#proudtobea12

[aprilwerling]

The temp was holding at 90. Dropped to 89 degrees now. Just stayed home at watched the game. #Seahawks defeated the Chiefs 17-16. Go Hawks💙💚💙💚🏈#SEAvsKC #Seahawks #proudtobea12 💙💚💙💚

[itsjoonbug]

Superbowl XLIV: A Valuable Lesson Learned

There have been only a few very rare occasions where I felt heartbroken in my life. You can make fun of me all you want, but one of those moments happened yesterday night at the conclusion of Super Bowl XLIV. It was the New England Patriots vs the defending champions of last year’s Superbowl, my hometown team whom I cherish and love, the Seattle Seahawks.

If you know me, then you probably know that the Seattle Seahawks are very near and dear to me and they have a very special place in my heart (Yes I am a fanboy, and proud of it!). Why is it that they are so important to me? Because they are somewhat of a representation of who I am and what I relate to. What? A champion? No. Actually... an underdog. My whole life I’ve always been the little guy and the one that always gets overlooked and underestimated, because I always lose and hardly ever win. Being from Seattle (which before last year’s Superbowl victory we were ranked as the number #1 WORST sports city in America) I identify with losing a lot. Looking at the roster of the Seahawks, they are a bunch of underdogs as well and it makes me relate to them so much more. Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse, wide receivers, went undrafted out of college, because no team wanted them or thought they were good enough. Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor were both overlooked in their draft years and were drafted very low, because teams thought that they weren’t able to make an impact on the field. Russell Wilson, our starting quarterback, was also overlooked in his draft class and chosen in the later rounds, because he was too “short” to win games. And finally, Pete Carroll, Seattle’s head coach and genius behind the success of the franchise, prior to being coach for Seattle, was tossed around endlessly for failing over and over again to win games and went from team to team. This team is full of underdogs. Despite this team’s many failures, last year, they were able to pull together and overcome their shortcomings to lead Seattle to defeat the Denver Broncos in 2014 to earn their first ever Superbowl title. This was a special moment for me and the city of Seattle. However, even though success came again in the following season for Seattle and another chance at the Superbowl title came, I was distraught to watch our team lose everything we had worked for in the final moments of Superbowl XLIV.

Everything was going well for Seattle. By the final minute, Seattle had the final possession of the ball and the sweet, savory taste of victory was just beginning to settle in on Seattle’s taste buds. They were one single yard away from the winning touchdown and all they had to do was get the ball into the endzone. The only thing that was in their way, was ironically not the opposing Patriots, but really themselves. Being at 2nd down with time on the clock and also a timeout, the simplest and most effective play would have been to hand the ball off to Marshawn Lynch (Arguably the best runningback in the league) to run into the endzone and end the game with a Seattle victory and a repeat championship. But instead the Seahawks executed a risky pass play that failed miserably, because it was intercepted by New England in the final seconds of the Game. The Pats already had the lead in the game and we just needed a touchdown to win and we were in direct sight of it. With that interception, the Pats sealed our fates. I had never felt such shock and disappointment in my life until I witnessed that interception. It was so excruciatingly painful to watch and it was too difficult to swallow. To be quite honest I was feeling quite angry and bitter. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. How could we be so close to winning it all again and fail by making the silliest mistake ever at the worst possible time on the world’s biggest stage?

I eventually accepted the fact that we lost, and I had to admit that The New England Patriots put up an amazing fight against the Seahawks and both teams were neck and neck all the way to the final minutes of the game. Seattle just messed up big time in the end. It still boggled me that that happened and it was so dramatic, but it got me thinking about a lot of things. How do you as a coach live with yourself knowing that you made the worst possible decision? How do you as a quarterback bounce back from executing such a terrible play at the worst possible moment? As I saw all the negative comments/criticisms on the Internet and social media, I could only imagine the pain, torment, and struggle that Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson were going through in their minds. It must have been so tantalizing. I was in shock again, because I couldn’t believe the response from both of them in their post game interviews. Both Carroll and Wilson took full responsibility for throwing away their nearly-won second title with the bad pass-play call and they accepted and honored the fact that they lost and the Pats had won, all with calm composure. That to me spoke volumes, because if I were to have gone through what they did, I probably would have acted like a sore loser and be bitter and angry with everyone and everything. This really humbled me and gave me so much respect for Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll, being able to take a painful loss like that. The one thing that really struck me deep was when I read Russell Wilson’s Facebook status after the game. It read: “Thank you God for the opportunity. We’ll be back… I will never waiver on who He has called me to be… Thanks 12s #GoHawks”

Even in the dark valley of disappointment and loss, Russell Wilson was still thankful to Jesus for the God-given opportunity to play football and play in the Superbowl. And even though it must have been so difficult and disappointing for him to be able to take such an emotional hit, he still proudly proclaims his faith in God by not wavering on who God has called him to be. I couldn’t help, but to feel so inspired, because I realized that the one thing that keeps Wilson going and playing hard is not his desire to win championships or to beat others in this game, but it is his faith in God and who he is in Christ and the vision and calling of God in his life to play football. They are what keep him going even in the presence of imminent failure, insecurity, and ruthless opposition. He puts his strength not in himself, but in Christ Jesus and what’s been done on the cross.

Even though I put so much somewhat wasted hope in the Seahawks winning Superbowl XLIV, ironically, from this loss, I gained so much. I’m not saying that we should all be like Russell Wilson and give him all the glory for the things he does and this and that etc etc… We’d be totally missing the point. I’m saying we need to put our faith in Christ in everything we do, even when we have lost everything. You may have read in my previous blogs that I took a break from school and that it was a very good and productive break, where I experienced healing and revitalization in my life. I felt the Lord so present and I could feel his goodness and light. But when at the end of that break I was faced with an eviction, relationship issues, roommate/apartment problems, money problems, and on top of that my computer and passport being stolen, I had a difficult time trying to see God and his goodness in all the clutter and chaos. It has been a difficult few weeks, but because I have been leaning and depending so much on his words, prayer, and have just been worshiping him, I’ve found so much strength, courage, and refuge to keep going, even in the middle of all the trouble I’m in. When Russell Wilson proclaims Jesus and gives glory to God in all his struggles and loss, I am once again reminded of the goodness and greatness of God and his love. I am reminded that even though I was raised up as an underdog with very little, In Christ, I am made a champion. A champion over sin and death. Not by what I do, but by what Jesus does on the cross for me (And all of us). Thats what Russell Wilson is thinking. He isn't going to let his failure get to him, because he knows he has Jesus and we need to change our mindset. Losses are terrible and we all know that, but when Jesus is in the picture, the thoughts of another Superbowl title become all, but nothing and forgotten to me… He becomes way more precious to me than that.

Because what’s so great about gaining the treasures of this world, but never knowing who Jesus is, what he’s done, and what he might have in store for you? Earthly treasures will never fully satisfy us whether it’s a Superbowl title, a luxurious car, a nice career, or even a significant other. In the end, it’s Jesus, His Gospel, and his love that satisfies and provides everything in our hearts. Nothing else on earth can emulate what he does. Nothing.

Congrats New England Patriots! You guys are once again Superbowl Champions! And also Tom Brady for the MVP!

For the rest of the NFL (Including and especially the Pats...), the season may have ended, but watch out... Cause the Seahawks aren't done yet. #whatsnext