I'm on location, live, from Canton, Georgia, where my Dad and I on a sporadic whim decided to road trip south and spend a weekend with not-often-enough-seen family! Between eating WAY too much – benefit/curse of having both an aunt and uncle who should have been chefs – sleeping even later than normal, loving the beautiful 85 degree sun-shiny days and generally enjoying the relaxation of vacay, we’re living it up! Oh… and then there is the Braves game tonight!
A baseball/softball advocate from way back (I only missed my 4-year-old season because I broke my arm on the day of the first game!) I’m pumped to be back in a Major League ballpark, and moreover I’m thrilled to see “my” Braves play! I don’t get overly excited for any major league sport, and aside from Chipper Jones, I don’t even know the Braves lineup, but by golly I’ll throw my tomahawk with the crowd, I’ll indulge in way too much ballpark junk food, and if Dad is feeling generous (because hey, getting me a ticket isn’t generous at all…) I might even come home with a souvenir! Let’s just say, I’ll get into it! But if you’re scanning the crowd during game coverage tonight, please know that I may stand out a little bit. I love the Braves, but there is definitely one sports team that I’m a WAY bigger fan of, and no matter where in the world I go, I’ll always be happy to show those colors.
Any guesses??
GO BIG BLUE! When I walked down the stairs this morning, my uncle teased, “You know you can’t wear that down to Atlanta!” (For the record, he’s just as much a UK fan as I am!) We’ve since reasoned that since the Big Blue Nation is pretty much all over the American Nation, I should be just fine. Alas, this got me thinking about how proud I am to wear blue and white, to have people know where my allegiance lies, and assert that no matter what I’m going to stand true for the University of Kentucky Wildcats! Granted, that’s a whole lot easier when they're the National Champions, but hey, everyone knows Kentucky fans show up in good times and in bad… just ask BCG. (Apologies, UK fans, for that painful memory.)
Anyway, thoughts of UK loyalty transitioned over to my loyalties as a Christian. I’ve never been ashamed to put on a UK t-shirt, but though I hate admitting it, there have definitely been times when I’ve second guessed wearing something with a Christian message. Though I’m a pretty silent sports observer, I’ve been known to get excited at or during a ball game, but sometimes it takes A LOT to get me pumped up during a Church service. Heck, even on my recent trip to New York, I was bound and determined to catch the final three UK games of the NCAA tournament, but I definitely didn’t assert that much energy into locating a Church to attend while there. Funny how we show our dedication to the CATS and in turn we expect them to win, and yet when we continually prioritize other aspects of life above God, we still expect Him to help us “win” from day-to-day.
I definitely need to make a commitment to be a more enthusiastic Christian. I’m certainly a proud one, but I need not be afraid of what others will think if I wear my Camp Crossway t-shirt out with friends, if I raise my hands in worship in a Church where that isn’t a normal practice, or if on Sundays I have to move other plans around to accommodate my time dedicated to God.
Cheering for my favorite team is legit; they worked hard and I’m excited about the positive image they’ve exhibited and I certainly had fun watching every minute. But hey, let’s be for real; I’ve got a whole lot more to cheer about when I think about my forever home! The chance to see loved ones again, the knowledge that God takes care of His children, and the belief that no matter how royally I mess up He will always love me are just scratching the surface of how being a Christian is worth my praises and my passion! It’s time to wear those colors boldly. Join me?
Be Blessed,
Ashlee
