Momentum - Being/Getting on a Roll!

When I was growing up in Iowa, there was a very small community in the state (Lisbon High School - Class A) whose wrestling team seemed to win State nearly every year. As a matter of fact, I believe their team won State 14 different times over a span of only 20 years in the 70's, 80's and early 90's. Remarkable! During that run, my sister and her husband moved to Lisbon, becoming teachers in their school system. After a couple of years there, I asked them "Why is it that Lisbon wins the State wrestling championship so often?" What they told me was really interesting and has stuck with me all this time. You see, apparently almost all boys in that school from the time they are in the first or second grade start dreaming about being on the high school wrestling team and becoming a State champion. They actually start wrestling at a very early age, and way before they even needed to think about it, they began determining what weight they would wrestle at (since that's how it works - you are paired against someone of similar weight when you wrestle). These boys saw "success" before them all the time (students K-12 attended classes in the same building). It inspired them to want to be a part of that success at a very early age. That school's wrestling program had momentum! They were on a roll!

Yesterday I attended a Leadership Training seminar at our church. It was just OUTSTANDING! There is a new, young pastor named Jason Williams who primarily put it all together for us and he did a fantastic job (even though he's only been in his current position for about 6-7 months)! These leadership training sessions occur once or twice a year for the small group leaders in our church, and they just seem to be getting better and better. What is it that makes this happen? Well, just like the athletes at Lisbon High School, our church now has momentum! We are on a roll! The young pastors and interns we have on our staff have dreamed about doing excellent ministry because they have seen the other older and more experienced pastors do it before them. When they have a chance to "get in the game" so to speak, they step up and generally have similar (if not better?) successes! They are inspired and propelled to do their best because they very much want to continue the terrific pattern of success set by others before them.

Last night I also had the wonderful pleasure of attending a couples wedding shower for our son and his soon-to-be bride, Kristen. It was a terrific event and touched my heart in so many, many ways! We gave our daughter, Katie, a ride home after the shower. It was interesting to hear her reflections on the upcoming marriage of her brother and witness how excited she really is for him and his fiancee! Peter and Kristen will soon begin their marriage, and will establish a life/family of their own. In the course of discussing what she looks forward to and/or anticipates with regards to marriage, Katie made several references to our marriage and how we've handled things in it. She knows for a fact (because we've told her) that it hasn't always been easy. We've had to work at it, and after a little over 28 years, we are only just now beginning to get the hang of it - to understand what God wants two people to experience in a marriage ordained/blessed by Him, totally sold out to each other and trying to live completely for HIM! But, in a lot of ways that is to be expected for Ellen and me. This past summer, we helped celebrate my parents 60th wedding anniversary in Iowa. Ellen's parents were married for almost 50 years before her dad died. Her maternal grandparents were married for almost 70 years when her grandmother passed away in 1993, and my maternal grandparents had over 44 years together before my grandma died in 1968. You see, we've observed people before us have tremendous success in their marriages (if by no other measurement than longevity!). Our parents (and grandparents) built up some momentum, and got things rolling. Now we are attempting to continue that momentum and keep it going through our off-spring and others in our circle of influence (all by God's divine assistance and grace, of course!).

What about you? Have you experienced some successes in your work, your family, your spiritual life, etc. that you'd like to use to develop momentum to continue? Are you on a roll in any of these areas? It takes a lot of work (and God's blessing) to do it, but there is no time like the present to start. Think about the legacy you could be creating for those coming behind you...