Welcome to Trace’s Space! Football. In my home growing up football was serious business. My dad has to be the most intense Pittsburgh Steeler fan I have ever known. Growing up, during game time, it was a given that he would be jumping across the living room doing his officiating and calling calls , and also it was known by our family to not get between him and the television.
When I was growing up, the Pittsburgh Steelers had a great winning streak, and that Championship run came when South Western Pennsylvania was in a economic slump, factories were closing, unemployment was ramped, but those Steelers brought happiness to a couple of generations, the hard working war babies, and the next generation of kids who were learning about winning with class.
Good sportsmanship was a quality that I would hope most fans of any sport would have, and with that being said, I would hope that as a fan of any sport that you should be able to enter into the enemies camp and maintain sportsmanship and respect the game.
Poking fun at the opponent is okay, it’s actually hilarious, especially when families choose different sides. I would hope it doesn’t cause a legit family feud, seriously, I know of folks who have gotten pretty ugly during hockey season because one person loved the Ducks and the other the Penguins... how can you not love the Penguins?
As a girl in a football house, I learned the game, I also learned to officiate, learning from my fathers example, yes I am an intense football watcher...Sometimes I need to turn off the game because I can feel my heart racing and do not want to become a statistic. I love the game, I love the Steelers!
While on vacation we decided to take a small road trip and visit the enemies camp! Yes, Mike an I went to the home of the New England Patriots, a place called Patriot Place, this mall like atmosphere which surrounds Gillette Stadium was quite nice, lots of shops and restaurants and everything Tom Brady. Thousands of visitors all wearing their jerseys with pride, some of them there raising money for charity by entering a race that would happen on the field, most of these runners being children... it was very cool. No one knew where we were from, however we did.
It was weird, we felt funny because we knew we really didn’t belong, but it was super cool. I imagine that’s how most opponents feel when they visit different venues, but I would hope people would remain respectful... We totally got the message of how much our team was hated when we entered the pro shop and the game being played on the big screen was the Patriots versus the Steelers, and well, it wasn’t a going to end well rerun! But, it’s a game, it is what it is! To us that’s how it was.
Then the moment came. We decided it was time to go, so after taking a zillion pictures, and doing the touristy thing, we get on an elevator to leave. Another couple get on with us and I (ok I need to know things) ask a question about the fundraiser going on, I explain we are not from there, and the woman seemed shocked that we were not there for the race. I then say, “ funny thing, we are actually from Pittsburgh.” She looked at me and she says, “there is nothing funny about that!”
Mike said the life drained from my face. For once in my life I was speechless! I then had the epiphany that folks really hate us simply because of football. I said to him, she hates us!
It was all good as long as no one knew who we represented we were welcome there, we blended in, but as soon as the truth was revealed, it was apparent that we needed to vacate as quickly as possible!
We felt like the lepers in the Bible, unclean! unclean!
Where did the fun go? Rivalries are to be fun. Trust me, we as a family jab at each other because of our differences when it comes to supporting opposing teams, but we still love on each other! The gloating is over in a few months, about the time training camp begins, but sports don’t divide us or define us. We love the game, key word, the game! It’s a game!
Now onto the application, where am I going with this?
The enemies camp. While we chose to visit that camp, we often find ourselves by no fault of our own walking right into a camp that we do not belong in. The Bible says we will be hated because of Him. There is absolute truth in that. We are now living in a time when there are so many things contrary to what God desires for us, we are living in a time that our God view is not welcomed, and we are being attacked simply because we have chosen to believe, to follow Him. We are hated because we choose to defend what is right, what is Holy. While we walk in truth, we are made to feel like we don’t belong, and honestly the truth of the matter is, we really don’t.
Our place is with Him and daily in His presence, pushing forward, living this life running the race and gaining momentum toward the prize of enternity.
We have to be able to live and let live, and rely on the promises of God!
This life is hard. There is so much division, there is so much hatred, and what’s the point. Heaven or hell issues, life or death, but it’s biblical, Jesus said there would be days like these!
So today I simply pray, Jesus protect us. Show us how to maintain and clearly live as You would have us live, give us words of wisdom, help us to love even when we clearly know we are not! It’s all bout You! Amen? Amen!
See you next time!
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Cheese Please! How Can You Be Out Of Cheese? It’s a Deli!
Welcome to Trace’s Space. Cheese! No, I’m not asking you to pose for a photo, but my latest life lesson has to do with cheese. We seem to go through cheese here at our house like the fish eat bread at the spillway at Pymatuning .
