BEING THE GOAT

I like football. I’m not a fanatic. I’m not even committed to one particular team. I haven’t had a special team I favored since I left the Saskatchewan Roughriders (Canada for my American friends). I just like a good game, cool plays and a close contest.

There are times I just get too emotional over things I see on TV. I was watching the New England Patriots play the Baltimore Raven’s earlier today and in the last few seconds the Raven’s were marching to the end zone looking to win the game. It seemed possible, but they were stopped and in the last eleven seconds Raven’s kicker Billy Cundiff was sent to tie the game with a 32-yard field goal attempt. He missed. The distance was doable. No one doubted he would make it. The looks on player’s faces on both teams told the story. Shock. No one could believe it. His mistake sent the Patriots to the Super Bowl.

I’m sure Patriot fans were thrilled. Raven fans heartbroken. I watched the few images of Billy leaving the field and wondered what he felt. Like Charlie Brown from Peanuts has experienced — it’s tough being the goat.

I do not know what will be said to Billy, or how many will say it. Can he handle the comments? What about the stares? Will he turn on the sports commentators who will retell his error repeatedly and for many years to come? If he has friends like some I have had, they will remind him more times than he will care to hear.

We have all made mistakes. With all the camera videos around it is possible that some of our bloopers will be taped and played for all to see (if I were a delivery person I would never throw a package over a fence). However, in most cases only a handful will see or know of our embarrassment, shame or sin, We have made many more “errors” that occurred in private and we want them to stay that way. Only we know about them — and God of course.

I would say I am surprised how seldom, even Christians, give so little credence to an all-seeing God. I say that from personal experience. You would think I would be more careful with my actions if I really understood that I am constantly being watched. The good thing about an all-seeing God is that He does not keep throwing it back in our faces. When we ask forgiveness He does not put the tape into storage He destroys the record and does not even remember how badly we blew it. The only one who seems to always remember our worse moments is — ourselves. We know our hearts. We do not forget. For that reason we have a very difficult time accepting God’s forgiveness and believing our sins are removed as far as the east is from the west and remembered no more.

But He has. There is no video. There is no Internet to keep it going on and on and on. Most of us will never be treated like Billy Cundiff. God forgives him, but few others will. I feel the most sorry for Billy Cundiff. We all make errors.

DAY OF HOPE

Poulsbo Washington was originally a Norwegian settlement, established in the 1880's, which was home to many Scandinavian people, but primarily the Norwegians.

It was settled because the area, cold and snowy in the wintertime and lush and green in the summertime, reminded the immigrants who traveled there, of their homes in Norway, which they had left to find greater freedom and greater economical security for their families.

Poulsbo was originally named after Paulsbo Norway, however a mistake made in the spelling when the application for a postal center was made for Paulsbo, making the name officially Poulsbo, which was incorporated in 1907. Not to be confused because of a small spelling error, the name is still pronounced Paulsbo

Now wasn’t that a helpful little history lesson. I only mention it because I was in Poulsbo this morning attending “Operation Day of Hope.” Gateway Fellowship, a Poulsbo church, organized a very cool event for us poor needy people who cannot survive on our limited income. They were offering FREE help with a haircut, family photo, manicure, hot meal, legal/financial advice, clothing, canned goods, social service advice, dental education/screening, a mobile dental van for emergencies, job assistance and more. And like Portland’s Tom Peterson always said in his late night TV ads, FREE IS A VERY GOOD PRICE.

I went to try and find information about getting help with glasses at and a dentist I could afford. I got great help in both areas. I was also looking for a winter coat, but, alas, they seem to make most of them too small around the middle. Haven’t they ever heard of tapering out? Haven’t the clothing manufactures seen any TV shows decrying how round Americans are becoming (I blame the government)? Don’t they want to sell more clothes? Must we always have to use mail order to get things that fit but we cannot feel or see before it arrives two weeks later in a plain, brown paper wrapped package so know one will not what shameful things we have ordered? How dare we have the nerve to be overweight in this world they want dominated by Twiggy’s? I’m sorry. The government made me do it.

Anyway, I did not get a coat. The meal was nice. The people at the church were terrific. After registering, we were met by a personal guide from the church who took us to the many different locations we needed to visit to get the help or information we needed. It was exceptionally well organized. I have never seen better. It is a large church but I suspect there were between 200 and 300 assistants besides the experts. Cool.

All in all it was a wonderful day. My granddaughter won her soccer game and personally scored three times. My grandson lost his, but it was their first game where they greatly improved in the second half. My daughter and I finalized the Christmas ornaments we will make for the craft fair.

It is only 7:00 and I am getting sleepy. I can only draw with daylight. It’s too dark for my fading eyes. I have the Nebraska – Ohio football game on TV, but plan to switch to the Seattle soccer game when I finish this. Or I may go to bed. I was up at 5:30 this morning. That has got to stop. I‘m too old for this foolishness.