(Comments by Joan Boney)
When I moved to Dallas in 1960 to teach at Kimball High School, the women in the teacher's lounge invited me to go with them on Saturday to the football game.
I was shocked that anyone chose to do this when they didn't have to! In college I was in band and they required us to go to the football games to perform in band at half time. But they let us leave after the performance. My friends and I joyfully left the game and went to the little cafe on campus where they sold hot blueberry pie! It was great!
So I had never seen a football game until I moved to Dallas. When these women invited me to join them. and I hesitated, one woman said, "It only costs $6.00." (Another shock! People paid to go to football games?)
... But I did join them. And learned to be a football fan.
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And a professional football team had just started up in Dallas and would be playing on Sundays and they invited me to go to that also ... and I went. (Dallas Cowboys)
And sometimes we went to the other professional team in Dallas, The Dallas Texans, (who later left Dallas and became the Kansas City Chiefs.)
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
But in 1960 I wasn't born again. I was born again in 1975.
But I kept on going to football after I was born again, but when we began losing after the 1994 season, from time to time I would wonder why I was going through all the agony of the loosing seasons ... but there is always a hope for "next season.")
I really found winning to be a problem also for you sort of became "drunk" with winning ... when in reality it doesn't matter ... but it seemed to matter.
(Many things are like that... they just don't matter but seem to matter.)
A strong delusion. We can recognize it when the other people follow things that seem to matter but often we can't recognize our own personal delusions, though they often cause us trouble.
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The apostle Paul said:
* Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (I Thessalonians 5:21)
This year, I have become really serious over things that trouble me? Why am I continuing to do this thing if it is not needful... if it really doesn't matter?
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This week was the NFL draft where college players are chosen for the next football season.
(Pam is a Denver Bronco fan.)
We sat down to watch the draft. (I rather dreaded it.) It is such a big deal to fans. They show up by the thousands to see what will happen. They are football drunks, as I have been but now don't want to be.
The worst team from the previous season gets to choose first to try to help them get better so they can try better to beat the other teams. Then second worst team chooses ... on to the last team which is # 32.
Now days fans often dress up in costumes which represents their team and overall there is a carnival atmosphere. (We didn't do that in the 1960 era.)
Reality: As a fan you learn to hate the rival teams in your division and the teams that won over you last year. Your really good coaches now coach for the rival team because they get more money or get to move to head coach. This is a great problem! Now there is something called "free agency" so your players can go to a rival team after their basic contract years if they choose to do so. Often they leave and go to other team for more money. The head coach who lost last year and didn't even get into the playoffs with the team, is still head coach for another year and you have to put up with this. You complain but have no power. So you learn to complain about the owner of the team who has the power to fire the losing head coach but often doesn't. Your team shows a little promise of winning, and sometimes wins and then starts losing. Your better players get injured and can't play "the big game".
And the worst thing of all is your team shows up for the big game and plays poorly because the losing coach from the previous season did not do what was needful to prepare the team and they selected the wrong players and plays ... again! (Maybe they will fire him and get a good coach ... but that often doesn't happen for about 10 years or so.)
And the worst thing of all is ... "It doesn't matter." but it seems to matter.
Another big problem ... the season ends ... now what do I do on Monday nights?
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Many times I have wanted to quit football ... (usually this happens as the end of the season when my team lost ... if they win, that is another matter.
(A real fan can't wait for next year where maybe you will win back to back super bowls ... that doesn't matter either but you think it does, as a fan.)
So you think about it on and off throughout the year! And are often troubled. And then are really troubled when the season actually begins!
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I watch the faces of fans and know I've been there where they are! It is really terrible. I want out but then the season and all the fun begins again!
This year maybe I really can stop! ... I didn't look to see who the Cowboys drafted this year! But I did notice our wonderful defensive coach in the team room of one of our rival teams at the draft for now he is head coach for our rival team (trouble)... wonder who replaced him as defensive coach for my team?
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This year ... Maybe I can keep my focus on these scriptures which are truth! (and do them!)
The apostle Paul says:
I Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
John 18:26 Jesus says: My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Colossians 3
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with HIM in glory.
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of HIM that created him:
And as I stopped the habit I had of watching evening TV news which troubled me ... stop other things which trouble me needlessly!
And pray for God to cleanse me from all unrighteousness:
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
For when I brush against the world, my heart and spirit are affected and I need help to remove spots and blemishes. God always answers this prayer when I pray it!
For I really want to stay in the right Spirit of God and share right things with others who are of God!
I Corinthians 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient (not suitable; not beneficial): all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. (do not cause me to grow in ways of God.)
Galatians 5
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another
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