I should explain for those who do not know of this spillway, here in Pennsylvania there is a lake (it actually spans and shares itself with part of Ohio) Pymatuning, it is quite large and actually very beautiful. There is a spillway on this lake that is famous for a gathering of Carp. These fish are huge, I wouldn’t be surprised if a human fell in that these fish wouldn’t suck the skin right off them. So on any given day, you can actually stop there, purchase bread and feed them. There are thousands of them, and they fight their way to the top of the water in order to devour their fair share of bread. Little kids enjoy watching them fight, actually, most folks enjoy watching them and listening to them, they squeel like pigs! Yes, back to the cheese eating, that’s how quick it’s gone!
I should also clarify, I am not calling my family fish or pigs, they just enjoy cheese!
Now this is where we get to the meat of this story. I seldom purchase groceries at a certain “super” store in our town, but the last two times that I have needed other items that are considerably cheaper than at my favorite grocery store, I have to decided to just pick up what I need as far as food there. The deli experience there is always awful, but for me the issue is always cheese. See, I am picky when it comes to the quality of the cheese, it’s too expensive to not be. The first trip I waited a very long time at the deli to get what I needed, they never have enough help, and they have to cut everything fresh, wrap it up then put it away. Second trip, I ask for my cheese, the girl says, “we have no cheese”.... Response, “ how can a deli not have cheese?” I was in total disbelief, my face was definitely in eye roll mode, and then boom! Right in front of me, there is a unopened sleeve of American cheese! The girl never saw it. She had been told by another deli person, no cheese! Honestly I had this vision of the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld saying, “ no cheese for you!” She was going by this persons word not actually looking for herself.
How often do we do that? Someone offers up information and we choose to not investigate for ourselves. We either except value in that which is shared, form an opinion based on someone else’s facts, without even checking it out. Most times folks are reliable, they are factual, but what about those times when your gut is saying, hey, this doesn’t sound right, or it is what it is and I really don’t have time to research. I believe deli girl didn’t have time to research, she had to get about her business and cheese wasn’t her priority. She was so consumed with getting the job done she didn’t have time to look right in front of her.
I am a fact finder. I love facts and truth. I do not have time to second guess or to have to back track because someone else didn’t feel it necessary to find out what it’s really about. I have been gifted with an ability to see beyond superficial factoids, and a mere stroke of information, the need to really know will actually motivate me right to google. I want to be well informed and also I want to be clear when I relay that information and I certainly do not want to be caught up in a fib. Liars make me tired, gossipers, well...being misinformed isn’t wrong especially when it’s not intentional, but we do have a responsibility to own what we say, and know what we are talking about, we also have the obligation to admit we were wrong or misinformed when we find out the facts.
I read a lot of information on a lot of subjects, especially when my gut says, there is more to the story. I have to say nine times out of ten, when I get the gut reaction, someone in the line of communication has left out or misinterpreted a piece on information. What brings on my gut reaction? Well it’s not eye rolling, it’s when those eyes either look down or away, or a person literally turns themselves away when presenting what they claim to know. It’s not that need to be right, I just want facts, I want truth. I hunger for truth! So if you find you are making up the truth as you go along, you better be taking notes, you will forget what you said, your facts will go kerplunk and the truth will set everyone free but you! Again it’s your responsibility to fact check your source, and again, to own what you say.
Deli girl was worried that I was upset with her. I was not, I actually laughed and said, girl you are so busy, I get it. She had integrity and I believe from our encounter that she values truth. I bet she apologized five times. At the end of this the responsibility did not lie with anyone actually doing their job there, it went clear back to management, the folks who schedule, the folks who order. But, she still was willing to own it and not place the blame on anyone but herself.
Truth is a Who God is... His word is full of information, and I believe that is why we hunger for it and why He has told us to come and dine. To drink from the fountain...
Cheese while in demand is basically easy to come by, but not easy to keep. Truth the same!
See you next time
I should explain for those who do not know of this spillway, here in Pennsylvania there is a lake (it actually spans and shares itself with part of Ohio) Pymatuning, it is quite large and actually very beautiful. There is a spillway on this lake that is famous for a gathering of Carp. These fish are huge, I wouldn’t be surprised if a human fell in that these fish wouldn’t suck the skin right off them. So on any given day, you can actually stop there, purchase bread and feed them. There are thousands of them, and they fight their way to the top of the water in order to devour their fair share of bread. Little kids enjoy watching them fight, actually, most folks enjoy watching them and listening to them, they squeel like pigs! Yes, back to the cheese eating, that’s how quick it’s gone!
