Minutes to Memories

One of the fortuitous by-products of living in the Katrina zone was meeting the neatest people in the world. They descended with open hearts and willing hands and touched our lives forever. And now, my personal web of friends is spread even wider!

Today, I received the following letter (and picture above) from my new friend, Rhonda, from Indianapolis. I found her Super Bowl victory letter worth sharing with everyone:


Dear Brother Al,

I just had to share this with you after reading about your fun time at your "Chicken Soup Bowl" Party (long story behind the name). You didn't share what team y'all we're rooting for--that's okay. Being just a wee bit prejudiced in favor of the Colts, my family was absolutely thrilled at the outcome. That's not what this e-mail is about, however.

Braving below 0 windchills, well over 50,000 fans made it into downtown Indy this afternoon, and over 35,000 of us were privileged to get seats in the RCA Dome to await the arrival of the World Champion Indianapolis Colts. It was an electric atmosphere, a sea of blue and white, with ages a few days to well over 80 years represented. My children and I weren't "quite" in the nosebleed section, we actually had decent seats (made sure it was close to an exit). Because of holdups at the airport in Miami, the Colts didn't even land in Indy until 30 or more minutes past the time the parade was to have started, and the parade was to end at the Dome, so we sat in there for almost 4 hours (no small feat for those of short attention span like your average 4 year old). Nevertheless, there didn't seem to be too many meltdowns, and people's anticipation remained high.

Then it came--the signal that the parade had started its turn out of Monument Circle, which would lead it straight down Georgia Street to the Dome. The excitement built until all that could happen was this incredible release of emotion when the car pulling the float with Jim Irsay, Tony Dungy and a few others came into the main area of the Dome. There they were, holding that trophy for all the world to see. What an incredible feeling it was for the die-hard fans of the Colts!

Jim Irsay and Tony Dungy are two of the classiest guys in professional football-everyone knows it, from the media to the players to the fans--they are just really good guys who love football a whole lot. More than that, and more to the point--they love the Lord even more than they love football, and they both used the occasions of winning the AFC championship and the "Chicken Soup Bowl" to give credit to Him.

Now I'm not suggesting that God "made" the Colts win this big game--but isn't just so much to His glory that both of the coaches in this game could give such an exceptional testimony to the mercy and grace of God, because they both are believers in His Son Jesus. It just happened that this time the Colts won--but even in that, Lovie Smith shared his testimony with reporters and it's clear that while he would have liked his team to have won, who he is is not defined by wins or losses, but by his relationship with Christ.

What struck me most in the buildup to the entrance of Mr. Irsay and Coach Dungy, and then the huge explosion of sound when the players made it into the Dome, was how much more excited we should be at the prospect of the arrival of the greatest One of all, and how we don't know the time of His arrival, and we surely think it should have happened by now--but the fact that it hasn't isn't a cause to lose heart and become bored or disenchanted by the prospect. If anything, the buildup to His return should be even greater so that when He does come back. we will cheer with a cheer louder than anything ever heard by the winning team of the "Super" game.

Wishing you a wonderful week--feel free to think of us in the great chill zone--the forecast later today (Tuesday) is for up to 6" of snow---my kids are already planning another subfreezing outing!

Blessings,
Rhonda Minnich, Indianapolis

ps the attached pic is of 6 of my kids who went downtown--the big ones were at their jobs and unable to come. 3 of them came with us last April when we came down to try and help out.