Count me in!

I enjoy hockey, okay I love hockey...was watching the 5th game of the Stanley Cup Finals Monday night which went into overtime...Pittsburgh won in the 6th period....generally a game is only 3 periods but here was a game that was tied, lasted over 110 minutes, almost 2 complete games, 4 1/2 hours....these guys were dog tired...they kept going...one guy took a puck to the face, needed a few stitches to go along with his chipped teeth, but he kept playing with some gauze hanging out of his nose...another guy went head first into the end wall trying to make a play, ended up with back spasms but was back on the ice at the end of the game...another guy took a couple of bags of fluids during the long game because he was cramping but kept playing...then this guy took a stick to the face which resulted in a 2:00 high sticking penalty to Detroit giving Pitt a power play, a 1 man advantage and he is hoping he is bleeding because the penalty then becomes 4 minutes, which it did...Pittsburgh soon scored to win the game...crazy, all of these guys are nuts...playing hurt...why?...here is what the guy who was cramping said....

Orpik insisted there was no way he was staying off the ice when he cramped up."I think the biggest thing is you never want to feel like you are letting your teammates down, especially in a game like this," he said. "You just gotta battle through it. All the guys on both sides are going through the same things. It's just one of those things that you have to grind through. A lot of times, fatigue is more of a physiological thing than anything."

Is this the way I often feel? I may be tired, maybe I do not want to play in a game like this (deal with what is in front of me at the moment) but Jesus says to do all things for Him. I don't want to let my teammates down, I want go all out. For me, my teammates are my wife, my children, my parents, friends, Lifegroup, the folks I work with, etc. You get the picture! Sure I am to relax, refresh, refuel, and be ready! Sometimes I need to play hurt (when I don't want to) and be there (when I am tired) for my teammates so they can count on me. I am about 1/2 way through life at my age. I will be there! I want to finish strong! I want to finish well! Hebrews 12:1-3 says it well and through His strength I will not grow weary and lose heart! Count me in!