not broken a promise or commitment to anyone else. I’ve only let myself down…but not really, because if it is an aim or goal or intention that means that, if I don’t meet it, it is A OK, right! Right!

So, here are my New Year’s Intentions for 2011:
1. Be a better Christian, wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend! Simple, huh?

2. Get out of debt completely and stay out of debt, even though I am planning and paying for our daughter’s wedding! YIKES! PLEASE pray for me/us!

3. Take guitar lessons and Spanish lessons….just 'cuz they are on my “Bucket List”. Why is it called a “Bucket List” anyway?

4. Give more of my time, money, and efforts to missions at home and around the world, including perhaps 3 or 4 short-term mission trips! Yep, if God calls me to do it, He will guide me through it—not sure how, but He will….and that’s good enough for me!

5. Redesign my blog s-l-o-w-l-y (so what else is new?) and have it include interactive areas for prayers, for folks to share art of all types, including poetry, songs, recipes, etc., and to have it only and always be for HIS glory! (And, along with that, I would love to pick up some followers, so there will be more things for all of us to enjoy through the interactive portion. Can you help me out here, please? Ok, let me just put it bluntly: Would you please invite, encourage, bribe, and, if necessary, dare folks to visit my site? JK! (that’s short for “just kidding” for those of you who may not know).

6. Along with #5 I am going to see just how “un-wordy” I can make my blog posts (you should be laughing by now!)~ this coming from someone who speaks only in chapters, not sentences. This is my challenge to myself (uh-oh! This one might be a bit too lofty to attain!)

7. Continue writing for “Internetcafedevotions.com” and become a much better writer.

8. Pray much more; study God’s Word with reckless abandon…and find joy in the journey all along the way, no matter the circumstances on the periphery!

That’s all!

Now be blessed by this!