Another pretty day, Carla will be playing in the dirt this afternoon when she comes home.

Nothing much else going on in our household.  Each day is better than the last, moving around a lot better now.

Sherrie will be going in for a check on her spine, she is in a lot of pain and may need an operation, please remember her in your prayers.  She couldn’t walk the other day and had to be moved with a wheelchair.

It was nice enough yesterday that I opened up the house for some fresh air, turned off the heat so it wouldn’t click on and forgot to turn it back on –‘twas a bit nippy this morning!   

Colossians 3:22-24  Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;

²³ And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

²⁴ Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

I was watching some programs on the newest inductees to the Football Hall of Fame.  They were ecstatic, all of these men had proven themselves throughout their career, they were the leaders of their teams, the highest rank football players in the league during their time. 

They stood out and were recognized through the years for a higher standard of play than the rest of the players.

Each year approximately 1700 plus players start the Pro-Football season, some are injured and others are brought in to replace them.  It is probably safe to say that almost 2000 men play in the NFL every year – some multiple years, some but a game or two.

Tens of thousands have played in professional football since its inception of those tens of thousands only 295 men, to date, have been voted into the Hall of Fame.

They have much in common, a love for the game, natural abilities to play, working hard to maintain their physical strength and stamina, a fierce desire to be the best at what they do and recognized as they played to be game changing agents for their teams.

Each year only four to eight members can be selected by a committee of 46 members.  In order to be selected 80% of the members have to vote for them.  Many are placed before the selection committee, but only 4 -8 will be selected.  Some miss only by a slim margin and may be reconsidered the following year.

These are the elite, the finest players that played the game.  A very small percentage of those that play the game will ever be considered let alone be selected; if we calculate that there are 2000 players each year and only 8 (after they have been retired) can be selected each year, we can see only about .004 percent of the players make the Hall – and there are many years where there are not 8 men selected.  It is an incredible honor for them.

These 295 men are at the top of the pyramid for their profession.  As they received the notice of their acceptance they were relieved and excited.  It was something they all strived for and deserved.  Their family was excited for them.

They were taken down to a large meeting room of the motel they stayed in and were greeted by other members, new and old and congratulated for this achievement. As the camera panned around the room a person couldn’t help but feel good about these men and their extraordinary careers.

You could see the elation, the happiness of those in the room.

What we didn’t see is those that were on the final list that did not make it.  They had to be disappointed; they had come so far, only to be excluded from the group.  They may eventually be accepted, or they might never be given another opportunity – it is hard and the rejection can be difficult. 

As I watched the joy at being told they were accepted, watched as they hugged each other in celebration and many of the present members coming to the room to congratulate them, I couldn’t help but think of the glorious celebration and reunion we are going to have when we die and go to heaven.

Heaven is the Christian’s Hall of Fame.  But it isn’t just for those that have been recognized for their faith by man.  It is for every person who has accepted Christ as their personal Savior and served Him.

Mathew 25:23  His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

The elation these men and their families felt at going into the Hall of Fame is nothing to what we will feel when we are welcomed into heaven by Jesus.  The joy of meeting old friends and family members, the joy of meeting Paul and Peter and Mathew and the dozens of people we have read about in the Bible, as well as many that man has written about through the years will be overwhelming.

While it is nice to receive allocates from our peers here on earth nothing can compare to our homecoming in Heaven!!!

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again