Surpassing Worth

I’m dangerously tetering on an emotional post and an irrational rant. But take this for what it is – a disappointed Cubs fan’s plea for help.

I feel as if I’ve been punched in the stomach by my own grandmother. It’s comparitively a soft blow, but still it hurts, because of the one who’s dealing the blow. I’ve been a Cubs fan my whole life. I grew up going to games with my Grandpa on sunny summer afternoons and watching WGN televise all their regular season games. I watched Andre Dawson, witnessed Ryne Sandberg, sat to enjoy Mark Grace, and anticipated the starts of the young Greg Maddux. You can almost say, I was birthed into the Cubs family. I didn’t choose it, it chose me. And just as any young child, I was initially enamored with all my family. I thought they were the bestest and greatest people ever to don a uniform and swing a bat. But as I grew in my inquisitive nature, I kept asking the questions no one wanted to answer, “Why do we keep losing?” Then growing into my adolescence, I never found a satisfactory answer except for those that instinctively replied, “That’s just the way it is” or “There’s always next year!” And you can say I went through my rebellious adolescence as I nearly left the game of baseball to try my luck at other sports. Bowling, Football, and even Hockey were great fun, but merely my attempt to run away from the hurt that inevitably came at the end of every Cubs baseball season. You invest so much into a team, you can’t help but to take it personally, when they lose.

But then came the turn of the century. There seemed to be a new aura surrounding the club. Owners were willing to spend the money and the players were sick of the curse. All parties involved were committed to finally win. And for a few years, valiant efforts were made to change the concluding paragraph of each season, but to no avail. Then came the 2003 season. The prologue to the season seemed promising with all the hype surrounding the team. And the ensuing paragraphs didn’t let down. The regular season was one heroic tale after another culminating in a dramatic playoff bid that finally looked promising. But as most dedicated baseball fans know, an unforeseen tragedy derailed this joy ride. And again, the last chapter was written on a somber note. But I must say this was the year that my love for baseball was again found. It was the prodigal’s return home to the sport that had raised him. But it was as if I got home to witness my beloved uncle win the lottery and then watch him get mugged for all he’s worth, all in the same week. Let me just say, my love returned for the game, but the pain never left.

At the beginning of this year’s season, I wrote about how this was the year that they were going to put to rest this dreaded curse. And throughout the year, I was convinced this was the year they were destined to be the lovable winners. And all the way up to the first game of the playoffs last week, I was sure that this was the year they were going to put to rest all the naysayers. But this years concluding paragraph was nothing new. It was a dismal showing in the playoffs deflating the hopes of Cubs fans nationwide, and reigniting the hopeless optimism of every Cubs fan – “Well, maybe next year.”

For me, it was tough – tougher than usual. Maybe because this team seemed so complete during the regular season. Maybe because I finally had no doubts that they’d win the world series. Maybe because they played like little league school kids in the playoffs, who couldn’t hit the ball if it was set up on the tee for them. But I bet it was simply because this season, like 100 of them previous to this year, ended with another team celebrating.

Now, I wait for the next 5 months – not vigorously researching all the new off-season acquisitions and minor league prospects, but simply letting my heart heal. Cubs fans everywhere need this off season to process the early exit from the playoffs this year. And then when Spring Training starts up again, I assure you, we’ll all be up and running the campaign for “this is the year!”

Cubs fans are hopeless optimists at heart. We believe the unbelievable. We see what is unseen. And it’s often at the attack of our ability to be realistic. But if you’re a Cubs fan, you know that without a hopeless optimism, you couldn’t swallow years like this. I love Baseball and I love the Cubs – always have and always will.

I began the story. She continued the story. Now, I have the envious task of ending the story. I love the tag-team effort.

Monday

We woke up Monday morning a little later than normal. It was much warranted after 2 long days of travel and exhausting fun. Caroline and I woke up in New York, both dizzied from the pace of the weekend. It was a funny mix of joy from the last 2 nights of celebrations and today’s inevitable heart-breaking separation. She was to go her way back to the Midwest and I was supposed to head back to Boston. But what she didn’t know was that there was a slight amendment to the agenda.I wasn’t quite ready to let go of the weekend. I had other plans.

