Not the usual hoopla

Day 99

Hooray – we’ve reached double digits in our countdown!

Last night I watched the Milwaukee Bucks get a good beating (they lost by nearly 30 points) at the hands of the Orlando Magic. It was a basketball game, for those of you who might be no-so-literate regarding sports. It was kind of a yawner of an event, but we got half-price tickets, so I guess we just paid for the first half, which was the one in which the Bucks were actually competitive.

Halftime shows at pro basketball games tend to be loud, annoying, overly-exciting, and/or full of scantily clad women dancing in ways that make me want to contemplate the architectural structure of the Bradley Center rafters for the duration. This is why I was pleasantly surprised with what happened during halftime last night:

Several dozen Army recruits marched out to center court. We were asked to stand in respect. They were sworn in as soldiers. We applauded our appreciation for their service to our country. They threw some t-shirts to the crowd. They marched off. We sat down.

That was it. That was the halftime show. I was slightly stunned. One of my friends described it as sobering. I agree – it reminded me that we are a country at war. There are men and women in Iraq and around the world fighting for our very freedom to enjoy a basketball game in peace and safety.

I am grateful for these newly-minted soldiers. In essence, they are signing up to fight this war for us; a war that is apparently becoming less and less popular by the day. That takes guts and conviction.

So, thank you to all you who have served or are serving in our military. And thank you, Milwaukee Bucks, for a halftime show about something that really matters.

Onward.

Spiritual Vitamins for Believers, Part 15:

1. Christ has made me free, free indeed (John 8:32-36; Gal. 5:1; 1 Cor. 7:22).
2. Jesus Christ is my Deliverer (Rom. 7:24-25).
3. I am free from sin (Rom. 6:7,18,22).
4. The law of the Spirit of Life has made me free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2).
5. I am God’s servant or slave (Rom. 6:22).
6. I am Christ’s servant or slave (1 Cor. 7:22).
7. I am a servant or slave of righteousness (Rom. 6:18).
8. I have been called unto liberty (Gal. 5:13).
9. I have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16).
10. I have a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7).