So, the other night Mavs’ power forward Dirk Nowitzki led his team to a last-minute win over the Miami Heat…
…while battling a 102-degree fever.
For the record, yes, I probably worked myself up into my own fever as I watched with the ol’ clichéd bated breath. I’m watching the end of the game, clutching a throw pillow and thinking to myself, I can’t even make a layup on the Wii, how does a person do it when they’ve got a high-grade fever?
Then I remember, didn’t Michael Jordan once play in an NBA Finals game with the flu? (I Googled it. Yes, Game 5 of the 1997 Finals…when my beloved Utah Jazz led by my ultra-beloved Karl Malone – aka The Mailman – fizzled.)
And suddenly, I move from pondering NBA guys to Gene Kelly. You know, Singin’ in the Rain guy. During the first taping of his famed dance/singing number of the same name, he actually had a 103-degree fever. One of my coworkers, Ruby, told me Harrison Ford was sick during the taping of one of his major Indiana Jones scenes. And if memory serves me correctly, Frank Capra – director of some of my all-time movie faves (It’s a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington , You Can’t Take it With You…and possibly my favorite of all Capra’s, It Happened One Night) was actually inspired to create uplifting movies when visited by a priest while deathly ill.
Sooo…
People joke a lot about the great writers – Hemingway, Poe, Faulkner, Kerouac, Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald – and their need for alcohol or other, ahem, substances to aid their writing. Working where I work, it’s hard for me to laugh too long at that. But, I think next time someone does crack such a joke, I’ve got a new response: No, I don’t need alcohol or drugs in order to write the next great masterpiece…I just need a fever. 🙂
Okay, but seriously, how do people do great stuff while sick? It’s the mind over matter thing, right? They put their minds to it…and they accomplish great things despite their immune system failings.
Transition. So, this week I’m sitting in the chapel of the men’s emergency shelter where I work. Each week we celebrate with men who have made it through the first phase of our long-term recovery program. This week, one of our front desk guys, Marshall, shared the following Scriptures…
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” – Deuteronomy 6:5
“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’” – Matthew 22:37
And he pointed out how when Jesus quoted the Old Testament in Matthew, he changed the third item in his list, transposed “strength” to “mind.” Yeah, I’ve been going to church since I was born and somehow that switch-up never really caught my attention before. Why would Jesus do that? Um, shouldn’t he of all people quote the OT correctly?
Unless…unless Jesus is making a point.
Our strength starts in our minds, doesn’t it? Our ability to do great things starts with our ability to make a good decision. Our ability to persevere starts with a mindset of determination. Our ability to accomplish goals, reach new heights, live the lives we’re meant to, starts with the thoughts we think, the truths we cling to, the attitudes we embrace.
It starts in our minds.
Maybe that’s how Dirk Nowitzki made those crazy-sweet layups near the end of Game 4. (And hopefully he’ll do the same tonight – ahhhh, it’s just past halftime and it’s close!)
Maybe that’s how I will finally finish my second book…by setting my mind on the Truth. By fostering an attitude of God-centered intent. By knowing why I’m doing this and Who I’m doing it for.
Maybe that’s how I need to live all of life, remembering strength starts in a mind clinging to Christ.
Okay, not maybe. Absolutely.
(And now I must go back to watching another nail-biter…)
Comments 2
What an inspiring post, Melissa. And timely for me, as I go into week 3 of vertigo. My to-do list hasn’t disappeared–and neither has the dizziness (no jokes, please, although I realize that’s a perfect set up). Your post reminds me to cling to Christ through all this and He will help me accomplish what I need to do.
Amen and amen, Beth! He will help you accomplish your to-dos…though, I’m still going to pray He also stops the vertigo. No fun. Hugs!!