November 30, 1959 (re-post 5.14.10)

Varsity: any first-string team, esp. in sports, that represents a school, college, university, or the like: He is on the varsity in tennis and in debating. 

Varsity Letter History

Below is a piece I wrote last spring after finding a letter my Dad received when he was in high school from his basketball coach. The letter was written 52 years ago today. Enjoy!

-sbb

Life experienced in all of its simplicity is often the best way to experience life. Last year I had the pleasure to read a letter that my father's high school basketball coach, Dick Snouffer, wrote (typed) to all the young men that made the varsity basketball team that year. 

The letter is simply a treasure.

To read the letter is to go to a time much different than today. It was the middle of the 20th century, in Middle America, and "smack dab" in the middle of the civil rights movement. 

In 1959 the unemployment rate was 5%; the average salary was $5010.00 and the average cost of a home was $12,400. Families around the country were watching "Bonanza" and "The Twilight Zone" on their TV sets; watching Cary Grant in "North by Northwest" and Charlton Heston in "Ben Hur" on the silver screen. The number one hit on the radio was Bobby Darin's "Mack the Knife".

In many ways it was a better time.

Lou Lou Cheese

Wish: to want; desire; long for.

Happy Birthday Reese!

Today is my little Reese's 2nd Birthday. I love this little girl so much. Did you hear what Daddy said Reese? Daddy said he loves you. Someday your going to read this and I want you to know from the bottom of your Dad's heart that I love you and I will always be in your corner. I wish and pray the best for you always. Reese I love you so very much... and you will always be my Lou Lou Cheese!

 Day 1... Reese Olivia Christine

We just want to say
A happy birthday to you
We hope you have a wonderful day
In whatever you may do
Know that God loves you so
And wants for you the ‘best’
So look to Him each precious day
And know that you are blessed.

© By M.S.Lowndes

  6 months old

Servanthood (re-post 12.13.10)

Serve: to render assistance; be of use; help.

Serve others this Holiday Season.

One of my favorite bible verses in the Bible is Matthew 11:28-30:

"Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light'."

When I read those verses I can more times than not identify with the weary and heavy burden part. Life is difficult and it can be severe in its treatment of all of us. I love the verse because it reminds me that God wants us to worship Him so He can serve us. He wants to serve us with His grace, mercy, forgiveness and His love. 

Christ is the greatest example of servanthood.

Rock

Rescue: to free or deliver from confinement, violence, danger, or evil.

 

Psalm 18:1-6

 A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. He sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.  This is part of what he sang:

 ¹ I love you, Lord;
      you are my strength.
 ² The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
      my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
   He is my shield, the power that saves me,
      and my place of safety.
 ³ I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
      and he saved me from my enemies.

 ⁴ The ropes of death entangled me;
      floods of destruction swept over me.
 ⁵ The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
      death laid a trap in my path.
 ⁶ But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
      yes, I prayed to my God for help.
   He heard me from his sanctuary;
      my cry to him reached his ears.

Game Day (re-post 11.27.10)

Game: a competitive activity involving skill, chance, or endurance on the part of two or more persons who play according to a set of rules, usually for their own amusement or for that of spectators.

Michigan vs Ohio State: A way of LIFE

As I was driving to my son's practice this morning I was reflecting upon all the practices my Dad took me to, all the games that my parents attended during my playing days and all of the joy, and pain, that were associated with those times earlier in my life. I can honestly say that my parents were, and still are, the best teammates (and the biggest fans) I've ever had. While I was driving I was reminded how the torch has been past to me and that the same behavior is expected of me as a father. This statement is redundant for anyone that has children that play sports, but there is nothing, and I do mean nothing, like watching your children play sports.

Nothing.

Hatfield & McCoy

As I ponder that statement for a moment I begin to think of all the parents that will be  watching their kids play at the "Horseshoe" today. Thinking about all of the parents that will be full of joy today watching their son's participate in America's favorite sport I wondered if the parents that watched their boys play in the first college game were just as excited. 

Upon further review I'm sure they were.

Giving Thanks (re-post 11.25.10)

Appreciation: gratitude; thankful recognition.

