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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux
Before long the Summer Olympics will be here. During past Summer Olympics, I really enjoyed seeing videotapes of Olympic greats Eric Liddell and Vanderiei de Lima.
You’ve probably heard of Liddell who was portrayed in Chariots of Fire. A committed Christian, he refused to run the 100 meter race on a Sunday in the 1924 Olympics. However, he later ran in the 400 meter event and surprised the world when he won. It is said that he was given a slip of paper before his 400 meter race with a quotation from 1 Samuel 2:30, “Those who honor me I will honor.”
Like Liddell, de Lima has become somewhat of a legend himself. In the 2004 Olympic games in Athens, Greece, he appeared to be on his way to becoming the first Brazilian to win an Olympic gold medal in the men’s marathon event. However, less than five miles before the finish line, a spectator intentionally pushed him into the crowd. Amazingly, de Lima did not give up. He continued the race and finished with a bronze medal.
De Lima said that he was “happy” to have won the bronze medal. From the videotape that I watched, it appeared that he didn't focus on what could have been. Instead he was grateful for what he had somehow accomplished. The 2004 International Olympic Committee awarded him the Pierre de Coubertine medal for sportsmanship. Although de Lima did not win the gold, his example made him an instant celebrity in Brazil.
If I had been Liddell, I wonder if I would have had his courage to refuse to race on Sunday. And if I had been de Lima, I probably would have spent some time complaining about what could have been.
What’s all of this have to do with grandparents? Like us, our grandkids are going to have disappointment in life. But those very disappointments may be stepping stones to God's best for their lives.
I want to tell my grands the stories of overcomers like Liddell and de Lima … and Joshua and the apostle Paul. And, with the grands, I want to memorize the words from 1 Samuel 2:30, "Those who honor me I will honor." May we apply them together to the race God has for our lives.
He is able,
Mary
http://www.blogger.com/www.marymaywrites.com
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© 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
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3 comments:
Mary, thanks for this inspirational post. I needed a pep-talk on not giving up and I found the message right here in your words. What courage those men showed by pressing on and doing the right thing in the middle of a storm. I so admire those qualities in a person. You're right, these are great stories to share with the grands.
Sharon, I appreciate your comment. Inspirational stories are wonderful, aren't they!
Such a great reminder, Mary. A life lesson that we truly need to pass on to the next generation!
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