I've been feeling kind of down and so I thought I'd rent something off iTunes. Something that kind of fit my mood. So I ended up watching Rocky Balboa. It's a movie that I've seen several times and own the DVD back home. It's a movie that is one of my favorites. At where I'm at in my life right now, the story resonated.
I think the scene that really stuck out with me was the one with Rocky and his son. His son confronted him after he found out about the fight with Mason Dixon and talked about all the struggles he's having to go through being under the shadow of his father and being considered a joke. Rocky then reminds him about watching him grow up and telling about how he would be great and that he'd be his own man. But in that he lost being who he was and instead starting blaming others.
The key point is how Rocky talks about how life hits and how it hits hard. The key lines are these: "It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward."
I would say the past two weeks I've been taking some real hard shots. The kind that are like ones right to the face. If anyone has ever been hit in the face, especially in the nose, you know how it messes you up. You get dazed, you stagger around a bit and you lose your balance a little. You pretty much can't keep from being really affected by it. It hurts. I think that would pretty much sum up the past two weeks.
That's the way following Jesus is. Sometimes there will be times when you get hit and get hit hard. It will hurt and it'll hurt bad. That's the life we're called to. Throughout the Bible, it talks about how those who followed Jesus had to deal with rough times but they kept going because 1) they knew that following Jesus was worth more than not and 2) they had the presence of the Holy Spirit to comfort them in those times.
It's like Rock said, you have to take the hits and keep moving forward. It may take a little time to shake off the hurt but you keep moving forward. That's what a follower of Jesus is called to.
Showing posts with label perseverance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label perseverance. Show all posts
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, April 17, 2008
"Air" McNair is Officially Grounded
Today as I was procrastinating (yes I do that) on a paper, I came across the headline that Steve McNair, great NFL quarterback, has called it a career. To me it is a sort of sad day. The reasoning he gave was that his body just wouldn't allow him to play anymore.
He will always be remembered as a tough quarterback. His great years were with the Tennessee Titans (my team of course). I watched him as the team moved to Tennessee from Houston become the starter and develop into a top QB. The Super Bowl season in 1999 was simply a work of art. Though they lost in that game to the Rams, one of the defining plays in his career came in that game. In the last minutes of the game, he rolled out and was trying to buy time for someone to get open. A Rams player tried to sack him, but McNair simply wouldn't go down. He wrestled away from the guy and threw a strike down the field and completed the pass setting up that final play. That play still amazes me.
McNair was a guy who wanted to play in spite of injuries. During his career, he was labeled as a "warrior", as someone who continued to fight regardless of how he felt physically. I always admired him for his toughness and his ability to play and play well. I was sad when he was cut and signed with the Baltimore Ravens (cause people who know me, know I don't like the Ravens at all) but I still rooted for McNair.
In my mind, he is what you would consider a "professional". When it was time to play, he gave you everything he had. Is he perfect? No. He did have his problems off the field but he did own up to them.
His career to me is a testament to perseverance. It reminds me that even when times are hard or I'm hurting so bad, I just have to keep going and press on. As a follower of Jesus, there will be suffering and trials but the goal at the end is so worth it.
We will miss you Steve. You're a Hall of Famer in my book
He will always be remembered as a tough quarterback. His great years were with the Tennessee Titans (my team of course). I watched him as the team moved to Tennessee from Houston become the starter and develop into a top QB. The Super Bowl season in 1999 was simply a work of art. Though they lost in that game to the Rams, one of the defining plays in his career came in that game. In the last minutes of the game, he rolled out and was trying to buy time for someone to get open. A Rams player tried to sack him, but McNair simply wouldn't go down. He wrestled away from the guy and threw a strike down the field and completed the pass setting up that final play. That play still amazes me.
McNair was a guy who wanted to play in spite of injuries. During his career, he was labeled as a "warrior", as someone who continued to fight regardless of how he felt physically. I always admired him for his toughness and his ability to play and play well. I was sad when he was cut and signed with the Baltimore Ravens (cause people who know me, know I don't like the Ravens at all) but I still rooted for McNair.
In my mind, he is what you would consider a "professional". When it was time to play, he gave you everything he had. Is he perfect? No. He did have his problems off the field but he did own up to them.
His career to me is a testament to perseverance. It reminds me that even when times are hard or I'm hurting so bad, I just have to keep going and press on. As a follower of Jesus, there will be suffering and trials but the goal at the end is so worth it.
We will miss you Steve. You're a Hall of Famer in my book
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