This Is Our Ice

This past hockey season, the Minnesota Wild had a new campaign that was called; “This Is Our Ice”.

This campaign included a day in September when fans from all over Minnesota were invited and encouraged to each bring in a jar of water (3oz) from their local pond, lake, or ice rink to the Xcel Energy Arena.

The water was filtered, poured into a Zamboni, and frozen to help make ice at Xcel Energy Center for the Minnesota Wild's 2017-18 season.

Minnesota Wild President Matt Majka explained that every winter, the ponds and lakes freeze over and become sheets of ice where young and old play hockey.

“This Is Our Ice” campaign is built upon a tradition that began during the inaugural season (2000).

At the beginning of every hockey game, a young hockey player skates out and plants a MN Wild flag at center ice to let everyone know that THIS IS OUR POND!

It is as much of a tradition at the start of every game as singing the National Anthem(s) or shouting; “Let’s play Hockey!”

Players and fans are hoping that this symbolic gesture sends fear into the hearts of every opponent that steps their skates on our pond. THIS IS OUR ICE!

We are saying to all who oppose us; “Not here, not now, not ever! This is our place; and you can’t win here. We are dressed for battle! We are equipped for war! Nothing or no one or no weapon that you bring here will prosper! We will defeat you and you must flee!”

Now that the season is over, I’m really not sure if it made any difference because even though the Minnesota Wild have the third-longest active post-season appearance streak in NHL (6 seasons), they have yet to go very deep into the play offs or come close to winning the Stanley Cup.

Or did it?

Everywhere that I went this past season, I saw it on shirts and jerseys on fans. In their yards were signs proclaiming; “This Is Our Ice!” On their cars were banners waving proudly as they drove them.

Fans were pumped, not just in hope that this was the season that we would do it; but because fans had a sense of something bigger than themselves.

Fans collectively were telling anyone who would listen that we were a team and that this was our town and they best leave Minnesota without a victory.

We (fans) would not cower!

As Christians, we have a banner that we can plant before each and every “game” that we face. In the Old Testament (Exodus 17:15), God is revealed as Jehovah-Nissi; God is my Banner.

We are saying to all who oppose us; “Not here, not now, not ever! This is our place; and you can’t win here. We are dressed for battle! We are equipped for war! (Ephesians 6:10-20). Nothing or no one or no weapon that you bring here will prosper! We will defeat you and you must flee!”

The Lord said it best through the Prophet Isaiah (54:17);

No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord.

 

This is not based upon whether or not we “play the game perfectly. It is based upon Jesus who already defeated the enemy once and for all on the cross through His death, burial, and resurrection.

We have a hope because we are a part of something bigger than ourselves.

And because Jesus was victorious; each and every time we are opposed, we can remind ourselves and Satan that we are a part of a team and this is our town (family, finances, health, etc.) and Satan had best leave Minnesota without a victory.

Because of Jesus, we too can shout out in confidence; “This is Our Ice!”

Boasting Weakness

“How was your game?” Cathy asked me when I came home from hockey this week. “Not great”; I told her.

I went on to say; “I played good defense and stopped and blocked several shots. At one point my goalie said thanks for saving some goals by taking the hit. But offensively, I didn’t score a goal or an assist and we seemed to be off as a team.”  

And, when I couldn’t play as well as I wanted to, I had to stop myself because I could feel self-criticism creeping into my vocabulary.

Yes, in the big picture, I will survive to play another and better game. And yes, it’s OK if I lose, but I don’t like to play and not make some difference to my teammates.

The fact is, parts of my game were out of my control and even though I did my best, I needed to admit that I had weakness in my game.

So, I have been pondering that word “weakness” this week as around me things have been beyond my control. People I have been working with have been making dumb decisions and seemingly throwing away all my sage advice.

All around me seemed (with my distorted lenses on) to be people whose lives were in chaos. Some of them ended up (actually) dying by drinking themselves to death or continuing to kill a relationship that at one point meant something to them.

Weakness is translated in the Bible:  feebleness (of body or mind); by implication malady; moral frailty: - disease, infirmity, sickness, weakness. more feeble, impotent, sick, without strength

None of us like to admit we have weakness in any part of our game or our lives. We want to believe that we are the superstar, the champion, the one who still has it (whether we had before or not).

And yet we all have weakness, no matter how hard we try to change the circumstance, and we all have areas we still struggle in or that are out of our control in our lives; and in the lives we try to help put back together.  

Simply put, this week I needed to admit that I had weakness in my life if I was going to survive this game of life.