"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

-1 Thessalonians 5:18

As I was running this morning, pondering another Thanksgiving Day, I wondered what it was like during the first Thanksgiving celebration. I wondered when first the "Turkey Day" took place and how different it was from how we celebrate Thanksgiving today. Obviously there are major differences between the first Thanksgiving in 1621 and the one we will experience today. I'm sure in the beginning there were no discussions concerning "Black Friday" shopping plans, little to no interest in the latest apps and no football or Macy's parade on the television. 

It's safe to say that times were different and with all of the points that could be made concerning the many differences it were 102 pilgrims that displayed tremendous resolve, strength and character in the midst of the most trying of times that gives me reason to pause.  

Depiction of the 1st Pilgrims.

The first Thanksgiving was a celebration of survival during a time of terrible hardship.

Many times we as Americans tend to romanticize the pilgrims and think of them as well dressed men, women and children with buckled shoes and frock coats. Those visions couldn't be farther from the truth. In the winter of 1620 a group of 102 pilgrim pioneers had began an adventure that had no turning back. Jean Craighead George in her book "The First Thanksgiving" shared with her reader that by the following spring many pilgrims didn't survive the winter, being reduced by illness and hardship to 56. Surrounded by the land's native people, whose intent they could not know, they buried their dead by night so the tribes wouldn't realize how quickly their numbers were dwindling and prayed by day that they would live to see another.

Portrait of the 1st Thanksgiving.

So when the fruitful harvest and late fall arrived in 1621, it was natural that the weary settlers and their native benefactors should gather in a great feast of lobster and goose, turkey and venison, duck and pumpkin, fruit and corn. These Pilgrims, sorely tested, gave thanks for a hard-won survival and the help of friends. I truly believe that it would be impossible for all involved not to count their blessings without thinking of the trials just endured, the terrors of their strange new land and the loss of their dearest comrades. The original 102 pilgrims, lived and died, bravely in the face of danger and most likely prayed daily for strength and safety.

And with all of this they found reason to be grateful producing their greatest legacy; a legacy of gratitude and appreciation. 

Enjoying the harvest... 

So that's where I find myself this morning, feeling tremendous gratitude for my faith, family and friends. Many things come and go but these three things have been with me for a lifetime.  

My faith has been the biggest blessing to me over the course of my life. I'm very thankful that my mother, the spiritual patriarch of our family, took my sister and me to church every Sunday morning, and Sunday and Wednesday night, without fail. I'm grateful that she instilled in me the importance of consistently attending church, and more importantly, that our faith in Jesus Christ is the most important quality we can develop while on earth. It is true what is said in Proverbs 22:6; "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it." In the end my parents "God" could no longer be mine. I had to decide to find Jesus for myself and invite Him in my life so He could become real to me. 

I'm grateful that my relationship with God has become more personal over the past five years, very personal. It has made all the difference for me and my family. 

When speaking of my family I feel very blessed and thankful for the "little" things. I'm thankful that we all made it home safely every night over the past year and were able to share the day's events with each other around the dinner table. I'm thankful and appreciative that so many people have made it possible for my oldest two boys to be currently attending college.

I'm full of appreciation and gratitude that my mother and father-in-law acknowledged, accepted and, without judgment, invited a man that had been divorced twice and had multiple children by multiple women (5 children by 4 women to be exact... one child with their daughter at the time...now two) into their home and in doing so making that man, me, a part of their family. I'm thankful for my parents pretty much providing Christmas for all of my children over the past 16 years and especially thankful that my wife has accepted her role as wife, mother, stepmother, daughter-in-law and sister-in-law with such grace and class.  

She is wonderful. 

I'm also very thankful that my three oldest boys have accepted Jesus Christ into their lives. 

Finally, I'm thankful for my friends that I have had for the better part of my life. Craig Birkhead, Joe Ceravolo, Todd Onusic, Mike Elfers, Steve Iannarino and Jeff Wright all have been close friends for over 25 years. Craig has been a best friend for over 33 years. In each case they have given me their money, their time and their ear. They have blessed me with their constructive criticism and unforgettable understanding. 

  

  Charlie & his friends.  

They have often shared with me what I needed to hear and not what I wanted to hear. 

They have been a truthful and true friend to me and for that I'm very grateful. In the end, I'm thankful for the 46 pilgrims that set out on a difficult journey that died along the way and for the 56 pilgrims, on that same journey, that were able to find something inside of themselves that enabled them to survive the journey.

In both cases many sacrifices were made. I believe greatness comes in many forms but it has been my observation that sacrifice is often the loneliest form of greatness.

