I was the head coach of a basketball power house. The team name was even intimidating- "the Hurricanes."
It was not a college level program, or high school for that matter. No, the Hurricanes were part of a 7 year old "Upward" Basketball team. At "Upward" everyone is a winner.
Anyway, that is neither here nor there. This is not a basketball story, this is a story about living out your dream. This is a story about opening the door when opportunity knocks.
This was a church league that usually had a volunteer give their testimony or devotion at the halftime of each game. I was asked to speak.
The basketball teams left the gym and went down stairs during the halftime to strategize. Thus, the mighty Hurricanes and their assistant coach went downstairs with the victim of the week and their coaches.
At this point, I need to set the scene. The place is packed! This is a gym with two games going on at the same time. So we are talking ten players per team, four teams. As I am given the microphone, I look out at the crowd of roughly 80 people!!! This is a mixed bag of some kids, parents and grandparents, but the majority in the 35-40 age range.
I will have to admit, I got a little nervous. Should I do it? Should I do it as I planned it in my head? I was thinking "I should have rehearsed, I'm not ready"...you know how the devil plays tricks with you when it is your time to shine! I walked to mid court, and let the packed house know I was getting ready to do something I always wanted to do. I got mainly blank stares in return, but I closed my eyes as I brought the microphone up to my mouth.I crouched down in a rocker stance and yelled "Shot to the heart and your to blame darlin," I held the mic out to the crowd and.....got a stunned couple seconds of silence, a few snickers, AND......about 10 brave souls sing "you give love, a bad name."
It was great! "Be a rock star" checked off the "to do" list.
If this does not make any sense to you; this was a popular song by a band called Bon Jovi back when rock stars made hair spray manufactures catrillionaires. Bon Jovi still tours today, thus I must stay ready if they need me.
Lily couldn't watch
After living out my dream through song, I then had to somehow tie these lyrics in with an appropriate message. "Shot to the heart, and your to blame darlin, you give love a bad name."
There are petty, mean, selfish, obnoxious, prideful, inconsiderate, people in this world; and I am just talking about those of us that call ourselves Christians. We are a broken people, who fall very short on our own, and are grateful for God's grace. Sometimes to the non-believer and believer alike, we give love a bad name, we do not do God any favors.
As the saying goes, if you find a perfect church don't join it, because you will ruin it.
I am not saying we don't get it right sometimes. However, I am very thankfull for God's grace given to me. I am also thankful when I remember to apply grace to others versus being judgemental.
I closed with "As believers, we are a imperfect people, worshiping a perfect God."
I then drove home with my family, no groupies in sight.
Robb
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