I remember 22 years years ago when I was a young pastor some counsel that another older pastor gave to me. He said that IF I was going to work with people who wanted to kill themselves, I had to be “ok” with the fact that they may end up killing themselves no matter what I said or did. The same was true with people pondering an abortion or a divorce or struggling with an addiction.

The apostle Paul wrote about his weakness saying that he BOASTED in and about his weakness.

He had an area of his life that wasn’t as he wished it to be and prayed that the Lord would heal him so that he wouldn’t be weak any more.

He wrote that he prayed to be healed three times and that the Lord said to Paul; “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” 

Paul’s responds (this amazes me) by writing; “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Earlier in that same letter to the Church in Corinth he wrote;“Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger? If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.” (2 Corinthians 11:29-30)

Boasting in his weakness? How??? Because Paul came to realize that his weakness was a conduit for the Lord to show His glory (through) Paul’s life. He didn’t have to have every area of his life working perfectly (as he thought it should be) for the Lord to use him.

Simply put, he could do his best and trust that God could still do great things through his best attempt; even if it wasn’t his best “game”.

Paul responded to this revelation by writing; “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9b-10)

Paul is saying; “I just let Christ take over! And so, the weaker I get, the stronger I become.”

That is the kind of man I want to be, whether playing in a hockey game or in the game of life. A man who boasts in his weakness that the power of God and the glory of God may be seen by others who observe my life!

All Scripture Taken from NLT Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

KNEEding Rest

If you know me at all, you know that I like hockey. I love both watching and playing. When I am at a rink, if I am unable to be on the ice playing, then I want to sit (literally) on the edge of my seat with my nose against the glass.

OK; Truth be told: I LOVE hockey!

And, because I am a ‘rub-dirt-on-it’ kind of person, I don’t like to let injuries keep me out of the game. One year I broke the pinky on my left hand and a cast was put on me that went up to my elbow. Instead of sitting out the game, I had a teammate lace up my skates so that I could be a referee because they were one short.

So, the idea of not playing when I have the time and have a game available isn’t something I am going to do; even if I am injured. This is especially true when it is the end of January and the outdoor ice here in Minnesota starts to melt in mid-February; which is only two weeks away…that adds up to only a few more games outdoors!

And yet, this past Saturday morning that was exactly what I knew that I needed to do.

For the past month or so, my right knee has been giving me some trouble. It doesn’t affect me DURING the game partially because my compression garments, shin pads, and hockey socks wrap around in a way that seems to stabilize my legs and knees.

But AFTER the game, a few hours later, my right knee begins to ache and swells up. The pain and swelling usually lasts from Saturday night through Friday morning; with pain levels going from a “10” (out of ten) on Saturday night to a “3 or 4” by Friday morning. 

This cycle of pain through the week affects me a lot when I am even doing simple things like walking up and down stairs and when I drive; which usually brings pain levels back to “10”! My favorite part is the popping or cracking noises, and frequently locks up.

It also stops me from crawling on the living room floor to give horsey rides to my grandchildren. “Not today; grandpa is hurt…”

My remedy for the pain has been a combination of Ibuprofen, Lidocaine, Biofreeze, and ice…applying and repeating throughout the week. 

By Friday evening I have some idea whether I am going to play or not. But, I wait until Saturday morning to make my final decision. And, for the past month, my love for hockey has trumped my body’s need for healing.

My knee felt good by this Friday and my pain level was better than last Saturday, so I was cleared for takeoff. A fresh sheet and teammates awaited my arrival. And yet I didn’t go.

This Saturday my body won.

I know that sometimes you need to rub some dirt in and keep moving, and for that part that is in my fiber I am grateful; it has kept me employed and kept me in the game (both hockey and in life).

Moms understand this and know that they need to respond to a baby’s cry even if they have had no sleep (and if their man has slept right through the crying). They are always on call no matter how they feel.

I say that my body won, but the truth is that it was a scripture that came to me that gave me wisdom to sit out this week’s game even though I could have pressed through and played.

The LORD speaking through the Prophet Isaiah said:

“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”
But you would not” (Isaiah 30:15 NKJV)

I realize that my knee isn’t what the LORD was talking about in that passage, nevertheless, the LORD communicated to me that I needed to rest to find my strength; there was something else beyond this game.

I immediately thought of the fact that even though my outdoor season would be ending in a few weeks, my spring season will be starting in five weeks. I needed to see the bigger picture that if I would simply sit out one game, then I could get stronger to play my ten games (March thru May).

My combination of Ibuprofen, Lidocaine, Biofreeze, and ice…applying and repeating throughout the week, was a temporary fix for what my body really needed; REST!

