Spiritual Olympics

     Each Monday night, our family holds a special meeting known as Family Home Evening. It's a weekly opportunity to teach our children important values and strengthen family relationships. The children always look forward to it and are often given assignments to help with certain portions of the program, such as offering a prayer, giving a lesson, or providing a treat. This time however, I prepared everything myself as a surprise. 

     We've enjoyed watching a bit of the Olympic Games in Sochi. Growing up, none of my family was what I'd call super athletic, and we definitely didn't follow any professional sports. But I do remember watching the figure skating competition when Tara Lipinski won gold. So I was excited to introduce this event to the kids. My oldest daughter and I cuddled together on the couch one evening, oohing and ahhing at the expressive grace of these ice dancers. So, I thought we'd draw some spiritual parallels from this potentially inspiring sporting event.

     Our colorful, interlocking foam mats served as an Olympic stage where the children were called forth one by one to demonstrate different Olympic events. Our firecracker of a two-year-old took center stage holding high the Olympic Torch! (or a battery operated candle, to those with limited imaginations). For each "athlete", we read a verse of scripture to explain the spiritual counterpart of the event they represented.

               Olympic Torch - 3 Nephi 18:24  The words of Christ to the people of ancient America after His resurrection: "Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do." 

               Figure Skater - 2 Timothy 2:1 "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."

               Speed Skater - Hebrews 12:1  ". . . let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us."

               Bobsled Team - Psalms 133:1 "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"

Campbell Bobsled team

Hold on tight!

We awarded our athletes with aluminum foil medals for their valiance.
(Maybe not as valuable as gold, but still just as shiny!)

Posing for the press.

     Despite popular belief, this life is not a competition. There's enough success to go 'round. In the words of that eloquent apostle, Paul. "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." Romans 8.37

     And these smiles are worth more to me than any medals!

P.S. Please note, I never use first names for the children. As a security measure, I ask that you do the same in your comments. Thanks!