Remembering Vancouver

This past weekend marked the beginning of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada. We are big Olympic game enthusiasts, and this year's Olympic games bring an extra dose of excitement and sentimentality for us because we honeymooned in Vancouver and Whistler, the very same locations that the Olympic athletes are getting to enjoy right now. As we see shots of beautiful British Columbia on television, it is not difficult to reflect back upon the wonderful time we had there (even though it was more than five years ago, it seems much more recent), and our memories are jogged as we see once again some of the great places we enjoyed during our visit. Even in the midst of our studies, I am certain we'll enjoy our fair share of Olympic viewing.

At the same time, the excitement over the Olympic games is tempered with tragic news about an athlete's death just before the start of competition when he crashed during a practice luge run in Whistler. It's difficult to imagine how athletes can be willing to risk their health and even lives as they pursue the dangerous sports they love. That's a level of competitiveness I quickly admit I do not share. At the same time, the untimely death of a hopeful athlete awakens many of us to the fragility and unpredictability of life - a perspective that I think we too quickly let slip away in the concerns and complexities of our everyday lives.

As I watch this year's Olympic games, I am hopeful that I will maintain two mindsets during their showing. First, a mindset of enthusiasm - enthusiasm for competition at the highest level, enthusiasm for God's beautiful creation, and enthusiasm for the many diverse gifts and talents God has given to His creatures. Second, a mindset of thankfulness - thankfulness for my wife and the time we shared in British Columbia, and thankfulness for my life and the blessings that have been generously bestowed upon me without my deserving any of it.