When she thought we were going to grab lunch with her family and then drop her off at the airport to bitterly wave goodbye to each other for another several months, in actuality, I had penned a different ending to the story. I misguided (i.e. outright lied) to her by saying I was going to catch the Bolt Bus back to Boston for a mere $15 (which is a steal, by the way), but in reality I had already booked a flight back to Chicago leaving from LaGuardia only 40 minutes after her. Ingenious, I know.

The lunch went as planned and she said her goodbyes to her parents and her brother drove the both of us to LaGuardia. Pulling up to the terminal, I put on my best sad face and pretended to dread our last goodbye. Gave her a hug and told her to call when she landed and we went our separate ways. I immediately got back in the car and Andy (her brother) and I did a lap around the airport before he dropped me off at the same spot we’d been only 5 minutes earlier! Doing my best to duck and cover from being noticed, I managed to slip into the nearest Au Bon Pain to wait out the time it would take her to check-in. Unable to wait too long, for fear that I wasn’t going to be able to check-in on time myself, I quickly made my way through security and toward the gates. But I didn’t quite make it to my gate, perse. See, I was supposed to be waiting in Gate D8, but Caroline was in Gate D7, which were gates that faced one another. I wouldn’t let this whole surprise fail with that sort of knuckle headed move. So I stopped short of my gate and slipped in to sit and wait at Gate D2. I was 5 gates away from this whole thing becoming unraveled. After I saw her plane detach from the skyway, I quickly hurried to my own gate, because it was in the midst of boarding.

I made it! I was on board and she still didn’t know. How do I know she had no clue? Well, after I landed in Chicago, I got a voicemail saying she landed safely and that she was with her friends and would call me later. Perfect! Everything was going according to plan. She was supposed to go out with her friends to celebrate and I was “supposed” to be in Boston, sulking her absence. I got scooped up from the airport by Dan-I and before we rendezvoused with our friends at the designated surprise location, we managed to slip a quick bite to eat at my favorite Chicago hot dog establishment – Maxwells. One Polish, extra mustard, please.

From months ago, Jean and Jenie had helped me in planning this Chicago leg of the weekend. We had it all perfectly orchestrated from the meeting place to the timed unveil. So with everyone in position, Caroline and her friends came down Michigan Avenue toward the lounge we were going to host the party at. And to her surprise, there was a crowd of 13 people there waiting for her. Ok, so at this point she’s thinking, “I guess it’s not just a dinner with my roommates, but a dinner with all my close friends! Yay!”

“But wait…who’s that strutting toward me…with yellow flowers?” Surprise! Out from the haze of the afternoon sun, I walked toward her and fulfilled the final installment of a weekend full of surprises! From Boston to Chicago in 0.2 seconds. Watch the video.

Yes, she tried to kick me. Yes, she hit me multiple times. But in all, it was a great night of celebrating a very special weekend with our even more special friends. It was an epic night: cheeseburger cupcakes topped with haribo gummy bears doing unmentionable things, sparkling grape juice in self-assembled plastic champagne glasses, and dizzy bowling with your best friends. All told, it was 3 days in 3 cities. Everyday was filled with a different adventure. Each story was intricately woven in order to form what was the perfect weekend.

Now I write this as an engaged man. What’s different? Nothing, really. But I’ll tell you what will remain the same. I commit myself, as I did from day one, to love her as Christ loved the Church. We haven’t said our vows yet, but the attitude starts now. Please pray for the both of us that our relationship would be another great picture of the Good News of Jesus Christ: a God who loved His rebellious people so much that He was willing to give and sacrifice His only Son, so that those He loved could come into a more intimate relationship with Him forever. Pray that our relationship would picture a Gospel of Love, Forgiveness, and Service. Just as God Loved, Christ Forgave, and the Holy Spirit continues to Serve.

A gigantic shout out to our family and friends for making everything possible. We love you all and are overwhelmed by the thought of God’s grace shown to us through you.

To Caroline, let’s give our all until there’s nothing left. And when it’s all said and done we seek only the approval of One as He says, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

It’s such an important question. Without fail, it’s usually the one question that you ask a person you’ve just met. It can say a lot about someone. It can tell you what ethnicity and culture they embrace. It can tell you their history and worldview. It can tell you why they speak so funky. It can even tell you whether they prefer to wear socks or not. Where you’re from tells others so much about you, without you having to explain it all.

