Skip to main content

Congratulations Raptors on NBA Victory.

Why Sports are Good for this Country.

I first want to congratulate the Toronto Raptors for uniting the city of Toronto and possibly the country. I remember growing up in the days of Vince Carter, and if I'm not mistaken I have seen one Raptors game in my lifetime. That doesn't stop me from becoming a Raptors fan, and jumping on the band wagon as they were winning their division. I played a lot of hockey in my life, but I really enjoy watching basketball. Our high school team had a really good basketball team, and I learned the basics of basketball through a friend who was a really good player. God didn't give me the talent to shoot hoops, but I always enjoyed watching the taller players in high school do the slam dunks, which I learned is really hard to do in a game.

I don't pretend to know how the game has changed over the years, but it sure was fun watching Toronto's Raptors make history twice, first by making the finals, then by winning it all. Today I spent about 7 hours in front of the television watching the Parade in Toronto, and because I don't drive anymore, it was fun seeing all the older streets in the Parade route. I was watching with my parents, and we were all overwhelmed at the 3 million people that flooded our precious city, as we silently prayed for safety for all our brothers and sisters. There were families and all kinds of people cheering on our team, which brought great pride to Raptors fans everywhere, even if like me, you just joined the band wagon this year.

We all want our lives to count and we all want to be remembered in the right way. It's part of our common human nature to want to touch greatness, and to feel that our lives mattered in the end. Canadian sports has demonstrated over the years that it fosters a sense of community and unity, that would be otherwise impossible being that we are such a diverse culture. This is why the Raptors mean so much to everyone right now.

We have had such bad news over the past 20 years, these have been difficult days for many people, and anything that gives us hope and unity should be cherished and protected. I was surprised to see our Prime Minister at the Celebration today, and I think that it took a lot of class for him to do that. I'm writing this as a victory for all Canadians everywhere. If I had children, I would definitely be telling them, or celebrating with their generation. Congratulations to the Toronto Raptors, we all are very proud of you and we love you all, and thanks again for bringing this city such love and joy.   This is Mike.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Some Bible Verses on Money.

  Bible verses about money. I bet you didn’t think the bible said that? Proverbs 23:5 When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.  1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Proverbs 13:11 Wealth quickly gained is quickly wasted — easy come, easy go! But if you gradually gain wealth, you will watch it grow. Psalm 62:10 Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the centre of your life. Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Ecclesiastes 11:1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. Malachi 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storeho...

My Story.

  In 1999 I suffered a mental health crisis and admitted myself into the hospital where I live, in which I was given a mental health diagnosis. I didn’t want to receive medication at the time, but unwillingly accepted it. I was in the hospital for about two months, when I asked my doctor if I could go home, and he said yes, even though he thought it would have been better if I stayed longer.   I was glad to be home though, but at 25, it took some adjusting to feel truly at home. One of the problems I was having at home was it was hard for me to eat the food in the house. I was having a psychosis where I felt the food wasn’t mine, and I literally had to go out to eat, or buy bread from the supermarket and take it home to eat it. Eventually this wore off, but I don’t remember how long.  I was now on ODSP and had a check come to me every month in order to have financial support. I would occasionally have a crisis, and ask my mom to drive me to the hospital, but eventually th...

Why has the church lost its capacity and power?

  The church has modernized itself and in the process has lost something very valuable. It has lost its capacity to be personable. The way we reach lost souls is by seeing them, by getting to know them, and by recognizing them, but people are getting lost in the church. The church has become a busy place and is also becoming a less holy place. To make disciples we have to get to know people, and technology in the church is depersonalizing souls, and depersonalizing God for them. Faith becomes a marketable commodity, whereas in the past, churches and their leaders nourished and valued personal faith. While faith is still valued, it’s becoming something that is marketable, which reminds me of the story of Jesus in the temple turning over tables (Matthew 21:12-17). The problem isn’t that the church doesn’t work or doesn’t want to share the gospel, it could be how we are doing it. The church is currently being run like a business, and each Christian metaphorically speaking has a profit...