 Giving thanks & sharing...

Today I recognize and honor their many sacrifices and their true greatness. With that being said, let all of us take pleasure in the simplest and most meaningful of things during our holiday celebration.  

Today let's remember that, as the Roman philosopher Seneca once wrote, "Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart." And with that let's remember and reflect upon the things that are in our life that we are grateful for and give thanks for them.

 It has and always will be about grace, the grace that has been bestowed upon us and the grace we have the opportunity to share with others every day. I wish I could say it better but Ralph Waldo Emerson put it best when he said: 

Thanksgiving 

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food,For love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

Amen.

sbb

1167

Grace  .  The Winans 

youtube

Learning Our ABC's (re-post 11.20.10)

Alphabet: any system of characters or signs with which a language is written: the Greek alphabet.

In reviewing my blog, and observing others, I realized the manner that my "ABC's" were being displayed were less than adequate. They lacked a presence and power, and I might add that the written words were too close together to provide an enjoyable read. 

My site lacked that ever needed savior-faire.

It's no wonder, or surprise for that matter, that for many years of my life I pursued style over substance that I would be reverting back to my old habits now that I'm finally doing something substantive and meaningful- I realize that both substantive and meaningful are relative terms. I really was starting to believe that I was turning the corner on this whole maturity thing.

I guess it's true what they say, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks".

Anyway, it was my intent to update my site, font wise, and specifically and significantly improve the reading experience for the reader. My wife suggested I become a better writer if I wanted to make significant change... I suggested she become a better cook- Oh wait a minute, I forgot, you have to cook first before you can become a better cook. 

It's important to note that the aesthetic change was an "It's not what you say but how you say it" moment at mybabyr0c. The font that I was searching for was a font that is specifically used for intensive editorial use, mainly the kind seen in newspapers and magazines.

What I found was font that embodied personality and flexibility making it a real multiple-purpose typeface.  

Her name is Trebuchet.

Is it just me or do I sound like someone who just met their soul mate online? Well, the great thing about this person font is that it is unobtrusive in appearance and has excellent texture and slightly darker color allowing it to behave flawlessly in a continuous text setting. After that explanation maybe the font should be named "Halle Berry"

Hey now! 

As I was saying, this font works in the most demanding of editorial applications.

Trebuchet MS is a humanist sans-serif typeface designed by Vincent Connare for Microsoft in 1996 for easy screen readability. It is named after the trebuchet, a medieval catapult, that takes its inspiration from the sans serifs of the 1930s which had large and round features, and letters, intended to promote readability on signs.

The name was inspired by a puzzle question that Connare heard at Microsoft headquarters: "Can you make a trebuchet that could launch a person from the main campus to the new consumer campus about a mile away? Mathematically, is it possible and how?" Connare "thought that would be a great name for a font that launches words across the Internet". 

And so with that Trebuchet was born.

The Trebuchet fonts are intended to be the vehicle that fires your messages across the Internet. One of Connare’s intentions when designing Trebuchet was to instill personality into the letter forms, even at small sizes, while retaining clarity and readability. He wanted to create a typeface which was significantly distinguishable from Verdana and MS Sans.

As I'm sure, and positively aware, this was a little more than many of you bargained for in the area of Trebuchet font history and its genesis. In all honesty it wasn't all together what I planned to discuss. Yes, fonts are letters. Profound, I know. Actually, that is an incorrect statement, they are letters, numbers & symbols. 

Not so profound after all. 

What I really wanted to discuss was our ABC's, specifically my son's alphabetic prowess, and how increasing ones vocabulary, spelling and writing are predicated upon mastering this knowledge. It is also vital to any person wanting to become a proficient writer and a worthy read... both areas in which I'm struggling mightily at this very moment.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is letters are important. Profound again, I know- what did you expect from such a high brow site dedicated to academia such as this. 

Profound statements aside, it was yesterday while I was sitting in my son, Ryan's, first parent-teacher conference I was reminded the importance of being able to identify, write and pronounce our letters. The importance of everyone, child, mother and father, being on the same page when it comes to this issue is an understatement. With that being said, "Junior" is doing OK but he could be doing better.

Just a sidebar, Dad will be implementing the "20 minute rule" every night to instruct, observe and review my young boy's progress in all areas pertaining to letters, and there pronunciation, and the alphabet. 

