I want to apologize. Last week I laid out my plan for how I was going to post after finishing “My 500 Word Challenge”. I haven’t followed that plan like I wanted to. I took a few unexpected days off from writing anything. Whether it be just needing a break (which we all do sometimes), a meeting that took almost my whole Saturday by the time it was all said and done, a sick wife at home, and being a little under the weather myself, I haven’t written in almost a week. So for that I apologize. I made a commitment to posting three days a week, and that’s just not going to happen this week. But I will make that happen in the future.
A few things have happened since I last posted. I finally got my little buddy Aaron to let me put him down for his nap instead of my wife. We also took him to a zoo here in town and got to watch his excitement seeing the animals (especially the prairie dogs). But maybe most exciting for a sports fan like me, the NCAA Tournament field has been finalized. The big dance is about to start tomorrow (Yes, I know the first four games are on Tuesday and Wednesday, but I’m focusing on the main tournament).
I filled out my bracket yesterday, and picked the University of Kentucky Wildcats to go all the way this year. That will be an amazing feat, however, because they probably are in the toughest bracket to make it to the finals. Anyway, that’s now what excites me the most about this time of year. It’s the underdog stories. Or as we call them in this tournament, the Cinderella stories. It’s those teams that are not expected to win even a game, yet end up playing into the second weekend or the tournament. In years past, teams like Butler, VCU, Florida Gulf Coast, and others have captured our hearts and our attention as they played better than anyone imagined.
This year I have special interest in one team that could be a big Cinderella story if they can win even just a game. That’s because they are from my hometown. The East Tennessee State University Buccaneers made the field this year by winning the SoCon tournament. When the field was announced Sunday, ETSU was given a 13 seed, which means they are matched up against a 4 seed. On paper, a 4 seed should always beat a 13 seed. But I have a feeling that ETSU will take down a 4 seed this year. And even sweeter, that 4 seed just happens to be the University of Florida. In fact, in my bracket, I have ETSU winning two games and making it to the Sweet 16 before losing.
One thing that I always think of in regards to Cinderella teams is actually a Bible story that you are probably familiar with. This little teenaged shepherd boy steps up to fight a giant that no one in the army of Israel was willing to go up against. You know the story as David and Goliath. On paper, Goliath wins every time. No questions. David doesn’t stand a chance. But David had one thing going for him that Goliath didn’t. God. God was with David, and David knew that. I’ve seen quotes before that say something along the lines of “David didn’t need to know the power of Goliath, because he knew the power of God that was behind him”.
Will ETSU follow through with what I have predicted, winning two, or even just one game in the big dance? I don’t know. We’ll find out tomorrow when they play UF. What I do know is that we all face giants in our lives. Giants that on paper we have no chance. Whatever they may be, we shouldn’t stand a chance. Yet the God that was behind David is behind us, if we are Christ followers. That God was also the God that raised Jesus from grave. The power that brought Christ back from the dead now lives in you. Believe in His power in your life. It may not work out exactly how you think it should or how you want it to, but know and trust the full power of God in you life. Who knows, you may slay a giant through that power!
Thoughts from a Crosseyed Jesus Freak 