4th and goal.

My wonderful husband asks very little of me, especially when it comes to who controls the TV.  So when Nascar season rolls around, I suffer through the round and round motion of the TV every Sunday afternoon (and sometimes Saturdays too) and wait patiently for the off season.  Well this year the oh so-beloved off season was filled with his newest television pastime, football.  BORING!  Now I know that many of you will disagree with "boring" as an adjective for football, but that's probably because you have a long-loved team to root for.  I have no such adored team.  So, I'm bored, and the games are almost as long as a Nascar race.

I am not without a basic knowledge of football.  I actually played some football every year in college when our dorm floor would challenge the floor below us to a face-off.  We won every time (YAY D-2 girls!)  Therefore, I understand the game, basically.  If you don't get the gist of football, let me enlighten you.  The offensive team (the team with the ball) has four chances (four plays, or "downs") to get the ball 10 yards closer to the end zone (the goal) to make a touchdown (points).  If the team makes it 10 yards closer, they get more chances.  If they don't, the other team gets the ball.  So, if the announcer says it's "first and 10," that means that this is the team's first chance, with 10 yards to go.  If they say something like "fourth and goal," that means that they are right there at the edge of the endzone, and the only thing standing between them, and making the touchdown, is a line of 300 pound determined men (Or in my case, 120 pound girls.  I have never been a 120 pound girl, which is why I was so good at this game, I had a clear advantage.  That's the only time my weight has ever been called "an advantage").  Where was I, oh yes 300 pound men.  So there the team is so close to the end zone that they can smell the painted grass bearing their team's logo.  They just have to find a way to get past these huge monsters who are doing everything in their power, in one last effort, to keep them from their goal.  Oh, and there's one more thing.  This is their LAST chance.   

Can you hear their hearts beating through the TV as they crowd roars for, or against them?  Can you feel the adrenaline?

Goals- groan, ugh, oi vey.  Why all the groaning?  Well, most of us have goals, and they aren't usually something involving more time in front of the TV, or extra helpings of pie.  No, goals take hard work and determination.  And, we rarely have the crowd of thousands cheering us on?  And our adrenaline?  Well, it wains, quickly.

I have goals on my mind today because I have a meeting this afternoon with some government people to discuss Karis' developmental goals.  We will set new goals for her to achieve over the next 6 months, and *sigh* go over the goals from the previous 6 months to see which ones were met, and which were not.  Stay tuned for updates on that. 

What about your goals?  Do you have some New Year's resolutions that you are striving to conquer?  What about some long term goals that span a number of years?  Maybe you have some goals of things you need to get done today.

Last year I read through the Bible in a year.  A warm feeling of accomplishment filled me when I met that goal, but another realization quickly dampened my joy.  The amount of daily reading it required, really cut into my prayer life.  So, this year, I aspire to read smaller amounts of scripture and let what I read really sink in.  I also am determined to have a longer, more meaningful prayer life that includes more than just the "please bless.... please provide...., please heal..... I love you, amen."  (Flog me not, I know I'm not the only one!)  You see, we never really know when our last chance is.  We can not guarantee that we will be on this earth another 5 minutes.   Therefore, seeking God needs be granted all the heart pounding adrenaline of "it's 4th and goal." 
My hope for this year is to advance at least 10 yards closer the heart of God.  And I hope for about 50- 60 more chances.