The Sweet Center

Desire realized is sweet to the soul…Proverbs 13:19

Who remembers the old Tootsie Pop commercials with the owl?  The whole premise of the add was based on the number of licks it took to get to the center of the sucker and  bite into the yummy chocolate center.  I’ve been thinking about that commercial for the past few days and asking myself two questions. First, why were we in such a hurry to get to the center when the outside was pretty tasty itself and second, what’s the good stuff tucked into the middle of all our hard work and struggles?  Pretty random I know but I promise I have a point!

It’s been  a pretty amazing week for our little school district.  In the last week we’ve watched our High School Cross Country teams clench the Mens state title and the Women’s runner up title.  We’ve watched our football team knock off the number 1 ranked team in the division giving them a spot in the state semi-finals.  The atmosphere is pretty jazzed up around here and for good reason.  But when I was thinking about that commercial, I had to ask myself exactly what is the reason we’re all so excited.  These titles are great but it’s not the trophies and titles that are at the heart of things.  None of our athletes will probably go on to run in the Olympics or play pro football and that’s ok because it’s all about what’s at the center of this sweetness.  

The stuff at the center is worth working for; it’s worth fighting for and it’s a cause for celebration! Days like these give us a chance to pull together and root for something good.  The whole community has a steak in these kids lives and when you see things work together for good everyone takes part in the celebration.  There is no money to be made or fame to be snatched…it’s just a bunch of big people celebrating the success and hard work of “our kids” and it’s a bunch of little people who see what support, love, pride and respect look like.  There are lessons all around us.  Times like these make us stand together with pride and excitement.  Times like these help us see the things that unite us; not the things that separate us.  There have been plenty of “licks” to get to the center.  There have been long hours of practice, fund raisers, wins and losses along the way.  Meets and games in the cold, the heat, the rain and now we all get to come together and enjoy the sweetness in the center.

There isn’t much we can change in this world and to be even more truthful, there isn’t much God  has even put us in charge of.  He has however, asked us to love him; love one another; grow in discipleship and be good stewards of the blessings he’s given us.  During a time when we needed a reminder of the sweetness that lies at the center of it all, thank you to the kids for reminding us all what’s important.  Making this nation great happens in our own house, making leaders and strong Christian men and women who will make a difference starts at our kitchen table.  I guess it’s a great day to look around and find the sweet moments at the center of it all because those are the ones that matter the most.  Thanks to the kids for giving us a reason to remember that!

A Seed To Plant:  As you sit in prayer, make a list of 5 things that are right and sweet at the center of  your world.

Blessings on your day!