Olympic Celebration

Tomorrow the Olympics are officially beginning with the Opening Ceremony. I will probably watch, though I cannot imagine the Canadians trying to match the pageantry of the Chinese opening just two years ago. Whenever the Olympics are held nowadays, I remember our family's journey a dozen years ago to Atlanta. (See photo!) What a wonderful opportunity -- gathering so many from throughout the world in peace for a moment. That Olympic ideal has existed since the ancient Greek games -- but the ideal has been disrupted: the bombing in Atlanta just days before we arrived and, of course, the horror of Munich in 1972.
I treasure that photo from my family trip to Atlanta as it captures a moment of celebration, joy, and common adventure. I treasure the Olympic ideal of celebration, joy, common adventure, and peace. And I lean on God when the realities of this world disrupt our ideals. May the Lord's peace reign, especially in Vancouver.