Enough said.

With letters, and numbers... 1 through 20 to be exact, swirling around in my small brain as I was leaving my first of many conferences for little Ryan I was reminded that we as adults must always be learning our ABC's also.

We teach our children that there is a right way and wrong way to behave in every situation but I'm sad to report we often don't take our own advice. Doing things the right way is vital. So with this in mind let's press forward and review, revisit or in some instances introduce some traits we can all benefit from if we chose to implement them into our lives. 

For learning purposes we can refer to these behavior traits as the "ABC's of Conduct" if you will. I realize, like most of you, that each Holiday Season delivers its own challenges, trials and troubles. For most families you can't utter the word Christmas without saying "drama", and I'm not talking about the Nutcracker... now that I think about it maybe I am. Where was I, ah yes, I must say I have been pretty fortunate in this area because of the maturity of "most" members of my extended family... I said most. 

There is always one in every crowd as my Dad likes to say.

So in keeping with the theme of learning our ABC's I thought I would share with all "seven" of my readers (don't laugh you all know who you are) what I believe to be the ABC's for behavior during the Holiday Season.

A is for Attitude.

• Our attitude is the only thing we can control and it's the one thing we can't control in another. Be concerned only with the things you can control and leave the rest to figure itself out... it always has and it always will. Relax. Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we respond (not react) to it. How we view things will more often than not determine how we will behave in most situations. Epictetus mentioned many centuries ago that "men are disturbed, not by things, but by the view they take of them."  In every situation in life our attitude will always determine our outcome. The most powerful tool that we have control of in our life is our attitude; use this tool to your benefit not to your detriment. Proverbs 23:7 puts it this way, "as he thinketh in his heart, so he is."  Focus your thinking and improve your attitude. Enough said.

B is for Behavior.

• We all have one and everyone notices it and it goes by the name of behavior. Some are good and some are not so good. What does your behavior say about you? The key to our behavior, and having the correct one, is to guard what we think about. What a man thinks in his mind and harbors in his heart will eventually be displayed in his or her actions. A guiding principle to remember is that thoughts become words and words become actions. Actions, if repeated, become habits and habits become your character... your character, or there for lack of, becomes your destiny. Words and intentions are important but they will never replace the importance of proper and adequate behavior. Words compliment actions, they don't replace them. Our behavior says everything about us.

C is for Commitment, Communication & Conviction.

•  Being committed to others needs more than our own is the key. If we can be lead by a conviction that favors selflessness over selfishness and we communicate that through deed and word we truly, and instantly, become of value to each person we come in contact with. It's that simple and by the same token it's that difficult but it's truly the best choice we can make

In closing, most of the pieces I write are not intended to admonish the reader or pontificate on how I think things should be. My writings are often assignments with the lesson being to remind myself that there is a right way and wrong way to do things.

I was raised the right way and the very least I should, and could, do is reward my parents with a type of behavior that is appropriate and that would give them a reason to be full of pride and joy. I wish I could say I was always successful in this area during my lifetime. At this point I would take a success rate of 50%.

Michael Jackson sang these words when he was with the Jackson 5, he said and I quote: 

"ABC, it's easy

Easy as123
It's like counting up to 3
Or simple as Do re mi
Sing a simple melody 

That's how easy love can be!"

 The Jackson 5

I hope this Holiday Season we find it as easy to love all of those around us as the Jackson 5's lyrics lament. I also hope we all take a moment to reflect what this time of year is all about and that during this time we become a catalyst, an example and a reminder that behaving rightly and correctly during the Holiday Season is one the greatest gift we can give everybody inside, and outside, our extended family.

Our friends deserve it, our parents deserve it and most importantly our children deserve it.

Happy Holidays and I hope you enjoy the new font... the Trebuchet MS font.

sbb  20.11.10

1696

ABC  .  The Jackson 5

youtube 



 

15 Minutes of Fame

Favor: something done or granted out of goodwill, rather than from justice or for remuneration; a kind act: to ask a favor. Friendly or well-disposed regard; goodwill: to win the favor of the king.

Unmerited favor

"But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart'."

-1 Samuel 16:7

My wife and I love Tim Tebow. 

Let me say it again; "My wife and I love Tim Tebow." 

Tim Tebow  
go gators!

