The exploits of South African, Oscar Pistorius, astounded the sports world last year during the London Olympics.
Now we are astounded again, this time for the wrong reasons.
This week the two time Olympic gold medallist has been arraigned on charges of the murder of his celebrity girl friend, Reeva Steenkamp.
We witness once again the fall, from fame to shame, of an athletic super star.
Marion Jones the five time gold medallist, Tiger Woods the billionaire golfer, Lance Armstrong, Mr Titanium cyclist and now, the latest among the "Sports Oscars"... Oscar himself.
Ah, why must lessons of grace come from disgrace and lessons in humility come from humiliation?
Perhaps it is all part of the mystery of God's exquisite dealings with human nature.
Pauline's sport's hero is Roger Federer. Tonight she passed on words to the ether:
"Roger, if you are listening, keep loving your wife and be a good dad to the twins."
Please do that Roger and maybe, just maybe, win Wimbledon again this year.
Jubilate.
Ian
Wally: a good friend, father, grandfather, preacher par-excellence and a founder of churches.
In April 1989, I received a phone call from his wife, Elanor.
"Please pray for Wally. He died last night but was resuscitated and now he is unconscious in Sunnybrooke hospital."
At that time I had no oil in the house but I did have a bottle of "No More Tears" baby shampoo. I jammed it in my pocket, drove down to Toronto, sloshed some on Wally as he lay in bed, prayed and told him that when he recovered he was going to preach for me in Barrie.
I believed that though he was unconscious Jesus could step behind closed doors and speak to Wally. So I said to Wally "If you agree to preach for me, sqeeze my hand." There was a definite squeeze.
Sure enough, six months later Wally stood in my pulpit and preached a great sermon.
In 2001 Wally, at 66 years old, became Canada's oldest recipient of a transplanted heart and for the past twelve years he has been chugging along.
This week things changed. Wally was taken into hospital and when I saw him today his cognitive side seemed to have shut down.
Nevertheless I believed that something was going on "behind closed doors."
As I prayed with him for the last time I said:
"Give my hand a squeeze and tell me you will see me in Heaven"
And he did.
And we will,without a doubt, meet in a better place than Peterboro General Hospital.
Jubilate.
Ian
Last week,if you were living in the city of Chelyabinsk, Siberia, you would be forgiven if you thought that the end of the world had come.
Without warning there was thunderous roar, a flash of blinding light followed by a massive sonic boom.
Those who rushed to see the event were met by a hail of shattered glass as windows in hundreds of buildings imploded.
The less curious ones cowered where ever they could find shelter.
Over a thousand people finished in hospital.
A ten thousand ton meteorite travelling at 50,000 mph had arrived uninvited.
We must all think ourselves fortunate. At the every moment this meteor struck, a whisker beyond earth's orbit an asteroid 17 kilometers in breadth zoomed on its way through space.
Had that Big Dog landed on earth I wouldn't be writing this post today.
What were the signs in the heavens that Jesus said portended His second coming? We don't fully know, but a near-miss-asteroid and and an exploding meteorite must surely be among them.
Jubilate.
Ian
A lot can happen in a week.
Whilst in Cuba we heard of the resignation of Pope Benedict 16 after a brief 8 years under the Cross Keys.
At 85 years of age, ruling over his world-wide, fractious flock, one can hardly blame him for wanting some peace and quiet in his remaining days.
Who comes next is the subject of great interest and speculation among the followers of Nostradamus.
In his calculations concerning the return of Christ the visionary had predicted a certain number of Popes, the last of whom would be called Pope Peter.
He then went on to say:
"Thus shall the Last Pope be called Peter of Rome, and he shall rule until the City of the Seven Hills be utterly destroyed. Then the awful Judge shall judge His people."
Next month the Cardinals will sit until the 'white smoke' appears and the new pontiff steps onto the balcony.
If his title is "Pope Peter" it will be time to reach for the rosary beads.
The end is near.
Jubilate.
Ian
