Blooms, Candy, Easter, and Basketball...does it get any better?

I really, really love this time of the year. Spring is beginning to set in with warmer weather and blooms beginning to appear on trees...holy week culminated by Resurrection (Easter) Sunday...Easter candy...baseball season opens up...and the NCAA basketball tournament along with the Masters golf tournament...Wow, it doesn't get much better than that!

Now I'm sorry if I seem a little carnal and sports crazy. I've been this way since I was a kid. God hasn't chose to deliver me yet, so I guess I will go to the grave like this. My wife asked me one time, "Why do you love sports so much?" (I think she was standing in front of the television set at the time during our first few weeks of marriage). And I've thought a lot about her question over the years. And really there are three main answers I think that explain my fascination with sports.

#1 - COMPETITION - I love watching teams or individuals compete against one another. Not only do I enjoy watching it. I also enjoy doing it. Now days, I don't compete much. Maybe every once in a while on the basketball court. But I really enjoy watching teams or players give it all they have to outduel or outthink an opponent.

#2 - EXCELLENCE - I really enjoy watching people do a skill with great excellence or perfection. You know someone is good at something when they make it look easy. You know, when you watch someone and you think to yourself "I can do that." Golf is the hardest sport I have ever played. I am amazed at how easy the PGA stars make it look. Gymanastics, skiing (any kind), swimming, skating...I could go on and on. The great ones make it look so easy. But its not, believe me!

#3 - PREPARATION - Too be really good at anything, lots of preparation goes into it. People that are really good at a sport, art, music, etc., spend years of their lives preparing themselves...lots of hard, sacrificial effort. They really do pay a great price for their success...something that is very rare in our self-gratifying culture.

I guess growing up if there is one sport that I really worked at, it was basketball. I played a little in school, but I would say all the hard work never really paid off. I think God had different plans for me and I am really glad now that I went His way instead of mine. Proverbs says "we make our plans but God directs our steps." I see people all the time try to make their plans and guide their own steps. When we do that, the end result is never good. Only God's will for our lives leads to blessing and fulfillment.

I'm sorry if my thoughts don't seem very organized. Thats because its late and there not. But anyway, what a great time of the year. I hope you take the opportunity to enjoy spring today.

-Pastor