I should also clarify, I am not calling my family fish or pigs, they just enjoy cheese!
Now this is where we get to the meat of this story. I seldom purchase groceries at a certain “super” store in our town, but the last two times that I have needed other items that are considerably cheaper than at my favorite grocery store, I have to decided to just pick up what I need as far as food there. The deli experience there is always awful, but for me the issue is always cheese. See, I am picky when it comes to the quality of the cheese, it’s too expensive to not be. The first trip I waited a very long time at the deli to get what I needed, they never have enough help, and they have to cut everything fresh, wrap it up then put it away. Second trip, I ask for my cheese, the girl says, “we have no cheese”.... Response, “ how can a deli not have cheese?” I was in total disbelief, my face was definitely in eye roll mode, and then boom! Right in front of me, there is a unopened sleeve of American cheese! The girl never saw it. She had been told by another deli person, no cheese! Honestly I had this vision of the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld saying, “ no cheese for you!” She was going by this persons word not actually looking for herself.
How often do we do that? Someone offers up information and we choose to not investigate for ourselves. We either except value in that which is shared, form an opinion based on someone else’s facts, without even checking it out. Most times folks are reliable, they are factual, but what about those times when your gut is saying, hey, this doesn’t sound right, or it is what it is and I really don’t have time to research. I believe deli girl didn’t have time to research, she had to get about her business and cheese wasn’t her priority. She was so consumed with getting the job done she didn’t have time to look right in front of her.
I am a fact finder. I love facts and truth. I do not have time to second guess or to have to back track because someone else didn’t feel it necessary to find out what it’s really about. I have been gifted with an ability to see beyond superficial factoids, and a mere stroke of information, the need to really know will actually motivate me right to google. I want to be well informed and also I want to be clear when I relay that information and I certainly do not want to be caught up in a fib. Liars make me tired, gossipers, well...being misinformed isn’t wrong especially when it’s not intentional, but we do have a responsibility to own what we say, and know what we are talking about, we also have the obligation to admit we were wrong or misinformed when we find out the facts.
I read a lot of information on a lot of subjects, especially when my gut says, there is more to the story. I have to say nine times out of ten, when I get the gut reaction, someone in the line of communication has left out or misinterpreted a piece on information. What brings on my gut reaction? Well it’s not eye rolling, it’s when those eyes either look down or away, or a person literally turns themselves away when presenting what they claim to know. It’s not that need to be right, I just want facts, I want truth. I hunger for truth! So if you find you are making up the truth as you go along, you better be taking notes, you will forget what you said, your facts will go kerplunk and the truth will set everyone free but you! Again it’s your responsibility to fact check your source, and again, to own what you say.
Deli girl was worried that I was upset with her. I was not, I actually laughed and said, girl you are so busy, I get it. She had integrity and I believe from our encounter that she values truth. I bet she apologized five times. At the end of this the responsibility did not lie with anyone actually doing their job there, it went clear back to management, the folks who schedule, the folks who order. But, she still was willing to own it and not place the blame on anyone but herself.
Truth is a Who God is... His word is full of information, and I believe that is why we hunger for it and why He has told us to come and dine. To drink from the fountain...
Cheese while in demand is basically easy to come by, but not easy to keep. Truth the same!
See you next time
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
It Had Wings to Fly, So I Launched it!
Welome to Trace’s Space. I love quiet mornings in the summer when I have the opportunity to sit on our front porch and simply enjoy the breeze. Today is a beautiful day, no clouds, no humidity, no noise, just peace.
So today, between loads of laundry and cups of coffee, I found that the porch was my refuge and nothing was going to come between me and my quiet time, well so I thought. I had gone inside to fold clothes and as I was coming back out the front door I looked up. And before my very eyes I saw this bug, one of the ugliest moths I had ever seen in my life! I am sure it had merely came to my porch to get a bite of some of my flowers, but I wasn’t having it! Some naturalist/nature lover is surely cringing right now because I didn’t just leave it alone, but my thought process justified my actions, this thing has wings, it can fly, so I took my broom and launched it. It made no effort to fly on its own and it landed somewhere in my neighbors yard.
What bothered me was, it made no effort to fly! I know I didn’t kill it, or at least I don’t think I did. I thought maybe it was nocturnal and only would fly at night... Maybe it just was enjoying not having to flap it’s own wings, maybe I had stunned it, nothing made sense, and why do I even care, it was a bug!
