A reflection on passion from a Faith Alive Hospital team member, Dr. Gin Gin:
People are so passionate about sports. Why is that? I think it’s the excitement and the adrenaline. For some, it’s larger than life. For a few, it IS life. It’s the suspense and uncertainty of what’s to come. It’s reality TV at its best. It’s when everybody roots for the underdog, except Las Vegas, and when he wins, it’s the biggest headline. It’s also about loyalty - loyalty to your hometown, loyalty to your alma mater, even loyalty to your country.
Boxing is huge in my home country, the Philippines. Recently, there has been one boxer that has been standing out in the crowd. His name is Manny Pacquiao. Not too long ago, he won his seventh title on seven different weight classes. I learn from ESPN that this is a record. When the “Pacman” fights, life literally stands still in the Philippines. Everybody, and I mean everybody, watches the event. Unlike here where you have to do HBO pay-per-view, the Filipino way is a bit different. The average Joe or Juan would pay a fee to get in one of those community sports arenas which will have a big screen to show the live feed. For people who might want to be in an upscale venue, you’re talking about a lunch-show combo (realize Philippine time is 12 or 13 hours ahead of EST). Either way, you are amidst a very loud home crowd. And since everyone is glued to the TV or radio, there is virtually no traffic whatsoever in Manila which is one of the worst places for bumper-to-bumper commute.
Lately, I have found this passion for making a Baltimore Album Quilt. This is a meticulous reproduction of hand applique blocks put together by women in Baltimore in the mid 1800’s. The class is quite involved that it runs for once a month for 13 months. As a quilter, this is one of those projects I just had to do in my lifetime and the one I would hope to enter in something like the Maryland State Fair or a Quilt Expo. It is quite ambitious but with hard work and patience, I know it is doable.
With the recent message series YOU, there is also a renewed interest in me that has been awakened - reading the bible more. Our message guide has been a great resource. Not too long ago, I picked up Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life. I read some of it when I was in a Starting Point group more than a year ago but I did not quite go through the whole material. Now the chapters resonate even more and I try to look for bible passages he quotes that speak to me. As our pastor said, go the the owner’s manual, which totally makes sense to me. My fervent wish is that this evolves into a passion, just like some people have for sports and quilts, that I would continually crave to read the greatest book ever written and apply what I learn from it in my daily life.
So this is my prayer:
For my co-NN team members and student ministers, that their passion for these ministries continue to be infectious and that others find themselves serving too.
For our church leaders and staff of Nativity, that their passion for serving God find more and more Timonium Tim’s back to church to know God more.
For the international community, that their passion for helping Haiti in this difficult time not wither in the rebuilding years ahead.
Amen.