I’m from Chicago. What’s that say about me? Well, for one, it tells them what allegiance I hold in matters regarding sports (Cubs, Bulls, Bears, & Illini). What else? It tells them I know how to eat (hot dogs, deep dish, sausages, etc). It also tells them I know how to deal with year-to-year highway construction.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my short time here in Boston, it’s that absolutely no one is from Boston. It’s true. If you live here, it’s highly likely that you were born and raised somewhere else. It’s just the nature of the city. No one stays long enough to see the next Bruins Stanley Cup. And even if they do, no one cares. Boston is a city full of migrants. Here for a season and gone the next. But that’s what makes this city so interesting. Everyone brings a different flavor to this lego bucket of culture.

Much like the very world we live in, Christians aren’t permanent residents, either. We’re from a different city. We’re just passing right on through. But the question always to ask ourselves is, “Do people confirm where we’re from by witnessing our lives?” Can you tell someone you’re a Christian and will they say, “Oh, you love others more than yourself, don’t you!?” “I bet you love to be unselfish with your time and talents!” “What’d you think about that Bible? Surely, you’ve read it!?” Sadly, sometimes no one is able to tell we’re Christians, unless we tell them. And sometimes, even when we tell them, they don’t believe us.

Where you from?

• According to Scott Miller of CBS Sportsline, there’s going to be a Tiger and Cub pitted against one another in the ’ship. Sports Illustrated believes the same.

• According to Erik Karabell of Fantasy Sports fame, it’s going to be a match between the cursed, Cubs vs. Red Sox.

• ESPN the Magazine published that the Indians would meet the Cubs in that elusive series.

• And in a general consensus, the Cubs are picked as favorites to win the NL Central.

Every year, there seems to be similar expectation from this team. Every year, they have new off-season acquisitions that will change the outcome of their previous year’s letdown. Every year, they have questions about the starting rotation and the dependability of their bullpen. Every year, the pundits pick them to succeed, but without fail, every year the Cubs have stumbled far short of their intended goals and have left their faithful fans with that all too familiar taste in their mouth. If losing was a candy, it’d be sour jawbreaker.

But why do I believe all the hype this year? Well, simply because I’m a cubs fan. I’ve bought the hype every year. But something in my blue & red blood tells me that this year’s not just hype. Something in my heart of hearts (all cubs fans are born with two hearts, in the case they blow a game in the ninth) tells me that this year’s going to be different. Again, it could just be that good ol’ north side optimism. But the spirit of Harry Carey tells me this is it. And c’mon, 100 years without a world series trophy to hold? Records are meant to be broken, right? Don’t curses only last for a 100 years?

Let’s just put it simply: Opening day is tomorrow and for Cubs fans, this means it’s the beginning of the end. We’re sick of the billy goat. We’re sick of the curse. We’re sick of “close enough”. We’re sick of “maybe next year”. We want October baseball under the lights. We want the ivy at Wrigley to glitter with champagne sparkles. We want those special 2008 World Series balls hitting the streets on Waveland and Ashland. We want a ring ceremony to begin our 2009 Season. We want to be champions again. Is this the year we can change all that? Yes, we can!

Tim Keller’s Speaking Tour

He’s coming for the following Veritas Forums. I really wish I could go… But if any of you out there can make it, I highly suggest you go.

THE VERITAS FORUM AT NORTHWESTERN
Thursday, March 6 | 6:00PM – 7:30PM
Ryan Auditorium

THE VERITAS FORUM AT U. CHICAGO
Friday, March 7 | 7:00PM – 8:30PM
Kent Chemical Laboratory
1020 East 58th St.

DEKALB, Illinois (CNN) — A gunman dressed in black stepped from behind a curtain at the front of a large lecture hall at Northern Illinois University on Thursday and shot 21 people, six of them fatally, then shot and killed himself, said university president John Peters.

read more on CNN.com

What is the cause of the recent increase in school shootings? Is it the accessibility to guns? Is it the publicity of the aftermath? Is it the glorification in media? Is it the increasing desensitization to violence? Is it the desperate need for purpose? What is it?

Lord, this nation needs you. We pray your mercy be upon us and our children.