OLYMPIC GOLD INSPIRATION

Posted by Leona Bergstrom

My last post bemoaned the fact that I had become rather sedentary during the 15 days of the Olympics. While my muscles probably did in fact, atrophy, I don’t want to neglect mentioning a few of the amazing things I observed and felt while watching the 2010 Olympics.

   1. Young athletes are incredible. Watching their dedication to sport, competition and athletic accomplishment was no less than inspirational and motivating.
   2. Snow sports are beautiful. We lived in a ski town for awhile so I have a particular affinity for what it means to participate in winter sports. The Olympics reminded me of great days of playing in the snow, skiing and watching our kids compete in junior slalom races.
   3. I observed intergenerational mentoring at its best. Frank Carroll, age 71, has been an ice skating coach for 45 years. This year his skater, Evan Lysacek, won the gold medal in men’s figure skating. The stark contrast of a white-haired man issuing firm instruction and encouragement into the face of a tall, young, dark-haired athlete, was profound. Frank Carroll modeled what it means to still be in the game, but understanding the ice is for the young, and legacy giving is in the hands of the old.
   4. And lastly, my husband and I enjoyed many hours of being together watching the Olympics. That in itself was a gift.

I can’t wait until 2014 and the winter Olympics in Russia. I’ll try to be in shape by then.

Let the Games End

Posted by Leona Bergstrom
I think I might possibly be eligible for an Olympic Gold. My endurance has been amazing and my competitive spirit undaunted.
I have become one of the world’s best couch potatoes. While sitting (almost) every night for four hours watching taut, strong, “extreme” bodies bend, fly and propel, my body has created a permanent dent in the cushion. My fascination with the competition pushes me to not only endure my personal best at immobility, but my mind has expanded to the point I have the script and jingle to almost every commercial memorized. My theology is even being stretched as I reconsider whether God is sovereign or if it really is Allstate who has me in its hands.

And then there’s the fatigue. Thanks to NBC’s thoughtfulness, the Olympics coverage on the west coast (100 miles south of the actual games) has been delayed for broadcast. That means we stay up until after midnight so that we don’t miss the last interview with an athlete’s neighbor! We’re exhausted and sleep deprived.
At any rate, it’s time for the games to end. I can’t take the stress, the disappointment, the crashes and wipe-outs, or even the tears of victory any more. It’s time to watch the athletes limp around the coliseum one last time and go home to their regimens and training centers.
And it’s time for me to get up and go for a walk.
 
(Photo by oddsock, shared via Flickr)

Illuminated by the Flame

Posted by Leona Bergstrom (from an article written in her capacity as Co-Director, Converge Worldwide 2nd 1/2 for Him)

Here in the Pacific Northwest we are in a major countdown mode as we await the launch of the 2010 Olympic Games in the grand city of Vancouver, British Columbia. Sitting in my office, just 100 miles south of where the opening ceremonies will be held, I am fascinated by the preparations and can't wait to glue myself to the TV to watch the competition. But, today I am even more intrigued by the grand torch relay.

Did you realize that the Olympic torch, having left Athens Greece on October 30, will travel over 45,000 kilometers, through 1,000 communities? And, at the end of its 106-day run, over 12,000 torchbearers will have carried it?

It's incredible. The torch will make its way to the most remote community of Alert, Nunavut, the northernmost inhabited community in the world, and end in the huge international city of Vancouver. All along its route, people will cheer its arrival and celebrate its significance. The torchbearers are of all ages, races and backgrounds. During the last week of December a young man injured in a serious hockey accident in 2003 carried the torch. He later became a member of the 2008 Paralympic wheelchair rugby team and his participation as a torchbearer in the relay inspired all who watched from the sidelines. The stories are as fascinating as they are diverse.

I cannot help but compare this to the grand relay of Christianity being run across the globe. I like to think that people in the second half of life are the most vital and critical torchbearers as we carry the flame of faith from generation to generation. Our stories are filled with varied experiences, accomplishments, failures, victories and defeats. We run with our eyes focused toward that great city of heaven, and our hearts are illuminated with the flame of faith.

Certainly this is no time to sit down, and it's definitely not the time to let the flame go out. (Who would want to take on a extinguished torch?) We each need to run  with lives blazing brightly, ready to relinquish the torch with enthusiasm and good will. Like the cheering Canadian communities waiting for the opportunity to celebrate the handoff, churches should also celebrate the lives and contributions of people of all ages.

The Olympic flame has a sacred history and symbolizes the principles of peace, brotherhood and friendship.   The flame we carry is also sacred. It is the fire of the Spirit of God and it comes with a message of love, joy, peace and hope.

Let the games begin!
(Photo by jbcurio, shared via Flickr)