In fact, my attempts to get healed were undermining what God was trying to do. Pressing through was making things worse in the long run. The swelling and the pain were trying to prevent further damage to my knee and were trying to communicate that I need to stop trying to be strong; I needed REST!

I needed to rest my knee for other reasons as well, like being available to help carry things for others or being on the floor with my grandchildren.

Do you realize that sometimes our short-sighted goals or efforts prevent us from getting what we really need? In fact, we can undermine what God is trying to do for us by trying to take shortcuts.

I love how Eugene Peterson translated Isaiah 30:15 (MSG):

“Your salvation requires you to turn back to Me

and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.
Your strength will come from settling down
in complete dependence on Me—

The very thing you’ve been unwilling to do.”

If you find yourself today in a similar state of mind (or body) and you are trying to push through in your own strength, my exhortation to you is to STOP…and REST!

Jesus longs for you to call out to Him today.

He is waiting for you to respond to His mercy and grace that has already been extended to you through Jesus Christ. And you can; today. And it can make all the difference in the world as you look for hope in your present world. Let Him bring you REST.

Need further help? Someone is waiting to talk with you. Call either: 1-888-NEED HIM or 1-877-2GRAHAM (1-877-247-2426).

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."

Scripture taken from The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

One More Game

It’s getting colder outside here in Minnesota and the chill that runs through my body isn’t just from the dropping temperatures. No, it is excitement because soon the outdoor hockey rinks will be open for business; which means I will be playing hockey on an outdoor sheet of ice!

Yes, I can play indoors pretty much any time of the year, but having grown up on the pond (as well as playing indoors), my passionate heart for the game always is pulled to choose outdoor ice. Because once again (in my mind), I am ten years old, skating at the pond across the street from my childhood home…

Some say that the older we get the better we were; oftentimes spoken by athletes who are living vicariously through their children’s sporting events.

But I say that with hockey players who play WAY past their prime; “The older we get the harder it is to play as good as we once did!”

And so I am currently preparing my body for one more game; one more winter season of outdoor hockey. 

I do this by spending my time in the gym lifting weights and building my endurance using an elliptical machine, hoping to get it ready to be able to play with the young bucks trying to dethrone me. 


I use the change in the weather to acclimate my body to playing outside by driving around with the windows rolled down in my vehicles, and by continuing to wear flip flops and no hats or gloves even though it IS cold outside. 


Yes, ladies and gentlemen, all those concussions are starting to have an effect!  


As I write this today, I must confess that I don’t feel as ready to go as I would like to. I don’t feel as young as I once was. I don’t as strong as I did in my youth.


A contributing factor is that this year’s preparation time hasn’t gone as well as I would have liked it to go. Usually by this time I feel good enough to play and would normally be playing indoors. But a lingering cold has delayed the process and I have had to struggle to get up to game strength as I prepare for the battles and skirmishes that I will face on the ice. 


And so my confidence is a little low at this time; after all, I am fifty seven years old. And questions bark at me such as; “Do I have one more game left in me?” or “Can I be as good as I was?” or “Is it even possible for me to be as strong today as I was then?”

Time will tell as I will soon hear the drop of the puck and my questions will be answered.

There was a man in the Bible who pondered similar questions. His name was Caleb. You can read his story in Joshua 12:6-12.


Caleb is an eighty five year old man and for forty years he had been preparing for a battle that one day he would face. Forty years he had been waiting for what was to come and here he was at the age of eighty five still preparing for his skirmish.


Forty years he had to do nothing but prepare, because when he tried to do what he was supposed to do (fight a battle), he was out voted by ten men who were too afraid that they couldn’t do what they were supposed to do because the other team looked way too big. (See Numbers 13) 


One day he went to his leader and friend, Joshua, and said;

“…here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in.” (Joshua 12:11)

Just as strong today as he was when he was forty; man, what kind of supplements was he using? What was in that manna that he had eaten for forty years?

The answer to his question can be found in verse twelve;

“It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.”

His confidence was not in having spent forty years in the gym lifting weights and building his endurance. His confidence that he still had it in him was based in who the Lord is. His confidence was in the Lord.

Psalm 46 tells us that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear…” and “The Lord of hosts is with us…”

For our part He is telling us to simply; “Be still, and know that I am God;

I don’t know what battle faces you today or how well prepared you feel to face it…But let me assure you that no matter what your condition is, this skirmish doesn’t need to be all about you! You and I daily will face them, but we need not do it alone; the Lord is waiting and available to help us. Ask Him.

"Keep your stick on the ice; I’m pulling for you!”

All Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.