Perspective

Hello all! I hope you enjoy this little tidbit. It's still subzero in Ohio. No where to go but UP! Woooooo!!!!

Life Outside of Football, by Rubel Shelly


That there is "life outside of football" may be a necessary reminder
for some sports fans and couch potatoes now that Super Bowl XLI is
over. Now that the Indianapolis Colts have the Lombardi Trophy in hand,
some of them may be wondering what they will do until next season
begins.

But the line is actually from Tony Dungy, the Colts' head coach. It
wasn't spoken after last Sunday's water-logged victory over the Chicago
Bears but just after his son James committed suicide 13 months ago.

In a speech he made shortly after that tragedy, Dungy talked about all
three of his sons. He spoke first of his middle son, Eric, and said his
competitive nature is so focused on athletics that "it's almost a
problem." Then he turned to his youngest son, Jordan, whose rare
congenital condition makes him insensitive to pain. "That sounds like
it's good at the beginning, but I promise you it's not," said Coach
Dungy. "We've learned some hurts are really necessary for kids. Pain is
necessary for kids to find out the difference between what's good and
what's harmful." "Cookies are good," the coach explained, "but – in
Jordan's mind – if they're good out on the plate, they're even better
in the oven. He will go right in the oven when my wife's not looking,
reach in, take the rack out, take the pan out, burn his hands – then
eat the cookies and burn his tongue and never feel it." "Pain sometimes
lets us know we have a condition that needs to be healed," Dungy said.
"Pain inside sometimes lets us know that spiritually we're not quite
right, and we need to be healed. And that God will send that healing
agent right to the spot. Sometimes pain is the only way that will turn
us as kids back to the Father."

The authentic love of God carries us through!

Only then did Coach Dungy speak of his oldest son, James, who took his
life three days before Christmas 2005. He spoke of his family's pain.
He talked about lessons they were learning from it. He and his wife
have since joined an organization dedicated to preventing teen suicide.

I'm glad Dungy's team won the big game. I am impressed by his humility,
strength, and deep Christian faith. And I am grateful he could remind
all of us there is life outside of football, work, and tragedy. There
is the authentic love of God that carries us through, puts everything
else in perspective, and reminds us of what really matters.

Life isn't about football. It is about accepting and sharing God's
love.

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(c) 2007 Used by permission. From Rubel Shelly's "FAX of Life"
printed each Tuesday. See Faith Matters for previous issues of the "FAX of Life."


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Hugs, Happiness and Harmony!

Julie