Since we got married in 2006 we have enjoyed every fall Saturday, until last year, watching #15 play at the University of Florida. I knew my wife bought into his special ability and persona when she commented last year that we should get the NFL Ticket on DirecTV so we could watch Tebow play every Sunday. 

 DirecTV & Sunday Ticket

I told her to let me think about it?

And in exactly 1.5 seconds later my reply was; "Let me call and see if they are running any early bird specials."

She, my wife, is a very special person that has too many grand qualities to try to explain in a short piece such as this. Words can't simply begin to describe my amazement at her keen intellect and her unmatched wisdom.

She is phenomenal. 

"Honey come in here and make sure I spelled everything right and I wrote it just like you told me to." 

Anyway, like I said we are big Tebow fans, and we are big fans for many different reasons. 

Pat Tebow and her son. 

The main reason we admire him as much as we do is because of his unwavering faith in Christ. His fierce and courageous determination to follow Christ at any cost and to verbally communicate his commitment to God anytime and anywhere is inspiring to me.

As my wife and I watched him lead the Broncos to a win against the New York Jets this past Thursday we were amazed by his poise before, during and after the game. Tebow knows who he is and he's not afraid to let everyone else know who he is, what he believes and what his purpose is.

I share with my kids, and whoever will listen to me, that there are three main questions we should all ask ourselves: (1) Who are you? (2) What do you believe? And (3) what is your purpose?

The book that I'm going to write is based on those three questions. 

I would humbly submit that if God is not part and parcel of each answer to those three questions that you're living a very shallow version of the life God intended you to live.
 

The key isn't necessarily to be able to answer those questions, but to begin the internal dialogue and ask; Who am I? What do I believe? And what is my purpose? 

And how does God fit into each one of those answers and areas?

The Broncos #1 pick in 2010.
 

Tim stated to The NFL Network anchormen after the win over the Jets that; "It is very exciting and we're excited about the wins that we've been able to put together. I love it and care about it."

He went on to say...

"But the greatest thing with this sport and with the NFL is we have such a platform, and we can take that platform and we can influence the next generation. That is honestly my passion. This week we got to announce that I was building a hospital in the Philippines. This game means a lot but that hospital means more to me because that's changing peoples' lives. That's giving people faith, hope and love, and that's more important. My ultimate goal with this, with playing football, is to be a great role model that a parent can look at their son and say, 'That's someone that is trying to do it the right way; he's not perfect but everyday he's trying to get better, he's trying to honor God, do the right thing, do what's right and do his best'." 

He knows who he is, he knows what he believes and he knows what his purpose is. He is a blessed man.

I truly admire who he is and what he is choosing to pursue during his time on earth. 

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

-1 Corinthians 10:31 

So as my wife and me basked in the triumph of a Tim Tebow lead Broncos team we smiled at each other with a look that stated; "we get it."

It wasn't an arrogant or smug look, it was just a look of we believe in what God can do in another person's life.

We believe in what He is doing in our lives.

And if God wants Tim Tebow to be a quarterback in the NFL then he is going to be a quarterback in the NFL.

We believe in the power of God.

Period. 

And as easy as it is to get caught up in the emotion of the game and wanting everyone one to be proved wrong, it honestly has nothing to do with the game, but it has everything to do with the post game press conference. It was the acknowledgement of his God given forum and platform, his desire to be a role model and his purpose to make a difference in generations to come with a hospital he is building in the Philippines. 

It has to do with who he is and what he stands for. 
 

It has to do with the way he has lead his life since being on the national scene at the University of Florida.

It has to do with him being committed, being consistent and him having a laser like focus and approach on what he wants to do with his life. 

In the end he wants to serve God. And I think that is pretty cool.

 #15

What else is pretty cool is the number he wears.

The number 15.

When I began to look through my Bible after the game I became intrigued with Tim's jersey number. I have always put a certain value on and attributed a specific meaning to the number I worn in high school and college, and I do the same with the numbers my kids wear since they began playing sports.

For those keeping score at home the number 2 and 3 are big in our house. There are too many reasons to go into why we love those numbers other than to say we just do.