Then I had this thought. No creature on this earth asks to be created, asks to be physically born. Think about that, we do not ask for physical life, we do not choose that life for ourselves, someone or something makes that choice for us.
I for one do not believe that there is a product line in heaven and that God is standing there saying, this will be human, this will be a camel, a dog, a bug. That folks was handled at creation. Now do I believe there are new species? Yes. That is proven science, but I believe that in the name of evolution that in time, natural change takes place and that was Gods plan to allow it. See it has to happen because there is always life and death. It also has to happen because conditions on this earth are constantly changing, whether it be brought on by natural selection or man made interference.
That moth did not have a plan that involved a broom and a crazy woman...Its plan was to simply come and dine!
Now as for living. That is different.
We all know that folks make choices every day that concern life and death, I believe other creatures on this earth do too. Whether it is a conscious choice or not, I do not know, but a choice to visit a water hole in the jungle can be deadly (that’s what I mean). Life is a gift, freely given, now honoring it is hard. Living is hard, but God is Good!
There is much theology concerning death and life and rebirth, aka salvation, but the message is very clear, that is the One clear choice is left up to us. While it’s not a physical death, dying to ones self is clearly a choice. Choosing life with Christ is clearly our choice. It’s a matter of life or death. This rebirth is our decision. We are the only species on this earth that has that offer, rebirth.
What about other creatures? My theory is this, if the waves and winds know His name, so do the birds and the bees, and even moths! Hmmmmm.... do animals go to heaven? They are part of creation! My personal thoughts are, yes!
So as I sit here and continue to enjoy the breeze of summer, one thing I am sure of is, I am thankful. Thankful for the life my parents gave me, and the new Life God has given me! I am also thankful that no superior being is smacking me with a broom hoping I will fly!
See you next time!
So today, between loads of laundry and cups of coffee, I found that the porch was my refuge and nothing was going to come between me and my quiet time, well so I thought. I had gone inside to fold clothes and as I was coming back out the front door I looked up. And before my very eyes I saw this bug, one of the ugliest moths I had ever seen in my life! I am sure it had merely came to my porch to get a bite of some of my flowers, but I wasn’t having it! Some naturalist/nature lover is surely cringing right now because I didn’t just leave it alone, but my thought process justified my actions, this thing has wings, it can fly, so I took my broom and launched it. It made no effort to fly on its own and it landed somewhere in my neighbors yard.
What bothered me was, it made no effort to fly! I know I didn’t kill it, or at least I don’t think I did. I thought maybe it was nocturnal and only would fly at night... Maybe it just was enjoying not having to flap it’s own wings, maybe I had stunned it, nothing made sense, and why do I even care, it was a bug!
Then I had this thought. No creature on this earth asks to be created, asks to be physically born. Think about that, we do not ask for physical life, we do not choose that life for ourselves, someone or something makes that choice for us.
I for one do not believe that there is a product line in heaven and that God is standing there saying, this will be human, this will be a camel, a dog, a bug. That folks was handled at creation. Now do I believe there are new species? Yes. That is proven science, but I believe that in the name of evolution that in time, natural change takes place and that was Gods plan to allow it. See it has to happen because there is always life and death. It also has to happen because conditions on this earth are constantly changing, whether it be brought on by natural selection or man made interference.
That moth did not have a plan that involved a broom and a crazy woman...Its plan was to simply come and dine!
Now as for living. That is different.
We all know that folks make choices every day that concern life and death, I believe other creatures on this earth do too. Whether it is a conscious choice or not, I do not know, but a choice to visit a water hole in the jungle can be deadly (that’s what I mean). Life is a gift, freely given, now honoring it is hard. Living is hard, but God is Good!
There is much theology concerning death and life and rebirth, aka salvation, but the message is very clear, that is the One clear choice is left up to us. While it’s not a physical death, dying to ones self is clearly a choice. Choosing life with Christ is clearly our choice. It’s a matter of life or death. This rebirth is our decision. We are the only species on this earth that has that offer, rebirth.
What about other creatures? My theory is this, if the waves and winds know His name, so do the birds and the bees, and even moths! Hmmmmm.... do animals go to heaven? They are part of creation! My personal thoughts are, yes!
So as I sit here and continue to enjoy the breeze of summer, one thing I am sure of is, I am thankful. Thankful for the life my parents gave me, and the new Life God has given me! I am also thankful that no superior being is smacking me with a broom hoping I will fly!
See you next time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)