INSPIRASUNS

So I hear there was a big game last night? Super Bowl something 🙂 . Ok, ok, I realize we may have been one of the only households in the US that didn’t have the game turned on. When people asked last week who I was hoping would win the game I simply said, “I don’t have a dog in this hunt”. Now if the Bears had been playing that may have been a different story.

Last Friday as I was thinking about the Super Bowl, I was remembering one of our favorite Bears teams back in the day. All of you Chicago fans know, it’s not easy rooting for these teams, Da Bears, the Cubs, the Blackhawks, shew, (ok topic for a different blog). Anyway we, like most Bears fans remember the 1985 Super Bowl-winning team, the year they beat the Patriots and the team was well, pretty awesome. Made up of some of the best players, in my humble opinion of course, like Walter Payton, Matt Suhey, Dan Hampton, Richard Dent, Mike Singletary, and Steve McMichael, they were unstoppable that year.

Well, last Friday a news article popped into one of my social media feeds, it was an article about two fundraisers for one of those 1985 Bears players, Steve McMichael. You see, Steve, a defensive tackle for the Bears for 13 seasons, who helped them win that ’85 Super Bowl, well, he’s been diagnosed with ALS and now requires 24-hour care.

As I read the article about the fundraisers and Steve’s current condition I was deeply saddened. He was an amazing athlete in incredible physical condition. He is also a wonderful person. I remember listening to him on the sports radio shows in Chicago after he retired, just a humble and fun guy. And now, his life has changed forever in a very short time. A diagnosis like this, a disease like this, it changes perspective for sure.

Most of you know that one of my best friends fought ALS for several years before passing away a few years ago. It’s an awful disease that not only destroys the patient’s voluntary muscles, but also takes a major toll on family and friends. It does indeed require 24/7/365 care.

I could go on and on about ALS, but that’s for another day. My point to today’s little blog is simple. Friends we are blessed in this life to enjoy things like the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Kentucky Derby, and so on. We are blessed in this life to have athletes to cheer for. But, at the end of the day, it all can change in the blink of an eye. Those life changes, can and do test our faith. We need to be strong in that faith, we need to be solid in our relationship with Father. Our relationship with God will be the rock that gets us through.

This morning I say congrats to the KC Chiefs and also congrats to the Eagles, both teams played a great game and should be proud. I add both of these teams to my prayers this morning, along with a special prayer for Steve McMichael and all those who are dealing with a life-changing event. Thank you, Lord for the gifts of this life, may you be with those today who need your healing power.

Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.