What a Great Story

Yesterday, I heard a story that made my heart smile.  Last Saturday was the Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Hawaii.  The defending women's champion, Chrissie Wellington, had a 5 minute lead with about 1/4 of the bike ride left, when she had a flat tire.  No problem.  She stopped, pulled out her air canisters to fix the tire, but they didn't work.  As Wellington watched her competitors catch up and pass her, one came to her rescue.  Rebekah Keat of Australia, stopped and offered a canister to Wellington.  The defending champion was up and on her way again.  She regained the 10 minutes and the lead that she had lost, going on to win her second consecutive Ironman by nearly 15 minutes.

This is one reason why I love sports so much.  In the midst of all the greed and arrogance of the modern athletes, in steps a young lady from Australia to show us the thread of goodness that runs throughout humanity.  I have no idea whether or not this woman knows Jesus, but I do know that she demonstrated Him last Saturday by helping someone in need - even in the midst of competition.  Thank you Rebekah Keat for making my heart smile this week.

Getting Ready for Church

This morning my alarm went off and my mind immediately went to our service today.  I am excited about today.  I got up and did my usual morning routine and I got dressed.  I didn't get dressed as usual though.  Today, I found some dirty jeans and my boots.  I got my stuff together.  Today, my backpack was replaced with a wheelbarrow.  I got my ladder, my hedge trimmers and any tools I could gather up - I don't have many.  Today is a different kind of Sunday...but should it be?

Our community has weathered a tough storm - Hurricane Ike.  Today there are still people without power and with trees broken tattering their yards.  Our church is gathering to go out today.  We are taking our own small steps in helping some folks begin to put things back together.  As a church, we have established margin in our "church schedule" by only gathering two times a month.  This allows for some unique opportunities on the Sundays we don't gather at the YMCA.  For the next few months, those opportunities will probably consist of going out and helping our neighbors clean up.  However, other opportunities might include having a picnic with our neighbors, or going camping together.  It might be coming together in our living room to open the Bible together.  It might be any number of things.

Today, however, I am excited about 'being the church' as we move out and get dirty and sweaty and reach out into our neighborhood.  It's fun to be the Church @ the Springs!