So as I began my journey with the number 15 I found out some very interesting facts:

• 15 represents the perfect 3-dimensional expression - 3 x 5.
• It is the atomic number of phosphorus.
• Many Jewish holidays begin on the 15th of the month.
• It represents the number of days in each of the 24 cycles of the Chinese calendar.
• The number of guns in a gun salute to Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force Lieutenant Generals, and Navy and Coast Guard Vice Admirals is 15.
• Noah's Ark rose 15 cubits. It was the first time 15 was mentioned in the Bible. (Gen. 7:20)
• Fifteen years were added to the life of Hezekiah by God who was suffering from a mortal sickness. (2 Kings 20:5-6)
• The cross of Jesus had a length of fifteen feet.

Like I said, interesting.

As I journeyed along with my faithful companion, curiosity, I began to count the books of Bible in the New Testament and discovered that the fifteenth book in the New Testament was, you guessed it, 1 Timothy. 

I was blown away. 

Maybe this is why Tebow wears the number 15 I thought to myself? I have no idea, but I would be lying if I didn't admit that I was more than a little enthused with the irony of the entire matter.

In taking the number thing one step further I looked up 1 Timothy 1:5; it states:

"The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith."

-1 Timothy 1:5

Wow!

I really didn't know what to say. That verse represents who Tim Tebow is to a, dare I say, " T ".

I believe... always have, always will!

As I continued my research into the number fifteen I was made aware of its Biblical significance. As all of us are aware, fifteen is 3 x 5 mathematically, but Biblically speaking three represents divine perfection and five represents grace, therefore, fifteen is often seen in association with divine grace, or the free unmerited favor of God.

I think it is fair to say that we all have witnessed God's favor upon number 15's life.

And football is just part of the story.

Ah yea football.

When I think about Tim Tebow and football two things come to mind; the media and God's word.

I'm not going to say that every football expert or media talking head are hell bent on seeing Tebow fail, just as I won't say that everyone that wants him to succeed are right wing conservative Christians that have no athletic perspective or football intellect, and that they only have a religious point to make or some cross to bear concerning Tebow's exploit and wanted success on Sunday afternoons.

I think it's somewhere in the middle.

I believe the criticism about his natural, or unnatural, throwing motion and his inability to consistently hit wide open receivers are valid. I also believe there are more than a few Christians that understand the criticism and are interested in him because of his football skill and his faith; all the while hoping, and praying, for his success in the NFL.

I would be one of those in the ladder group that is praying, and hoping, for his on and off the field success.

Most of what we hear out of the media is pretty consistent; he can't play quarterback, but the best and most encouraging words I have heard, and read, come by way of CBS Sports anchorman Solomon Wilcots concerning his praise for the virtues that define Tim Tebow:

Solomon Wilcots

"That's the thing, Craggs. We're all too smart for God these days, and to believe in Tim Tebow is to believe in God in a world that tells us God is an impossibility, and that Tim Tebow is a bad quarterback because a bunch of guys on television said so. Well, screw that. We need some new heroes."

I couldn't agree more.

I mentioned earlier that there were two things that came to mind when thinking about Tebow and football; the media and God's word.

In God's word the scripture that comes to mind is the one that I stated at the beginning of this piece; 1 Samuel 16:7:

"But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart'."

Too many pundits, players and professors of football look at all the externals. They hang their hat on that his time on the field, like his throwing motion, is ugly. They say you can't win long term with this kid; "great leader; terrible QB, you can't win a Super Bowl with him."

All that may be true.

But I believe in a God that doesn't bother with outward appearances and the opinions and views of the world. He listens very little to the arguments of why Tebow can't succeed in the NFL. If I have said it once I have said a thousand times; "If God wants that young man to be a NFL quarterback then a NFL quarterback he will be."

I believe what God looks at is this young man's heart, and his heart is centered around the belief that Jesus Christ died on the cross for his sins and if he believes in his heart, thinks in his mind and confess with his tongue his faith in God, and the truth of the cross, he too will have eternal salvation.

I believe this too.

I'm committed to the belief that Tebow will be in the NFL as a successful QB as long as God deems it necessary to accomplish all He wants to accomplish through number 15.

God's will is paramount, not winning football games.  

There is nothing wrong with winning football games , but I believe that God's will for Tebow's life is much bigger than that.

I also believe that he will have more than just cup of coffee and his allotted 15 minutes of fame in the NFL, because minutes, hours and football seasons is not what ultimately motivates this kid, its eternity that he has his attention on.

And that's all this kid is about.

It's Tim Tebow Time!

sbb 19.11.11 
2193

People Get Ready . The Impressions

youtube