fantasy football again

I will be glad when fantasy football season is over.

Every Sunday, I pull up the game center screen to see my team members bringing in the points...or not bringing in the points and I question my decisions. 

If I had put the Patriots defense in instead of leaving the Cardinals defense line in I would have 15 more points. 

Why did I keep Jacobs in the alternates? 

Was Hills on the injury list last time I looked at my team lineup?

My afternoon ends up full of regret simply because a Running back that I do not even know what team he plays for has a hurt toe and could not play again the Raiders this Sunday afternoon. Seriously, I am not distraught over the fact my Groundhogs are last in their division (possibly the league). However, I spend a little time thinking "if I had only...".

This got me thinking. 

How much do I say "if I had only..." (or if I had only not...) on issues a little more important than the Groundhogs lineup? Several members of our congregation have lost family members in the last several weeks. This week we will have a service for a man that loved horses, tennis and his family. I did not know him and only have a letter he wrote to his daughter and a letter his daughter wrote to him. But something in those letters tells me that his life was lived with a confidence of his salvation and the love he had for his family. 

When it is all said and done my Groundhogs will probably have a losing record and that will be okay. When it is all said and done for me, I want to have lived with the confidence of a life well lived and no "if I had only...".

friends

There is a preschool in the building where I work. Over a hundred infants to pre-k travel the hallways throughout any given day with many conversations and songs being shared on the journey. 

Earlier this week, I was heading to the kitchen and stopped to allow a group of pre-k to turn the corner and head to the playground. I caught an interesting question being shared over and over by a little girl to the girl in front of her. "Is Madeline (name has been changed to protect the curious) or I your best friend?" Over and over this girl asked the question in an attempt to get the answer she wanted from the girl she hoped was her best friend. I never heard the answer.

As I continued my path to get ice for my afternoon diet coke, it hit me how early we seek significant relationship in our life. Wow, four years old and this little girl is determined to find out where she stands on the friendship chain. 

I remember my best friend Stacy who lived across the street when I was 4 years old. We watched Donny and Marie together, went in her dad's jeep to get Icees or followed our older brothers around the neighborhood. That is what best friends did together. 

Now, thirty-five years later I had dinner with a friend last night. She mentioned what it meant to have me there when her daughter had surgery. She has given me invaluable advice over the dozen plus years I have known her. That is what best friends do together. 

We are wired for relationships, especially women. We want to share life together. When we are 4-5 years old it is about who is going to play with who on the playground. When we are "much" older it is about encouraging my friend to get her interview papers done for her chaplain application or for a friend to tell me that it is okay to feel "jr. high like" for the moment.

We all are asking the question or similar questions - am I significant to you? That is just how we are wired. 

Significance

I have been thinking a lot about significance lately. Mostly because that is the sermon topic coming up and my mind has to go there. However, it also has a lot to do with the election period we just went through as a country. 

It is said this will be record breaking voter turn out. I am not going to attempt to guess what the reason for the record breaking numbers - it really doesn't matter in the long run.  People got out and voted because they believe their vote is significant to a big decision. I waited in the voter line for 45 minutes because I thought the way I filled out the little circle mattered. I still believe that to be true. I think it is important that we vote and each vote matter. 

But the election is over. There has been a lot of energy (or at least Facebook space) used toward this election. What's next? 

What we do with our time does matter. The causes we support and the energy we used toward activities and events matter.  Does what I focus on day in and day out make a difference for the kingdom of God? 

I don't mean to upset anyone, but in twenty five years from now will anyone thank you for the words you spoke or the words you typed for a particular candidate. I don't know - maybe because of the history made during this election some will be remembered. 

Still, I think the words will be forgotten in a couple decades. 

However, this morning I ran into one of my youth sponsors from (you guessed it) twenty five years ago. I remember the time she poured into our youth program. My heart is full with what she meant and means to me. I can remember different moments she spent with us as youth. Her time was significant to me and who I am today. 

I want to spend my time being significant. 

Just a thought.