The Journey

Every Now and Then There's Something Inspirational....

Every now and then there's something you see on ESPN that simply puts sporting events into perspective.  Incredible stories of heroism, character, and even now and then, you get a glimpse of a gift given to someone that can only come from God. 

So I was watching You Tube the other night, checking out the most popular sites, and I ran into this mind blowing story of a son and father team tackling immutable odds.  There's no way this should happen, but I wonder; even for a little bit, if God has a bigger plan to show us the impossible is possible. 

It's not a religious video, and there isn't any evidence these folks are religious people, but no matter.  This is one worth watching.  Check it out and let me know what you think.

Home Again, but off to the Races soon.

The Race is beginning on Monday!!  It's off to the race for summer 2008.  K-Colorado is going to be off to a GREAT START!  Jarod and I are heading off to Denver to be with Valor Christian school, Denver Christian school, and a few fun K-Colorado reunions.  If you're in the Denver, Colorado Springs, or Boulder area, give me a call, send me an e-mail, or let's just plain get together.  I would love to sit with you and see what's up in your world.  If you've never been to Kanakuk Colorado before, let's talk about it, and see what we can do to get you out to be a part of one of the greatest places on earth.  It's been a wild season of travel, but I'm ready for more. 

See you in Colorado!!

Running the Race in Great Shape

So, today I was volunteering for the Tour of Missouri.  It happens to be one of the three major world class cycling events in the United States, and some of the greatest athletes in the sport were hanging out in Branson Missouri.  Actually, Branson was the time trial portion of the race.

For those of you who don't know the time trial, it's quite an event. 

All 112 riders start at the starting line and race against the clock.  Each starting a minute behind the one in front.  It's an all out sprint to beat the clock, and the boys showed up in pure form.

I was standing at the top of one of the hills taking pictures, about 112 actually, watching these superior athletes whiz by at @ 40 miles an hour.  I was snapping pictures like crazy, and look what showed up on my camera.  Levi!!  Levi is one of the fastest riders in the world, and he literally rode by about 3ft from me.  It was an unbelievable experience to say the least, but in a spiritual moment I started thinking....

Here I am watching athletes who devote their whole lives to bikes.  BIKES!!  They ride 6-7 hours a day to win a race.  And then they get back on their bikes for the next race.  And the next.  And the next.  Each fading away in the annuls of history, and some might say, unless you're into biking, will fade out of memory. 

Sure the Tour De France winners will be memorialized in sports hall of fame, but then what?  What's next?  I started wondering, if these guys spend so much time and energy on the bike, and are devoting their lives to the cause, What am I doing to train my life?

What areas of my spirit am I dedicated to as much as these cyclists?  Am I following Jesus with the same vigor as Levi follows his training?  Do I really believe in something that will last?

The answer is not as visible as a biker's physique.  There's not a real good way to quantify spiritual training.  You don't loose a bunch of weight.  You don't get huge calf muscles.  But one thing you can see is the fruit of your labor.  You can watch your spiritual training pay off, by identifying the things Jesus thought were important.  Matthew 22 says, "Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul, this is the first and greatest commandment.  And, the second is like it, Love your neighbor as yourself." 

Are you doing that?

Do you love your neighbor?  Have you fallen in love with the all mighty creator of the Universe?  Are you so much in love with God, you can reach out to someone who needs to know God's love?  If not...Maybe it's time to train a little more, and get in great spiritual shape.....

My hope is, my training will pay off, not in the win of some earthly race, but one that will make a difference in the lives of all I touch.  My prayer is, people who I encounter will notice spiritual fitness by the Love of God they get to experience through my loving life.

A cool September evening with 72,000 of my closest friends.

Arkansas Razorback Stadium
Originally uploaded by andybraner

When the temperature outside goes from 107 degrees to 77 degrees, a cool breeze blows through the trees. Something happens each year down deep in the confines of my soul.

I start throwing my hands in the air, sqeeling outloud, WOOOOOO PIG SOOIE. I run around the house with my plastic hog hat on, in anticipation of the upcoming season. Will we be good enough to beat LSU? Can we make it to the SEC conference title game? Who knows, with a heisman hopeful, we might even be able to kick around the term National Champs.

I know for the innocent bystander it seems a little strange to watch a grown man act in such a childish way, but when 72,000 of your closest friends are doing the same thing, weirdness fades right into normal.

The other night was the home opener for the Arkansas Razorbacks, and we were there to help the Hogs to victory.

I know in light of all the social justice issues I'm working on, it seems like an odd post to talk about a silly football game, but there's something special about being in a stadium cheering for a similar goal, with people from all walks of life. Fat folks, skinny folks, rich folks, and rednecks were all represented in force to call the hogs to victory.

The athletes on the field, the smell of hot dogs and popcorn, coupled with the feel of University life; is nothing short of magical. It's almost like the whole world stops for that moment, and the ills of life fade away, that is until your favorite player fumbles the ball, or the quarterback throws an interception to the other team, and then you feel the evil the world serves up on a platter as your blood pressure hits the stratosphere.

I wonder....

I wonder if the draw of sports has little to do with the physicalness of the event, and more to do with the fact for a short time we can truly exist as people toghether in one community.

Sure there are those who are driving fancy cars, and wearing nice clothes; and there's still a bit of social stereotyping. There are some who sit in air conditioned boxes, while others decide to paint their bodies and jump around in the hot sun, but if only for a moment (a couple of hours that is) all walks of life focus on the goal of winning a silly little game.

A Game!
That's all it is.
A Game!

I wonder. What if we truly focused that kind of energy on other problems around the globe? Could we make a difference?

Without question, I know it's retorical.

But until we unite behind a common vision, a cool september evening with friends will have to do.

And while I hope someday we can look at hunger in Africa, Orphans in Aids ridden countries, and the possibility of truly living like Jesus with the same vitality as a football game, a good ole call of the hogs will prove to be a great community as we all say....

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PIG SOOIE. RAZORBACKS!!

...and we watch as the other team runs in fear!

(Thanks to Michael for making this all possible, and congrats on the new engagement. I'm proud of you dude!!)